The 17 Day Diet - Day Nine

I've lost four pounds so far! WooHoo!

On this diet, you're supposed to exercise for 17 minutes a day, but not more because of the low calorie intake. I haven't officially been exercising 17 minutes a day, but I'm a natural fidgeter and I take the stairs whenever possible. That may not sound like much, but you can actually burn quite a few calories that way. Every minute you climb the stairs kills seven calories. According to The 17 Day Diet book, if you take two stairs at a time, you burn 55 percent more calories than single stepping. Also, research has shown that fidgeting, like tapping toes and fussing with hands, blasts off up to 800 calories a day! I'm a newly-found double stepper (unless there are other people around, because I look ridiculous when I do it).

Here are a few other ways to burn off extra calories during the day.

Run errands - walking briskly while grocery shopping or lugging dry cleaning can burn about 120 calories in 30 minutes.

Pace periodically - You could burn about 100 extra calories in an eight-hour workday if you walk around your office, pace while you're on the phone or otherwise move around.

Don't order out - Spending an hour cooking at home burns about 150 calories. You can burn half of what you eat for dinner merely by cooking it yourself!

Sleep - You burn about 200 calories while sleeping for around seven hours.

And, here's tomorrow's menu.

Breakfast:

• 6 oz. plain low-fat yogurt, mixed with 1 cup berries or other fruit (chopped). You may sweeten the mixture with Truvia or 1 T of sugar-free jam.
• 1 cup green tea

Lunch:

• Balsamic Artichoke: 4 fresh artichokes, 1/4 C balsamic vinegar, fat-free salad dressing - Place artichokes in a large pot. Cover with water. Pour in balsamic. Cover and cook for approximately 1 hour, or until artichokes are tender, including the stem. Let cool. Serve with fat-free salad dressing for dipping. Makes 4 servings.
• 1 medium apple
• 1 cup green tea

Dinner:

• Oven Barbecued Chicken Breast: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 3/4 C reduced sugar ketchup, 2 T Worcestershire sauce, 1 T agave nectar, 1 t chili powder. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a baking pan that has been sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. In the mean time, stir together all other ingredients. Remove chicken breasts from oven and coat with sauce. Return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes or until chicken is done. Makes 4 servings.
• Side salad drizzled with 1 T olive or flaxseed oil, mixed with 2 T balsamic vinegar and seasonings
• 1 cup green tea

Snacks:

• Raw, cut-up veggies
• 2nd probiotic serving

Starting weight: 158.4
Current weight: 154.4