Crafted by French physician Pierre Dukan ten years ago, Dukan Diet is an incredible weight loss plan which has already benefited more than 5 million French people.
Famous model Gisele Bundchen, singer Jennifer Lopez, Katherine Jenkins, Penelope Cruz, and Kate Middleton have also used the diet plan. While Gisele and Jennifer used the diet plan to shed their post-pregnancy weights, Kate Middleton used it to bring her in perfect shape before marrying Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.
High-protein and low-calorie diet plan includes plenty of lean protein food items, which keep you full for longer and conquer your cravings. Dukan diet plan is very much inspired by the diet consumed by our primitive ancestors.
They used to be hunters and mostly consumed animal foods only. Among a hundred food items of the diet plan, 72 are animal 28 are plant-based food items. You can make your selection according to your preference.
Four Phases of the Dukan Diet
Dukan diet plan has been divided into four phases. Let’s have a look at these phases.
Phase One – Attack Phase
Phase 1 has been named as the attack phase. You shall consume a complete protein diet and 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran in this phase.
For lean protein, you can have lean or low-fat meats, eggs, poultry, turkey, fish, non-fat dairy, and soy products. Lamb and pork are excluded in this phase. Vegans can have seitan, tofu, onions, vinegar, mustard, and spices such as pepper, basil, and oregano.
You must consume plenty of water in a day. Ample water intake and consumption of oat bran have been emphasized in the diet plan because protein-rich food items might cause constipation in you. However, water and oat bran will effectively beat constipation. Walk briskly for twenty minutes in the first phase. This phase will last for around ten days and you shall melt seven to ten pounds in five days.
Phase Two – Cruise Phase
Phase 2 has been named as cruise phase. In this phase, you can eat starchy vegetables on alternate days along-with lean protein. The quantity of oat bran will be upgraded from 1.5 to 2 tablespoons.
You are allowed to include only green and leafy vegetables such as asparagus, spinach, cauliflower, green beans, celery, etc. in this phase. Starchy vegetables such as peas, carrots, potatoes, corns, etc. are not allowed in the diet plan. Extend the duration of brisk walks to thirty minutes. You are expected to be in this phase unless you lose the weight equal to your set goal. You will shed two pounds in a week in this plan.
Phase Three – Consolidation Phase
Phase 3 has also been named as the consolidation phase. In this phase, you can have unlimited lean protein, low-sugar fruits such as watermelon, apples, cantaloupes, vegetables, hard cheese, two slices of whole-grain bread, and some other starchy foods such as rice, pasta, etc.
You are also allowed to consume lamb and pork in this phase, which are banished in phase one. In this phase, you can relish one celebration day in a week, which allows you to consume anything you desire to. Since this phase comes mid-way between weight loss and maintenance phase, you will learn how to deter the process of weight gain. You are required to be in this phase for five days. Though there will be no weight loss in this phase but you will learn how to successfully go along with lost weight.
Phase Four – Stabilization Phase
Phase four has also been named as stabilization phase. In this phase, you will learn how to maintain the lost weight forever. You shall have 3 tablespoons of oats bran, unlimited protein, and thirty minutes of brisk walk in this phase.
This phase will get you into the habit of healthy eating and it will continue for lifetime. The diet plan recommends you to save one Protein Thursday in the stabilization phase. Like attack phase, you shall consume unlimited lean protein on this day.
Benefits of the Dukan Diet Plan
Dukan diet plan has several benefits, let’s have a look at some of them.
- Should you diligently adhere to the diet plan, you will lose massive weight with the help of diet plan.
- Low calorie and low carb diet will bring spectacular improvement in your blood sugar level, cholesterol level, and blood pressure.
- There are abundant delicious recipes in the diet plan, which will keep you satisfied and will keep you from hunger pangs.
Side Effects and Drawbacks of the Dukan Diet Plan
Though the diet plan can help you in losing weight swifter but experts found some drawbacks and side effects of the diet plan. Let’s find out what they are.
- Too much restricted food items in the diet plan might make your body deficient of essential nutrients. Protein is inevitably vital for your body but having only protein in diet is not a healthy choice.
- Shedding weight at such a fast pace is not flattering for your body because your body is more likely to suffer from muscle loss and gallstones. When you lose weight very swiftly, apart from losing fat and water, your body also tend to lose muscle mass, which is unrecoverable loss for your body.
- You become susceptible of becoming a victim of dry mouth, bad breath, and exhaustion because making your body devoid of carbs is just like snatching the source of energy from your body.
- While going along with the diet plan, you might also see symptoms of gout but there are many other factors which influence gout. These are family history, age, gender, alcohol consumption etc.
- In the initial phase of the diet plan, you might notice an increase in your cholesterol level. Though the diet plan will bring it down later but you need to be very cautious.
- The diet plan is effective in losing weight in short run. However, long term effects of it are still controversial. Above all, it’s not healthy to adhere to the diet plan in long run.
I m also trying dukan diet since last 50 days and m very happy to know that m losing weight, but one thing yesterday I took little rice with cauliflower, mushroom curry so I am really worried that I will gain my weight so I need ur advise.
thanks