What is the Dukan Diet? This is a diet plan based on consuming protein foods. According to Irene Jackson-Cannady, the diet was developed by French general practitioner and nutritionist Pierre Dukan in 2000.
The diet is based on the following principles:
- Various products. At the initial stage of the diet, only protein is allowed, but over time the diet becomes more extensive.
- Control of drinking regime. An increase in the content of protein foods in the menu can cause dehydration, so women should drink at least two liters of water every day, and men - three, as Arend-Jan Meinders said.
- Quit sugar. High glucose levels in the body lead to a decrease in fat breakdown. Fructose-based sweeteners are used to sweeten foods.
- Reduce salt intake.
- Fractional food. Food is eaten 5 times a day.
What can you eat on the Dukan diet?
The diet plan includes four phases, each of which allows for different food intake.
The first stage is "Attack". The most difficult and shortest phase, lasts from 5 to 7 days. During this time you can lose 2-3 kg. During this period, only protein foods are allowed:
- meat (beef, lamb, lean pork, chicken, turkey, rabbit, quail, offal);
- eggs (white - without restriction, yolk - no more than two a day);
- seafood and fish (lean white and red fish, clams, squid, shrimp, octopus, clams);
- skim milk, kefir, cottage cheese, cheese;
- Soy meat;
- spices, dried herbs, vinegar, mustard.
The second stage is "Alternation". At this time, one protein day, as in the "Attack" phase, alternates with the next, allowing the addition of vegetables and non-starchy vegetables to the menu. The duration of the stage depends on how much the person wants to lose. To lose 1 kg of weight, you need to follow the recommended 1-week phase.
You can eat all the food allowed in the "Attack" phase, and also add to the menu:
- Wheat bread;
- asparagus;
- mushrooms;
- tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, eggplant, zucchini, radish, beet, avocado, white and cauliflower, broccoli;
- spinach, sorrel, any vegetable;
- olive oil (no more than one tablespoon per day).
The third stage is "Consolidation". This phase aims to prevent weight gain again. About 500 g of weight will be lost every week, so the duration of the phase depends on the goal. In two meals a week, you can treat yourself to any forbidden food.
You should consume at least three tablespoons of bran or fiber every day. In addition to the foods allowed in the "Attack" and "Alternate" phases, you can add to the diet:
- honey (no more than three teaspoons a day);
- seasonal berries and fruits;
- lentils, beans, peas;
- olive;
- beans;
- corn;
- rice and buckwheat;
- pasta made from durum wheat.
The fourth stage is "Stabilization". During this phase, you can eat all the foods allowed before. At the same time, you need to continue to eat fractionally, eat bran every day and make it only consist of protein once a week. As long as a person sticks to the "Stabilization" phase, he will stay slim.
The effectiveness of the diet
Digesting protein is more difficult than fat and carbohydrates, so the body spends the energy received from stored fat. In addition, protein foods cause a feeling of fullness for a long time, therefore, a person does not overeat or snack on unhealthy foods. As Marina Altashina, candidate of medical sciences, notes, a lot of protein in the diet allows you to lose weight without losing muscle mass.
Since the diet consists of four stages, the last of which can be followed throughout life, the Dukan nutrition plan considers long-term results.
Menu for this week
How to start the Dukan diet? To make it easier for you to stick to the diet restrictions, a week before you start changing your diet, reduce the amount of sugar and salt you eat. Start replacing regular bread with whole grain or crisp bread.
After preparation, including self-motivation, proceed to the first stage of the Dukan diet - "Attack". Let's take a closer look at the menu for this week.
First day
- Breakfast: Grilled turkey fillet, two-egg omelet and low-fat milk.
- Second breakfast: cheesecake.
- Lunch: shrimp and squid soup.
- Afternoon snack: bread with lightly salted salmon.
- Dinner: low-fat cottage cheese.
Second day
- Breakfast: scrambled eggs, grilled lamb.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir, boiled pork.
- Lunch: chicken soup with aromatic herbs.
- Afternoon snack: boiled rabbit in milk.
- Dinner: cut up steamed beef.
The third day
- Breakfast: boiled eggs, beef, marinated in spices, grilled.
- Second breakfast: cottage cheese casserole.
- Lunch: soup with meatballs cooked with kefir.
- Afternoon snack: omelet with liver pate.
- Dinner: boiled squid and shrimp.
forth day
- Breakfast: cheesecake.
- Second breakfast: bread with low-fat cheese.
- Lunch: soup with beef and turkey.
- Afternoon snack: milk.
- Dinner: grilled quail.
fifth day
- Breakfast: steamed omelette, grilled chicken filling.
- Second breakfast: kefir.
- Lunch: liver pate and turkey, bread.
- Afternoon snack: cottage cheese.
- Dinner: mussels in milk mustard sauce.
sixth day
- Breakfast: two boiled eggs, spicy roast beef.
- Second breakfast: whole grain bread with low-fat cream cheese, lightly salted salmon.
- Lunch: seafood soup.
- Afternoon snack: cottage cheese.
- Dinner: grilled pike perch fillet.
the seventh day
- Breakfast: fried eggs with beef.
- Second breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese with sweetener.
- Lunch: clam and squid soup.
- Afternoon snack: steamed chicken and sliced turkey.
- Dinner: Grilled pork steak
Between meals you are allowed to drink not only water, but also coffee, tea without sugar, and herbal decoctions. After a week, move on to the next stage of your diet.
The Dukan Diet is ideal for effective weight loss. However, it involves serious restrictions, so in order not to harm yourself, be sure to consult a doctor before starting it.
Attention! The material is for informational purposes only. You should not use the treatment methods described here without consulting your doctor first.