*17 Day Diet*

A summary :


The 17 Day Diet Plan

Days 1 – 17 are to “Accelerate” on a low carbohydrate diet that provides around 1200 calories.  Eat unlimited lean meat and no-starch vegetables, two fat-free plain yogurts and two low-sugar fruits, a bit of oil, green tea, and 64 ounces of water a day.  Typical for any low carb diet, fat-burning and fluid loss is favored during those days.

Days 18 – 34 are to “Activate” by calorie cycling (aka calorie shifting or calorie zigzagging), which means that the daily calorie intake cycles and recycles from low to high over the course of several days.  The goal is to trick the metabolism to prevent it from slowing down.  Two servings of whole grains are added to the above to raise the average calorie intake to 1500 a day.  

Days 35 – 51 are to “Achieve” good eating habits that last a lifetime.  This phase is the same as “Activate” except that lean meat is no longer unlimited and more grains and fruit are added, along with an optional serving of alcohol and a 100-calorie snack.  In other words, the low carb diet is 'Out' and a balanced low-calorie diet is 'In' sans the processed food.

Day 52 and on are to “Arrive” at a lifelong eating plan, which is a constant cycling through phases 1, 2 and 3 - until the weekends when you can splurge.  But don’t binge, says Dr. Mike, and if you gain more than 5 pounds, return immediately to phase 2.


I expect to lose about 35 lbs over the next two months which is 10% of my starting weight, then evaluate where I am.


I am in love with the workbook, I must say, each phase is mapped out and I'm the type of person that does best when I have day to day support and this gives me exactly that.




This plan is about 1,200 calories per day, or the minimum recommended calorie level.

Cycle 1 allows an unlimited amount of nonstarchy vegetables and lean protein (including 2 eggs per day, if you have normal cholesterol level), along with limited amounts of fruits, probiotics (such as yogurt), and a little bit of "friendly" fat, such as olive oil or flaxseed oil.

Here is a sample day's plan from Cycle 1:

• Unlimited lean protein
• Unlimited nonstarchy vegetables
• 2 low-sugar fruits
• 2 probiotics (low-fat yogurt)
• 1-2 servings of friendly fats
• Green tea
• 64 ounces of water

Foods for Cycle 1 ..Accelerate.

PROTEINS
Fish
Canned Light Tuna (water packed)
Catfish
Flounder
Salmon
Sole
Tilapia

* Opt for wild-caught rather than farm-raised fish, which may have received doses of antibiotics. Avoid the bigger fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and albacore tuna. They are the most likely to carry metals like methyl-mercury, which is considered a toxin.

Poultry
Chicken Breast
Eggs (2 eggs = 1 serving)
Egg Whites (4 egg whites =1 serving)
Turkey Breast

CLEANSING VEGETABLES   (Eat Liberally)
•       Artichoke
•       Artichoke hearts
•       Asparagus
•       Bell peppers, green, orange, red, yellow
•       Broccoli
•       Brussels sprouts
•       Cabbage
•       Carrots
•      Cauliflower
•       Celery
•       Cucumbers
•       Eggplant
•       Garlic
•       Green beans
•       Green, leafy vegetables (including beet greens, turnip greens, collard greens)
•       Kale
•       Leeks
•       Lettuce, all varieties
•       Mushrooms
•       Okra
•       Onions
•       Parsley
•       Scallions
•       Spinach
•       Tomatoes
•       Watercress

FIBROUS FRUIT- 2 SERVINGS DAILY
•       Apples
•       Berries, all types
•       Grapefruit
•       Oranges
•       Peaches
•       Pears
•       Plums
•       Prickly pear cactus
•       Prunes
•       Red grapes

PROBIOTIC FOODS- 2 SERVINGS DAILY
Acidophilus milk: (1 cup = 1 serving)
Kefir: similar to a drinking-style yogurt; great for making smoothies (1 cup = 1 serving)
Low-fat acidophilus milk (1 cup = 1 serving)
Reduced salt miso dissolved in low-fat, low-sodium broth (1 tablespoon – 1 serving)
Sauerkraut: (1/2 cup – 1 serving)
Yakult: (1 cup = 1 serving)
Yogurt, any type, including Greek-style, sugar-free (6 oz. container = 1 serving)
 
 
FRIENDLY FATS: 1 TO 2 TABLESPOONS DAILY
Flaxseed oil
Olive oil
 
CONDIMENTS
Condiments and seasonings are allowed in moderation:
•       Salsa, low-carb marinara sauce, lite soy sauce, low-carb ketchup, fat-free sour cream, Truvia (a non-caloric sweetener made from natural ingredients), sugar-free jams and jellies, vegetable cooking spray, fat-free cheeses (i.e. Parmesan), fat-free salad dressing, salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard, herbs, and spices.

Substitutions for vegetarians:
One-half cup of tofu (any type)
One-half cup of beans, lentils, or any legume
1-2 vegetarian or black bean burgers (made from textured vegetable protein)
2-4 ounces any vegetarian cheese, including soy cheese
2 vegetarian “sausage” links (great substitute for eggs!)
2 scoops vegan rice protein powder (great for smoothies, blend with 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and a fruit) for a quick 17-Day Diet vegetarian breakfast
Any type of vegetarian meat substitute made from textured vegetable protein (see package for serving size)
For dairy substitutes: 1 serving is 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk
For yogurt substitutes, it is fine to use soy milk yogurtThese subs will work for all cycles as meat-protein substitutions.