Rapid weight loss attracts many people.Losing four or five hateful pounds in a few days and then continuing to lose weight without giving up delicious food - isn't that a dream?The Dukan diet promises rapid weight loss without starvation.How does it work?
Pierre Dukan and the diet for obese patients
In the 1970s at a general practitioner Pierre Dukan the contacting patient.He was overweight and asked the doctor to help him lose weight.Obesity made the man so tired that he was ready to give up all 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 began to observe.His patient's success was stunning: he began to lose weight rapidly.The first week is minus 5 kg, the next week is minus 2-3 kg.Pierre Dukan found out that his diet worked.In the early 2000s, he published a book that became an instant bestseller.
Principles of the Dukan Diet
The diet is based on an abundance of protein foods, limiting simple carbohydrates and fats.The set of products is determined by the phase.The time of the phases is calculated individually and is determined by the weight you plan to lose.The greater your body weight, the longer you should stay in the first two phases in which active weight loss occurs.
Attack phase. The first step to weight loss takes one to seven days.You can eat any protein foods in any amount and take 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran per day.Products for this phase:
- lean meat - beef, pork, poultry;
- entrails;
- lean fish and seafood;
- eggs;
- dairy products.
By eliminating simple carbohydrates and increasing protein intake, the body loses up to 5 kg of weight.These are not only fat accumulations, but also water reserves in the tissues.However, the first effect, as the author of the diet believes, is extremely important for proper motivation.When the results of a diet are noticeable, it is easier to stick to it.
Cruise phase" In this phase, a systematic weight loss occurs. And it is necessary to stay in it until the body weight approaches the expected. This can happen after a month or a year. During this time, protein days alternate with protein and vegetable days; it is necessary to consume two tablespoons of bran daily. The list of permitted products is expanded with non-starchy vegetables:
- leafy vegetables;
- cabbage;
- mushrooms;
- green beans;
- nightshades - peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, pumpkin;
- onion;
- non-starchy root vegetables - turnips, radishes, daikon, radishes;
- cucumbers
These foods can be eaten without restriction.Starchy vegetables are also allowed - carrots and beets, but no more than one serving per day.Vegetable salads can be seasoned with a spoonful of vegetable oil.
"Consolidation" phase. The weight is consolidated.The duration of the phase is individual, calculated according to the formula: 10 days for every 4.5 kg of body weight lost.Protein foods of the first phase are not limited, non-starchy vegetables remain in the diet, carbohydrates and fatty foods are added:
- fruits and berries - one portion per day of any fruit, for example an apple or pear, a cup 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 servings of 250 grams per week of legumes, potatoes, rice and other cereals.
One day a week should be protein.Every day you should not forget about the bran and eat two spoons.And twice a week you can organize a "belly party" and choose a dish that will bring you joy and pleasure.But just one thing:
- breakfast of any products;
- dessert;
- a glass of wine.
"Stabilization" phase. Dr. Dukan advises to stay in this phase for life.She has no strict rules.The list of products from the previous phase is already quite extensive.You can include any other products at your discretion.Among the basic conditions:
- maintaining one protein day per week;
- eat three tablespoons of bran daily;
- physical activity - if you can walk or take the stairs, do it.
The phase allows for "relaxation" of the diet, i.e.it is assumed that you are already used to a certain diet and will not change it drastically.But if you notice that the weight has started to increase, you should return to the previous phase of "Consolidation" and stay in it until the weight stabilizes.
Is the Dukan Diet effective?
This weight loss plan has become so popular that scientific research has been devoted to its effectiveness.Scientists from Poland confirmed that women lost up to 15 kg during 10 weeks on a high-protein Dukan diet.
There are explanations for that.
- Protein increases the body's expenditure of calories.When limiting carbohydrates in the diet, the body begins the process of gluconeogenesis.And it does not convert carbohydrates, as usual, into glucose, but proteins and excess fats.Adipose tissue is broken down and used to provide the body's energy needs.
- Protein accelerates metabolism.Metabolic processes run faster.At the same time, you stay full longer and feel satisfied after eating.
- Protein reduces levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. And it increases the concentration of hormones responsible for satiety.This reduces appetite and reduces daily calorie intake.
With a nutritious diet and plenty of food, few who follow this diet consume more than 1,000 calories a day.Losing weight without feeling hungry is one of the main benefits of this weight loss plan.
Dukan Diet Safety and Contraindications
The opinions of doctors about the diet are contradictory.Losing weight is certainly good for your health, but there are "sensitive points" in this regard.
The first phase restricts fiber. It involves eating 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran, which contains only five grams of fiber.This is too little for the normal functioning of the intestines.In the absence of fiber, the abundance of protein foods will manifest itself as a disturbance of the digestive system, constipation and bloating.
Fat is limited in the diet.When Pierre Ducane developed and popularized the diet, there was a worldwide campaign against fat.They were recognized as dangerous only for the cardiovascular system and it is recommended to limit them to prevent heart attack and vascular atherosclerosis.Dr. Dukan added some "relevance" to his weight loss plan.He forbade the consumption of more than one tablespoon of vegetable oil per day and recommended that natural fats be replaced with sprays.Today, the position of science has changed: it has been proven that spreads, and not vegetable oils, cause atherosclerosis of blood vessels.And diets high in protein and fat are more effective for weight loss than diets without any fat.Therefore, it makes no sense to limit healthy fats, including olive and vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
Excess protein is dangerous for the kidneys. For a long time, this opinion existed in medicine.Recent studies refute this fact and prove that if a person's kidneys are fine, a protein diet will not harm them.But it can worsen the condition of people prone to the formation of kidney stones.
People with kidney disease should talk to their doctor before trying the Dukan Diet.As in patients with gout: in them, an excess of protein in the diet can cause an increase in the concentration of uric acid in the blood and an exacerbation of the disease.Also, the diet is not recommended for liver diseases, metabolic disorders, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.