"The biggest inhibitors to weight-loss success,” says Mike Moreno, M.D., author of
The 17 Day Diet, “are boredom and plateaus.” Structured into four 17-day cycles, this diet mitigates both. Why 17 days and not 9 or 23 or 42? “Between Weeks 2 and 3, diets seem to stop working. You hit a frustrating plateau and your hard work seems to no longer be worth it.” Your body is designed to become as efficient as possible, as quickly as possible. “When you first start a new program, the digestion
process uses more energy to adapt, but as your body becomes accustomed to the new input, you burn less energy and thus your weight loss slows or even stops completely.” So, Dr. Mike, as he’s called, picked the median number of days, 17, and created a plan that cycles through four distinct phases with varying calorie counts and macronutrient ratios:
1. Accelerate: Trigger rapid weight loss (yep, some of it will be water) by reducing overall carbohydrates and eliminating all processed and simple carbs. Unlimited lean protein mobilizes fat burning. Significantly increasing hydration flushes toxins and improves digestion.
2. Activate: Alternate low- and higher-calorie days to boost metabolism, strip body fat, and sustain weight loss.
3. Achieve: Time to add back some healthy starch and celebrate with a glass of red wine, which is allowed in this phase but discouraged during the first two.
4. Arrive: Maintain your goal weight with healthy weekday meals and weekend treats.
● Dr. Mike doesn’t endorse disruptive gimmicks or lay claim to breakthrough science. He’s taken proven concepts and put them into a simple, nutritionally sound, and uncharacteristically fun strategy that can be done for 17 days or for life.
Learn more at the17daydiet.com.
