The Dukan diet provides high protein and low carb for weight loss that is divided into four phases. This diet was introduced by Dr. Pierre Dukan, a general practitioner from France, who specialized in weight management.
Dr. Dukan created a diet in the 1970s, inspired by an obese patient who said to give up eating to lose weight, except for meat.
After seeing different patients’ experiences, and impressive weight loss results from this diet, Dr. Dukan issued The Dukan-Diet in 2000.
The book was eventually issued in 32 countries and became a major bestseller. It reportedly helped people to get easy and rapid weight loss without hunger.
How does Dukan Diet work?
Table of Contents
The Dukan Diet begins by calculating your weight goal named true weight based on your present weight, age, and other factors. How long you continue each phase depends on how much weight you should lose to reach true weight.
Here are the phases of the Dukan Diet.
Dukan Diet Phase 1: Attack Phase
It is a pure protein phase of the Dukan diet. It will kick-start your metabolism for rapid weight loss. On average, dieters will reduce 4-6 pounds of 2-3 kg within a week. You are only allowed to eat fat-free and lean protein foods that 64-animal protein and four vegetable proteins. Therefore, phase -1 is also called as pure protein phase. You have to consume at least two liters of fluid, which can be an unsweetened drink or plain water. Apart from dieting, you should include mild physical activities in daily life, such as climbing stairs or a slow walk.
Dukan Diet Phase 2: Cruise Phase
It is a phase of protein vegetables. You will get slow weight loss during this phase. You will lose weight slowly until you have got your true weight.
The length of this phase will get different for each person as it depends on the amount of weight to reduce as well as personal condition. Generally, it is calculated as 2.2 pounds or one kg of weight loss every week. Apart from 68 allowed proteins, you can get 32 allowed vegetables on an alternate day. Therefore, phase-2 is also called as protein vegetable phase. Drinking enough water and a mild workout every day should be continued.
Meals Plan Ideas for Dukan Diet Pure-Protein Day
Here is the recommended food menu for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, and drinks.
This plan is created by www.dietplan-101.com for Dukan Diet-pure-protein-day breakfast:
- Turkey bacon and sunny eggs
- Soy sausage
- Grilled sausage
- Hardboiled egg
- Half boiled egg
- Broiled sausage/frank
- Boiled sausage/frank
- Grilled veggies burger
- Deli-sliced turkey or chicken
- Cottage cheese
- Ricotta cheese
- Bacon omelet
- Extra-lean ham
- Smoked salmon
- Soy crumbles
- Low-fat ham
- Bacon bits
- Plain egg
Snack Ideas
- Oat bran bar
- Rolled ham with cottage cheese
- Black coffee
- Black tea
- Green tea
- Sugar-free gelatin
- Fat-free Greek yogurt
- Smoked salmon and cream cheese
- Oat bran muffin
- Fat-free milk
- Plain water
- Oat bran pancake
- Oat bran cookies
- Oat bran nuggets
- Goji oat bran porridge
- Build sardines
- Lemongrass clam soup
- Garlic steamed prawn
- Ginger steamed fish
- Barbeque prawn
- Grilled octopus
- Broiled scallop
- Roasted turkey
- Mussels’ soup
- Bbq chicken liver
- Roasted beef
- Roasted pork loin
- Steam crab
- Grilled salmon
- Grilled beef steak
- Seafood tofu soup
- Surimi egg soup
- Grilled lobster
- Grilled squid
- Grilled chicken
- Soy sauce steamed cod
Protein-Vegetables Day Meals Plan Ideas for Dukan Diet
Here are recommended foods for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, and drinks.
- Scrambled eggs with
- Mushroom and onion
- Or pepper mushroom
- Or ham and tomato
- Or Spinach mushroom
- Tomato veggie salad with:
- Ham or sliced turkey
- Or egg
- Or ham and egg
- Or Salmon
- Or tuna and egg
- Or soy bacon and egg
Italian frittata with:
- Mushroom and pepper
- Or sausage and pepper
- Carrot and mushroom
- Leek and carrot
- Zucchini and tomato
- Poached egg veggies
- Ham & broccoli
- Poached egg salmon with asparagus
- Baked egg with pepper
- Carrot yogurt soup
- Pumpkin yogurt soup
- Green Squash soup
- Squash pancakes
- Zucchini pancakes
- Pumpkin oat bran
- Cucumber tomato with yogurt
- Vegetable sticks with cottage cheese dip
- Pumpkin pancakes
- Oat bran tuna or salmon patties
- Pumpkin or carrot oat bran muffin
- Sugar free goji with Konjac jelly
- Sugar-free pumpkin custard
- Soy milk
- Cucumber juice
- Broccoli juice
- Celery juice
- Tomato juice
- Carrot juice
- Beet juice
- Grilled sirloin steak and roasted beetroot salad
- Roasted pork loin with spinach
- Beef fillet and grilled vegetables
- Grilled ostrich steak and salad
- Bacon asparagus roll
- Veal scaloppini, asparagus, and mushroom
- Grilled shrimp with squid salad
- Steamed fish fillet and pepper
- Celery carrot chicken soup
- Mixed veggies ground beef soup
- Tomato roasted beef salad
- Grilled tuna with egg salad
- Grilled seafood and mushroom pepper skewer
- Grilled veggies and fish
- Seafood soup and tofu with veggies
- Palm heart peppers salad
- Stir fry spaghetti squash and pork
- Bacon egg shrimp salad
- Shirataki salad
- Green bean chicken liver salad
- Beef shirataki soup
- Smoked salmon spinach frittata
- Shrimp broccoli shirataki soup
Dukan Diet Phase 3
This is a consolidation phase. You will go into phase 3 after reaching your true weight. This phase is created to skip massive regaining of dopped weight when extra foods previously eliminated are included back in the diet.
Consolidation Phase:
You’ll go into this state when you’ve entered your true weight. This phase is created to withdraw heavy regaining of dropped weight when more foods have previously been added to the diet.
The duration of this period will be based on the quantity of weight you lose. For every kg lost, you have to maintain it for 10-days. Therefore, if you have already lost 6kg in the previous 2-phases, you will need to continue this phase for 2-months. During this 3rd phase, you will get 6-days of vegetables containing protein a day and 1-day of Pure-Protein day a week.
More foods are included back to diet but in a controlled manner. Besides the 100 approved Dukan foods, you can immediately eat these foods in the diet throughout the 6-protein vegetable days:
Eat One serving of low-carb fruit like orange, apples, strawberries, pears, and plums but not figs, bananas, grapes, and cherries.
- Wholegrain bread – 2 slices
- cheese 2-slices (40 g/1.5 oz) (e.g: Swiss cheese, Gouda cheese, cheddar cheese)
Additionally, you eat each week:
high fiber starchy foods – 2 servings (lentils, pasta, brown rice, beans, peas, and whole-grain pasta.
2-celebration meals (eat only 1-serving: e.g., entrée, appetizer, 1-glass of wine, dessert).
7-Day Meal Plan Sample for Consolidation Phase
Sunday: Protein vegetables and one celebration meal.
Breakfast:
Eat a wholegrain sandwich with cheddar, tomato, low-fat turkey slices, and lettuce with fat-free milk.
Lunch:
Eat egg salad, grilled tuna, ice cream and have black tea.
Snack:
Have black coffee, with one apple and oat bran porridge.
Dinner:
Have tomato juice and celery carrot chicken soup.
Monday: Protein-Vegetables
Breakfast:
Have pumpkin yogurt soup, whole grain bread, black tea, and low-fat bacon.
Lunch:
Eat Roasted beef and tomato salad, carrot juice, and fat-free yogurt.
Snack:
Have soy milk and oat bran tuna patties.
Dinner:
Eat grilled fish with grilled zucchini, broccoli, 1-orange, and green tea.
Tuesday: Protein-Vegetables and one serving of starchy food
Breakfast:
Eat Wholegrain bread with scrambled egg, ham tomato, and black coffee.
Lunch:
Cucumber juice, bacon egg shrimp salad
Snack:
Have fat free milk and carrot oat bran muffin
Dinner:
Eat fish fillet and brown rice, bell pepper, and one bowl of strawberries.
Wednesday: Protein-Vegetables with one starchy food serving
Breakfast:
Eat half-boiled eggs, wholegrain bread, and fat-free milk
Lunch:
Eat celery juice, wholemeal pasta salad, and grilled chicken.
Snack:
Have black tea and Oat bran squash pancake.
Dinner:
Eat one kiwi, roasted beetroot salad, and grilled sirloin.
Thursday: Pure-Protein
Breakfast:
Eat smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, and black coffee.
Lunch:
Black tea and ginger steamed fish
Snack:
Eat fat-free yogurt and Goji oat bran porridge.
Dinner:
Have green tea and eat Grilled herbed beef steak.
Friday: Protei-Vegetables with one celebration meal
Breakfast:
Have soy milk and a wholemeal burger with cucumber, lettuce, tomato, and veggie burger.
Lunch:
Eat Beet juice, grilled shrimp, squid salad, and one-piece cake.
Snack:
Eat sugar-free goji konjac jelly, oat bran porridge, and black tea.
Dinner:
Eat one kiwi, grilled sirloin steak and roasted beetroot salad, and green tea.
Saturday: Protein-Vegetables
Breakfast:
Soy milk, tuna egg salad, and wholemeal bread
Lunch:
Eat beef soup with mixed veggies and green tea
Snack:
Have sugar free pumpkin custard, oat bran zucchini pancake, and black tea
Dinner:
Eat Grilled seafood with mushroom pepper skewers and one plum, green tea, and shirataki noodle salad.
Dukan Diet Phase 4:
Is a stabilization phase. In this phase, you need to stay balanced to prevent weight regain. When you reach the 4th phase, there is no food restriction, meaning you can eat what you want but in a moderate amount.
Stabilization Phase: 1-2-3 Dukan Diet Rules
Instead of food, the primary focus of this phase is 3 simples, but strict Dukan diet rules: Follow 1-Pure Protein day for one week, follow 20 minutes of moderate workout every day, and eat 3-tablespoon of oat bran daily.
1-2-3 Dukan Diet Rules for Managing Phase
Rule 1
- Day 1 on pure protein every week
Rule 2
Do a moderate workout every day for 20 minutes:
- Climbing stairs
- Slow jogging
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Gardening
- Walking
Rule 3
Eat 3 tablespoons of oats bran every day in different ways
- Oats bran porridge
- Muffins made from oat bran
- Oat bran pancakes
- Patties
- Nuggets
- Cookies
- Oat bran bar
Is the Dukan Diet based on evidence?
There is no more quality research about the Dukan diet. However, one research in Polish women who followed this Dukan Diet shown that they are about 1,000 calories and 100 gm of protein every day while reducing 33 pounds than 15 kg in 8-10 weeks.
Additionally, different research shows that other low-carb diets and high protein diets provide more benefits for weight loss.
Different factors contribute to getting the beneficial effects of protein for weight. One of these is to increase calorie burning while gluconeogenesis, which is a process in which fat and protein are changed into glucose when carbs are limited and protein consumption is high. The metabolic rate of the body also raises significantly high after you eat protein than after you consume fat or carbs, making you satisfied and full.
Additionally, protein lowers the hunger hormone ghrelin and raises different fullness hormones. Therefore, you end up consuming low.
However, the Dukan Diet is different from different linked high protein diets in that it limits both carbs and fat. It is a low carb, high protein, and low-fat diet.
The rationale for limiting fat on a low carb and high protein diet is not based on science.
According to one study, people eating fat with more protein, and low carb meals burned around 69 more calories than those who skipped fat also.
Is initial stages of this diet also have low fiber, even though an everyday serving of oat bran is necessary.
The servings of 1.5-2 tablespoons that is 9-12 grams of oat bran consist lower than 5 grams of fiber, which is the little amount that does not offer different health benefits of a high fiber diet.
Additionally, different healthy sources like fiber, such as nuts, avocados are not added to the diet because they are considered more fat.
Is It Sustainable and Maintained?
The safety of the Dukan diet has not been researched. However, concerns about high protein consumption, especially its effect on bone health In the past, it was thought that high protein could cause kidney damage. However, newer research has discovered that high protein diets are not risky to people with healthy kidneys.
It is seen that people with kidney stones could get worse conditions with high protein consumption. Bone health will not get affected with a high protein diet, as long as you eat high potassium vegetables and fruit.
Recent research recommends that high protein has helpful for bone health. People with kidney problems, liver disease, and other serious health should talk with a physician before starting a high protein diet. Remember that the diet’s restrictive and complicated nature may consume it difficult to follow. Although most people will lower in the first 2-phase, the diet is quite reducing specifically on the pure protein days. The diet also limits high-fat foods, which are good for health. Adding plant fat and animal fat makes a low-carb diet healthier, more enjoyable, and easy to follow for more time.
Level of Effort: Medium
Making food should not be a problem, and you do not require exotic ingredients. But you will be very restricted in what you can consume at the beginning of the diet.
Level of limitations:
Consuming primarily oat bran and protein can get tiresome.
Shopping & Cooking:
It is easy does the plan, do shopping, and prepare meals for this diet.
Packaged meals or foods:
None required.
In-person meetings:
No
Exercise:
Everyday 20-minute walk is necessary to the plan.
What Else You Should Know
Costs:
There is nothing beyond shopping unless you sign up for online coaching, which is optional. It costs $29.99 per month.
Support:
There are strong community features to this plan. The official website provides sample recipes, inspiring success stories from real males and females, and coaches who help to guide dieters from each phase.
Does It Work?
The first stage of the Dukan Diet will likely lead to significant weight loss because of some carbohydrates on the plan. But when you get back to normally consuming after reaching weight gaol, you may get some weight back.
Research shows that high protein diets are very effective for weight loss. But experts still do not find what the effect of the long term is for weight and health.
There is no evidence that all protein consumption in one day with a workout is enough to manage weight loss.
Is It Good for Specific Conditions?
Although the diet can induce weight loss, which can benefit some health conditions, the chances may outweigh its benefits.
If you are taking diabetes medication, you will likely require to change the dose, because the first two-stage are less in carbohydrates. If you are suffering from renal disease, you might get extra protein that your kidneys can manage. If you are suffering from heart disease or a digestive problem, you would be missing out on fiber that is healthy for the heart. Because of the restrictive nature of this plan, it is essential to have physician advice.
The Final Word
Unlike other diets with high protein, this plan target on lean protein source on those high in saturated fat. Protein can keep you feel fuller and help in weight loss.
The downside is about this plan does not make you learn healthy eating habits. Even more problematic, it is suggested that you stay in the consolidation phase till you get the goal. If you lose more weight, this phase could go on for one month or more years, which could cause a nutritionally enough diet.