I'm doing the 17 Day Diet - and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

So, I know it's been a long time since I blogged and maybe we will catch up later, or maybe we won't. It's kind of like that sound in the forest that no one hears - who cares whether we catch up anyway? Who reads this drivel?

I guess I am blogging because I feel like writing about my experience with this diet - from the book "17 Day Diet" by Dr Mike Moreno. I have been on it for about 3 weeks now - didn't want to write about it before because it would be too embarrassing to admit it was one MORE thing I started and quit if it didn't work out. But it IS working out! I am amazed - I am dieting and losing weight and not feeling deprived or tempted to cheat. WOW! That in itself says a lot. I have tried a number of diets over the years - Weight Watchers, Weight Loss Clinic, Diet Center, and the most repulsive one ever - liquid protein diet. I never finished any of them - did lose weight with Weight Loss Clinic (mom gave me a copy of the diet, I didn't actually pay for the program) and the Liquid Protein Diet (GAG!). Weight Watchers was always a game to see how much I could cheat early in the week and still lose weight by weigh in.

The 17 day diet is done in 3 cycles that are repeated until you reach your goal weight and then you do the 4th maintenance cycle. I am a long way away from there!

The first cycle is designed to get all the toxins out of your body - eating good foods (no processed, fast food crap) and gets you started with good eating habits and losing weight quickly from the first day. You are allowed to eat unlimited protein (fish, chicken, turkey, eggs), unlimited vegetables (there is a list of allowed vegetables and my favorites are all on there), 2 servings of fruit/ day before 2 pm, 2 probiotics (non fat yogurt and Kefir), lemon juice in the morning when you wake up, green tea with every meal and 8 glasses of water and 17 mins of exercise/day. Simple. No "exchange this" for "that" crap like WW (that was just way too much trouble for me). I ordered the book on Amazon and had it the next day (Gotta love that Prime Shipping!) and decided to give it a try. So for a cash outlay of $13 I had a diet I thought I could follow. No meeting and joining fees, no hours spent at meetings, no food orders .. this seemed like I REALLY could do it!

From the start I felt better - no cravings, no hunger and I lost about 3 lbs overnight! I didn't count how many times I had to get up to pee but I am sure it was hourly. So now I was psyched! I continued to lose throughout the 17 days of cycle 1 (ok I have to 'fess up that I cheated on Easter so added a day to make up). Grand total lost: 13 pounds!! Hooray!

The book has suggested meal plans but I never follow them. I Googled for "17 day diet recipes" and joined a Facebook group. This all added to my success. The Facebook group is great support - you get a couple of people "liking" every time you post!

I started Cycle 2 today - get to add generous portions of lean red meat (yay) and 2 "approved" starches before 2 pm on Cycle 2 days (these alternate with Cycle 1 days). I added oatmeal for breakfast and small baked potato for lunch (potato didn't taste so great). I almost had to force myself to get my second fruit in before 2 because I was so full!

Emil is eating some of the diet recipes with me but doesn't follow it when he is away and supplements with things like freshly baked baguette. The amazing thing is that I don't even feel tempted to sneak a piece of bread (and I am the 'bread with my SLAB of butter" kind of gal)!

So, here we go! Off to the races and (hopefully) a new me by the end of the summer! I will report back and share recipes and tips...just in case any one is watching!