The French neurologist and nutritionist Dr. Pierre Dukan has developed a nutrition system that, according to experts, is one of the most effective diets, at least in terms of speed and guarantee of results.
This diet was found to help the Duchess of Cambridge before her wedding and Jennifer Lopez after having a baby. We decided to find out what is so good about this diet and why it is considered one of the best for health and weight loss.
What The Dukan Diet Is
The Dukan diet is a nutrition system and its goal is to make you lose weight quickly and guarantee results in the future. The diet is based on 100 allowed foods, 72 of which are protein foods (meat, eggs, dairy) and 28 additional (spices, condiments, and vegetables).
To lose weight quickly and evenly, without stretch marks or cellulite, the diet has rules and is divided into 4 steps: 2 steps to lose weight and 2 steps to keep it off.
Also, it is important to follow general principles.
General principles
- Drink at least 2 liters a day (tea, coffee, chicory is allowed).
- Do not add mayonnaise to your food.
- Reduce the amount of salt (but use more sauces and spices).
- Eat oat bran every day.
- Don’t forget about physical activity (walking and exercising).
Except for the general rules, the diet includes 4 stages, each of which has its own purpose.
№ 1. Attack Stage: Immediate Results
The point of the attack phase is that you should eat protein foods that stimulate the body to use its own reserves: the body burns fat very quickly and the protein will help keep your muscle and bone tissue intact.
At this stage, many people feel a little bad: it is a sign that the body is using the fat reserve. That is why the attack period is very limited.
Duration: depending on the amount of weight you want to lose, you can choose the duration of the first stage:
- less than 45 pounds extra weight: 3 to 5 days;
- 45 to 60 extra pounds – 5 to 7 days;
- over 60 pounds – 5 to 10 days.
Here is the complete list of 72 protein products. It includes almost all types of meat, fish, seafood, and all dairy products with 0% fat.
These products must be consumed during the first phase. You should also take 1.5 tablespoons. of oat bran and drink 1.5 liters of water every day.
№ 2. Rotation Stage: Achievement
The point of this step. At this time, 28 vegetables are added to the 72 protein products (cabbage, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.). The purpose of this stage is not to allow the pounds lost during the previous stage to return.
Duration. Its duration depends on how much weight you have lost during the first phase. 2 pounds during the attack phase = 10 days of rotation. For example, if you lost 6.5 pounds during the first stage, the rotation stage should be 30 days.
Rotation options:
- 1 day of protein and then 1 day of vegetables + protein.
- 3 days of protein and then 3 days of vegetables + protein.
- 5 days of protein and then 5 days of vegetables + protein.
Here is a list of 28 allowed vegetables. You can eat as many vegetables as you want and cook them as you like. Also, you should eat 2 tablespoons. of oat bran and drink 1.5 liters of water.
Also allowed: cheese (less than 6% fat), cocoa (1 teaspoon), ketchup, spices, bread (2 slices) and wine (50 g).
№ 3. Securing Stage: Avoiding Gaining Weight Again
The point of this step. In this phase, the current weight stabilizes and the person returns to a more diversified diet. Then you can include tasty foods: bread, fruit, cheese, sweets.
Duration. The duration is calculated exactly as in stage 2: 2 pounds during the attack stage = 10 days of rotation.
The rules of stage 3:
- For a week, 1 day a week, you should eat only protein.
- Every day add 2.5 tbsp. of oat bran for food.
- Drink at least 1.5 liters of water.
- It is better to eat fruits every day (except grapes, bananas, and cherries).
- Twice a week, you can eat potatoes, corn, peas, beans, pasta, and other starchy foods.
- Twice a week you can eat whatever you want. But this should be in place of breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
How To Plan Your Diet
For your diet, you can choose the foods you like, but be sure to follow the list of allowed proteins and vegetables at each stage.
In addition, thanks to the wide variety of foods allowed for each stage, you can easily find a large number of different recipes for those who like to cook and for those who do not want to eat the same food every day.
Conclusion
The Dukan diet is a great way not only to lose extra weight quickly but also to guarantee the result for life. It is also desirable that the diet has few limitations in terms of food and time. You can even drink alcohol, so you don’t miss a party with friends.
However, despite the effectiveness of the diet (you can lose 2 to 5 pounds per week), it is not good for everyone, especially if the person has a chronic illness. In addition, the first phase of the diet is very difficult for the body, so we recommend that you consult your doctor before starting it.
Do you know anything about other diets? Share what you know in the comment section below!
