Pierre Dukan recommended French people stop eating croissants, jam and chocolate and consume protein food one time per week. He became a personal nutritionist and helped a lot of people lose and hold their weight.
The author of the diet is Pierre Dukan, a modern French nutritionist who developed this own system, called, Régime Dukan. His book “Je ne sais pas maigrir” (“I Don’t Know How to Get Thin”) is a world bestseller.
The Concept of the Diet
It’s divided into 4 phases. The first one is “Attack” when you can eat only protein food as much as you want, spices, and drink 2 l of non-mineral water a day. The second one is “Cruise”: protein days should be alternated with the days when you combine proteins and non-starchy vegetables as much as you can eat. The third stage is “Stabilization” when you can add raw potatoes, rice and macaroni 2 times a week, 2 bits of bread of rough grinding, 40 gm of cheese, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1 fruit except bananas, grapes and cherry. The 4th stage is “Consolidation”. One should eat protein food one day a week. Well that’s all. Just avoid fast-food and sweats.
Duration and Result
Attack stage lasts from 2 to 10 days. The more you weigh, the more time you need. Cruise stage lasts till you get an optimal weight. Stabilization stage: 10 days for each lost kg. For example if you lost 7 kg within last stages, then Stabilization phase makes up 70 days. One should follow the Consolidation stage for the rest of the life. Usually, a man can lose 4 kg per month.
How to Start It?
Enter www.dukandiet.co.uk and define your ideal weight and the required time you need to reach this result. If you have less than 10 excess kg, then Attack stage should take 2 days.
- From 10 till 20 kg – 3-5 days;
- From 20 till 30 kg – 5 – 7 days;
- From 30 and more – 5 -10 days.
Dukan recommends starting one’s day with oat bran (1.5 – 3 tablespoons). It gives satiety and liquidates any constipation. Moreover, it prevents fat distribution. Use lemon juice for seasoning, onion, garlic, gherkin, mustard, spices and vinegar.
Cruise stage allows eating all products from Attack phase and raw or boiled vegetable as much as you want. Moreover, you can eat 30 gm of cheese or 2-3 drops of vegetables for seasoning. If you have less than 10 excess kg, alternate one protein day with “protein and vegetable” days or 3 protein days and three “protein and vegetable” days.
From 10 till 30 excess kg – 5 protein days and 5 “protein and vegetable” days.
When you reached Stabilization stage, you can eat everything you want 2 times a week. (2 food intakes: Monday breakfast and Thursday dinner). The only condition is avoiding such banquets 2 days on end.
When you are on Consolidation stage, it’s better to have one protein Thursday (dairy products, fish, legumes and meat). Dukan also advise to do aerobic and power lifting training every day and walk for 20 minutes.
The 1st phase: non-fat meat (stewed or grilled without oil: veal or lamb), liver, kidneys, veal or beef tongue, fish, seafood, poultry, except the duck, non-fat ham, eggs, non-fat dairy products, herbal tea and spices.
The 2nd phase: products of the 1st phase and tomatoes, cucumbers, small radish, spinach, asparagus, haricot, cabbage, celery, mushrooms, egg-plants, squashes, sweet pepper, garlic, soy, Tofu soy cheese.
The 3rd phase: products of the 1st phase and vegetables of the second one. 100 gm of fruits, 2 bits of ground wheat bread, 40 gm of cheese, 200 gm of rice, potatoes, macaroni and legumes a day.
The 4th phase: all products of the previous stages.
Don’t eat fast food, baking, sweats, cheese and butter (no more than 40 gm and 2- 3 drops of vegetable oil per day beginning with the 2nd phase), starchy products (carrot and beet, potatoes, rice and macaroni), salt and mustard, dietary cola and alcohol.
Food Intakes
Eat 3 times, or add 2 snacks if needed.
How does it work?
The principle is the same as all protein diets have. When you eat protein and stop consuming carbohydrates and fats you launch a process of ketose – active burning of excess adipose tissue.
Here is an approximate menu for one day of 1-4 phases:
Breakfast: Omelet from 2 egg-whites and non-fat milk, a bit salted salmon, coffee or tea;
Lunch: natural yoghurt, oat bran, (1-2 tablespoons);
Dinner: Beefsteak or grilled seabass, chicken or turkey, baked with garlic, rosemary and lemon;
Snack: Boiled shrimps with Chili pepper or turmeric;
Supper: Low-fat kefir, salmon steak, baked mussels, oysters, crabs and grilled lamb.
The main advantages of this diet include quick effect, balance, plenty of fresh products, satiety and comfortable food intake time.
