Joshua Encinias

David Corbin, founder of "Amurica," and has nothing to do with this blog entry.

A quick explanation of the 17-Day Diet — it actually lasts 68 days. The diet takes you through four 17-day cycles. And no diet is complete without exercise. It isn’t a get-slim-quick diet. It’s about establishing (re-establishing for me) a healthier lifestyle. But that requires some big changes to my diet and habits early on. This should clear up some concerns with the path I’m forging.

I’m getting pumped about eating well. But it’s really the Black Keys that is getting me pumped. If you saw yesterday’s blog you’ll remember that I linked to a Beach Boys song. Music is important to me, and will do a lot to push me through this diet and exercise routine. I’ll share at least one song a day as I blog.

Onto Sunday’s thoughts…

I’m not actually looking forward to the work it takes to get healthy. But it is necessary for a few reasons:

- I’m an Amurican. That means I’m a total mixed breed. My body type is a combination of 4 nationalities (that I know of). And as my doctor told me back in the day… I do not have the best genes. So I need to do what’s necessary to keep my body healthy.

- Working out actually feels good once you make it a routine. I’ve done this before, and it’s cathartic for me – it helps me feel and think. Does that make sense? When I’m working on my body I actually feel different. You have to try it to understand.

Now you know why this is important for me. But do you know the pros and cons of the 17-Day Diet?

Yahoo lists a few:

Pros

1. It doesn’t get monotonous. The plan itself is 68 days long, but it’s broken up in four parts, 17 days a piece.
2. During the first 17 days, dieters can lose up to 15 pounds by eating a restrictive diet of 1,200 calories a day.
3. There’s a long-term emphasis. The first 17 days are the most extreme, but the second cycle introduces more calories and the chance to shed another 5 pounds and the last two cycles are designed to integrate healthier overall eating habits into your long-term lifestyle.
4. Fruits, veggies, protein-rich meats and healthy carbs are all part of the constantly shifting meal plan so your body is never completely deprived of one thing. Overall, it’s considered fairly safe as opposed to more high-risk deprivation diets and cleanses.

Cons

1. “There is no scientific evidence to support the efficacy of calorie cycling or its effect on metabolism,” Mary Hartley, director of nutrition at Calorie Count, tells the editors of Diets In Review.
2. The first 17 days of calorie restrictions may backfire: “You are cleansing your body of the unhealthy foods you have been eating,” says Sherry. “But if you are not consuming enough calories to meet your resting metabolic needs, then you are in starvation mode which actually slows your metabolism.”
3. It’s an investment: eating well gets expensive.
4. It’s complicated: Since the guidelines of the diet are constantly shifting, following the plan takes focus, organization and the constant recording of calorie intake. Still, the basic principles are simple – Cut your calories and increase your exercise.

So the most important principle to take into my lifestyle change is: “Cut your calories and increase your exercise.” That wasn’t something I needed to learn from the 17-Day Diet, but the 17-Day Diet’s worked for my friends, and participating in a diet with other people gives you access to their thoughts, experiences, and advice (thanks to the information age).

Tomorrow is the big day. Please pray that I begin well, because I want to finish well and reach my goal by May 5.

Cheers,

Josh