What Am I Eating? Cycle 1-- #17DayDiet

I've had a handful of people ask me, "Just what ARE you eating on the 17 Day Diet?"....

The following is a list of all the foods you can have in cycle 1. I added notes next to the ones I enjoy on a daily basis in BLUE.

Two Probiotic servings per day, you get to choose which ones. Keep in mind, you can also purchase the pill form if none of these foods interest you:

1/2 Cup Breakstone Live Active Cottage Cheese (I've heard this is only available in a 6-pack versus a large tub)
6 oz (no sugar added) Yogurt w/ 9 grams of (natural) sugar or less (fruit flavored or plain) - I eat Activia non-fat vanilla
Greek Yogurt (no sugar added)
1/2 Cup Sauerkraut - I've been rotating this with a 2nd serving of yogurt
4 oz Tempeh
Yakult (50 calorie bottle)
1/2 Cup Kimchi
1 Cup Kefir  
1 Cup Acidophilus Low-Fat Milk
1 Tablespoon Reduced Salt Miso (dissolved in low fat/sodium broth)

Two servings of fruit per day but it MUST be consumed before 2pm. One serving is one piece of fresh fruit or 1 cup of chopped fruit:

Apples - I've been eating a lot of Gala, Honeycrisp is my favorite. If I eat the Honeycrisp, I count it as my 2 servings because they're so big!
Berries (all)
Pears - Love
Plums
Prunes
Prickly Pear Cactus
Red Grapes -  Love
Grapefruit (1/2) -  Love (you can use Truvia to sweeten if you don't like it au naturel.
Oranges -  Love
Peaches - I buy the plastic container of Dole in 100% juice. It's a good idea to rinse before eating. Never eat the canned peaches soaked in syrup.

I'm a huge fan of fruit. I am eating what's in season right now, apples, the most. I like to mix it up a bit and there's a lot to choose from.

Friendly fats are consumed in 1-2 tablespoon sized portions:

Olive Oil - I like to cook my chicken/turkey/fish with it!
Flaxseed Oil
All Natural Peanut Butter (no sugar in the ingredients) - I enjoy Smucker's brand!
1/4 Avocado
Unoiled nuts or seeds 

The following types of fish can be eaten in unlimited amounts. Try to purchase wild-caught versus farm raised:

Tilapia - I place my fish in a foil packet with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a slice of lemon and grill it for about 10-12 minutes!
Canned Light Tuna (in water) - I've been eating tuna over a large salad. It's really good with the Ranch Dressing recipe I posted.
Flounder - I grew up on fried flounder or stuffed flounder. I haven't had any on the 17 Day Diet because I've never had it any other way.
Catfish
Sole
Salmon (fresh or canned) - I'll occasionally buy a fresh salmon steak for dinner!
Imitation Seafood - I'm a sucker for imitation crab. It can be high in sodium so read your labels!

Chicken and turkey can also be consumed in unlimited amounts during cycle 1:

Chicken Breasts
Turkey Breasts
Ground Chicken Breast
Ground Turkey Breast
Eggs (limit to 2 per day)
Egg Whites

The unlimited cleansing vegetable list is a long one. I love my veggies but I tend to stick with the same ones. When I started this diet, I knew I was going to have to switch it up a bit to make it interesting:

Artichokes
Artichoke Hearts - I've been eating the canned/jarred in water!
Asparagus - Steamed with lemon zest in salted water, so good!
Beet Greens
Bell Peppers (all colors) - Add to salads and also...Kabobs anyone? (see recipe below)
Broccoli - I've been enjoying fresh and frozen!
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage (all varieties) - Perfect when added to salads and soup!
Carrots - Steamed and raw, yum!
Cauliflower - I love it raw by itself and in salad!
Celery - In soup or plain or with a bit of peanut butter (remember, all natural)!
Collard Greens - I live in the South and the only way I know how to prepare collards does not fit with this diet.
Cucumbers - Raw and in salad
Eggplant - Eggplant Parmesan anyone?
Garlic - I love garlic. I add it to just about everything!
Green Beans - Fresh is great but frozen and canned (no salt added) is just as good for me!
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce (all kinds) - Salad or lettuce wraps! Last night I took my cooked chicken breast and put it in a piece of lettuce, topped with a small amount of fat free cheese and fat free sour cream, and finished it with a sprinkle of cajun seasoning. Makeshift taco!
Mushrooms - I'm not sure about this because of the amount of oil it takes to sautee. Throwing it in some soup is wonderful though.
Okra
Onions - Again, I add it to everything!
Parsley - This can be added to anything to brighten the flavor, especially soup and salad!
Scallions - A good topper!
Spinach - I've added frozen (cooked and well drained) to soup. I also love it steamed up with fresh garlic and salt!
Tomatoes - Add tomatoes to just about everything. Grape tomatoes are great for snacking!
Turnip Greens
Watercress

And now let's talk condiments. There's a decent list here but keep in mind, use in moderation!

Broth (low sodium/low fat) - For soup and/or steaming for extra flavor!
Fat Free Cheeses - I've enjoyed feta and cheddar! Think Parmesan to use as "breading".
Jelly/Jam (no added sugar)
Low-Carb Ketchup
Low-Carb Marinara - I'm going to try an eggplant parm recipe this weekend!
Fat Free Salad Dressings - I've been making my own!
Salsa - Perfect over chicken!
Fat Free Sour Cream - In lettuce wraps!
Soy Sauce (lite/low sodium) - Stir fry!
Truvia - In my green tea!
Stevia
Vegetable Cooking Spray - When cooking my chicken on the stove!

There are variations to the food list for vegetarians and exceptions if you are a woman who experiences PMS.

The list I've published here was borrowed from the 17 Day Diet support group on Facebook. I urge you to join this group. You can ask questions and interact with other people on the diet. It's wonderful for motivation.

Are you ready for a recipe that will dance along your taste-buds? The original recipe was found on Pinterest but I changed a few things.

Lemon Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:

Enough extra virgin olive oil so the chicken won't stick (original recipe calls for 1/3 cup, but it can be made with less)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt & pepper to taste
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 bell peppers (any color) seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks

1) Whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Add chicken, stir and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate (I did it for 4 hours).

2) Place chicken and peppers on skewers (I used metal ones, wood skewers require soaking in water prior to using).

3) Grill skewers for 10-15 minutes, depending on how large your chicken is. It should be firm when you press on it when it is done.

So that's the list!

At my first weigh in I was 4 pounds lighter. Tomorrow is my second weigh in.

When you weigh yourself, it's a good idea to do so at the same time, each time, preferably when you first wake up after using the restroom. Also, try to weigh in with the same clothes each time. Don't weigh yourself at the end of the day due to all the food and water you have consumed throughout the day.

Stay tuned for more tips, tricks and facts!