The Dukan Diet Review Does It Work for Weight Loss

Dukan diet. 

What is the purpose of the Dukan diet. 

The Dukan diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. It was invented by Dr. Pierre Dukan, a French doctor specializing in weight management, with the aim of helping people lose excess weight.

Dr. Dukan created this diet in the seventies of the last century, taking his idea from an obese patient, where this patient said that he could stop eating any foods in order to lose weight, except meat.

After seeing many amazing results in weight loss in many of his patients who followed his diet, Dukan published his book (The Dukan Diet) in 2000, the book was released in 32 countries and was ranked as one of the bestsellers of that time. Many adherents of this diet say that it helped them achieve rapid weight loss without feeling hungry.

The Dukan diet plan is based on the intake of proteins and vegetables, where lean protein, oat bran, water and exercise for 20 minutes a day are the basis of this diet.

This diet is not based on the idea that the number of calories is the key to losing weight, but on protein intake, which is characterized by:

The metabolic rate in the body increases significantly more after eating protein than when eating carbohydrates or fats, which makes you feel full and full.

Protein-rich foods need more time to be digested and absorbed.

Protein reduces the levels of ghrelin (hunger hormone), increases the hormones of satiety and fullness, which leads to eating less.

The Dukan Diet starts with calculating your target weight based on your age, height, weight loss history, and other factors, and how long you stay at each stage depends on how much weight you need to lose in order to reach your target weight.

What does the Dukan diet include. 

The Dukan diet is divided into two phases for weight loss and two phases for continuity. These four stages of the Dukan system are:

Attack phase (from 1 to 7 days): 

you can start following this diet by eating lean protein, as well as 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran per day. During this phase, you can eat about 68 protein-rich foods that contribute to significant weight loss.

Transit phase (from 1 to 12 months): 

this phase adds 32 vegetable foods, so you can choose from 100 available foods. The Daily alternation of lean protein and lean protein intake with non-starchy vegetables is carried out, as well as the daily intake of two tablespoons of oat bran. This daily alternation contributes to the loss of about a kilogram per week, and the average length of this phase depends on how many kilograms you have to lose.

Cohesion phase (variable duration): 

during this period the body has a tendency to quickly regain weight, so this phase is designed to maintain the lost weight through a gradual return to eating foods that were previously banned to be eaten in limited quantities, in which lean protein, vegetables, some carbohydrates, fats are eaten, with only one day of lean protein intake per week, in addition to eating 2.5 tablespoons of oat bran per day.

Installation phase (indefinite): 

the guidelines of the previous phase should be followed with the rules relaxed as long as the weight remains constant. To maintain the weight you have lost.

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What are the recommended foods in the Dukan diet. 

1. The attack phase of the Dukan diet
2. The transit stage of the Dukan diet
3. The stage of consolidation in the Dukan diet
4. The stabilization stage of the Dukan diet
5. Dukan one-day diet program

What are the recommended foods in the Dukan diet. 

Each stage of the Dukan diet has its own foods, and the Dukan Diet schedule includes in detail the following:

The attack phase of the Dukan diet

It is the first stage of the Dukan diet, and the attack stage depends mainly on foods rich in lean protein, the Dukan diet includes the first stage in detail on the following:

• Beef,venison.
• Poultry without skin.
• Liver, kidneys, tongue.
• Fish.
• Eggs.
• Fat-free dairy products such as milk, cottage cheese, yogurt.
• Tofu.
• At least drink (1.5 liters) of water per day (mandatory).
• Eat 1.5 tablespoons (9 g) of oat bran per day (mandatory).

The transit stage of the Dukan diet

This phase alternates between two days, on the first day, the diet is limited to eating foods specific to the attack phase. On the second day, it is allowed to eat foods of the attack phase in addition to the following foods:

• Spinach, kale, lettuce, and other leafy vegetables.
• Broccoli.
• Pepper.
• Artichokes.
• Eggplant.
• The choice.
• Celery.
• Tomatoes.
• Green beans.green beans.
• Onions.
• Radish.
• Carrots.
• Eat 2 tablespoons (12 grams) of oat bran per day (mandatory).

The stage of consolidation in the Dukan diet

During this phase, Dukan diet followers are encouraged to eat foods specific to the previous two phases, and the Dukan Diet schedule includes day by day for this phase in addition to the foods of the previous two phases as follows:

Fruit: one piece of fruit per day, such as a medium-sized piece of apple, orange, pear, peach, or apricot.

Bread: two slices of bread a day, with a small amount of butter or low-fat fat.

Cottage cheese: one piece of cheese (40 grams) per day.

Starches: 1-2 servings of starches per week, such as eating (225 grams) of pasta and other cereals such as corn, beans, legumes, rice, or potatoes.

Meat: roast lamb 1-2 times a week.

Protein meal: determine one day every week to eat lean protein foods, as only foods specific to the attack phase are allowed.

Oat bran: eat 2.5 tablespoons (15 grams) of oat bran per day (mandatory).

The stabilization stage of the Dukan diet

The stabilization stage is the last stage of the Dukan diet, in which the gains achieved during the previous stages are maintained, and in which the following three rules are applied:

Eat 3 tablespoons of oat bran per day.

Walk for 20 minutes a day.

Eat lean protein one day every week.

Dukan one-day diet program  

Dukan's one-day diet recipes include:

Attack phase

Foods that are allowed to be eaten for a day at the stage of an attack include:

Breakfast: fat-free cottage cheese + 1.5 tablespoons (9 g) of oat bran and cinnamon, coffee or tea with skim milk and without sugar, water.

Lunch: fried chicken, gelatin diet, iced tea.

Dinner: lean steak + shrimp, gelatin diet, decaffeinated coffee or tea with fat-free and sugar-free milk, water.

The transit stage

Foods that are allowed to be eaten for one day in the transit phase include:

Breakfast: three eggs, tomato slices, coffee with skim milk and sugar, water.

Lunch: grilled chicken with low-fat vinaigrette, yogurt + two tablespoons (12 grams) of oat bran, iced tea.

Dinner: salmon fillet, steamed broccoli + cauliflower, gelatin diet, decaffeinated coffee with fat-free and sugar-free milk, water.

The cohesion phase

Foods that are allowed to be eaten for a day at the stage of hardening include:

Breakfast: an omelet made from three eggs + 40 grams of cottage cheese + spinach, coffee with skim milk and sugar, water.

Lunch: a Turkish sandwich on two slices of bread, half a glass (81 grams) of cottage cheese + two tablespoons (12 grams) of oat bran and cinnamon, iced tea.

Dinner: grilled meat, a medium apple slice, decaffeinated coffee with fat-free and sugar-free milk, water.

What foods should be avoided in the Dukan diet

Foods that should be avoided within the Dukan diet include:

Attack phase

The following foods should be avoided in the attack phase:

• Fruits.
• Vegetables.
• Carbohydrates and cereals.
• Sugar.
• Fats.
• Alcohol.

The transit stage

The following foods should be avoided in the transit phase:

• Fruits.
• Starchy vegetables.
• Carbohydrates and cereals.
• Sugar.
• Fats.
• Alcohol.

The cohesion phase

The following foods should be avoided in the cohesion phase:

• Bananas.
• Grapes.
• Figs.
• Cherries.
• Alcohol.
• Sugar.

Installation stage

There are no foods to avoid on this trip, but a person should constantly monitor the amount of food he eats.

What are the expected results of the Dukan diet  

Dukan Diet, How many drops per month One of the studies published in 2015 in the journal (Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig) and conducted on Polish women who followed the Dukan diet, revealed that when they ate about 1000 calories and 100 grams of protein per day, they lost about 15 kg in 8-10 weeks.

The first and second stage may lead to rapid weight loss due to a low percentage of carbohydrates, but then the body may tend to compensate for the weight lost, so the third and fourth stages are allocated for the permanent preservation of this lost weight.

What are the disadvantages of the Dukan diet

It was previously believed that eating a large amount of protein can lead to kidney damage, however, high-protein diets if followed for a short time are harmless to people who do not have any kidney problems, however, a high protein intake may be inappropriate for people who tend to form kidney stones.

People with kidney problems, gout, or liver disease should consult a doctor before starting to follow protein-rich diets such as the Dukan diet, as increasing the protein content may harm kidney patients in particular.

If diets containing large amounts of proteins, such as the Dukan diet, are followed for a long time, it is possible that:

Eating large amounts of proteins at the expense of carbohydrates, the amount of which is reduced, may cause a deficiency of some nutrients, not getting enough fiber, and it is possible that a person will develop constipation and headaches.

A high-protein diet often involves eating a lot of meat and foods containing purines, which increases the risk of gout.

Advantages of the Dukan diet

The Dukan diet is characterized by:

Low-fat diet: if you prefer a low-fat diet or you have a heart disease that requires eating low-fat foods, this diet may be right for you.

Gluten-free diet: the first stages of the Dukan diet are suitable for followers of gluten-free diets, since most foods in the first and second stages do not contain gluten, but as the stages progress, the foods are not completely gluten-free.

What is the level of effort required to follow the Dukan diet

The level of effort required to follow the Dukan diet is considered average, as you will be limited in what you can eat, especially during the first and second phase.

The cost of the Dukan system 

The cost of the Dukan system is a bit high, due to its dependence on the intake of meat and poultry.

Aerobics with the Dukan diet

Walking is essential for following this diet, as you should walk for 20 minutes a day in the attack phase, 30-60 minutes in the transit phase, 25 minutes in the consolidation phase, and 20 minutes in the stabilization phase.

Is the Dukan diet suitable for vegetarians

This diet may not be suitable for vegetarians, as this diet is based on eating a lot of meat, poultry, fish, lean dairy products, eggs.

Is the Dukan diet suitable for diabetics

A decrease in the proportion of carbohydrates in the first and second stage may lead to a decrease in blood sugar in diabetic patients, especially those who are mainly insulin-dependent, so you should consult a specialist before starting to follow this diet.

Irene Jackson-Canadian. The Dukan diet. Retrieved on July 11, 2021 from:

https://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/dukan-diet

Rina Goldman. Is the Dukan diet a safe and effective way to lose weight? Retrieved on July 11, 2021 from:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dukan-diet.aspx

Yvette Brazier. Dukan diet: should I try it? Retrieved on July 11, 2021 from:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219612