The majority of people who lose weight return almost all of it within five years, and more than half of it within two. Dukan Diet is a very low-carb, high-protein diet. The Dukan diet claims to help you lose weight and “keep it off forever.”
Pierre Dukan, who is a French physician and nutritionist, developed this diet in 2000. It’s a four-phase diet that is said to promote long-term weight loss by increasing protein and decreasing fats and carbs. You are only allowed to eat 100 things during the initial stages, but you are free to consume as many of them as you wish.
The Dukan Diet – How Does It Work?
The Dukan diet’s first two stages use a high-protein, low-carb diet to help people lose weight. Your body enters a state of ketosis when you eat this manner, burning fat rather than carbs for energy. 
Maintaining the weight loss while gradually reintroducing some of the meals you cut is the aim of the third phase. It is a generally healthy diet that includes one all-protein day per week in phase four to keep weight loss over the long term.
Remember, the Dukan diet is kind of an elimination diet. It reduces certain carbohydrates to aid in weight loss.
How Can I Start The Dukan Diet?
The diet’s initial phase consists solely of protein. To avoid the temptation, you can wish to purge the carbohydrates from your cupboard and refrigerator. Purchase foods high in protein, such as:
- Poultry, including chicken
- Lean beef
- Shellfish and fish
- Milk and other dairy products without fat
- Eggs
- Tempeh and tofu
- Gelatin without sugar
- Additionally, purchase oat bran to provide you with carbohydrates and fiber.
You might have to keep your vegetables in your refrigerator for the next phase of the diet so you don’t have to go shopping again in a few days. Broccoli, carrots, onions, tomatoes, kale, mushrooms, and other non-starchy veggies can all be included.
Phases Of The Dukan Diet
Based on your age, past weight loss attempts, and other variables, the Dukan Diet first determines your ideal weight, often known as your “true” weight.
The amount of weight you need to shed to get to your “real” weight determines how long you spend in each phase.
The four stages of the Dukan diet are as follows:
- Attack phase (1–7 days). You begin the diet by consuming 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran daily along with an unlimited amount of lean protein.
- During the cruise phase (1–12 months) of the Dukan diet, you can consume two tablespoons of oat bran every day and alternate lean protein with non-starchy vegetables one day.
- Consolidation phase (5 days for each pound lost in stages 1 and 2) of the Dukan diet allows 2.5 tablespoons of oat bran per day, unlimited lean protein and vegetables, a daily lean protein day, and a smaller amount of carbohydrates and fats.
- Stabilization phase (indefinite). As long as your weight is constant, relax the rules while still adhering to the Consolidation phase standards. The daily amount of oat bran is raised to three tablespoons.
Foods You Can Have In The Dukan Diet
Elimination is the foundation of the Dukan diet’s first two stages. There are extremely few food options available to you during these times. You can include more food groups as the diet goes on.
The things you are permitted to eat are determined by the stage you are in. You can only consume oat bran, sugar-free gelatin, and animal proteins for the first few days of the Dukan diet. Non-starchy vegetables can then be added until you achieve your desired weight loss.
Cheese, whole-grain bread, and fruit are permitted in the third stage. You also receive one or two “celebration meals” where you are free to eat whatever you choose. You can eat anything you want during the last phase, but you can only have protein only one day a week.
Artificial sweeteners, sugar-free gum, spices, and unsweetened tea and coffee are also acceptable in the Dukan diet. During the stabilization and consolidation stages, you are permitted to consume one glass of wine each day.
Food Items To Stay Away From The Dukan Diet
You will exclude all foods other than protein from your diet during the first phase. This implies avoiding carbs like white rice and bread. Until the third phase, they are not allowed.
Desserts are as well. With the exception of one day every week when you only consume protein, you are essentially free to eat anything you want during the last phase. But you shouldn’t revert to previous habits like consuming sweets and fast food if you want to keep losing weight.
Conclusion
The Dukan Diet is likely to cause you to lose your weight quickly. But because it’s so limiting, it can be hard to maintain over time.
This means that after you resume your non-restricted eating habits and go back to your normal way of eating, you may gain back the weight you lost during the initial stages.
You may be able to lose and keep off weight by making little lifestyle adjustments, such as concentrating on eating less processed food, rather than going for drastic measures, like the Dukan Diet.
