The 17 Day Diet: A Comprehensive Guide to Cycles, Food Lists, and Weight Loss

The 17 Day Diet, created by Dr. Mike Moreno, is a physician-approved eating plan designed to promote rapid weight loss and overall health improvement. The diet is structured around four cycles, each lasting 17 days, with the aim of preventing metabolic slowdown and dietary boredom. It emphasizes healthy foods without strict calorie counting. An application assists users in tracking food, exercise, and meal planning, enhancing adherence to the diet.

Core Principles of the 17 Day Diet

The 17 Day Diet operates on the principle of alternating food and exercise requirements to keep the metabolism active and prevent plateaus. It’s not a restrictive fad diet but a balanced eating plan. The diet focuses on lean protein, antioxidant-rich produce, probiotics, and healthy fats, while minimizing or eliminating sugar, processed foods, salty foods, and fried foods.

The diet is divided into four cycles:

  • Cycle 1 (Accelerate): Designed to promote rapid weight loss by improving digestive health and clearing sugar from the blood to boost fat-burning.
  • Cycle 2 (Activate): Aims to reset metabolism through varying caloric intake to stimulate fat burning and prevent plateaus.
  • Cycle 3 (Achieve): Focuses on developing good eating habits by reintroducing additional foods and moving closer to the goal weight.
  • Cycle 4 (Sustain): Designed to maintain weight loss long-term with a balanced approach.

Key Features of a 17 Day Diet App

The 17 Day Diet Complete app is designed to assist users in navigating the diet effectively. Features include:

  • A quick-start diet introduction.
  • Guidance through all four cycles.
  • Direct personal support.
  • Recipes compatible with the diet.
  • A shopping list.
  • A diet compatibility food database.
  • Exercise lists.
  • An easy-to-use meal and workout tracker.
  • A dashboard for daily needs and activities.
  • Weight tracking.
  • A daily water intake tracker.
  • A resource of essential information about the 17 Day Diet.
  • Balanced meal plans tailored to each cycle.

Food Lists and Dietary Guidelines

The 17 Day Diet focuses on eliminating certain carbohydrates, processed foods, and unhealthy fats while emphasizing lean protein, non-starchy vegetables, and low-sugar fruits.

Read also: The Hoxsey Diet

Protein

Protein options are plentiful on the 17 Day Diet, starting from the first cycle. Acceptable proteins include:

  • Fish (salmon, sole, flounder, catfish, tilapia, and canned light tuna in water).
  • Chicken and turkey breast.
  • Lean ground turkey.
  • Eggs (in limited quantities).
  • Shellfish, pork, lean red meat, lamb, and veal (added in the second cycle).

Vegetables

Vegetables are categorized into starchy and non-starchy. Non-starchy vegetables, also known as "cleansing vegetables," are allowed in unlimited quantities. These include:

  • Cauliflower
  • Cabbage
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Asparagus
  • Celery
  • Green beans
  • Greens
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Tomatoes

Starchy vegetables are allowed starting in Cycle 2.

Fruits

Fruits are divided into low-sugar and high-sugar categories. Two servings of low-sugar fruit are allowed from the first cycle. Low-sugar fruits include:

  • Apples
  • Berries
  • Grapefruit
  • Oranges
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Plums
  • Prunes
  • Red grapes

High-sugar fruits are not allowed until the third cycle.

Read also: Walnut Keto Guide

Grains and Starches

Grains and other "natural starches" are restricted in Cycle 1 but are reintroduced in limited types and quantities in Cycles 2 and 3. Acceptable grains include:

  • Amaranth
  • Barley
  • Brown rice
  • Couscous
  • Cream of wheat
  • Grits
  • Long-grain rice
  • Millet
  • Oat bran
  • Old-fashioned oatmeal
  • Quinoa

Dairy

Dairy products are allowed in moderation on the 17 Day Diet. In Phase 3, certain cheeses are permitted, such as:

  • Brie
  • Camembert
  • Fontina
  • Low-fat cheddar
  • Edam
  • Feta
  • Goat
  • Limburger
  • Part-skim mozzarella

Fats

The diet encourages the consumption of 1 to 2 tablespoons of "friendly fats" (olive oil and flaxseed oil) from the first day.

Sample Meal Plan (Cycle 2, First Three Days)

During Cycle 2, you alternate between the more restrictive Cycle 1 foods and less restrictive Cycle 2 foods every other day for 17 days. This sample meal plan provides an example of what you could eat during the first three days:

  • Day 1: Focus on lean proteins and cleansing vegetables.
  • Day 2: Incorporate starchy vegetables and limited portions of whole grains.
  • Day 3: Return to lean proteins and cleansing vegetables.

Adaptability and Considerations

The 17 Day Diet can be adapted to various dietary restrictions. Individuals with food allergies or intolerances can easily tailor the program to meet their needs by eliminating foods they cannot have.

Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP

It is essential to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any diet program, especially for individuals with diabetes or other chronic health conditions.

Potential Benefits

  • Weight Loss: The diet is likely to result in weight loss, particularly in the initial stages, due to calorie restriction.
  • Flexibility: The diet is adaptable to dietary restrictions.
  • Emphasis on Healthy Foods: The plan encourages the consumption of lean proteins, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats.

Potential Drawbacks

  • Fiber Intake: The first cycle may lack sufficient dietary fiber if meals are not carefully planned.
  • Complexity: The initial phase of the diet can be challenging to follow due to specific rules and food restrictions.
  • Sustainability: As with any diet, long-term sustainability depends on individual adherence and lifestyle integration.
  • Metabolism Claims: Experts have mixed opinions on metabolism-revving claims.

Health and Lifestyle Factors

Restricting your diet isn’t the only factor influencing weight loss. You can cultivate other healthy habits such as regular exercise, sleep, and other factors. Remember, following a long- or short-term diet may not be necessary for you, and many diets out there don’t work, especially long-term. If your goal is weight loss, remember that losing weight isn’t necessarily the same as being your healthiest self, and there are many other ways to pursue health. Exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle factors play a role in your overall health.

DASH Eating Plan Comparison

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan requires no special foods and instead provides daily and weekly nutritional goals. The DASH plan focuses on foods that are low in saturated and trans fats and rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and protein. It is also lower in sodium.

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