When a woman is determined to lose weight and starts looking on the Internet for the best diet that gives almost instant results, then it is difficult to stop her. Especially after reading praise in favor of one method or another. Today we will find out what the Ducan diet is, how effective it is, we will unravel the myths and get to know the reviews.
Ducan's diet - all important nuances
The Dukan diet is based on the use of protein-rich foods and contributes to weight loss of one and a half to fifty pounds. Tempting? Of course!
But how safe is it for health? Let's figure it out.
Author identity
French general practitioner Pierre Dukan, whose diet used to excite millions of overweight people, has been developing it for twenty years.
In the mid-1970s, obesity was battled by a diet low in carbohydrates. Dukan, on the other hand, invented a new technique that consists of four phases - attack, alternation, consolidation and stabilization - that allow not only weight loss, but also keeping the weight in a constant state.
Since then, Ducan has begun studying protein-rich foods and their effects on the human body. Twenty years later, he wrote the book I Can't Lose Weight, which has sold over ten million worldwide. From that moment, the finest lesson of the former neurologist began.
Public opinion polls show that 35% of people who lose weight by the Ducan method regain lost weight within a year. 80% regained their former weight within four years.
Basic principles
- Approved products.Weight loss is allowed to eat foods rich in animal and plant proteins, which are easily absorbed by the body and contribute to weight loss.
- Movement.Physical activity is mandatory - morning exercises, gym or at least walking on uneven terrain. Or you can clean the apartment every day by vigorously moving the floor cloth. Here, as they say, everyone chooses how to increase their activity - fitness or weeding in the garden.
- Water!Don't forget to drink one and a half to two liters of clean water a day.
- Bran.They are necessary as a source of fiber that contributes to proper digestive processes.
- Calculator.Before starting a diet, you need to calculate the Dukan weight to know how many days you need to dedicate to one or the other phase.
Physician's opinion on diet
If you completely eliminate carbohydrates from your diet or significantly reduce their amount, the body will, reluctantly, but will begin to take in the energy it lacks, breaking down fats. But first it will consume all the glycogen stores stored in the liver, and only then will there be fat stores on the sides and hips.
Glycogen is an energy reserve thanks to which the body can quickly compensate for the lack of glucose. Its amount in the liver in an adult is 100-120 g.
If you deplete your glycogen stores, ketosis will begin - the breakdown of fat by making large numbers of ketone cells (acetone). High concentrations of glucose and acetone in the blood can lead to an acid-base imbalance towards an increase in acid. Prolonged disruption of carbohydrate metabolism ultimately leads to diabetic ketoacidotic coma.
Those interested in the Ducan diet should know that a positive result without compromising health will only be if the pancreas is able to produce enough insulin that lowers blood glucose.
A low-carb diet is especially dangerous for people who have metabolic disorders and may not even know about it, because these disorders do not manifest themselves with a normal diet. As a result, acidosis may develop which is manifested by frequent headaches, chronic fatigue, arrhythmias or palpitations, constant drowsiness and weakness.
Phase 1. Attack
This is the hardest and hardest period. It usually does not exceed seven days; Ducan's calculator will show you more accurate data.
Rules
At this point, you need to completely eliminate carbohydrates from your diet and increase your use of protein products. The body is saturated with protein, restores metabolism and quickly destroys body fat.
Start each morning with a tablespoon of oat bran. During the day, you can eat any food from the allowed list in unlimited quantities. They should be baked, boiled or steamed. Don't forget about water, because most drinks are forbidden, it is almost the only source of liquid.
The body is starting to regenerate, so you should not do sports, it is better to limit yourself to walking or simple gymnastics.
Estimated weight loss - 2-5 kg.
Critique
The "Attack" phase really allows you to lose weight by a certain number of kilograms (this indicator is individual for everyone), but it does not happen by burning fat, but by dehydration. But weight loss notices a change in value on the scales, is encouraged, and continues to exacerbate the dietary imbalance.
The body is affected by the almost complete removal of carbohydrates from the body. The person begins to feel weakness, fatigue, irritability. At this point, it is better for his family and colleagues to stay away from him - mood swings can spoil the emotional background of the family and team for a long time.
The Chinese approached the choice of execution for criminals with great imagination. The villains are punished sophisticatedly enough that they will suffer as long as possible before death. The convicts ate only meat for a long time, after which the unfortunate died in severe pain due to the process of putrefaction in the intestines and poisoning of the body with toxins.
Carbohydrates are essential for people to properly break down proteins and fats. If they do not enter the body, then obligatory imbalance, metabolic disorders and intoxication await it.
During the "Attack", excess protein quickly begins to excrete water, which significantly increases the renal load. In addition, the smart organism tries to defend itself and by all means tries to keep the precious fluid in itself. As a result, when they change phases and introduce benign dietary conditions, many begin to notice edema even after eating one tomato.
One gram of carbohydrates retains 4 ml of fluid, and after starvation of carbohydrates, this number increases significantly. If a breakdown occurs, and it is inevitable due to a reduction in energy and imbalance, it is unlikely that you will eat plain buckwheat - you will be attracted to sweet and starchy foods. And given the increasing water retention, the figure on the scales will definitely not be comfortable.
Allowed Products
This step includes 72 protein-rich products, and you can find them on sites that advertise this diet. Among them - lean meat, poultry, fish and seafood, milk and its low-fat derivatives, eggs. True, during the day you can eat only two full-fledged eggs with yolk and protein, and if the yolk is turned off, then the restrictions are lifted - eat as much as you want.
You will definitely have to say goodbye to:
- coffee and tea;
- salt, mustard and spices;
- vinegar;
- all kinds of greens - without herbs, vegetables, fruits and in general a complete ban on plant foods;
- oils and fats, of vegetable or animal origin;
- alcohol and most drinks.
You can only eat protein foods!
Weekly menu
| Day of the week | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Monday | Chicken egg omelette with milk, cooked in the oven. | Chicken soup. Cooked chicken. | Cheese casserole. |
| Tuesday | Steamed cheesecakes. | Lean meat soup, boiled egg. | Roast meat. |
| Wednesday | Pancakes with bran. | Meatball soup. | Cooked chicken breast. |
| Thursday | Steamed or cooked fish. | Lean chicken soup.
Boiled liver, kefir. |
Chicken cutlets, skim milk. |
| Friday | Boiled eggs, chicken pieces, breaded with oat bran. | Salmon ear. Cooked chicken fillet. | Sea cocktail. |
| Saturday | Shrimp omelette. | Beef steaks. | Baked mackerel, kefir. |
| Sunday | Grilled chicken breast. | Chicken soup with boiled eggs. | Fresh cheese, skim milk or kefir. |
Ducan diet recipes for the attack phase
In order not to find a wheel and not invent what you will cook, you can use ready-made recipes according to Dukan.
Lean minced chops
You can take absolutely any lean meat - chicken, turkey, rabbit or beef. Finely chop or pass through a meat grinder, add a raw egg, then beat well and form cakes.
Each flatbread is dipped in egg and breaded in oat bran. Prepare the cutlets on the grill, in a slow cooker in the "Baking" mode or fried in a Teflon pan without oil.
Chicken Soup
Everything is simple here. Cook the chicken breasts until soft, cut into small pieces or grind with a blender and toss back into the boiling broth. Whisk a couple of eggs with a fork and pour into the soup in a thin stream. After a few minutes the protein soup is ready.
Phase 2. Modification or "Cruise"
This is the most important phase in Dukan's weight loss method. In the second phase, the desired indulgence begins. What is?
Rules
In the previously allowed 72 products, another 28 are added, mostly vegetables. The length of the period depends on the expected weight loss - one kilogram is allocated for a week.
During this period, protein and protein-vegetable days alternate. The body is already a bit accustomed to “bullying” and nutritional inaccuracies, so losing weight won’t be as active.
If you need to lose five pounds, then the mode of modification will be in one - protein day, protein-vegetable day. From 5 to 10 kg - scheme 2/2 or 3/3. And over ten pounds - 5/5.
And if in the first phase it was possible to eat an unlimited number of protein products, then here the portions of vegetables are regulated.
Statistics say that at this stage the average person loses a maximum of 400-500 g per week. This means that the diet is far from as fast and efficient as the "trumpets" of the interested party.
Critique
So, what do we have at this stage? Not 72 products, but 100! It’s just a belly feast!
The weight loss period is quite long, you have to adhere to a special schedule - alternating protein and protein-vegetable days until the weight reaches the desired figure. If you need to lose a dozen pounds, then in three months you may not get to the grave. But it is frightening to think what damage those who need to get rid of 30-40-50 kg do to themselves!
Allowed Products
Raw, cooked, baked or steamed vegetables are allowed at this time.You can diversify your diet with a little dry wine (no more than 100 g), low-fat cheese, mustard, low-fat lactic acid products, and also:
- tomatoes and cucumbers;
- carrots;
- cabbage;
- cycle;
- green beans; zucchini;
- mushrooms;
- radishes;
- eggplants;
- asparagus;
- hot red pepper.
But remember that frying or adding oil is strictly forbidden. And no one canceled the obligatory bran, at this stage their daily intake is increased to two tablespoons.
The following foods are prohibited:
- starch - potatoes, avocados, legumes, artichokes, corn;
- any cereals;
- industrial sauces - mayonnaise, ketchup and others; desserts and pastries;
- fat
Weekly menu
| Day of the week | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Monday | Omelet made from chicken eggs and skim milk.
Grated fresh carrots. |
Vegetable soup.
Beef steak. |
Roast meat.
Fresh vegetables - tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs. |
| Tuesday | Boiled eggs.
Fresh greens. |
Mushroom soup.
Vegetable stew with pieces of chicken breast. |
Baked mackerel marinated with mustard. |
| Wednesday | Cheese.
Boiled egg. Kefir or low-fat milk. |
Vegetable and meatball soup.
Steamed fish cakes with herbs. |
Chicken breast. |
| Thursday | Chicken chops.
Fresh vegetables. |
Chicken soup with egg and herbs.
Lean cooked meat. |
Cheesecakes or casserole. |
| Friday | Low fat yogurt.
Omelet with greens. |
Fish soup.
Cooked salmon. |
Grilled chicken breast with vegetables.
Kefir. |
| Saturday | Cucumber and tomato salad.
Fried eggs. |
Cauliflower or broccoli puree soup.
Turkey cutlets. |
Zucchini pancakes.
Baked fish. |
| Sunday | Cheese casserole.
Low fat milk. |
Thick vegetable soup in porridge.
Steamed cutlets with vegetables. |
Hake fillet dinstan in milk. |
Ducan diet recipes for alternating phase
At this stage, the culinary possibilities are significantly expanded, and Ducan's recipes are more numerous and diverse.
Zucchini Snack and Chicken
The chicken fillet is finely chopped or passed through a meat grinder. Spices, onion and garlic are added to the minced meat.
The zucchini are cut into circles, the middle is cut to create a recess into which the minced meat, tomato roll, cottage cheese and sprinkled with black pepper are placed.
The appetizer is baked in the oven for half an hour.
Stuffed Mushrooms
- The legs of large mushrooms are carefully separated, finely chopped and simmered in their own juice until soft.
- Chicken fillet is cooked, chopped and combined with stewed mushrooms.
- The resulting mass is filled with natural low-fat yogurt and put in mushroom caps.
- Stuffed mushrooms are baked in a well-heated oven for 40 minutes at 180 ° C.
- Before serving, the mushrooms are garnished with finely chopped herbs.
Phase no. 3. Consolidation or consolidation
Lost weight should be saved. This is exactly what the third phase of the diet is aimed at.
Rules
- A number of other products are added to the diet, it is allowed to maintain a "belly" with high-calorie meals twice a week. Portion size should not exceed 220 g.
- At least once a week you will need to eat pure protein foods. Adherents of the diet call this day "Protein Thursday", but you can choose any other day of the week, but it is desirable that it happens after the "holiday" excesses.
- Mandatory bran should be eaten daily at 2, 5 tbsp. And don't forget to drink clean water - at least one and a half liters a day.
The stage is designed for a fairly long period - 1 kg is lost every ten days during the change phase. If you lost 15 kg in the second phase, the third phase will last for 150 days.
Critique
If you are still alive and relatively healthy after the first two phases, we will continue to analyze our fascinating search "How to spoil your health in search of the ideal figure, and at the same time make fun of your loved ones. "
The theory is that the body will try to regain the lost pounds in any way. He longs for it passionately, you, accordingly, try to resist it no less passionately.
Well, what can I say, the body is exhausted, dehydrated, deprived of many useful substances. And now he is given a hundred grams of whole grain bread a day, a small portion of fruit and a “feast” of a single intake of complex carbohydrates per week, after which you need to arrange a day of fasting on pure proteins.
At this stage, when taste is allowed, the weight can start to “jump” like a child’s yo-yo toy. The feeling of hunger suddenly worsens, attracting hands to eat forbidden food or prolonging the "holidays".
Nail, skin and hair problems are starting to bother me again. Weight loss will be followed by fatigue and constant tiredness. In general, everything is bad again.
Allowed Products
At this stage you can enter the diet:
- Fruit, excluding bananas and grapes (not more than 100 g per day);
- whole grain bread (literally two slices);
- low-fat cheese;
- Starchy vegetables - legumes, rice, potatoes and corn
- durum wheat pasta;
- a little honey;
- spices.
Of course, the products from the first two phases are preserved.
Weekly menu
| Day of the week | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Monday | Cheese casserole.
Tea. |
Red fish ear.
Slice of wholemeal bread. Fruit. |
Roast chicken fillet with vegetables.
Kefir. |
| Tuesday | Oatmeal with milk.
Boiled egg. |
Vegetable soup.
Pasta. Cooked veal. |
Fish cakes.
Fresh vegetable salad. Cottage cheese mousse with pieces of fruit. |
| Wednesday | Omelet with mushrooms and cheese. | Green bean soup.
Baked fish. |
Beef stew with vegetables.
Biscuit with berries. |
| Thursday (protein day) | Cheese.
Boiled eggs. |
Chicken soup.
Cooked fish. |
Meat, chicken or seafood. |
| Friday | Cheesecakes or casserole. | Borsch.
Chicken chops. |
Mashed potatoes.
Fresh vegetable salad. |
| Saturday | Buckwheat milk porridge. | Mushroom soup with meatballs.
Slice of wholemeal bread. Vegetable risotto. |
Vegetable stew.
Steam chops. |
| Sunday | Fried eggs.
Sir. Coffee. |
Sour soup with boiled eggs.
Cooked chicken. Fruit. |
Vegetable salad.
Sea cocktail. Dried fruit compote. |
Ducan recipes
Salad with lightly salted salmon
Ingredients:
- salmon - 150 g;
- lettuce leaves;
- cherry tomato - 5-7 pcs. ;
- green apple - 1 pc;
- fresh cucumbers - 2 pcs;
- feta cheese - 140 g;
- lemon juice - 3 tbsp;
- sugar - 2 tsp;
- wine vinegar - 1 teaspoon;
- red pepper - to taste;
- olive oil;
- chopped cilantro or parsley.
All components of the salad are cut into arbitrary slices, mixed and seasoned with lemon juice. You can prepare such a salad for a festive table, and your guests will not even suspect that they are eating a dish from Ducan.
Creamy salmon soup
Ingredients:
- salmon fillet - 300 g;
- onion - 2-3 heads;
- non-fat cream - 100 ml;
- potatoes - 2-3 pcs. ;
- medium-sized carrots - 1 pc;
- greens, spices - to taste;
- vegetable oil for frying.
First you need to cook the soup of red fish fillets and whole onions. The rest of the onion is finely chopped and fried together with the grated carrot.
Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes or slices in the usual way. The fish is taken out of the soup and crushed.
Vegetables, fish and spices are sent to boiling broth for 20-30 minutes. After the potatoes are cooked, you can add the cream.
Before serving, pour finely chopped greens into a plate.
Phase 4. Stabilization
And finally, at this stage you can eat whatever your heart desires if you follow the mandatory rules.
Rules
- Eat only protein foods once a week.
- The daily portion of bran is not canceled - now it should be eaten in three tablespoons.
- Water consumption should remain unchanged - at least one and a half liters per day.
- The diet should be balanced as much as possible. To do this, it is recommended to eat a slice of cheese, two starchy vegetables, a few slices of wholemeal bread, vegetables, protein products and fruit as a dessert every day.
- Meal size should be moderate - more often than not.
- Oily fish should be replaced with other seafood.
- Mandatory physical activity must be preserved. Make it a rule to walk up the stairs, avoiding elevators.
- Try to avoid stress.
You should follow these life guidelines if you don’t want to gain weight again.
Critique
As soon as the desired results are achieved, most of those who lose weight are released and indulge in "everything bad". They go back to the old diet and start EATING!
Think, why did you need this torment, if you could lose weight the same year by simply removing fast carbs, sausages, fried foods, and pickles from your diet? At the same time, you should not limit yourself to a hundred products and deprive the body of complex carbohydrates that it needs so much.
Contraindications
Dukan's diet is strictly forbidden for people suffering from:
- kidney disease and kidney failure; cholecystitis;
- pressure problems;
- disorders of the cardiovascular system;
- gastric ulcer;
- intestinal dyskinesia; atherosclerosis;
- stones in the gallbladder.
Do not experiment on yourself for future mothers and nursing mothers, although Dukan has developed a special method for pregnant women. Refrain from such “treatment” of obesity in children, adolescents, and the elderly.
Advantages and disadvantages of Dukan's diet
If you trust the creator of the diet, the benefits of the weight loss method are as follows.
- For a long time, the weight will remain unchanged after losing weight to the desired values.
- The diet is absolutely safe and very effective.
- You can eat the allowed food in any quantity and whenever you want. And since there are more than a hundred of them, you can always enrich the menu with delicious dishes.
- The result is visible from the first days.
It seems - eat as much as you want and when you want and lose weight! Story! But if you take off your pink glasses and dig deeper, then a harsh reality appears before us in full splendor. Namely.
- Fats are almost completely excluded from the diet, and this is fraught with deterioration of the skin and many diseases - atherosclerosis, cholesterol metabolism disorders, inhibition of the reproductive system, deterioration of the general mental state, as the nervous system does not work properly.
- The diet is unbalanced, which means that the body receives less nutrients and elements.
- Any restriction and rejection of certain products leads to a "shock" for the body, so the person begins to feel weakness, fatigue, performance decreases.
- According to the diet, oat bran should be eaten every day and it is not sold on every corner.
Conclusion
Each person is a blacksmith of their own happiness and decides how to manage their body. It can be nurtured and nurtured both while lying on the couch and while doing sports in the gym. Or expose him to extreme stress in the form of popular but rather sophisticated diets, like the Ducan method.
We do not in any way restrict your freedom or try to dissuade you from making decisions. Just love yourself, don’t put irreparable experiments on your body and be healthy!