Developed by a French doctor, the Dukan diet is one of the best weight loss schemes out there. It helps in achieving optimal body weight and maintaining it in the future. The system includes four phases, 2 of which are aimed at weight loss, and the other two are aimed at consolidation of results.
Ducan's diet
The Dukan diet was developed by doctor Pierre Dukan. It is a balanced diet that allows you to not gain more weight after the weight loss regimen is over. The nutritionist claims that each person has his own supply of cells that contribute to the accumulation of fat. For those who have more of them, it is more difficult to lose excess weight. Therefore, in the Dukan diet, the calculation is based on the individual characteristics of each person's body.
The characteristic of the weight loss scheme is a unique diet. You can eat the mentioned food in unlimited quantities until you are completely full.
The principle of the weight loss scheme is that initially the diet is carried out only with the help of protein food. Its quantity is not limited. This is due to the fact that the process of digestion and assimilation will require more energy than the processing of fats and carbohydrates. In this way, the body will use the calories received without processing the food into subcutaneous fat. After that, vegetables rich in fiber and vitamins are introduced to the menu. Then the result is consolidated.
The results are visible already in the first days, after starting to adhere to the diet. Excess weight disappears quickly enough. The weight loss method does not pose a threat to the body. Muscle mass is preserved, the condition of the skin, nail plates and hair improves. Thanks to the detailed description of the weight loss system, the result can easily be fixed for many years. The technique does not require counting calories.
However, excess protein can cause excessive stress on the kidneys, blood vessels and liver. This can lead to high cholesterol levels. Insufficient fiber intake can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract 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 stages
The Dukan diet has four phases. A woman must master:
- stage attack;
- stage Alternation;
- consolidation phase;
- Stabilization phase.
The period required for each phase depends on the weight to be removed. Therefore, the minimum number of days for the Attack phase is 2 days. It can last up to 10 days. The alternation phase lasts from 15 to 330 days. The consolidation phase requires 50 to 500 days. Terms are calculated individually.
The weight loss method requires compliance with a number of rules. They can vary depending on the stage a woman is going through. The common characteristics of all periods of weight loss are:
- It is useless to reduce the caloric content of the daily menu. Returning to the previous diet will also bring back those extra pounds. Therefore, the daily menu should be such that a person cannot accumulate body fat and constantly consolidate the result of losing weight.
- Limitation in products and their quantity does not bring results. Mono-diets are not effective, as they are bound to crash. The Dukan diet offers a variety of nutrition. No food restrictions. You must eat until you are full.
- It is recommended to get rid of all forbidden foods in the kitchen before starting the diet. Otherwise, they can become a temptation.
- Oat bran is one of the main components of the Dukan diet. Their presence in the daily diet is a guarantee of good results. They help in losing weight, give quick satiety and help in cleaning the stomach of toxins. Bran will help reduce the total calorie content of the diet.
- It is important to stay physically active. The weight loss plan does not involve constant training in the gym. However, walking and regular exercise at home will only help in weight loss. Abdominal exercises and squats will do. The load should be gradually increased.
- Sugar, fried potatoes, bananas, cherries, grapes and alcoholic beverages are prohibited in all phases of the diet.
- You must drink at least 2 liters of drinking water per day.
Attack Stage
The attack phase is the first phase of losing weight 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 adhering to the weight loss regime. They should be followed relentlessly.
First of all, you need to determine the amount of excess weight. To do this, you can use a 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 data will be sent to the email specified during the campaign. Average data can also be obtained independently. So, if a woman's height is 164 cm, her optimal weight is 54 kg.
The attack phase can only be observed during the recommended period. It is believed that with its help a person will immediately be able to achieve the desired weight. However, this is impossible and dangerous. In the attack phase, you can lose up to 6 kg. In this case, the duration of menstruation can vary depending on the excess weight of the comma that the woman has. The duration of the attack phase will be:
- 1-3 days, if the amount of extra kg according to the calculator is less than 5.
- 3-5 days if the excess quantity is 5-10.
- 5-7 days if overweight exceeds 10 kg.
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 soon as possible, but rather to start the mechanisms of fat breakdown in the body. You have to control your condition. It is necessary to remember the danger of the method. According to the diet, only proteins of animal origin are allowed. This increases the burden on the kidneys, which can cause dehydration. Rapid weight loss during the phase is based on this. The attack phase has a motivating effect, showing that weight can be reduced.
When following a weight loss regimen, you must drink plenty of water. It is recommended to drink at least 1. 5-3 liters of liquid per day. In addition, it is recommended to eat oat bran. It is necessary to consume 1. 5 tablespoons of the product per day. He drinks a lot of water. Drinking bran with liquid can be used as a snack or as a replacement 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 optimal food for people. 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 food to digest. For their digestion, the body consumes a large amount of energy. This leads to the fact that the transformation of received calories into fat tissue is almost impossible. It is only important to ensure that the body receives pure proteins. In this case, the fat content should be minimal.
Contraindications for compliance
The Dukan diet is not for everyone. It is recommended to abandon the weight loss method if there is:
- heart disease;
- diabetes;
- kidney and liver pathology;
- gastritis, pancreatitis or cholecystitis.
What food can you eat?
If a person likes to eat seafood, fish, meat, eggs and curd dishes, the attack phase will be the delicious phase of the diet. In this phase it is allowed to use:
- Sea food. These can be crabs, shrimps, rapana, mussels, squids and crabs.
- Meat. It is recommended to give preference to lean pork, ham, fresh veal, rabbit meat, lean beef steak.
- Eggs. Dr. Dukan recommends eating chicken and quail eggs.
- Bird. You can eat quail, chicken, guinea fowl or turkey.
- A fish. It is allowed to cook dishes from mackerel, perch, navaga, salmon, flounder, trout, cod, salmon or carp.
- Milk and milk products. You can add kefir, soy cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese and milk to the daily menu. All products must be fat-free. The use of soft processed cheese is allowed.
- Offal. A woman can eat tongues, chicken hearts, kidneys, beef liver.
- Vegetables. Pumpkins, tomatoes, lettuce, asparagus, any type of cabbage, squash, celery, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, onions, beets and zucchini are available for consumption.
You can cook food in any way you like. Restrictions apply only to frying with vegetable oil. Food is recommended to be steamed, grilled or in the oven. You have to give up sugar. Dr. Dukan recommends using sweeteners. Any drinks are allowed. You can even drink juice. However, it is worth giving preference to drinks without sugar. Soda is recommended to be consumed with a light trail.
However, other doctors are a bit suspicious of such a recommendation. They recommend being careful with soda and sweeteners. Classic sugar is harmful to the figure and health. No studies have been conducted on sweeteners. However, this product is a concentrate. Its use can lead to dysfunction of internal organs. Therefore, it is better to refuse to use the product. Similar rules apply to sodas. There are always additives in such drinks 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 are allowed for consumption, but in limited quantities. So, you can't eat more than 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 egg yolks and 8 natural crab sticks per day. Some products are prohibited. That:
- High-fat food;
- potatoes and lamb;
- pasta and all types of legumes;
- sugar and all kinds of sweets;
- sauces and mayonnaise.
sample menu
To lose weight with the Dukan diet, you need to walk at least 20 minutes a day and do sports. In addition, it is worth eating the bran. If the woman cannot tolerate them, you can use 1. 5 tablespoons of buckwheat. The volume is indicated in dry form. Replacement should 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 allowed rate in products is exceeded, stagnation may occur. Cooking buckwheat is at your own discretion. It can be cooked in water, milk or steamed. You need to drink 2 liters of fluid a day. Coffee and tea are included in this book. The list of products that can be consumed in a certain day is strictly defined. 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 soup, bread and bran | Fresh cheese | Roasted meat and unsweetened green tea |
| Tuesday | Fresh cheese, bread with bran | Soup with meat and quail eggs | Low-fat natural yogurt | Fish stewed in its own juice |
| Wednesday | Omelet, lightly salted fish, cup of coffee | Veal cutlets without onions, low-fat natural yogurt | A glass of kefir with bran | boiled squid |
| Thursday | Bread with bran and cheese, strong unsweetened tea | Fish soup | Cottage cheese casserole, unsweetened tea | Baked chicken fillet, a glass of kefir |
| Friday | Boiled eggs, a cup of coffee | Fish cutlets without onions, low-fat natural yogurt | Skimmed milk, bread and bran | Stewed beef, unsweetened tea |
| Saturday | Omelet, cup of coffee | Soup with meatballs | Natural yogurt with low fat content and oat bran | Stewed mussels, unsweetened tea |
| Sunday | Fresh cheese with bran, a cup of coffee | Ukha, low-fat natural yogurt | Cottage cheese casserole, a glass of kefir | Meatballs and low-fat natural yogurt |
Possible results
The first phase of the Dukan diet is necessary to start the fat burning process. You can lose 5-7 kg in a week. If you reduce 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 completely stopping weight loss using the method.
Interleave Stage
The second phase is the main one in weight loss. The duration can be any, but it often depends on the amount of excess weight that needs to be lost. It should be followed to the ideal weight. The main principles of the second phase are as follows:
- Vegetables. 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, zucchini, legumes, spinach and greens. Fattier cheese, wine, cream and natural ketchup are also added.
- Alternation of protein and mixed days. A mixed daily menu includes a combination of protein food with plant food. The change scheme is selected individually, based on the required weight loss.
- More bran. The amount of consumed bran 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 liter.
- Increased physical activity. The hike can be extended to an hour or two.
The menu is practically no different from the Attack phase, the only difference is the presence of alternation. On mixed days, you can dilute meat and fish dishes with roasted, stewed or fresh vegetables.
Consolidation phase
The third stage is not characterized by rapid weight loss. On average, 400 g of excess is consumed per week. However, the purpose of the phase is to consolidate the results. This will preserve the result and will not allow the excess weight to return. Duration is individual. Phase 3 rules include:
- Starch. Potatoes, bread, and pasta should be added to the diet. However, their use should be moderate.
- Bran. The daily amount of bran should be increased again.
- Honey. At this stage you can add sweetener or honey. Allowed to use up to 3 teaspoons at a time.
- Belly holidays. A diet may involve concessions. They can be performed twice a week, however, do not lose. During these "holidays" you can eat any food. However, you should limit yourself to one method.
- Attack. Once a week you must return to the menu from the first phase. It can be any day and any food allowed during the attack phase.
A sample weekly menu might look like this:
| Day | Breakfast | Dinner | afternoon tea | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Fresh cheese with bran, unsweetened tea | Soup with meat, a glass of kefir | Fruits | Baked chicken fillet, vegetables, potatoes |
| Tuesday | Omelet with chicken fillet, cup of coffee | Fish stew and vegetable salad | Berries and bran | Cheesecakes, fruit, a cup of coffee |
| Wednesday | Lenten cutlets, salad | Meat soup | Fruit with natural yogurt and bran | Vegetable salad with roasted meat |
| Thursday | Menu of one of the days of the attack | |||
| Friday | Omelette, glass of kefir | Soup with meatballs, salad | Berries with bran | Fish in the oven with vegetables |
| Saturday | Cottage cheese casserole with a cup of coffee and bran | Fish broth, low-fat natural yogurt | Fruits | Rice with baked mussels in cheese |
| Sunday | Low-fat cottage cheese, boiled eggs and a cup of coffee | Turkey cutlets, vegetable salad | Berries and fruits, bran | Stew with vegetables, a glass of wine |
Stabilization Phase
The stabilization phase is final. It can be compared to going on a diet. However, this implies that the person will stick to a healthy diet all the time. The diet can include any products, but they should not be too harmful. It should be done gradually. Each week you have to arrange another attack day. The bran and drinking regimen remain the same. Physical activity should become regular.
Doctor's opinion
The Dukan diet is diverse. Most people cannot easily tolerate a no-carbohydrate diet. This is due to the fact that you have to give up most of the usual products. Following the Dukan weight loss plan, you can cook a wide variety of meals. It allows you to effectively reduce weight and keep it off after the fat burning period is over. Excess weight quickly disappears. The method is a variation of a balanced diet. The diet is designed for long-term use. This allows you to improve the functions and metabolic processes in the body. If you strictly follow the plan, you can get rid of the hated kilos forever.
Almost everyone can use the diet, if there are no contraindications. These can be various diseases, for example, renal or cardiovascular system. Also, the diet is not recommended for pregnant women and adolescents. Excess protein is the main cause of liver and blood vessel disease. It can also lead to high cholesterol levels. Therefore, before embarking on a weight loss regimen, you should consult your doctor.