Developed by a French doctor, the Dukan Diet is one of the best weight loss regimens. It helps you achieve your ideal body weight and maintain it in the future. The system includes four stages, 2 of which are aimed at weight loss and the other two aimed at consolidating results.
Ducan's Diet
The Dukan Diet was developed by physician Pierre Dukan. It is a balanced diet that allows you not to gain extra pounds again after the weight loss regimen is over. The nutritionist says that each person has their own store of cells that contribute to the accumulation of fat. For those who have more of them, it's harder to shed extra pounds. Therefore, in the Dukan diet, a calculation is made based on the individual characteristics of each person's body.
A feature of the weight loss regimen is a unique diet. You can eat the indicated foods in unlimited amounts until you are completely saturated.
The principle of the weight loss scheme is that at the beginning, nutrition is carried out only with the help of protein foods. Its quantity is not limited. This is due to the fact that the process of digestion and assimilation will require more energy than processing fats and carbohydrates. Thus, the body will spend the calories received without processing food into subcutaneous fat. After that, vegetables are introduced into the menu, rich in fiber and vitamins. Then the result is consolidated.
The results can be seen in the first few days, after starting to follow the diet. The extra pounds quickly disappear. The method of losing weight does not pose a threat to the body. Muscle mass is preserved, the condition of the skin, nails and hairline improves. Thanks to a detailed description of the weight loss system, the result can be easily corrected for many years. The technique does not require calorie counting.
However, an excess of protein can put excessive stress on the kidneys, blood vessels and liver. This can lead to high cholesterol levels. Insufficient fiber intake can cause gastrointestinal tract problems and microflora disturbances. You must follow the diet under the supervision of a doctor. It is contraindicated in people suffering from kidney failure, prone to heart disease, hypertension and disorders of the reproductive system.
Principles and phases
The Dukan Diet has four phases. A woman has to overcome:
- Attack stage;
- Internship alternation;
- Consolidation stage;
- Stage stabilization.
The time required for each step depends on the weight to be eliminated. Thus, the minimum number of days for the Attack phase is 2 days. It can last up to 10 days maximum. The Alternation phase takes 15 to 330 days. The consolidation phase requires 50 to 500 days. Terms are calculated individually.
The method of losing weight requires compliance with a number of rules. They can vary depending on the phase a woman goes through. The common characteristics of all weight loss periods are:
- It is useless to reduce the calorie content of the daily menu. Returning to the previous diet will also give back those extra pounds. Therefore, the daily menu should be such that a person cannot accumulate body fat and constantly consolidate the result of weight loss.
- Restricting products and their quantity does not bring results. Mono-diets are not effective as a meltdown is likely to occur. The Dukan Diet offers a varied diet. There is no food limit. You need to eat until you are full.
- It is recommended to get rid of all prohibited foods in the kitchen before starting a diet. Otherwise, they can become a temptation.
- Oat bran is one of the main components of the Dukan diet. Its presence in the daily diet is a guarantee of a good result. They help with weight loss, provide quick satiety and help cleanse the stomach of toxins. The bran will help reduce the overall calorie content of the diet.
- It is important to stay physically active. The weight loss scheme does not involve constant training in the gym. However, walking and exercising regularly at home will only help with weight loss. Abdominal exercises and squats will suffice. The load must be gradually increased.
- Sugar, potato chips, bananas, cherries, grapes and alcoholic beverages are prohibited at all stages of the diet.
- You should drink at least 2 liters of clean water daily.
Attack Stage
The Attack Stage is the first stage of weight loss on the Dukan Diet. Doctors consider it the most dangerous for health. The author of the diet agrees with this opinion and gives clear recommendations for following the weight loss regimen. They need to follow relentlessly.
First of all, you need to determine the amount of excess weight. To do this, you can use the free calculator. It can be found on the official Dukan website. The calculation process consists of filling out a questionnaire. When all the data is entered, a letter with the relevant information will be sent to the mail specified during the action. Average data can also be obtained independently. So, if a woman's height is 164 cm, her ideal weight is 54 kg.
The Attack phase can only be observed for the recommended period. It is believed that with its help, a person will be able to immediately achieve the desired weight. However, this is impossible and dangerous. During the Attack phase, you can lose up to 6 kg. In this case, the length of the period can vary depending on how much extra weight a comma has. The duration of the attack phase will be:
- 1-3 days, if the amount of excess kg according to the calculator is less than 5.
- 3-5 days if the amount of excess weight is 5-10.
- 5-7 days if excess weight exceeds 10kg.
It is strictly forbidden to observe the Attack phase for more than 9 days. A woman should understand that the attack phase is not intended to get rid of excess weight as quickly as possible, but to start the fat-breaking mechanisms in the body. You need to control her condition. It is necessary to remember the danger of the method. As per the diet, only animal proteins are allowed. This increases the load on the kidneys, which can cause dehydration. This is what the rapid weight loss during the internship is based on. The attack phase has a motivating effect, showing that the weight can be reduced.
When following a weight loss regimen, you need to drink plenty of water. It is recommended to consume at least 1. 5-3 liters of liquid per day. Also, it is recommended to eat oat bran. You need to consume 1. 5 tablespoons of the product per day. He drinks a lot of water. Eating bran with liquid can be used as a snack or as a substitute for one of your meals.
Weight loss with the Dukan Diet starts with protein due to the fact that the author of the scheme believes that this product is the ideal food for humans. The body has known it since antiquity. At the same time, fast food and sweets are foreign to the human body. Proteins are the most difficult foods to digest. To digest them, the body consumes a lot of energy. This leads to the fact that the transformation of incoming calories into adipose tissue is almost impossible. It is only important to ensure that the body receives pure protein. In this case, the fat content should be minimal.
Contraindications to compliance
The Dukan diet is not for everyone. It is recommended to abandon the weight loss method if there is:
- heart disease;
- diabetes;
- pathology of the kidneys and liver;
- gastritis, pancreatitis or cholecystitis.
What foods can you eat?
If a person likes to eat seafood, fish, meat, eggs and curd dishes, the attack phase will be a delicious phase of the diet. At this stage it is allowed to use:
- Seafood. It can be crabs, shrimp, rapanas, mussels, squid and crayfish.
- Me at. It is recommended to give preference to lean pork, ham, fresh veal, rabbit meat, lean steak.
- Eggs. Dr. Dukan recommends eating chicken and quail eggs.
- Bird. You can eat quail, chicken, guinea fowl or turkey.
- Fish. It is allowed to cook mackerel, perch, navaga, salmon, halibut, trout, cod, salmon or carp dishes.
- Milk and dairy products. You can add kefir, soy cheese, yogurt, curd and milk to the daily menu. All products must be fat-free. Soft processed cheese is allowed.
- Offal. A woman can eat tongues, chicken hearts, kidneys, beef liver.
- Vegetable. Pumpkin, tomato, lettuce, asparagus, any type of cabbage, squash, celery, carrot, cucumber, radish, onion, beetroot, and zucchini are all available for consumption.
You can cook food anyway. Restrictions are imposed only on frying with vegetable oil. It is recommended that food be steamed, grilled or in the oven. You have to give up sugar. Dr. Dukan recommends using sweeteners. Any drink is allowed. You can even drink soda. However, it is worth giving preference to sugar-free drinks. Soda is recommended to be consumed with a light brand.
However, other doctors are a little suspicious of this recommendation. They recommend being careful with sodas and sweeteners. Classic sugar is harmful to the figure and health. No studies on sweeteners have been performed. However, this product is a concentrate. Its use can lead to the interruption of the functioning of internal organs. Therefore, it is better to refuse to use the product. Similar rules apply to soda. In such drinks there are always additives that can be harmful.
It is not necessary to eat fresh food. Dr. Dukan allows the use of nutritional supplements. However, they must be natural. It is recommended to give preference to:
- ginger and cinnamon;
- vinegar and lemon;
- onion and garlic;
- turmeric and cumin;
- mustard and gelatin;
- balsamic sauce.
Some products can be consumed, but in limited quantities. Therefore, per day you cannot eat more than 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 egg yolks and 8 natural crab sticks. Some products are prohibited. This:
- fat food;
- potatoes and lamb;
- pasta and all kinds of pulses;
- sugar and all kinds of sweets;
- sauces and mayonnaise.
sample menu
To lose weight on the Dukan Diet, you need to walk at least 20 minutes daily and play sports. Also, bran is worth eating. If a woman does not tolerate them, you can use 1. 5 tablespoons of buckwheat. The volume is indicated in dry form. Replacement must be done carefully. The fact is that bran and buckwheat differ in nutritional properties and are absorbed by the body in different ways.
If the allowable rate on products is exceeded, stagnation may occur. Cooking the buckwheat is up to you. It can be boiled in water, milk or steamed. You need to drink 2 liters of fluid a day. Coffee and tea are included in this volume. The list of products that can be consumed on a given day is strictly defined. After passing the Attack phase, it is recommended to strictly follow the developed menu.
| Day | Breakfast | Dinner | afternoon tea | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Omelet with lean meat, a cup of coffee | Cod, bread and bran soup | Cottage cheese | Roast beef and unsweetened green tea |
| Tuesday | Cottage cheese, bran bread | Soup with meat and quail eggs | Natural low-fat yogurt | Fish cooked in its own juice |
| Wednesday | Omelet, lightly salted fish, a cup of coffee | Onion-free veal chops, low-fat plain yogurt | A glass of kefir with bran | cooked squid |
| Thursday | Bread with bran and cheese, strong tea without sugar | Fish Soup | Cottage cheese casserole, unsweetened tea | Roasted chicken fillet, a glass of kefir |
| Friday | Boiled eggs, a cup of coffee | Onion-free fish chops, low-fat plain yogurt | Low-fat milk, bread and bran | Roast beef, unsweetened tea |
| Saturday | Omelet, cup of coffee | Soup with meatballs | Natural low-fat yogurt and oat bran | Stewed mussels, unsweetened tea |
| Sunday | Cottage cheese with bran, a cup of coffee | Ukha, natural low-fat yogurt | Cottage cheese casserole, a glass of kefir | Meatballs and low-fat plain yogurt |
Possible results
The first phase of the Dukan Diet is essential to start the fat burning process. Within a week, you can lose 5-7 kg. If you shorten the phase to 72 hours, you can reduce the weight by 2-3 kg. It is important to carefully monitor your condition. If dry mouth, dizziness or other side effects appear, it is worth limiting the duration of the phase or stopping weight loss altogether using the method.
Internship Internship
The second phase is the main one in weight loss. The duration can be any, but it often depends on the amount of extra pounds that need to be lost. It should be followed until the weight is ideal. The main principles of the second phase are as follows:
- Vegetable. If during the attack the diet was exclusively protein, now you need to add vegetables. They are rich in fiber. You can add cucumbers and tomatoes, all kinds of cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, asparagus, squash, legumes, spinach and greens. Fattier cheese, wine, cream and natural ketchup are also added.
- Alternating protein and mixed days. The mixed menu of the day involves a combination of protein foods with plant foods. The alternation schedule is selected individually, based on the weight loss required.
- More bran. The amount of bran consumed should be increased. This is especially true for those who suffer from constipation while dieting.
- More liquid. Daily fluid intake should be increased by at least half a litre.
- Increase in physical activity. The walk can be extended to an hour or two.
The menu practically does not differ from the Attack stage, the only difference is the presence of toggles. During mixed days, you can dilute meat and fish dishes with roasted, boiled or fresh vegetables.
Consolidation stage
The third phase is not characterized by rapid weight loss. On average, 400g of excess are consumed per week. However, the purpose of the step is to consolidate the result. This will save the result and not let the extra pounds come back. The duration is individual. Stage 3 rules include:
- Starch. It is worth adding potatoes, bread, pasta to the diet. However, its use should be moderate.
- Bran. The daily rate of bran must be increased again.
- Honey. You can add sweetener or honey at this stage. Allowed to use up to 3 teaspoons at a time.
- Belly holidays. The diet may include concessions. They can be held twice a week, however, don't miss out. During these "holidays" you can eat any food. However, you must limit yourself to one method.
- Attack. Once a week, you must return to the first phase menu. This can be any day and any food allowed during the attack phase.
An example of a weekly menu might look like this:
| Day | Breakfast | Dinner | afternoon tea | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Cottage cheese with bran, unsweetened tea | Soup with meat, a glass of kefir | Fruit | Roasted chicken fillet, vegetables, potatoes |
| Tuesday | Omelet with chicken fillet, a cup of coffee | Fish soup and vegetable salad | berries and bran | Cheesecakes, fruit, a cup of coffee |
| Wednesday | Lean chops, salad | Meat soup | Fruits with natural yogurt and bran | Vegetable salad with roast beef |
| Thursday | Menu from one of the attack days | |||
| Friday | Omelet, a glass of kefir | Soup with meatballs, salad | berries with bran | Baked fish with vegetables |
| Saturday | Cottage cheese casserole with a cup of coffee and bran | Fish soup, natural low-fat yogurt | Fruit | Rice with mussels baked in cheese |
| Sunday | Low-fat cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and a cup of coffee | Turkey chops, vegetable salad | Berries and fruits, bran | Stew with vegetables, a glass of wine |
Stabilization Stage
The stabilization phase is the last. It can be compared to going off a diet. However, this implies that a person will adhere to a healthy diet at all times. The diet can include any product, but it shouldn't be too harmful. It must be done gradually. Every week you need to organize another attack day. The bran and drink regime remains the same. Physical activity must become regular.
doctor's opinion
The Dukan diet is varied. Most people cannot easily tolerate low-carb diets. This is due to the fact that you have to give up most of the usual products. By following Dukan's weight loss plan, you can cook a wide variety of meals. It allows you to effectively reduce weight as well as keep it off after the end of the fat burning period. The extra pounds quickly disappear. The method is a variation of a balanced diet. The diet is designed for the long term. This allows you to improve the functions and metabolic processes of the body. If you strictly adhere to the plan, you can part with the hated kilograms forever.
Almost everyone can use the diet, if no contraindications are found. It can be various diseases, for example, of the renal or cardiovascular system. In addition, the diet is not recommended for pregnant women and adolescents. An excess of protein is the main cause of liver and vascular diseases. It can also lead to high cholesterol levels. Therefore, before starting a weight loss regimen, you should consult your doctor.