The 17 Day Diet

Dr. Mike Moreno, a physician from San Diego, is the author of the 17 Day Diet. There are three cycles that last 17 days each and one long-term maintenance cycle. This diet suggests walking for 17 minutes each day for the first two phases and then 20-45 minutes a day of exercise after these two phases. The reason behind the 17 day cycle is to prevent forming a habit. The goal is to change things up before your body can create routine and therefore eliminate the plateau effect as seen with many diets. Another focus is to use Greek style yogurts and keifer to improve digestion and help lose weight. No fruit or starchy carbohydrates are allowed after 2pm, because the body may not as readily use them for energy and they therefore get stored as fat.

Cycles of the diet:

Cycle 1 – Accelerate

It starts by taking many things away from the diet and restricting to 1200 calories per day. Initial weight loss of about 10-15 lbs is mostly due to water weight. This 17 day cycle acts as a cleansing phase where the dieter gets rid of unhealthy foods, begins improved eating habits, and stimulates fat metabolism.
- Foods to eat:
  - Unlimited amounts of non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, a limited amount of fruits (none after 2pm), probiotics, and fat in the form of olive oil or flaxseed oil.

Cycle 2 – Activate

The next 17-day cycle keeps the metabolism guessing by alternating days of higher and lower calorie so there is not a plateau and no boredom. Dieters can expect a 6-8 lb weight loss.
- Foods to eat:
  - Same as cycle 1, but reduce servings of fat and add more healthy carbs and starches such as legumes, brown rice, bulgar, quinoa, squash and sweet potatoes.

Cycle 3 – Achieve

This 17-day stabilization cycle allows for a slower weight loss of about 2-3 lbs but gives even more healthy food choices.
- Foods to eat:
  - Same as cycles 1 and 2 with an expanded variety of fruits, proteins, fats, and starches to choose from.
  - Protein is minimized to smaller portions.
  - A small serving of alcohol is permitted.

Cycle 4 – Arrive

This cycle is for when you have reached your weight loss goals, most likely coinciding with the end of the third cycle.
- Foods to eat:
  - Incorporate 1-3 favorite meals with 1-2 alcoholic drinks daily on the weekends and plan strategic cheat days.
  - Allows splurges on the weekends to maintain the weight loss that was achieved.

Foods to avoid for all cycles:

Sugars
Processed foods
Processed carbohydrates
Most dairy, except yogurt

Pros:

The diet is about eating healthy and exercising with an emphasis on lasting weight loss
There are a number of easy meal plans and recipes to follow
The results are immediate and, if done correctly, you should not be hungry

Cons:

Since there are so many foods that are being cut out, it may be hard for some people to stick to the diet.
The extreme calorie restriction in the first cycle may be hard to stick to.
There is only minor scientific data that suggests that cycling food intake will help with weight loss.

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