A Beginners Guide and Overview of Cycle 3

You’ve been on the 17 Day Diet for 34 days finishing up Cycle 2 and you still have more weight to lose. Congrats, you’ve made it this far!

Dr. Moreno, in the 17 Day Diet book, instructs us to continue to Cycle 3 if additional weight is to be lost.

Here’s your Beginner’s Guide and Overview of Cycle 3.

Cycle 3 is the Achieve Cycle

Cycle 3 of the 17 Day Diet, also known as the Achieve Cycle, is the cycle that helps you achieve healthy eating habits including portion control, consistent mealtimes and eating healthy foods on a regular basis.

Quick Overview of Cycle 3

Think of Cycle 3 as more of a mind game. You’re establishing healthy habits by exercising portion control, incorporating more starches into your diet and enjoying alcohol if you choose.

You will likely not see a lot of change on the scale, so make sure you take measurements as you’ll definitely lose inches in this cycle!

For Cycle 3, you’ll introduce yourself to additional foods, increase your cardio workout to 45-60 minutes per day and avoid fruits and other Cycle 3-friendly carbs after 2pm.

Cycle 3 Recap

Here’s how you’ll start your Cycle 3:

• Wake Up Drink:  Within a half hour of waking, drink hot lemon water to get your digestive juices flowing.
• Green Tea: Drink green tea with most of your meals– Green tea is full of anti-oxidants and helps promote weight loss.
• Water: Drink eight 8-oz glasses of plain water every day.  If you can drink more, the better!
• Liberal amounts of vegetables from an expanded list
• Choose from an expanded protein list (includes Cornish hen, reduced-fat turkey bacon, sausage or lunch meat )
• Limit your protein intake to the size of a kitchen sponge per meal
• Choose two natural starches per day from from an expanded food list– eat by 2 pm (including breads, high fiber cereal, and pasta)
• Consume two servings of probiotics per day.
• Eat two servings of fresh low-sugar fruit by 2pm (from an expanded fruit list)
• Friendly Fats: 1 to 2 servings from an expanded friendly fat list
• Enjoy optional snacks from an approved list
• No sugar is allowed
• One alcoholic drink per day (5 oz wine, 12 oz beer or 1 1/2 oz of hard liquor)
• Increase cardio exercise to 45-60 minutes per day

Cycle 3 of the 17 Day Diet is filled with expanded food lists to choose from.  Check out our Cycle 3 Food List for the exact types of foods you’re allowed on this cycle.

Remember, it’s not necessary to eat all of the required foods in this Cycle if you’re not hungry.   Cycle 3 is all about portion control and listening to your internal “hunger” meter.

What If I Still Have More Weight To Lose After Cycle 3?

If you still have more weight to lose after Cycle 3, go back to one of your favorite Cycles or read this post where I discuss three options after finishing this cycle.

What About the Other Cycles of the 17 Day Diet?

A Beginner’s Guide and Overview of Cycle 1

A Beginner’s Guide and Overview of Cycle 2

If you’re looking for a step-by-step overview of the entire 17 Day Diet, you can review that well.