All about the Pierre Dukan diet. Detailed description of all stages

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The diet, which was invented and improved by a nutritionist from France, Pierre Dukan, is one of the most popular in the world. And this is completely deserved, because it has been developed for more than thirty years. It all started when in 1975, Pierre Dukan saw a patient with severe obesity, whom he wanted to help not only lose weight, but also consolidate the result of losing weight for life. Thus, his diet was developed and changed over many years, and at the beginning of 2000 the whole world saw his book called “I Can’t Lose Weight,” which collected all the developments over many years. You can learn everything about the Dukan diet in detail from this article.

What is the Dukan system

Everything happens in 4 stages, the duration of which is determined individually. Thanks to the protein attack of the first stage, the body accelerates metabolism and starts the process of destroying fat masses.

The diet does not include fasting. The author of the diet is of the opinion that the body needs proteins, which form its basis. And carbohydrates and fats are subject to restrictions that must be observed for more than 3 months.

Principles of the Dukan system

The principles that form the basis of the weight loss regime are mandatory throughout the diet and are performed daily:

• Constructing a diet according to the nutrition scale;
• Water - from 1.5 l;
• Oat bran - 4 tbsp. l. (drink with water);

• Walking – 30 min. daily;
• Vitamin preparations.

Advantages over other diets

The diet has a number of advantages:

• There is no need to fast, because protein foods can always be eaten.
• Immediate results.
• The weight comes off quickly.
• Fat deposits are reduced without harming muscle mass.
• Hair and nails become stronger and grow better.
• The result obtained is easily maintained thanks to the recommendations of professionals.

Disadvantages of the system

However, some disadvantages exist:

• Liberties in the volume and frequency of food consumption are not prohibited.
• Eating protein foods in excess can be fraught with problems with the functioning of some organs.
• Absolute exclusion of fat and carbohydrates.

Medical research

The effectiveness of this nutrition system has been proven by many studies. Independent medical research led by Professor Jay Udani. It was carried out in Los Angeles, at Notridge Hospital, where several volunteers took part.

The results confirmed the correctness of the Dukan diet in relation to the daily menu, which was given to patients in the form of tables. Participants lost the desired weight and improved their health through fortified foods and a diet correctly prepared by specialists.

How long does the diet last?

The duration of each stage of the diet is directly proportional to the weight desired to be lost.

So, for example, to lose 10 kg, the first stage will take place in 3 days, respectively, the second - in 50 days, and the third will take up to 100 days. As weight increases, the period of each stage increases.

Your BMI

Body mass index (BMI) is the main assessment of the level or presence of excess weight in the body. Experts say that a correctly calculated BMI is the basis for success in the subsequent process of losing weight.

This indicator in the Dukan diet is combined with a curve of fluctuations in weight change over the past six months. The daily menu, in turn, involves adjusting excess weight.

The table below shows BMI indicators according to WHO agreement.

Nutrition scale

Nutritionists emphasize the simplicity of the Dukan Diet. The menu for every day is a table that adds variety in many ways and simplifies the approach to planning a diet for someone losing weight.

And the nutrition scale that the author of the diet created is the basic principle in regulating body weight.

This food pyramid will help you clearly understand which foods are most necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

Attack Phase

The Dukan “Attack” diet is the very first and most effective phase, which provides for strict restrictions on the menu. Its main goal is to burn fat accumulated in the body. This is done by consuming exclusively protein foods with minimal fat content on the menu.

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Consumption of protein products according to the Dukan diet promotes rapid saturation, therefore the portion size of one meal is reduced. The body spends more energy on digesting protein than it receives from it, as a result of which excess weight quickly disappears. It is at the “Attack” stage of the Dukan diet that a sharp weight loss is observed, which, according to the doctor himself, motivates further stages.

Before following the Dukan diet, you should clearly determine the duration of the “Attack” phase . It is determined based on the amount of extra pounds: Up to 5 kg = 3 days; Up to 10 kg = 4 days; Up to 15 kg = 5 days; Up to 20 kg = 6 days; Over 30 kg = 7 days.

While following the “Attack” of the Dukan diet, you must adhere to the following rules:

Include 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran in your daily menu, drinking plenty of water. In case of individual intolerance, you can replace bran with buckwheat. It is necessary to drink at least 1.5 liters of purified water without gas per day. It is recommended to do morning exercises. During the diet, be sure to take walks in the fresh air for at least 20 minutes a day.

Authorized Products

Dukan Diet "Attack" - allowed foods:

• Lean meat: veal, horse meat, beef, pork (6% fat), rabbit;
• Poultry (except duck and goose, eaten without skin): chicken, turkey, quail;
• By-products: kidneys, liver, tongue, lungs;
• Ham (no more than 4% fat, consumed without skin);
• Fish in any form: raw, baked, canned, fried, steamed;
• Seafood;
• Quail and chicken eggs: white in unlimited quantities, yolk no more than 2 pieces per day;
• Low-fat or low-fat dairy and fermented milk products;
• Natural yoghurts;
• Crab sticks (no more than 7 pieces per meal).

The following are allowed as supplements according to the Dukan diet in the “Attack” phase:

• Olive, vegetable or rapeseed oil (1 tablespoon per day);
• Lemon juice;
• Tomato paste (2 tablespoons per day);
• Apple, soy, balsamic vinegar;
• Herbs and spices: caraway, thyme, rosemary;
• Onion;
• Baking powder, gelatin and yeast in cooking;
• Gherkins as a snack (2 pieces per day);
• Sugar substitutes.

While following the Dukan diet, it is recommended to drink herbal, black and green teas, berry decoctions, tinctures, coffee, but without sugar, throughout the day. The amount of salt consumed should be reduced to a minimum.

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Menu for every day

Dukan diet - menu for everyone for the Attack phase (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner): Monday:

• Cottage cheese;
• Meatloaf with egg;
• Kefir;
• Boiled chicken breast.

Tuesday:

• Omelette;
• Rabbit in tomato sauce;
• Kefir;
• Grilled dorado in lemon sauce.

Wednesday:

• 2 hard-boiled eggs;
• Beef steak with mustard;
• Milk;
• Seafood cocktail.

Thursday:

• Syrniki;
• Trout baked in the oven;
• Natural yogurt;
• Stewed turkey in cream sauce.

Friday:

• Cottage cheese casserole;
• Sturgeon soup;
• Soft-boiled egg;
• Veal medallions in tomato sauce.

Saturday:

• Ham;
• Chicken soup;
• Kefir;
• Salmon baked in the oven.

Sunday:

• Omelet with ham;
• Lightly salted herring;
• Milk;
• Beef chops.

Where to begin

The Dukan Diet provides a menu for every day, in which protein foods should dominate.

The Dukan diet is an effective way to lose weight. You can independently create a menu for every day for any phase if you use the nutrition scale and diet food table.

Therefore, you should familiarize yourself with the tables where all prohibited and permitted products are indicated. It is important to gradually prepare the body for such stress.

Preparatory stage

First you need to limit salt and sugar in your diet. This will reduce stress during the complete elimination of them in the first stage. Nutritionists advise eliminating wheat bread and baked goods. They can be easily replaced with other products.

An important component is the drinking regime, which will require close analysis. Coffee and soda should be completely eliminated, replacing them with plain water or natural decoctions . Having gone through the preparatory stage and thoroughly strengthened your knowledge of the nutritional system, you need to cleanse your body.

How to cleanse your body of toxins and waste before losing weight

Toxins and wastes that accumulate in the body interfere with its normal functioning.

The opinion of nutritionists is clear on the need for cleansing measures . These include a course of enemas.

You can make them yourself, using an Esmarch mug. The course lasts 5 weeks.

In the 1st week, enemas are given every day, already in the second week it is necessary to perform the procedures every other day, in the third week - after two days, in the fourth week - after 3 days.

And the last week ends with one procedure. Experts also advise taking herbal diuretics. These are bearberry leaves, cornflower flowers and licorice root.

Fourth stage “Stabilization”

Having completed all three stages and lost the number of kilograms that you planned, you should feel incredibly proud of yourself. Now, to ensure that the weight that you lost with such difficulty does not return, you will need to follow several rules of daily nutrition.

1. Throughout the entire fourth stage, one day of the week should be exclusively “protein”.
2. Eat three tablespoons of oat bran every day.
3. Drink at least two liters of pure still water daily.
4. Walk for at least twenty minutes a day.

Now you can eat whatever you like, just know in moderation, and it is best to reduce the amount of fried, fatty and floury foods to a minimum.

Original recipes by Pierre Dukan

Layered mushroom salad (for stage 3)

• Marinated mushrooms;
• Carrot;
• Onion;
• Garlic;
• Boiled eggs;
• Du mayonnaise.

Separately chop and fry onions, mushrooms, carrots. Grate the whites and yolks separately on a coarse grater. Mix mayonnaise with garlic. Assemble the salad in layers: onions, mushrooms, carrots, whites, yolks. Coat all layers, except the top one, with mayonnaise.

Vietnamese beef (for stage 2)

• beef steak – 350 g;
• soy and oyster sauce – 30 g each;
• garlic – 4 cloves;
• ginger – 1 piece;
• pepper and cilantro - to taste.

The cilantro needs to be chopped and the ginger grated. Marinate the beef for 30 minutes in oyster and soy sauce with the addition of pepper, cilantro and ginger. Fry the meat with garlic until cooked over high heat.

Dukan oatmeal cookies (for stage 1)

• egg – 4 pcs.;
• wheat bran – 2 tbsp. l.;
• oat bran – 4 tbsp. l.;
• liquid sweetener – 0.5 tsp;
• vanilla flavoring – 20 drops.

Mix the yolks separated from the whites with bran, flavoring and sweetener. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Combine the whipped whites with the yolks. Bake for 20 minutes.

Chicken and champignon salad (for stage 4)

• chicken quarters – 4 pcs.;
• champignons – 350 gr.;
• mustard – 2 tbsp. l.;
• low-fat yogurt - 250 gr.;
• apples – 3 pcs.;
• chilli;
• cilantro (or any other greens);

Finely chop the boiled meat. Slice and stew the mushrooms. Add mixed yogurt and mustard to the salad. Sprinkle with herbs.

Who should avoid the diet and why?

The Dukan diet is not recommended for those with serious health problems because it is limited in many nutrients. For people with diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, or who are pregnant or breastfeeding, the risks far outweigh the benefits, Fitzgibbon said.

Too much protein for people with kidney disease increases the risk of stones, and for diabetics, the diet makes insulin regulation difficult.

Other health problems that may occur include constipation, bad breath, fatigue and headaches.

Additionally, since the Dukan diet allows you to freely consume red meat, it may also increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer, according to Harvard Medical School.

Diet options

Express (Light) version

This option is designed for 7 days, during which a transition takes place through all stages of the traditional diet. That is, in 1 week there is a transition through all 4 stages.

The first day will be purely protein. The second allows you to include vegetables during one meal. The third day will be protein and vegetables. On the fourth, you must strictly adhere to the basic recommendations, and the following days should be devoted to leaving the diet. The basic rules remain the same. This includes drinking plenty of fluids, eliminating fatty and high-calorie foods, and focusing on activity.

For vegetarians

The version for vegetarians retains all the basic principles. But at the first stage, it is envisaged to replace meat with products with the same nutritional value (Tofu cheese, soy meat, dairy products). All subsequent stages can take place in the same sequence and with the same menu.

For pregnant and lactating women

For pregnant and lactating mothers, Dr. Dukan developed the principles of a balanced diet. Since fasting and overeating are unacceptable for pregnant women or during lactation.

Some strict restrictions can be relaxed in this case:

• It is allowed to eat bread and hard cheese (no more than 40 grams) per day;
• 2 servings of starchy foods per week are allowed;
• replacing “protein” Thursday with “protein” Thursday;
• 2 servings of fruit daily;
• higher fat dairy products (2%);
• 2 holiday meals per week are allowed.

Basic Rules:

1. Daily consumption of sufficient amounts of clean water (1.5 to 2.5 liters) is necessary;
2. There should be no disruptions, especially if the consumption of a certain product at this stage is strictly prohibited!;
3. You need to eat at least four times a day, at intervals of no more than 4 hours. But passing on, eating the daily menu for breakfast and then fasting is also not recommended, the diet simply will not work;
4. The first phase should last no more than 7 days, otherwise negative consequences will appear that are harmful to health;
5. The second phase lasts until you achieve the desired result;
6. The third phase lasts with the calculation: for 1 lost kilogram - 10 days of consolidation. Only under this condition will the weight be fixed in place, and not grow rapidly, as happens immediately after many diets;
7. The fourth phase, at best, should always last, because it excludes many harmful foods, while not prohibiting you from eating your favorite foods. Naturally, returning to the excesses in nutrition that “helped” you gain excess weight, the result will not be maintained after leaving the diet. You'll just waste a lot of time on this. Therefore, strictly follow all the doctor’s requirements throughout the entire period.

Authorized Products

The following products are allowed for Phase 1 “Attack”:

• lean meat (chicken, beef, rabbit, quail, veal, turkey), but pork and lamb are allowed in limited quantities;
• low-fat fermented milk products: kefir, cottage cheese, milk, yogurt;
• seafood: fish, squid, mussels, octopus, shrimp, oysters, caviar;
• eggs, but no more than 2 yolks, whites not in limited quantities;
• chicken and beef liver;
• salt, spices, mustard, lemon juice;
• 1.5 tbsp. l. wheat bran;
• in rare cases, you can use 1 tsp. cocoa 14%.

In addition to everything else, the following products are allowed for “Alternation”:

• any cabbage;
• beet;
• zucchini;
• carrot;
• cucumbers;
• tomatoes;
• lettuce leaves, greens.

Prohibited products for phase 1 and 2:

• any fats, including any oil;
• any cereals and vegetables containing starch;
• pasta, bakery products;
• potato;
• fruits, confectionery and sugar;
• beans;
• avocado.

Allowed products for the “Consolidation” stage:

• 1 fruit, except banana, grapes, figs, cherries, cherries;
• once a week a serving of rice, pasta, buckwheat, and potatoes is allowed.

It is prohibited to use:

• oil;
• sweets and sugar;
• legumes

Attention! The last stage – “Stabilization” – allows all your favorite foods and dishes, but in moderation. It is important not to overeat; the diet should be rich in fiber and proteins. You should not overuse fruits and sweets!

Useful tips from nutritionists for losing weight on the Dukan diet

• 
  For a snack - only protein products.

• White flour and sugar are prohibited.
• More water, teas and decoctions.
• The use of vitamin complexes.
• Natural vegetables and fruits.

Who should try the diet and why?

In the eyes of nutrition professionals, this is a very fad diet. But for someone who has no health problems and wants to lose weight for a special occasion, this diet may seem very effective.

The diet will also help you regulate your eating habits and become more organized in this regard, as it ascribes certain strict rules of eating behavior. To more clearly track your progress, you can create a table of results.

“Alternation” (“Cruise”) – achieving what you want

During this stage, it is necessary to alternate days when only pure proteins are eaten and those days when the menu consists of protein and vegetable products. The duration of the phase also depends on the desired optimal weight and continues until the goal is achieved. On average, this takes from two months to six months.

The plan for changing the diet is selected independently; in particular, the following schemes for the ratio of pure proteins to vegetables are used:

• 1/1;
• 2/2;
• 3/3.

However, it is recommended to stick to the first option as the most productive. We wrote more about the “Alternation” phase here.

Sample menu for the week

It is necessary to take a responsible approach to the initial period of weight loss - the Attack phase, follow the menu, eating only dishes prepared from permitted products.
Then the result will not be long in coming and moving on to the next stage of weight loss will be much easier. Don't miss useful videos about the initial stages of weight loss, its principles and results.