Sample Menu
Here's a typical day on the 17-day diet.
Accelerate (Cycle 1)
Breakfast:
2 scrambled egg whites
½ grapefruit or other fresh fruit
1 cup green tea
Lunch:
Large green salad with tuna, drizzled with a tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 cup green tea
Dinner:
Grilled chicken
Liberal amounts of “cleansing” vegetables (such as artichokes, broccoli, eggplant, green beans, etc.)
1 cup green tea
Snacks:
6 oz. sugar-free plain yogurt with 1 to2 tbsp. sugar-free jam
1 serving low-sugar fruit (such as apples, berries, grapefruit, pears, or grapes)
Activate (Cycle 2)
Breakfast:
2 scrambled egg whites
½ grapefruit or other fresh fruit
1 cup green tea
Lunch:
Large bowl of chicken vegetable soup or grilled chicken with steamed vegetables
Medium baked potato with 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
6 oz. sugar-free, fruit-flavored yogurt
1 cup green tea
Dinner:
Grilled sirloin steak
Tossed salad with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 cup green tea
Snacks:
1 cup fresh raspberries with 1 cup sugar-free, fruit-flavored yogurt
Mediterranean spread with ½ cup garbanzo beans (pureed and mixed with 1 tbsp. olive oil) and cucumber slices
Achieve (Cycle 3)
Breakfast:
1 slice whole-wheat toast
1 poached, soft-boiled or hard-boiled egg
½ grapefruit
1 cup green tea
Lunch:
Caesar salad with grilled chicken breast, 2 cups romaine lettuce, other salad vegetables, 2 tbsp. light Caesar dressing
1 slice whole-wheat toast
1 serving fresh fruit
1 cup green tea
Dinner:
Roasted pork tenderloin
1-2 cups mixed tossed salad with 2 tbsp. fat-free dressing
1 cup green tea
Snacks:
1 probiotic, dairy, or dairy-substitute serving
1 frozen fruit bar
Arrive (Cycle 4)
Breakfast:
2 scrambled eggs
1 medium pear or other in-season fruit
1 cup green tea
Lunch:
Broiled hamburger
Sliced or stewed tomatoes
1 cup green tea
Dinner:
Stir fry of vegetables and chicken strips with 1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup green tea
Snacks:
1 cup fresh berries with 6 oz. sugar-free yogurt
1 cup green tea
Nutrition
Here’s a breakdown of the nutritional content of a day’s meals in cycles 1 and 4 of the 17-day diet, side by side with recommendations from the government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Diet figures were calculated by U.S. News using ESHA Food Processor software
| 17-Day Diet | Cycle 1 | Cycle 2 | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1,177 | 1,062 | Women | Men |
|
21-25: 2,000 26-50: 1,800 51+: 1,600 |
21-40: 2,400 41-60: 2,200 61+: 2,000 |
|||
| Total Fat | 18% | 24% | 20%-35% | |
| Saturated | 2.3% | 8.4% | Less than 10% | |
| Trans | 0% | 0% | N/A | |
| Total Carbohydrates | 46% | 32% | 45%-65% | |
|
Sugars (total except as noted) |
15% | 20% | N/A | |
| Fiber | 35 g. | 15 g. | Women | Men |
|
19-30: 28 g. 31-50: 25 g. 51+: 22 g. |
19-30: 34 g. 31-50: 31 g. 51+: 28 g. |
|||
| Protein | 39% | 33% | 10%-35% | |
| Sodium | 1,875 mg. | 1,961 mg. | Under 2,300 mg., under 1,500 mg. for 51+ | |
| Potassium | 1,852 mg. | 1,290 mg. | At least 4,700 mg. | |
| Calcium | 420 mg. | 443 mg. |
19-50: 1,000 mg. 51+: 1,200 mg. |
|
| Vitamin B-12 | 5.2 mcg. | 3 mcg. | 2.4 mcg. | |
| Vitamin D | 9.2 mcg. | 4.4 mcg. | 15 mcg. | |
Recommendations apply to adults 19 and older except as noted. Recommended calories assume a sedentary lifestyle. g.: grams. mg.: milligrams. mcg.: micrograms. Because of rounding, protein, fat, and carbohydrate content may not add up to 100 percent.
The Dean Ornish Diet can be tailored to your specific health issues. The strictest version is challenging because it severely reduces fat intake.
Slim-Fast is a reasonable approach to dieting with convenient, grab-and-go shakes and bars. It's fairly easy to follow, but it's not very heart-healthy.
The Zone Diet plan isn't easy to follow or very helpful with weight loss. It requires structuring every meal around specific macronutrient thresholds.
