The Cheat System Diet: Eat the Foods You Crave and Lose Weight Even Faster

Wicks, founder of successful online weight-loss network PEERtrainer.com, offers a method for moderate dietary “cheating”—eating enough of what’s good for you and indulging in only a little of what’s not. This is a diet for those who know what to eat, but aren’t doing so due to a lack of motivation or support. Wicks promises weight-loss success with the Cheat System’s “Three Essential Pillars”: high nutrient eating, limited cheats through small portions of unhealthy treats, and associated reduction in cortisol levels and inflammation. The cheat system provides lower overall caloric intake, reduced hunger and cravings, and increased fullness at every meal, but it works only if a dieter chooses foods from the PEERtrainer list of “Eats and Cheats” which is presented after random nutritional advice about good and bad fats, traditional and alternative protein, and other topics, plus a stress-busting exercise plan. The three-week, three-meal-a-day plan includes over 160 recipes and emphasizes the importance of tracking one’s food intake. Her strategy isn’t new, but readers may appreciate the huge online network of members who share tips, hints, and frustrations. Were Wicks’s book less scattered and repetitive, it might be as user-friendly as her website. Agent: Celeste Fine,Sterling Lord Literistic. (May)