17 Day Diet Helper and Progress

With my weigh in this morning, I was somewhat discouraged. I started working out (well half way through the week I decided to). I also knew that I would have plateau for a minute, which it seems I have, because I ate pasta and ice cream on Thursday for Adam's grandma's birthday. Of course, I weighed in at 186 pounds this morning. That's a gain of 2 pounds! Not as good as I had hoped. I was hoping that I would be able to say that this is my lowest so far during this entire weight loss journey, but I am unable to say this. However, I decided to take measurements to see if there was a change (seeing as all my clothes are fitting differently or not at all). There was a huge difference! I have lost a total of 4 inches on my waist alone since the start of my diet last October, 2 of which are from about 3 weeks ago! I have also lost about 6 inches from my hips and 2 inches from each of my biceps! This is a bigger deal than the loss in weight! I was discouraged with my lack of change in the scale, but am happy to see that my work is paying off!

I also thought that I would answer a few questions along the way of this journey. I have been asked numerous times what exactly I am allowed to eat while on the 17 Day Diet. I decided to share what is on this list (I found it on another website as well as you can find it in the book). The list doesn't give you the times of days you should eat things or how much, just a list of what is allowed. Keep in mind that this list is only for the first 17 days. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to comment on this post. The food list that is allowed is:

PROTEINS

• Fish
• Salmon
• Sole
• Flounder
• Catfish
• Tilapia
• Canned light tuna (in water)

* Opt for wild-caught rather than farm-raised fish, which may have received doses of antibiotics. Avoid the bigger fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and albacore tuna. They are the most likely to carry metals like methyl-mercury, which is considered a toxin.

POULTRY

• Chicken breasts
• Turkey breasts
• Ground turkey, lean
• Eggs (2 eggs = 1 serving)
• Egg whites (4 egg whites = 1 serving)

CLEANSING VEGETABLES- LIBERAL AMOUNTS

• Artichoke
• Artichoke hearts
• Asparagus
• Bell peppers, green, orange, red, yellow
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Green beans
• Green, leafy vegetables (including beet greens, turnip greens, collard greens)
• Kale
• Leeks
• Lettuce, all varieties
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onions
• Parsley
• Scallions
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Watercress

FIBROUS FRUIT- 2 SERVINGS DAILY

• Apples
• Berries, all types
• Grapefruit
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Prickly pear cactus
• Prunes
• Red grapes

PROBIOTIC FOODS- 2 SERVINGS DAILY

• Yogurt, any type, including Greek-style, sugar-free (6 oz. container = 1 serving)
• Kefir: similar to a drinking-style yogurt; great for making smoothies (1 cup = 1 serving)
• Low-fat acidophilus milk (1 cup = 1 serving)
• Yakult: (1 cup = 1 serving)
• Acidophilus milk: (1 cup = 1 serving)
• Reduced salt miso dissolved in low-fat, low-sodium broth (1 tablespoon – 1 serving)
• Sauerkraut: (1/2 cup – 1 serving)

FRIENDLY FATS: 1 TO 2 TABLESPOONS DAILY

• Olive oil
• Flaxseed oil

CONDIMENTS
Condiments and seasonings are allowed in moderation:

• Salsa, low-carb marinara sauce, lite soy sauce, low-carb ketchup, fat-free sour cream, Truvia (a non-caloric sweetener made from natural ingredients), sugar-free jams and jellies, vegetable cooking spray, fat-free cheeses (i.e. Parmesan), fat-free salad dressing, salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard, herbs, and spices.

Substitutions for vegetarians ONLY you cannot use foods from both the REGULAR MENU and the VEGETARIAN menu. One or the other:

• One-half cup of tofu (any type)
• One-half cup of beans, lentils, or any legume
• 1-2 vegetarian or black bean burgers (made from textured vegetable protein)
• 2-4 ounces any vegetarian cheese, including soy cheese
• 2 vegetarian “sausage” links (great substitute for eggs!)
• 2 scoops vegan rice protein powder (great for smoothies, blend with 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and a fruit) for a quick 17-Day Diet vegetarian breakfast
• Any type of vegetarian meat substitute made from textured vegetable protein (see package for serving size)
• For dairy substitutes: 1 serving is 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk
• For yogurt substitutes, it is fine to use soy milk yogurt.
• These subs will work for all cycles as meat-protein substitutions.