Seventeen Day Diet

The 17-day diet is a weight loss program promoted as a healthy way to lose weight rapidly by following a series of 17-day cycles of prescribed eating. Developed by family physician Mike Moreno, the program detailed in the book "The 17 Day Diet" begins with a restricted list of allowed foods, which expands with each diet cycle. The program includes a minimum of 17 minutes of daily exercise and encourages the development of lifelong healthful eating habits.

Cycle One: Accelerate

The nutrition plan during cycle one of the 17-day diet includes specific types of lean protein, high-fiber vegetables, some probiotic foods and a small amount of fruit-derived carbohydrates. The rationale behind the high-protein content of cycle one is to promote fat loss while preventing loss of muscle. The protein also provides your body with sufficient calories to suppress your hunger. The vegetables allowed in cycle one are low in calories and high in fiber, which helps you feel full and keeps your bowels moving despite the high protein content of the diet. You don't have to count calories on the 17-day diet, although you need to control serving sizes for certain foods on the program. You are encouraged to drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily while on all cycles of the 17 day diet. Green tea and coffee are also permitted. Moreno reports that most people lose up to 10 to 15 lb. during cycle one of the 17-day diet.

Cycle Two: Activate

The second cycle of the 17-day diet is designed keep your body burning fat by alternating days of high and low carbohydrate intake. Your food choices expand in cycle two to include more lean protein and vegetable choices. Starchy vegetables and beans are added in prescribed amounts on high-carb days of the activate cycle. The "17 Day Diet" includes recipes and suggested daily meals and snacks to help you manage your nutrition plan for each cycle of the program. A small amount of alcohol is allowed on all cycles of the 17-day diet, although drinking while on the program will slow your weight loss because of the added calories.

Cycle Three: Achieve

Lean proteins and non-starchy vegetables continue to be the cornerstones of your menus during the third cycle of the 17-day diet, but your food choices again expand to include more complex carbohydrates, such as pasta, bread and cereals. With more higher-calorie foods included, weight loss is typically less dramatic in cycle three compared to cycles one and two. One of the goals of cycle three is to learn portion control and healthful eating habits that will help you maintain your weight loss. You can skip cycle three if you are already at your goal weight after cycles one and two.

Cycle Four: Arrive

"Arrive" is the maintenance stage of the 17-day diet, to be used once you've achieved your goal weight. Moreno suggests that you follow meal plans from the first three cycles of the program Monday through Friday and eat what you want on the weekends. To maintain your weight loss, you need to continue exercising daily and controlling your portions of high-calorie foods.