Impatient? This link goes straight to a sample 17 day diet menu.
The 17 day diet was created in 2010 by US Doctor Mike Moreno (‘Dr Mike’) and offers a varied diet plan with the aim to shift visceral fat, the diet is divided into four phases. The plan is aimed at everyone whether the aim is to lose a little or a lot of excess weight; it has proven very popular with dieters claiming the weight they lose does not return. The plan requires 17 minutes of daily exercise and the following of four different cycles each lasting 17 days. The science behind the 17 day diet is that it surprises the body’s metabolic system by changing eating habits every 17 days to avoid plateaus, a weight loss of 10-12 pounds is common during the first phase.
17 Day Diet Phases
Cycle 1 is the accelerate phase which drives quick weight loss. This cycle rids the blood of sugar which in turn promotes fat burning and depresses fat storage. The second cycle is the activate phase which resets the body’s metabolism by both increasing and decreasing calorie intake. This also boosts fat-burning whilst helping stop plateaus.
Cycle 3 is called ‘achieve’ and assists in healthy eating habits through the re-introduction of certain foods. The final part is ‘arrive’ also known as cycle 4. At this last stage dieters are maintained at their goal weight by eating properly Monday to Friday and taking a break at the weekend to enjoy other foods.
Dr. Moreno commented that “This diet is probably the only diet that is for everybody…whether you want to lose five pounds for your high school reunion, whether you want to lose 150 pounds, or whether you’re just comfortable with who you are and how you look and your health and your weight, as it is, this is just a way to not only focus on the scale moving, but it’s focusing on good, proper digestive health.” The four different cycles are varied to promote healthy eating habits and weight loss and it’s crucial to follow through with each cycle in order to increase your weight loss potential. Here the 17 Day Diet phases are covered in detail.
Sample Menu
Here’s an example of a 17 Day Diet menu for week 1 (the accellerate phase). The 17 Day Diet meal plan is not fixed so this is not necessarily what you have to eat, there are options.
Day 1
Breakfast: | Omelette |
Lunch: | Shrimp & Chicken Gumbo |
Dinner: | Beef Bourguignon |
Day 2
Breakfast: | Mixed Berry Crepe |
Lunch: | Chicken Cheese Steak |
Dinner: | Port Tenderloin with Olive Tapanade |
Day 3
Breakfast: | Omelette |
Lunch: | Broccoli & Beef Dinner |
Dinner: | Sausage Dinner |
Day 4
Breakfast: | Spinach & Ricotta Cheese Crepe |
Lunch: | Shrimp Bowl |
Dinner: | Chicken Roasted Apples |
Day 5
Breakfast: | Omelette |
Lunch: | Blackened Tilapia |
Dinner: | Fish Paella |
Day 6
Breakfast: | Breakfast Crepe |
Lunch: | Salmon Fillet with Roasted Pepper Puree |
Dinner: | Arroz Con Lentejas |
Day 7
Breakfast: | Chicken & Mushroom Crepe |
Lunch: | Chicken Bowl |
Dinner: | Pinapple Teriyaki Meatloaf |
One of the attractions of the 17 Day Diet is that there’s a service (US only), for approx $185 per week, that delivers 7 days worth of meals to your door! This service saves all the hassle of buying the specific ingredients and cooking to recipes every day.
Here’s a video of Dr. Moreno on the show Dr. Phil talking about the diet.