The 17 Day Diet - Day Four

I had to make a double take when I looked at the scale this morning ... I've already lost another pound! That's two pounds down, folks!

I know of a few people who are interested in trying out the diet, so today I'll tell you a few things you'll need to know if you want to give it a shot.

I've been posting my daily menu's, but there are more protein, fruit, vegetable and probiotic options than what I've mentioned so far. See the complete lists and tomorrow's menu after the jump.

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

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

Cleansing Vegetables (eat all you want of these)
Artichoke and artichoke hearts
Asparagus
Bell peppers, green, orange, red and yellow
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Garlic
Green Beans
Green leafy vegetables
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce, all varieties
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Parsley
Scallions
Spinach
Tomatoes
Watercress

Low-sugar fruit (2 servings daily - not after 2 p.m.)
Apples
Berries
Grapefruit
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Prickly pear cactus
Prunes
Red grapes

Probiotic Foods (2 servings daily)
Yogurt, including sugar-free fruit flavored, plain and low-fat (6 oz. = 1 serving)
Kefir: a drinking-style yogurt; good for making smoothies (1 cup = serving)
Yakult (small 50-calorie bottle)
Breakstone LiveActive Cottage Cheese (1/2 cup = 1 serving)
Reduced salt miso dissolved in low-fat, low-sodium broth (1 tablespoon = 1 serving)
Tempeh (a fermented cake of preserved soybeans) (4 oz. = 1 serving)
Sauerkraut (1/2 cup = 1 serving)
Kimchi (Korean Cabbage) (1/2 cup = 1 serving)

Friendly Fats (1 to 2 servings daily)
Olive oil
Flaxseed oil

Condiments (allowed in moderation)
Salsa
Low-carb marinara sauce
Lite soy sauce
Low-carb ketchup
Fat-free sour cream
Low fat, low sodium broth
Truvia (low-calorie, natural sweetener)
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
It's easy to plan your meals on this diet - eat all you want of the specified proteins and vegetables. You don't have to count anything but your two fruit servings, two probiotic servings and one to two friendly fats.

Did you get all that? If you want the easy way, here's tomorrow's menu.

Breakfast:

• Two scrambled egg whites
• 1/2 grapefruit
• 1 cup green tea

Lunch:

• Large baby spinach leaves, grape tomatoes and crumbled low-fat feta or blue cheese, drizzled with 1 T flaxseed oil and 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup green tea

Dinner:

• Ground turkey patties, with side salad, drizzled with 1 T flaxseed oil and 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup green tea

Snacks:

• 1 cup of fresh berries
• 6 oz. plain low-fat yogurt, sweetened with Truvia or a tablespoon of sugar-free jam 

Starting weight: 158.4
Current weight: 156.4