We have all played at least some action video games. At some point, we find ourselves in a corner that we can’t seem to escape from and consult our list of cheat codes for extra ammo, a bigger gun, or to restore our battered health. Suddenly we are invincible and everything fits.

Trying to lose weight often leads to the same kind of frustration. No matter what we try, we can’t seem to get to the next level. We hit a plateau, and no matter which way we look or what strategies we use, the scale refuses to budge. For those days that threaten our best plans, we need our own diet cheat codes.

Here are some examples:

1. Vegetable day.

Set aside a day or two when you will have nothing but vegetables. Don’t worry about which type, even those with the highest carb and calorie counts will work as long as you eat them raw or steamed. The key is to eat nothing else: no butter, dressing, sauce, oil, dressing, salt, and nothing other than black coffee, unsweetened tea, or best of all, plain water. Even the most stubborn appetite will find it difficult to eat more than a few hundred calories, and their system will flush for days.

2. Soup day.

Convince yourself that you just had dental work and wouldn’t be able to chew if your life depended on it. Give yourself a day or two with only soups that don’t require chewing. Skip the expensive stew-like concoctions and aim for the cheaper broth-based varieties: consummé, veggies, oxtail, celery, cabbage, French onion (no cheese), miso, or egg. Avoid anything with a plague-like cream and steer clear of side dishes like bread, crackers, and croutons.

3. Steamed or poached fish.

Any type of fish, including shellfish, works wonders for boosting our body fat, and those omega-3 oils help with everything. The easiest way to prepare any fish is to steam it or poach it in water or clam juice in the oven. Allow yourself a squeeze of lemon, but avoid the butter, oil, sauce, and capers. Not only will you cross that plateau, but you will also be healthier.

4. Hard boiled eggs.

Skip this method if you have a dangerously high cholesterol condition, but for most of us, a day or two with a large number of eggs will have no permanent effect on our cholesterol levels. Are you familiar with what a hard-boiled egg or two can fill? Unless you are Cool Hand Luke, you will find it difficult to eat more than six eggs during the day. Do not use condiments and drink large amounts of water to quench the thirst they are sure to generate.

5. Cottage cheese.

Years of weight monitoring have taught me to like, if never really love, cottage cheese. As a substitute for potatoes or rice, it definitely has its place. However, on its own, it quickly becomes downright boring, like eating creamy chalk. However, it contains good protein and quickly raises blood sugar to relieve headaches, lightheadedness, and hunger. Try it for just a couple of days and by the second afternoon you won’t even be hungry and you can choose to skip the evening portion.

6. Salads.

A huge bowl of salad greens can fill you up with just a hint of calories. The secret is to avoid the non-salad enhancers that we often add for flavor and variety. No croutons, no fruit, no cheese, no beans, no seeds, no nuts, and absolutely no dressing. A splash of lemon or lime is acceptable, but even the lowest calorie dressing is not allowed for this experimental period.

7. Green tea.

The merits of green tea have been hyped in the media for the past few years and it seems to have some secret properties that help our bodies hum more efficiently. Make it the centerpiece of your diet for a day or two, consuming as many pots as you can prepare. If the liquid alone can’t keep you going, combine it with one of the other suggestions here.

8. Liquid protein.

Pure protein, free of carbs and fat, is a weight loss miracle when combined with a heavy fluid intake (a pure protein regimen creates almost constant thirst). There are canned protein drinks to drink through a straw and powders to mix into fine shakes. The easiest of all is to take a few tablespoons of protein syrup throughout the day. Your hunger will remain in check, your scales will begin to respond, and you will have plenty of free time to spend doing something more important to the world than simply eating.

9. Fad diets.

Fad diets get a bad rap because they are ineffective in the long run. We are not looking long term now, you already have your diet, the one you choose. We’re looking for a short-term jolt to get our bodies off track again. Pick whatever two- or three-day fad diet you want and stick to it religiously. It will do the trick of scaring your body into giving up some of its fat and then you can go back to your long-term “sensible” diet until the next plateau hits.

10. Fasting.

I am somewhat reluctant to mention this, despite its effectiveness proven over thousands of years, because we are looking for short-term breakthroughs and the first three days of fasting can be difficult; After the fourth day, your body stops craving food and the real benefits of fasting kick in. However, if you are really frustrated and willing to do anything to shift your weight, a few days without eating will work wonders. Educate yourself a little first, read up on water and juice fasts, and don’t pursue this for more than a few days unless you have considerable prior experience or know a fasting expert to turn to for advice.

Now you have ten cheat codes to help you get through the tough times. Whichever long-range diet you have selected, it will rarely result in a consistent loss curve. When the weight loss stops for two or three days, or a week, separate your cheat codes and take one of them for a spin before raising your hands in disgust and concluding, “This diet isn’t working for me.”

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