Losing weight quickly appeals to many people.Losing four or five hated kilograms in a few days and then continuing to lose weight without giving up delicious food - isn't that a dream?The Dukan diet promises quick weight loss without hunger.How does it work?
Pierre Dukan and the diet for the obese patient
Became a general practitioner in the 1970s Pierre Dukan the patient contacted.He was overweight and asked the doctor to help him lose weight.Obesity tired the man so much that he was ready to give up any food except meat.
Dr.Dukan met the patient halfway.He advised him to eat only meat, drink as much water as possible and add oat bran to his diet as a source of fiber.And he began to observe.His patient's success was amazing: he began to lose weight quickly.The first week is minus 5 kg, the next week minus 2-3 kg.Pierre Dukan realized that his diet was working.In the early 2000s he published a book that immediately became a bestseller.
Principles of the Dukan diet
The diet is based on an abundance of protein foods and limits simple carbohydrates and fats.The amount of products is determined by the phase.The timing of the phases is calculated individually and depends on the weight you want to lose.The greater your body weight, the longer you have to stay in the first two phases in which active weight loss occurs.
Attack phase. The first step to losing weight takes one to seven days.You can eat any protein foods in any quantity and consume 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran daily.Products for this phase:
- lean meat – beef, pork, poultry;
- Offal;
- lean fish and seafood;
- eggs;
- dairy products.
By avoiding simple carbohydrates and increasing protein intake, the body loses up to 5 kg of weight.These are not just fat deposits, but also water reserves in the tissue.However, the first effect, as the author of the diet believed, is extremely important for proper motivation.When the results of a diet are visible, it is easier to stick to it.
Cruise phase" In this phase, systematic weight loss occurs. And it is necessary to remain in it until the body weight approaches the expected one. This can happen in a month or a year. During this period, protein days alternate with protein and vegetable days; it is necessary to consume two tablespoons of bran every day. The list of permitted products is expanded to include non-starchy vegetables:
- leafy vegetables;
- cabbage;
- Mushrooms;
- green beans;
- Nightshade family – peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin;
- onions;
- non-starchy root vegetables – beets, radishes, daikon, radishes;
- Cucumbers
These foods can be consumed without restrictions.Starchy vegetables are also allowed - carrots and beets, but no more than one serving daily.Vegetable salads can be seasoned with a spoonful of vegetable oil.
“Consolidation” phase. The weight is consolidated.The duration of the phase is individual and is calculated according to the formula: 10 days per 4.5 kg of body weight lost.Protein foods of the first phase are not limited, non-starchy vegetables remain in the diet, carbohydrate and fatty foods are added:
- Fruits and berries – one serving of fruit per day, for example an apple or pear, a glass of berries, half a small melon;
- Cheese – up to 40 grams per day;
- Bread – up to two slices with low-fat butter;
- Starchy foods – no more than two 250 gram servings per week of legumes, potatoes, rice and other grains.
One day a week should be protein.Every day you should not forget about bran and eat two spoons.And twice a week you can have a “belly feast” and choose a dish that brings you joy and pleasure.But just one thing:
- snack from any products;
- Dessert;
- Glass of wine.
“Stabilization” phase. Dr.Dukan advised staying in this phase for life.It has no hard and fast rules.The list of products from the previous phase is already quite extensive.You can add additional products at your own discretion.The main conditions include:
- maintain one protein day per week;
- eat three tablespoons of bran daily;
- physical activity – if you have the opportunity to walk or take the stairs, do it.
The phase allows for a “relaxation” of the diet, i.e.h.it assumes that you are already used to a particular diet and are not going to change it dramatically.However, if you notice that the weight begins to increase, you need to return to the previous “consolidation phase” and stay in it until the weight stabilizes.
Is the Dukan diet effective?
This weight loss plan is so popular that scientific research has been conducted to determine its effectiveness.Scientists from Poland have confirmed that women on the high-protein diet of the Dukan diet lose up to 15 kg within 10 weeks.
There are explanations for this.
- Protein increases the body's calorie consumption.When carbohydrates in the diet are restricted, the body starts the process of gluconeogenesis.And it does not convert carbohydrates into glucose as usual, but protein and excess fat.Fatty tissue is broken down and used to meet the body's energy needs.
- Protein speeds up metabolism.Metabolic processes occur faster.At the same time, you stay full longer and feel satisfied after eating.
- Protein lowers levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. And it increases the concentration of hormones responsible for the feeling of satiety.This reduces appetite and reduces daily calorie intake.
With a nutrient-dense diet and plenty of nutrients, few who follow this diet consume more than 1,000 calories per day.Losing weight without feeling hungry is one of the main benefits of this weight loss plan.
Safety and contraindications of the Dukan diet
Doctors' opinions on nutrition are mixed.Losing weight is certainly good for your health, but there are “tricky points” in this regard.
The first phase limits fiber. This involves eating 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran, which only contains five grams of fiber.This is not enough for normal intestinal function.Without fiber, an abundance of protein-containing foods manifests itself in disorders of the digestive system, constipation and flatulence.
Fats are limited in the diet.When Pierre Ducane developed and promoted the diet, there was an anti-fat campaign worldwide.They were only considered dangerous for the cardiovascular system and it was recommended to limit them to prevent heart attacks and vascular atherosclerosis.Dr.Dukan added some “relevance” to his weight loss plan.He banned the consumption of more than a tablespoon of vegetable oil per day and recommended replacing natural fats with spreads.Today the position of science has changed: it has been proven that spreads, and not vegetable oils, cause atherosclerosis of blood vessels.And a diet high in protein and fat is more effective for weight loss than a fat-free diet.Therefore, it makes no sense to limit healthy fats, including olive and vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
Excess protein is dangerous for the kidneys. This opinion existed in medicine for a long time.Current studies refute this fact and prove that a protein diet does not harm a person whose kidneys are in good order.However, it can worsen the condition of people prone to kidney stone formation.
People with kidney disease should speak to their doctor before trying the Dukan diet.As with patients with gout: an excess of protein in their diet can lead to an increase in the concentration of uric acid in the blood and aggravation of the disease.The diet is also not recommended for liver diseases, metabolic disorders, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.