17 Day Diet Guide: Evaluating the Rapid Weight Loss Diet

The 17 day diet is popular because it promises rapid weight loss over the first 17 days.

It consists of four different diet cycles to gradually bring you towards a lifestyle of healthy eating habits.

But, does the 17 day diet work for weight loss? Is the 17 day diet healthy? How much weight can you lose on the 17 day diet?

In this guide, we will discuss the 17 Day Diet plan, the principles behind it, how to follow it, and potential 17 Day Diet benefits and drawbacks.

Lets jump in!

What Is the 17 Day Diet Plan?

The 17 Day Diet is a weight loss diet that promises rapid weight loss, up to 10 to 15 pounds over the first 17 days of the diet.

In addition to promising quick weight loss results, the 17 day diet program claims to help rev up your metabolism and increase your bodys ability to burn fat.

This is accomplished through a series of four phases of the diet, some of which are quite restrictive in terms of the food choices, and all of them are low-calorie eating plans.

The 17 day weight loss diet plan was developed by a family practice physician in San Diego, California, named Dr. Michael Moreno, MD.¹

He authored a best-selling book on his weight loss program that was published in 2010 called The 17-Day Diet and then released an updated version in 2014 called The 17-Day Diet: Breakthrough Edition.

The newer 17 day diet plan for weight loss also has recipes, 17 day diet weight loss workouts, and recommended supplements.

According to Dr. Morenos website, he has helped millions of Americans lose weight following the 17 day weight loss diet plan.

How Do You Follow the 17 Day Diet Plan?

Being called the 17 day diet plan is a bit of a misnomer or misleading marketing because the 17 day weight loss diet is actually longer than 17 days.

The 17 days aspect of the diet refers to the fact that you are supposed to experience quick weight loss over the first phase of the diet, which lasts 17 days.

Then, a second phase of the diet continues beyond this initial first phase.

Like many fad weight loss diets or crash diets for weight loss, the 17 day diet meal plan is extremely restrictive at first.

It removes all sugar, grains, fruits, and most dairy from your meal plan, so it can be considered a low-carb weight loss diet.

The 17 Day Diet meal plan allows for three meals daily plus snacks. Frequent eating is supposed to help keep you from getting hungry.

During phase 1, there are cleansing vegetables, basically non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, cucumbers, celery, etc. You can eat as many of these veggies as you want, along with specific lean proteins.

In between each of the four phases of the 17 Day Diet weight loss program, Dr. Moreno suggests you do a transitional day fast where you only consume smoothies to help “coax your body into additional fat-burning between cycles.”

These liquid weight-loss smoothies on transitional fasting days are made with almond milk, whey protein powder, yogurt, a powdered fiber supplement, and certain fruits.

Each of the four phases of the 17-Day Diet program is called a Cycle, the first three of which last 17 days each.

Here is a summary of the 17 Day Diet cycles:

Cycle 1: Accelerate”

According to Dr. Moreno, the first cycle is designed to “promote rapid weight loss by improving digestive health. It helps clear sugar from the blood to boost fat-burning and discourage fat storage”.

To accomplish this, you cannot eat any refined carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, or crackers. You also need to remove all sugar and sweets.

Carbohydrate intake is limited to low-carb, non-starchy vegetables.

The 17-Day Diet meal plan for phase 1 also includes certain healthy fats such as flaxseed oil and olive oil.

You are allowed to have lots of lean protein and fermented foods such as Greek yogurt, kefir, and tempeh to help promote a healthy gut microbiome.

Cycle 2: Activate”

After the 17-day first phase, you can have a transitional fasting day with your smoothie and then jump into the second cycle.

According to Dr. Moreno, the second 17-day cycle of the program is designed to “reset your metabolism through a strategy that involves increasing and decreasing your calorie consumption to stimulate fat burning and to help prevent plateaus.”

Here, you follow the same meal plan that you did for Cycle 1 every other day, and then on the alternate days, you get to add a few Cycle 2 foods such as higher-fat meats and fish, some starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, legumes such as beans and lentils, and a few whole greens.

Cycle 3: Achieve”

According to Dr. Moreno, the 17-day diet Cycle 3 program is designed to help you “develop good eating habits through the reintroduction of additional foods and move you closer to your goal weight.”

Here, the meal plan expands to allow some additional whole grains, such as whole-grain pasta, some high-fiber cereals, and some whole-grain breads. You can also have a few fattier meats, such as turkey, bacon, or quail.

You can also have two servings of fruit daily, whereas fruit was eliminated in the previous cycles, and alcohol can be consumed in moderation.

Like the other 17 Day Diet food lists for the previous cycles, you can have unlimited vegetables as long as they are non-starchy.

This is the last of the 17-day cycles.

Cycle 4: Arrive”

This is the long-term maintenance phase of the 17 Day Diet weight loss program.

According to Dr. Moreno, Cycle 4 is designed to be followed for the long term to “keep you at your goal weight through a program of eating less that lets you enjoy your favorite foods on weekends while eating healthfully during the week.”

Here, you stick with the same 17 Day Diet meal plan and food lists during the weekdays, and then you can have splurge meals for 1 to 3 meals on the weekends that include food and/or more alcohol than is allowed in the other 17 Day Diet meals.

What Can You Eat on the 17 Day Diet Meal Plan?

The 17 day diet meal plan is a low-carb diet that removes all refined carbohydrates and sugar.

The diet’s first phase is quite restrictive, so most whole grains are removed, but certain whole grains are allowed in moderation at later stages.

Instead, the 17 Day Diet food list centers around lean proteins, low carb, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats.

This diet book has suggested 17 Day Diet meals and diet recipes for every day of the program, but you can mix and match them or make up your own meals based on your preferences as long as you are following the general food groups you are supposed to be eating and avoiding.

The book provides the 17 Day Diet blueprint with all of the meals spelled out, so it is certainly helpful to purchase the book if you want to follow the 17 Day Diet program.

What Are the Benefits of the 17 Day Diet for Weight Loss and Health?

Overall, the 17 Day Diet plan is tricky to follow because you have to keep track of the specific foods you can eat during each phase, and the reliance on supplements is not as optimal as getting your nutrients from real foods.

While the first phase is overly restrictive, can be difficult to follow, and may not provide all of the nutrition you need, as the diet opens up in the second, third, and fourth cycles, it is fairly well-balanced and a generally healthy weight loss and weight management diet.

However, the claims about revving the metabolism and losing 10 to 15 pounds in the first 17 days can be misleading.

It is very unsafe to lose this much actual fat in such a short time.

Much of the rapid weight loss that people may see will come in the form of water weight due to removing carbohydrates, sodium from processed foods, alcohol, and sugar from the diet, which can all cause a loss of water retention.

You should not exceed a fat loss of more than 1 to 2 pounds per week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).²

A few other benefits of the 17 Day Diet program include eliminating highly processed foods, sugar, refined grains, and excessive alcohol, along with the simultaneous emphasis on whole, natural, unprocessed foods such as non-starchy vegetables and lean proteins.³

The 17 Day Diet program also allows for frequent meals and snacks, which can help manage blood sugar and hunger.

Plus, the maintenance phase will help dieters have a lifelong plan. The permission for a couple of weekend cheat meals during this phase may also improve adherence because it considers real-life needs and can help you not feel deprived.⁴

If you are looking for more of a lifestyle change rather than a weight-loss plan, check out our guide to the Mediterranean diet here.

17 Day Diet Guide: Evaluating the Rapid Weight Loss Diet

Can you really lose weight in just 17 days?

What Is the 17 Day Diet Plan?