Dukan diet

Dukan diet is based on high protein diet plan and can help people to lose large amount of weight in a relatively short time.

There are four phases of the diet and the final phase is aimed to steer people toward healthy eating habits for life.

While the weight loss really is the result of this diet, experts say that any diet that severely limits the major groups of nutrients is not recommended and can lead to health problems.

Dukan Diet?

Dukan Diet is a weight loss diet plan that has gained worldwide popularity with its promise that could help obese people to lose up to two pounds per day.

French nutritionist and dietician Pierre Dukan devised a diet based on protein diet that primitive people – hunters had. There are about 100 foods that are allowed in the diet – 72 of them are of animal origin and 28 are plant-based.

Carbohydrates are severely limited in the Dukan diet – including fruits, chunky vegetables, legumes and whole cereals. Dieters are required to stick to a program that provides up to 1,500 calories daily. This diet includes four phases, gradually introducing foods that form the basis of a diet who aims to encourage good nutrition habits and regular exercise as a habit that will remain for a lifetime.

The four stages or “phases” of Dukan diet include:

Phase 1:

The objective of the first phase of a diet is to lose a weight. This phase is designed to speed up a metabolism. Side effects include bad breath, dry mouth, and constipation due to the lack of fibers. Oat bran is the only carbohydrate allowed at this stage to assist in alleviating these problems. Your diet should consist of lean meats of all kinds, fish, and eggs. From time to time, you can take low-fat milk or soy milk products. You can eat all soya based products. Bread is not allowed. You remain in this diet stage until you are close to desired weight for 2 to 4 pounds and depending on how much you can stick to it. It is advised to have about 20 minutes of walk daily. To lose 10 pounds of weight you will need 7 to 11 days at this stage.

Phase 2:

During this phase, besides proteins are introduced foods with good carbohydrates. This means that it is permissible to eat vegetables that do not contain starch, a fruit is not allowed. Follow this phase of the diet until you reach desired weight. As an addition to meat, you can add mushrooms, artichokes, asparagus, eggplant, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, cucumber, green beans, leeks, onion, garlic, pepper, zucchini, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, tomato.

You can combine all these foods with meat as you like. Bread is still not allowed.

Phase 3:

This phase will help prevent weight gain after reaching your targeted weight. You can more freely combine your menu, but still keep an eye on it. Dieters can eat protein and vegetables unlimited, and may also add a little fruit with low sugar, two slices of whole grain bread a day, or you can introduce an extra allowance of carbohydrates in the form of food, such as rice or pasta once a week. Two “free” meals a week are allowed and you can eat whatever you want just make sure you separate meals at least one day. One day a week you have to eat only proteins, which in turn mean only meat, fish, eggs or soy without bread.

You should stay at this stage of the Dukan diet for 10 days for every pound you have lost. It is not particularly difficult to follow and even this number of days is not a problem.

Phase 4:

This stage is learning the rules of healthy living, including:

Eat only protein one day a week.
Exercise regularly.
Eat three tablespoons of oat bran a day.

While it is completely safe to practice Dukan diet, research made on nearly 5,000 people who followed the Dukan diet found that 80 percent of respondents regained all the weight they lost within three years.

Many food experts also say that the abolition of some major food groups is bad because it cannot fill the basic nutritional needs of the body. Especially the first and second phases are very restrictive, but for most people who have to take off 5 to 10 kg, it will not last too long and there will not be any harmful effects to the body.

But in addition, a high protein diet can lead to high cholesterol and gout. Burning body fat instead of carbs for body fuel, a process which is known as ketosis, also puts a greater burden on your kidneys and liver. It can produce bad breath and a strong urine smell. If your kidneys and liver are not in the best condition or you suffer from a chronic disease consult your doctor before starting a Dukan diet.