Excess weight gain is among the leading health conditions in the world, affecting people of all categories worldwide.
Are you looking for a diet plan that produces quick results and provides lasting effects?
The Dukan diet might be the ideal solution for you!
In this article, you’ll learn about this highly-effective diet plan; its meaning, how it works, how safe it is, shopping list, and many other things you’d like to know.
Let’s get started!
WHAT IS THE DUKAN DIET AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
The Dukan Diet is a weight loss diet characterized by a high-protein and low-carb intake.
The diet was devised by Dr. Pierre Dukan, a French nutritionist and dietitian in the 1970s, with the claim that a protein-dense diet like this can help people lose weight since it:
- Contains low calories
- Promotes satiety, and
- Regulates calorie levels
That said, it is equally important to note that this diet plan includes four phases – Attack, Cruise, Consolidation, and Stabilization.
Attack Phase: this is the primary phase, and is aimed at rapid weight loss ranging from 4.4 to 6.6 pounds in just 2 to 10 days.
On this plan, you can consume unlimited lean protein [such as lean beef, seafood, eggs, etc.], limited low-fat dairy, little olive oil, along with 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran and a minimum of 6 cups of water every day.
Cruise Phase: This phase is ideal for people who want to lose 40 pounds [or more] for a longer period.
One thing about this plan is that you are allowed to eat all the foods available on the Attack phase, with the addition of non-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, etc. Again, you will increase your daily oat bran intake to 2 tablespoons per day.
Consolidation Phase: here, your aim is no longer to lose weight but to avoid regaining it. During this stage, you can consume unlimited veggies daily, your favorite fruit, a few slices of whole grain bread and hard cheese. You can as well add a few servings of starchy foods here.
Stabilization Phase: this is the final phase and of course the long-term maintenance part of the meal plan.
It shares certain characteristics with the Consolidation phase, except for the fact that this phase allows you to consume more carbs and fats. Additionally, you are allowed to eat virtually anything, including artificial sweeteners, sugar-free gum, spices, multivitamins, minerals, to name but a few.
However, there are certain rules guiding this phase. The first is that you must have an all-protein day, eat three tablespoons of oat bran daily, exercise for 20 minutes every day, practice lifestyle fitness habits, among others.
7-DAY ATTACK PHASE MENU PLAN
SAMPLE 1
Day 1
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with smoked salmon
Lunch: oat bran pancake
Dinner: fishcake
Day 2
Breakfast: muesli and skim milk
Lunch: ham rolls
Dinner: baked fish with herbs
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Day 3
Breakfast: yoghurt
Lunch: rosemary beef burgers
Dinner: Vietnamese beef
Day 4
Breakfast: oat bran muffins
Lunch: salmon pancakes
Dinner: chicken kebabs
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Day 5
Breakfast: oat bran porridge
Lunch: prawn and egg salad
Dinner: salmon escalopes and mustard dill sauce
Day 6
Breakfast: Warm drink, Low fat cottage cheese and two slices of grilled chicken breast
Lunch: Trout with herbs, Prawns, Tea or coffee [without sugar] and Vanilla Oat Bran Porridge
Dinner: Garlic Tiger Prawns and Garlic chicken slices
Day 7
Breakfast: Warm drink, Omelette and ham slices
Lunch: Vietnamese Beef, Cinnamon Oat Bran Pancake, Tea and Low fat yoghurt
Dinner: Hard boiled eggs
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SAMPLE 2
Day 1
Breakfast: Warm drink, Low fat cream cheese and Turkey ham slices
Lunch: Roast chicken, Shirataki noodles cooked in bouillon, Diet gelatin and Iced tea
Dinner: Salmon Soup
Day 2
Breakfast: Non-fat cottage cheese with oat bran and cinnamon, Coffee or tea [with nonfat milk] and Water
Lunch: Chicken Curry, Tea or coffee [no sugar] and Oat bran muffins
Dinner: Oat bran chicken nuggets
Day 3
Breakfast: Warm drink, Scrambled eggs and Low fat cream cheese
Lunch: Grilled chicken breast, Muesli ice-cream, Tea and Pink Cheesecake Cupcakes
Dinner: Peppered beef steak
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Day 4
Breakfast: Three scrambled eggs, Sliced tomatoes, Coffee with nonfat milk, and Water
Lunch: Turkey sandwich on two slices of whole-wheat bread, Cottage cheese and Iced tea
Dinner: Baked Turkey Meatballs
Day 5
Breakfast: Warm drink and Low fat yoghurt with oat bran
Lunch: Steamed fish with herbs, Low fat cottage cheese and Tea
Dinner: Roast pork, Grilled zucchini, 1 medium apple, Decaf coffee, and Water
Day 6
Breakfast: Warm drink and Mint & Curry Omelette
Lunch: Grilled chicken on mixed greens with low-fat vinaigrette, Greek yogurt and Iced tea
Dinner: Baked salmon fillet, Steamed broccoli and cauliflower, Diet gelatin, Decaf coffee, and Water
Day 7
Breakfast: Omelet made with eggs, cheese and spinach, Coffee with nonfat milk, and Water
Lunch: Grilled turkey breast steaks, Oat bran cookies, Tea, Ham slices and Diet soda
Dinner: Lean steak and shrimp, Diet gelatin, Decaf coffee or tea with nonfat milk, and Water
IS IT SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE?
When it comes to the safety of the Dukan Diet, the number of studies conducted so far is quite limited.
However, there are a lot of controversies in time past that high-protein diets like this could increase the risks of kidney disease and bone condition.
In fact, some studies conducted long time ago suggest that eating too much of protein is likely to lead to kidney damage and other serious health conditions.
That said, recent studies reveal that high-protein diets are not associated with any serious health condition in people with healthy kidneys.
Also, your bone health will not decline on a high-protein meal, so far you eat potassium-dense vegetables and fruits.
On the other hand, when people with unhealthy kidney stones consume much protein, it could worsen their condition and even trigger more serious diseases.
As a result of this, people with serious diseases, such as kidney problems, gout, liver disease are often advised to consult their physician before trying out a high-protein meal pln.
With that being said, it is equally important to let you know that this diet comes with complicated rules and restrictive nature, which could make it hard to follow for some people.
That aside, it might interest you that high-fat foods are limited on this diet, which could make it more enjoyable and easier to follow as time goes on.
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DUKAN DIET SHOPPING LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS
- Lean meat
- Poultry
- Catfish
- Fat-free Turkey
- Rabbit
- Wild Duck
- Custard powder
- Lean pork
- Offal
- Oat bran
- Chicken
- Sugar-free squash
- Turkey breasts
- Lean ham
- Non-fat dairy
- Wheat bran
- Seafood
- Eggs
- Fat-free natural and flavoured yogurt
- Fat-free fromage frais
- Chicken liver
- Quark
- Tempeh
- Quail
- Shrimp
- Herring
- Cottage cheese
- Oysters
- Skimmed milk
- Salmon
- Tofu
- Tuna
- Crab
- Lobster
- Swordfish
- Tilapia
- Crayfish
- Octopus
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