What is Dukan Diet Plan?

While weight loss seems to be biggest challenge for most people in the world, celebrities like JLo and Kate Middleton have managed to do it within weeks, with a smile and a perfect diet plan – Dukan Diet Plan.

Meaning

Introduced by a French nutritionist Dr Pierre Dukan, the Dukan Diet Plan essentially means eating only high-protein food and food products, and radically reducing the consumption of fats and carbohydrates. So, instead of having legumes, vegetables, starchy vegetables, etc., this diet plan emphasizes on eating fish, poultry and milk products with low fats.

Dukan Diet Plan was introduced by Dr Pierre Dukan in France. This plan helps any person to shed extra pounds and become slim forever. About a decade ago, when it was introduced, not many believed in the concept and the benefits it could provide. Gradually, it started gaining popularity in France. Now about 1.5 million French women have adopted this diet plan. The book ‘The Dukan Diet’ is now available in the UK, and it was released in the US on April 19, 2011.

The Diet Plan

Dukan Diet consists of four different phases, with different diet plans for each phase. Ultimately, at the end of the last phase, you would be able to eat anything and everything you like. Here are the four phases.

Phase I – Attack Phase

This phase might last for 1-10 days, depending on the number of pounds you want to lose. According to Dr. Dukan, one can expect to lose around 7-10 pounds in the first phase. The dieters are asked to consume a protein-rich diet, which might be served with condiments. It is essential to eliminate fats and carbohydrates from the diet, at least for the first phase. In order to reduce your hunger, consume calorie-free beverages like diet drinks, coffee, tea, water, etc. It is possible that dieters might have bad breath during the first phase. However, it can be reduced by consuming more water every day.

Phase II – The Cruise Phase

The dieter has to continue with the same diet plan in the second phase as well. Only some vegetables that do not contain starch are allowed to be consumed. These vegetables include tomato, cucumber, spinach, lettuce, asparagus, etc, which can be consumed only either raw or steamed. Although your meals might not be as tasty as you had expected, it should not reduce your determination. This diet plan would continue until the targeted weight is achieved. Phase II would help you shed at least 2 pounds each week.

Phase III – The Consolidation Phase

This is more of a maintenance phase. Although there would not be major changes in the diet plan, the dieter would have the liberty to consume some slices of food and whole-grain bread along with or after regular meals. Besides, the dieter can also have one carb-dish like rice or pasta and one celebration meal, which could be anything, each week. The number can be increased to two after a while, but only if the dieter’s weight is not increasing.

Phase IV – The Stabilization Phase

This is the time when the dieter is convinced that consuming any food will not have much impact on the weight. He/she can eat anything. But the rules of the Consolidation Phase should not be forgotten. At least one day in a week should be protein-rich, with minimum fats and carbs.

Dukan Diet dish could include foods like:

Skimmed milk, herbs, mustard, chicken breast, chicken liver, fish, turkey, see food, egg-whites, sugar-free products, green vegetables, etc.

Exercises

Exercising is as important as following this diet plan in order to lose weight quickly. If exhaustive work-out is not possible, dieters in Phase I must walk briskly for at least 25 minutes, and should eventually increase the time to 35-40 minutes in Phase II.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Dukan Diet

Benefits

• Eradicates the need of counting calories
• Quick results without spending much
• Leads to a healthy lifestyle
• Does not require a professional dietician to advice

Drawbacks

• Requires extreme discipline to continue with the plan
• Not suitable for people with pre-existing diseases
• May lead to consequences like headache, bad breath, or constipation