| We've all played at least a few action video | | | | Try it alone for a couple of days and by the |
| games. At some point, we find ourselves in a | | | | second afternoon you'll not even be hungry and |
| corner we can't seem to escape and consult our | | | | may choose to skip your evening portion. |
| list of cheat codes to get extra ammunition, a | | | | 6. Salads. |
| bigger gun, or restore our battered health. | | | | A huge bowl of salad greens can fill you up with |
| Suddenly we're invincible and everything falls into | | | | barely a hint of calories. The secret is to avoid |
| place. | | | | the non-salad enhancers we usually add for flavor |
| Trying to lose weight often leads to the same | | | | and variety. No croutons, no fruit, no cheese, no |
| kind of frustration. No matter what we try, we | | | | beans, no seeds, no nuts, and absolutely no |
| can't seem to move on to the next level. We hit | | | | dressing. A squeeze of lemon or lime is acceptable |
| a plateau and no matter which way we turn or | | | | but not even the lowest calorie dressing is allowed |
| what strategies we use, the scale refuses to | | | | for this experimental period. |
| budge. For those days that threaten our best laid | | | | 7. Green tea. |
| plans, we need our own diet cheat codes. | | | | The merits of green tea have been trumpeted in |
| Here are some samples: | | | | the media for the past few years and it does |
| 1. Vegetable day. | | | | seem to have some secret properties that help |
| Set aside a day or two when you will consume | | | | our bodies hum along more efficiently. Make it the |
| nothing but vegetables. Don't worry about which | | | | centerpiece of your diet for a day or two, |
| kind, even those with the highest carbohydrate | | | | consuming as many pots as you can brew. If the |
| and calorie counts will work as long as you eat | | | | liquid alone can't keep you going, combine with one |
| them raw or steamed. The key is to eat nothing | | | | of the other suggestions here. |
| else: no butter, dressing, sauce, oil, dip, salt and no | | | | 8. Liquid protein. |
| beverages other than black coffee, unsweetened | | | | Pure protein, without any carbohydrates or fats, |
| tea or, best of all, plain water. Even the most | | | | is a miracle worker for weight loss when |
| unruly appetite will find it hard to eat more than a | | | | combined with a copious intake of liquids (a pure |
| few hundred calories and your system will flush | | | | protein regimen generates almost constant thirst). |
| itself out for days. | | | | There are canned protein drinks to sip through a |
| 2. Soup day. | | | | straw and powders to be mixed into thin shakes. |
| Convince yourself that you've just had dental | | | | Easiest of all is to take a few spoonfuls of protein |
| work and couldn't chew if your life depended on it. | | | | syrup throughout the day. Your hunger will stay in |
| Give yourself a day or two with only soups that | | | | check, your scales will start to respond, and you'll |
| require no chewing. Ignore the expensive | | | | free up a lot of time to spend doing something |
| stew-like concoctions and aim for the cheaper | | | | more important to the world than simply chowing |
| varieties that are broth-based: consomme, | | | | down. |
| vegetable, oxtail, celery, cabbage, French onion | | | | 9. Fad diets. |
| (no cheese), miso, or egg drop. Avoid anything | | | | Fad diets have a bad name because they are |
| that is creamed like the plague and stay away | | | | ineffective over the long haul. We're not looking at |
| from accompaniments such as bread, crackers, | | | | the long haul now – you already have your |
| and croutons. | | | | diet, whatever you chose. We are looking for a |
| 3. Steamed or poached fish. | | | | short term jolt to get our bodies back on the |
| Any kind of fish, including shellfish, works wonders | | | | losing track. Pick whatever two or three day fad |
| in nudging our body fat along and those omega-3 | | | | diet you like and stick to it religiously. It will do the |
| oils help everything. The easiest way to prepare | | | | trick of scaring your body into giving up some of |
| any fish is to steam it or poach it in water or | | | | its fat and then you can return to your long term |
| clam juice in the oven. Allow yourself a squeeze | | | | "sensible" diet until the next plateau hits. |
| of lemon but shun butter, oil, sauce, and capers. | | | | 10. Fasting. |
| Not only will you break through that plateau but | | | | I am somewhat reluctant to mention this, despite |
| you'll be healthier for it. | | | | its proved effectiveness over thousands of |
| 4. Hard-boiled eggs. | | | | years, because we are looking at short term |
| Skip this method if you have a dangerously high | | | | jumpstarts and the first three days of fasting can |
| cholesterol condition but for most of us, a day or | | | | be difficult – after about the fourth day, |
| two on even a large number of eggs won't have | | | | your body stops craving food and the true |
| any permanent effects on our cholesterol levels. | | | | benefits of fasting kick in. However, if you're |
| Are you familiar with how filling just one or two | | | | really frustrated and willing to do anything to get |
| hard-boiled eggs can be? Unless you're Cool Hand | | | | your weight moving, a few days of eating nothing |
| Luke, you'll find it hard to eat more than six eggs | | | | at all will work wonders. Educate yourself a little |
| throughout the day. Use no condiments and drink | | | | first, reading up on water and juice fasts, and |
| huge quantities of water to quench the thirst they | | | | don't pursue this for more than a few days unless |
| will surely generate. | | | | you have considerable prior experience or know a |
| 5. Cottage cheese. | | | | fasting expert to turn to for advice. |
| Years of weight watching have taught me to like, | | | | Now you have ten cheat codes to help you |
| if never really love, cottage cheese. As a | | | | through the rough patches. Whichever long range |
| substitute for potatoes or rice, it definitely has its | | | | diet you have selected is rarely going to result in |
| place. However, on its own, it quickly becomes | | | | a steady losing curve. When the weight loss stops |
| downright boring, like eating creamed chalk. It | | | | for two or three days, or a week, break out |
| does, however, contain good protein and rapidly | | | | your cheat codes and give one of them a whirl |
| raises the level of your blood sugar to alleviate | | | | before you throw up your hands in disgust and |
| headaches, light-headedness, and hunger pangs. | | | | conclude "This diet isn't working for me. |