Ducan's diet

25 March 2024

The Dukan diet is one of the "Top 10" diets preferred by millions of people. A diet that gained great popularity at the beginning of the 21st century when nutritionist Pierre Dukan published the book "I Can't Lose Weight. "She was the one who helped thousands of people lose weight and became the best of her kind.

"Attack" (weight loss);
"change" (weight loss);
"Consolidation" (gradual completion of the diet);
"Stabilization" (stopping the diet);

The difference from many diets is that the amount of food consumed is not limited. After understanding the aspects of the above steps, I will tell you what rules guarantee the achievement of the goal within the specified time frame.

Principles and rules of the Dukan diet

The method of losing weight, studied and published by a French nutritionist, consists of simple but basic things. Daily meals include only protein foods that are consumed in the desired quantities. Since digesting proteins (read proteins) is more difficult than digesting fats and carbohydrates, the body uses energy obtained from already accumulated fat. Next, vegetables appear in the diet, enriching the body with fiber and vitamins.

As a result of the research, the doctor selected 100 recommended products that help the body stay afloat, get the necessary nutrients and at the same time help lose weight. Any diet is stressful for the body, it takes time to achieve a slim body, that's why Dukan divided the diet into individual steps so that we only benefit from it. Fighting excess weight step by step is much easier than simply stopping eating. But before you start losing weight, you must be determined to achieve results, because at each stage you must follow clear rules and promises that you make to yourself.

Rules for all stages

Reduce the amount of salt as much as possible;
drink plenty of water and tea – 2 liters per day or more;
eat protein foods without quantity restrictions and regardless of time;

The rules must be strictly adhered to at every stage, except when there is a danger to life and health. There can be no other exceptions, otherwise the result achieved will quickly be lost or you won't learn how to achieve it at all.

Dukan has developed a unique system that takes every small detail into account. What do you want? If you spend 30 years doing what you love, you won't achieve as much. It is his diet that helps get rid of excess weight forever.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Dukan diet

Like any diet, it has several benefits:

In the early stages, excessive weight loss occurs because the body spends energy digesting carbohydrates and burning fats to do so. The result comes and you want to continue following the diet;
As part of the diet, you are allowed to eat nutritious and healthy foods;
You do not need to prepare food according to special recipes, you are not dependent on location, you can follow the diet at home, on vacation or during working hours.
You are free from constant calculations, tracking calories, nor are you limited by the timing and amount of food intake.

Unfortunately, the world is not ideal; if there are advantages and disadvantages, otherwise there is no question of balance. The disadvantages of this diet are:

high amounts of protein in the diet, which in turn increases cholesterol levels and puts strain on the blood vessels, kidneys and liver;
low fiber content in the diet (see problems with the intestines and gastrointestinal tract);

If possible, it is best to follow the diet under the supervision of a doctor who specializes in weight loss. Since a lot of protein enters the body, carbohydrate metabolism can be disturbed. The reason for this is the low insulin level in the human body. Things are serious enough to pay attention to, but if this is not done, serious health problems can arise. To reduce risks while dieting, you need to drink more water so that the body can more easily eliminate the consequences of protein breakdown. You can also take vitamins, or better vitamin complexes, to supply the body with the necessary substances contained in food that cannot be absorbed during the diet.

Phases of the Dukan diet

They are also called the phases of the Dukan diet. As already mentioned, the diet is divided into 4 phases: "Attack" – stage 1, short but effective, at the same time labor-intensive. Leads to rapid weight loss, about 2-3 kg per week. More often it is accompanied by a loss of water in the body, less often with fat loss. Important for motivation. "Variation" – level 2, required to achieve the calculated weight; 72 protein-rich foods and 28 vegetables are allowed in food. The duration of the phase is calculated based on weight loss, 1 kg – 1 week. "Consolidation" – Stage 3, is necessary to prevent regression as a result of the diet (read: reverse weight gain). The list of permitted foods includes fruits, bread, cheese and starchy products. You can pamper yourself 2 days a weekleave and eat something forbidden and high in calories. Typically, during the "alternating" and "consolidating" steps, people lose about 400 grams within 7 days. However, since the diet is still rich in food, the diet does not become complicated, but on the contrary, excitement arises and you want to stick with it. "Stabilization" - stage 4, you can eat anything without gaining weight, but by following simple rules: one day out of seven consists only of protein foods, eat oat bran every day and always take theStairs, no elevators or escalators. Observed for life or at your discretion.

The list of foods of the Dukan diet does not end at 100 foods. In addition to the list of permitted foods, on the "attack days" of the Dukan diet, you are allowed to consume:

Shirtaki noodles, which are made from the root of the konjac plant, which is then used to make flour and then products are made from it;
Oils (olive, sunflower, rapeseed oil), half a teaspoon each, in the following phases 1 teaspoon each;
Goji, a nutrient-rich berry, can be consumed in 2 tablespoons. Phases 1 tablespoon;

When you reach the pre-cruise stage, feel free to add the following:

cornstarch, 1 tablespoon;
Cocoa powder, without fat – 7-8 grams;
Skimmed milk powder – 30 grams;
soy products, flour, yogurt, milk, sauce;
the lowest fat sour cream you can find;
fruit yogurt, naturally without sugar;
Sausages with poultry composition – 100 g;
Shirataki noodles;
Oils (olive, vegetable, rapeseed oil) can be added to food during the "attack" (half a teaspoon) and "cruise" (1 teaspoon) and "consolidation" (1 tablespoon) phases;

Bran in general

What is bran? This is the husk, a residue from flour production. Sometimes they bring more benefits to the body than flour itself. Their main value is fiber, rich in amino acids and vitamins. A big plus for them is that they are practically tasteless and can therefore be added to salads, baked goods, drinks, fish and meat. If you get bored of one, you can experiment with wheat and rye flour. However, it should be borne in mind that their calorie content is already about 2 times higher.

Useful properties of bran:

Beta-gluten helps reduce cholesterol levels in the body and this is already a big plus for us, the feeling of heaviness disappears, the blood vessels become less clogged;
The selenium content supports protein breakdown;
Fiber, which does not dissolve in gastric juice, cleanses the stomach;
its low calorie content reduces the overall calorie value of dishes;
Kefir with bran, excellent dinner, feeling of satiety + cleansing the body;

If you suffer from gastritis or problems with the digestive system and gastrointestinal tract, it is better to consult a doctor before starting a diet, as the diet may have an adverse effect on your body.

Attack phase

During this phase, the body comes under stress because only protein is allowed in the food. In addition, the body is actively losing weight during this phase, so the duration of this phase is limited. If you want to reset:

From 0 to 5kg. – a day or two;
From 5 to 10 kg. – two, three days;
From 10 to 20 kg. – five, seven days;
From 30 kg. – 7-10 days;

Spending more than 10 days in the "Attack Phase" will have disastrous consequences. You cannot stay in the "Attack" Phase for more than 10 days!

Attack Phase Guide

We only eat protein foods.
We don't eat fat, we prepare dishes without fat. We refuse fatty foods.
We drink 2-3 liters of clean water every day.
We eat one and a half to two tablespoons of the bran described above.
We stop doing much physical activity, be it at the gym, running or something else.
We go for a walk in the fresh air and let our bodies relax.

It is better to start the "attack" phase on vacation or at the weekend. Since the body no longer receives light energy in the form of sugar, a feeling of tiredness may occur. An unpleasant smell of sweat may also occur at this time, similar to that of acetone. During this phase, try to walk and shower more often. Walking helps stimulate the appetite. In the first phase, we eat products from the table, namely the first 72 items.

Ration phase "Attack"

low-fat milk, any;
Chicken;
Liver;
lean fish;
Seafood;
Eggs with yolks no more than 2-3 per day;
Juice without sugar, 1 glass per day;

It's worth giving up:

Cheese;
fatty meat;
Alcohol;
canned and smoked meats;

To improve the taste of prepared or purchased dishes, you can use sauces, vinegar, spices and other flavor enhancers. You can also use fructose instead of sugar.

"Attack" menu phase

Day 1:

Morning – coffee, cheesecake;
Breakfast – omelet with melted cheese;
Lunch – chicken breast, cooked + sauce;
Afternoon snack – yogurt without sugar;
Dinner – fish cutlets;
In the evening – a protein shake with any flavor.

Day 2:

Morning – scrambled eggs + vegetables, tea with milk;
Breakfast – cottage cheese;
Lunch – soup according to Dukan's recipe, bran cake;
Afternoon snack – shrimp;
Dinner – liver cutlets;
In the evening – yogurt.

Day 3:

Morning – eggs, boiled tongue;
Breakfast – flatbread, tea or coffee;
Lunch – fish soup according to Dukan's recipe;
afternoon snack – kefir;
Dinner – chicken gizzards;
In the evening – protein shake or yogurt.

Day 4:

Morning – boiled egg, tea or coffee;
Breakfast – Dukan rolls;
Lunch – liver pancakes;
Afternoon snack – dessert with cottage cheese;
Dinner – chicken;
In the evening – yogurt.

Day 5:

Morning – cottage cheese casserole;
Breakfast – fish cutlets;
Lunch – chicken sausage;
afternoon snack – kefir;
Dinner – stewed meat;
In the evening – curd mousse.

Day 6:

Morning – bran biscuits;
Breakfast – Dukan rolls;
Lunch – baked chicken;
afternoon snack – steamed fish;
Dinner – chicken gizzards;
In the evening – kefir or fermented baked milk.

You mayonnaise

Since you cannot eat mayonnaise during the Dukan diet, it is necessary to dilute the taste of the food, otherwise it will become boring and this can affect the psychological state. But there is a way out, the so-called Du Mayonnaise. The preparation is very easy:

2 raw egg yolks
240 grams of soft cottage cheese
teaspoon of mustard
Salt and fructose (read sweetener)
Paraffin oil (1 tbsp)
Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (1 tbsp)

Put everything in a container and stir until smooth, similar to mayonnaise. And voilà, now you can dilute your food with homemade mayonnaise.

"Cruise" phase (also known as "alternation")

The "cruise" phase lasts until you reach the desired weight, which you calculated at the beginning of the diet based on the requirements and characteristics of your body. Typically, this phase lasts 1. 5 - 5 months. The "cruise" phase includes alternating PB-(pure protein) and BP (protein-vegetable) days. We alternate days according to the schemes 1/1, 2/2, 3/3. Dukan recommends 1/1 as it is the easiest.

Guide for the "Cruise" phase.

The number of black and white days per month must be equal. On average, it takes a week to lose 1kg of weight. The number of emergency days cannot be increased, but the number of emergency days can be increased, for example after a disruption. After reaching the required weight, you must immediately move on to the next stage.

When maintaining a diet during the cruise phase, strict adherence to the following rules is required:

Oat bran is now taken in 2 tbsp. l. during the day.
If the diet is accompanied by constipation, wheat bran is included in the diet.
We drink 2 liters of water or more per day.
Dairy products (yogurt, cottage cheese), etc. no more than 1 kg per day.
30 minute walk in the fresh air.

During the transition phase, the weight drops to the desired level, but as soon as you give up the slack, it immediately returns, so despite the feeling of joy, we control ourselves and move on to the next stage.

It is worth understanding that eating vegetables slows down weight loss, only proteins help remove water from the body and lose weight. By saturating your body with water (through vegetables and drinking 2 liters of water), it may seem to you that you have stopped losing weight, but in fact you continue to lose weight, this will be noticeable later on the protein day, Water from the body begins to shrink.

"Cruise" diet phase

You can eat all the foods from the above phase, but a nice addition is to include 28 vegetables from the Dukan table of permitted foods in your diet.

You can highlight those that are particularly useful to use:

Mushrooms;
Celery, I have a separate article about it – Celery for weight loss
pumpkin and zucchini;
Cabbage of different varieties;
beans;
bread;
beans;
Pasta;
Potato;
Grain;
Corn;

During the "cruise" phase, vegetables can be eaten in any form, but you are allowed to use more than 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil per day in cooking.

Menu item "Cruise"

The "Cruise" phase is the most favorable in contrast to the "Attack" phase, the reason for this is that additional products are included in the diet. It is recommended not to take more than two products from this list per day.

Day 1:

Morning – fried egg, coffee, milk to taste;
Breakfast – light cottage cheese;
Lunch – chicken schnitzel, melted cheese, gravy;
Afternoon snack – fish casserole;
Dinner - chicken fried in a pan under a lid with garlic and spices;
In the evening – cottage cheese casserole.

Day 2:

Morning – omelet + vegetables, coffee;
Breakfast – milk sausages;
Lunch – cabbage rolls according to Dukan's recipe;
Afternoon snack – liver cake filled with carrots and cheese;
Dinner – homemade sausage;
Evening – a portion of Olivier.

Day 3:

Morning – omelette, coffee, milk to taste;
Breakfast – hard cheese (fat content no more than 5%);
Lunch – cold smoked mackerel + dumplings;
afternoon snack – kefir, butter rolls;
Dinner – fish casserole + tofu;
In the evening – cottage cheese dessert.

Day 4:

In the morning – pancakes stuffed with meat, tea;
Breakfast – scrambled eggs + vegetables;
Lunch – salad, cabbage cutlets;
afternoon snack – cottage cheese and cottage cheese cake;
Dinner – zucchini pie with mushrooms + meat to taste;
In the evening – kefir + cottage cheese dessert.

Day 5:

In the morning – liver pancakes, tea;
Breakfast - omelette without yolks;
Lunch – fish cutlets;
Afternoon snack – rolls with crabs;
Dinner – breast in gravy, baked;
In the evening – yogurt.

Day 6:

Morning – scrambled eggs + coffee, milk to taste;
Breakfast – pumpkin porridge;
Lunch – chicken sandwich;
Afternoon snack – eggplant fans;
Dinner – chicken sandwich + gravy;
In the evening – cottage cheese casserole.

Day 7:

Morning – egg, coffee;
Breakfast – liver pâté;
Lunch – soup according to Dukan's recipe;
Afternoon snack – turkey;
Dinner – beef stew;
In the evening – cookies, yogurt.

All dishes listed on the menu are prepared exclusively according to Dukan recipes.

"Consolidation" phase.

The "consolidation phase" – the name speaks for itself, this phase allows you to consolidate the achieved result. Looking ahead, I will say that it is difficult, since the weight is no longer lost, and it seems thatit is this result has been achieved. In fact, this judgment is misleading and should not be thought like that. Remember that as soon as you forget the rules and phases of losing weight, the weight will increase again. Therefore, control yourself and do not stop there.

A guide to the consolidation phase

Many people are interested in the duration of the "consolidation phase"; it directly depends on the number of kilograms lost; each kilogram lost corresponds to 10 days in the "consolidation phase". Weight loss in this phase is also implied. Normal weight loss during the "consolidation phase" is about 1 kg per week.

Now let's get straight to the instructions:

Protein day - you now have one protein day per week, just like in the "attack phase". When to plan such a day is, of course, up to you, but since this day will be present in your everyday life for a long time and possibly for the rest of your lifeit is better to do it in the middle of the week. Pierre Dukan recommends Thursday.
A product that, as you probably already guessed, must be consumed daily is oat bran, in addition it requires two and a half tablespoons and 2 liters of water per day.
Walk for at least 30 minutes a day, longer is better.
We monitor our health, because such a diet is stressful for the body. If you have stomach pain, see a doctor immediately.

The "consolidation phase" is characterized by the existence of major conditions. If in the previous two phases there were only 2 requirements, some products can be consumed, others not, then here there are requirements for almost every day.

A nice bonus is that there are days when you can eat your favorite food in any quantity (feasting), and days when you can eat all vegetables, even starchy vegetables.

Each week in the "Consolidation Phase" must contain the following days:

Protein;
protein with vegetables;
Protein with vegetables + starchy foods;
The day you can eat anything;
The remaining days are protein-vegetable;

I recommend trying the following schedule:

Monday – protein and vegetables;
Tuesday – Protein and vegetables with starchy products;
Wednesday – protein and vegetables;
Thursday – Protein;
Friday – you can eat anything, convenient when meeting up with friends;
Saturday – protein and vegetables;
Sunday – protein and vegetables (in the second half of the phase – the day when you can eat anything).

For each of these days, certain dishes are allowed, so try to create an individual menu.

Protein day – such days exist in all phases of the Dukan diet, they help reduce excess weight. During Phase 3, animal protein can be consumed with spices and sauces permitted in Phase 1 "Attack. "

The day when you can eat anything

Of course, this is the most pleasant day, you can eat anything and even drink 1-2 glasses of wine with one of the meals. The rest of the diet for this day is composed according to the principle of a protein-vegetable day.

You need to choose the dishes for such a day in advance, in such a way that you do not just overeat, but satisfy your desire to eat something forbidden, something that you have wanted for a long time. Simply eating anything and everything you can reach is not the best idea.

If you are afraid of organizing such days, remember that this is not advice, but a rule that must be followed.

"Pin" menu item

Day 1:

In the morning - pancakes with meat, tea;
Breakfast – scrambled eggs and vegetables;
Lunch – cutlets with cabbage, salad;
Afternoon snack - cake stuffed with cottage cheese and cottage cheese;
Dinner - cake with zucchini and meat;
In the evening - kefir.

Day 2:

In the morning - omelet with ham, coffee with milk;
Breakfast - pumpkin porridge;
Lunch – chicken sandwiches;
Afternoon snack – eggplant fans;
Dinner – chicken sandwiches;
In the evening - cheesecake.

Day 3 (Protein – Vegetables):

In the morning - soft-boiled eggs, coffee with milk;
Breakfast – salad, mushrooms;
Lunch – chicken soup, mushrooms, vegetable stew, kefir;
afternoon snack - bran muffins, herbal tea;
Dinner – liver cutlets, salad, tea;
In the evening - yogurt, any cabbage.

Day 4:

Morning - cottage cheese casserole;
Breakfast - fish cutlets;
Lunch – chicken sausage;
afternoon snack - kefir;
dinner - stewed meat;
In the evening - curd mousse.

Day 5:

morning - omelette, vegetables, coffee;
breakfast - sausages;
Lunch – all dishes, wine;
Afternoon snack - liver cake with vegetable filling;
dinner - sausage;
Evening – "Olivier".

Day 6:

morning - cottage cheese, coffee;
Breakfast – chicken sausage, yogurt;
Lunch – chicken breast soup, stew, tea;
afternoon snack - salad;
Dinner – scrambled eggs, tea;
In the evening - fermented baked milk or kefir.

Day 7:

In the morning - liver pancakes, tea;
Breakfast – vegetable stew;
Lunch – fish cutlets, chicken soup, salad;
Afternoon snack – potatoes, salad;
Dinner – baked brisket, sauerkraut;
In the evening - yogurt or kefir.

"Stabilization" phase

Do not underestimate the importance of the last stage of the Dukan. "Stabilization" consolidates the result achieved, prevents us from gaining unnecessary weight again and helps us stay slim for the rest of our lives.

Guide for the "Stabilization" phase.

Daily consumption of three tablespoons of bran;
Avoid overeating;
Drink two liters of clean water daily;
One day a week should be a fasting day: protein;
Move more: walking, cycling, roller skating, working out at the gym;

Diet of the "stabilization" phase

By the time we reach this stage, our body is already used to avoiding unnecessary foods that lead to fat accumulation. The most important thing is not to fall back into bad eating habits: don't start eating sweets, sugar, fast food and other "harmful things".

A more varied menu appears here, since the main part of the diet is completed and the goal of this phase is simply to maintain yourself in the desired shape. The rules are very simple:

Eat as many vegetables as you want; it will not harm your appearance;
You are allowed to eat one piece of fruit at a time if it is large fruit, for example apples;
If the fruit is smaller, such as tangerines, you can eat two pieces;
You cannot eat cheeses such as "Dor-blue" and goat cheese, only low-calorie ones;
Turkey, chicken breast and beef are excellent alternatives to fatty varieties;
Products made only from reduced fat milk; it is also useful to replace regular milk with one that contains less lactose;
Bread, salt and starchy foods are kept to a minimum;
Don't forget bran: three tablespoons per day;

As a rule, by this point we have already gotten used to the new nutritional system, the body has adjusted to a new, healthy wave and no longer has to "eat up" stressful situations and fatigue.

"Stabilization" menu phase

Day 1:

Breakfast – omelet with fried tomatoes, herbal tea;
Lunch – homemade chicken soup – noodles, chops;
Afternoon snack – natural yogurt and bran, fruit and cottage cheese pancakes;
Dinner – baked fish.

Day 2:

Breakfast – coffee, a few pieces of cheese, a boiled egg;
Lunch – whole grain bread, mushroom soup without dressing;
Afternoon snack – curd mass with pieces of fruit, yogurt and bran;
Dinner – shrimp with lemon juice, chamomile tea.

Day 3:

Breakfast – cottage cheese casserole, coffee (possibly with milk);
Lunch – borscht, vegetable salad;
afternoon snack – a piece of liver pancake, kefir and bran;
Dinner – squid, preferably just boiled.

Day 4:

Breakfast – cottage cheese and coffee;
Lunch – meat cutlets from young bull;
afternoon snack – kefir and bran, a piece of boiled beef;
Dinner – fish steak.

Day 5:

Breakfast – oatmeal, coffee or tea;
Lunch – cheese soup – puree with chicken breast;
afternoon snack – kefir and bran, cheesecake;
Dinner – fish cutlets.

Day 6:

Breakfast – omelette with vegetables, coffee;
Lunch – beef broth and a piece of meat from it;
Afternoon snack – kefir and bran, cottage cheese balls with raspberries;
Dinner – all seafood.

Day 7:

Breakfast – homemade cake with chocolate, coffee;
Lunch – cutlets or cutlets, tea;
afternoon snack – fruit, kefir and bran;
Dinner – fish soufflé.

With simple nutritional rules you can always stay in shape and shine with beauty.