Understand how is the weight loss, main pillars, and risks of the method
The Dukan diet is a method for losing weight created by the neurologist Pierre Dukan. It provides for the consumption of large amounts of proteins and reduced carbohydrate intake.
In this method, the person has a variety of 100 foods to eat during the weight loss phases.
This diet is divided into four phases: attack, cruise, consolidation, and stabilization.
According to the method's creator, the first two phases, attack, and cruise, aim at losing weight, while the last two, consolidation and stabilization, are there to stabilize how much weight has been lost.
How to Do Each Phase of
The Dukan Diet
The method is divided into four phases: Attack, Cruise, Consolidation, and Stabilization. Below, understand how each one of them is and see the menus prepared by the nutritionist Clarissa Fujiwara for each one:
Attack Phase
Lasting from one to seven days, the person can only eat 66 protein-rich foods in this phase. These foods can eat as much as they want. It is also recommended to consume 1.5 tablespoons/day of oat bran.
According to the creators, in this phase, the
person can lose up to 5 kilos.
Day Menu of the Attack Phase
Example of a menu with
1,000 calories per day
|
Meal |
Suggestions |
|
Breakfast |
1
cup of coffee (optional), 1 glass (200 ml) of skim milk, 1 and ½ spoon (soup)
of oat bran and 1 scrambled egg |
|
Morning
snack |
2 slices (40g)
turkey breast roll |
|
Lunch |
1
large filet (150g) of fat-free beef and roll of 2 slices (40g) of lean ham |
|
Afternoon
snack |
1 pot of 0% fat
yogurt |
|
Dinner |
8
tbsp. shredded chicken with herbs and 2 shallow tbsp. cottage cheese 0% fat |
|
Before
bed |
1 cup of
chamomile |
Cruise Phase
To the 66 proteins, 34 vegetables and greens are added, totaling the 100 foods consumed. This phase lasts seven days for each kilo lost. It is also recommended to consume two tablespoons/day of oat bran.
According to the method's creators, the expected weight loss in this phase is one pound per week.
Day Menu of The Cruise
Phase
Example of a
1200-calorie-a-day menu
|
Meal |
Suggestions |
|
Breakfast |
1
cup of green or white tea, 1 oat bran pancake (made with 1 egg white + 2 tbsp
oat bran + ½ tbsp 0% fat ricotta cheese + 1 tbsp powder sweetener + 1 tsp
baking powder) and 2 shallow tbsp 0% fat cottage cheese |
|
Morning
snack |
1 glass of
natural skimmed yogurt |
|
Lunch |
1
dessert plate of arugula and cherry tomatoes, 1 slice (30g) of 0% fat diced
white cheese with basil and 2 filets (200g) of chicken breast with curry |
|
Afternoon
snack |
Roll of 2
slices (40g) of turkey breast |
|
Dinner |
1
dessert plate of purple lettuce, cucumber and broccoli sticks, 1 can of tuna
and 1 boiled egg |
|
Before
bed |
1 cup of fennel |
Consolidation Phase
Fruits, whole grain bread, cheese, and carbohydrates are added to the 100 foods. The person is also allowed to have two "Gala Meals", in which they can eat whatever they want, as long as they do not repeat the dish and do not have two such meals in a row.
They are also advised to consume 2.5 tablespoons/day of oat bran. This phase lasts ten days per weight loss.
Day Menu of The Consolidation
Phase
Example of a 1,400-calorie
daily menu
|
Meal |
Suggestions |
|
Breakfast |
1
pot of 0% fat yogurt, 2 Tbsp of oat bran, 1 slice of whole wheat bread and 1
Tbsp of light ricotta cream |
|
Morning
snack |
1 cup of coffee
(optional) and 1 glass (200 ml) of skimmed milk |
|
Lunch |
1
dessert plate of purple cabbage, radish and palm heart, 1 filet (100g) of
beef without fat, 4 tablespoons of sweet potato and 1 orange |
|
Afternoon
snack |
1 slice of
whole wheat bread and 2 slices (40g) of turkey breast |
|
Dinner |
1
dessert plate of chard, Moyashi bean sprouts and mushrooms, 1 filet (100g) of
salmon or tuna and 4 tablespoons of peas or green beans |
|
Before
bed |
1 cup of fennel
and 1 baked apple with cinnamon powder |
Stabilization Phase
In this phase, the diet is free. However, the followers of the method need to follow three rules: once a week, eat only proteins, it is recommended that this happens on Thursdays, eat three tablespoons of oat bran a day, and practice 20 minutes daily walking with the abandonment of elevators forever.
Day Menu of The
Stabilization Phase Menu
Example of a 1600 calorie
menu
|
Meal |
Suggestions |
|
Breakfast |
1
cup of coffee (optional), 1 glass (200 ml) of skim milk, 2 slices of whole
wheat bread, 1 Tbsp of light ricotta cream and ½ papaya |
|
Morning
snack |
1 cup of coffee
of mixed nuts (nuts, almonds and walnuts) |
|
Lunch |
1
dessert plate of iceberg lettuce, carrots and cauliflower, 1 filet of
sardines cooked in pressure with bell peppers and onions, 4 tablespoons of
chickpeas and 1 thick slice of melon |
|
Afternoon
snack |
1 cup of plain
yogurt mixed with 1 cup of red fruit tea (strawberry, raspberry and/or
blackberry) and 2 teaspoons of flaxseed + chia |
|
Dinner |
1
dessert plate of purple cabbage, butter cabbage and eggplant, 1 filet (100g)
of roasted chicken breast with orange sauce and 4 tablespoons of brown rice |
|
Before
bed |
Porridge of
(200 ml) of skimmed milk and 3 tablespoons of oat bran |
Why the Dukan Diet Helps
You Lose Weight
Drastically reducing the carbohydrates in the diet does indeed lead to rapid weight loss. The reason is that by cutting out carbohydrates, the body runs out of its primary source of energy.
Therefore, the body will use glycogen, a small reserve of energy stored in the muscle and liver.
We have stored about one and a half kilos of glycogen, which always adds to H2O, so there are also about 3 liters of water. This reserve is usually spent in the first week of the Dukan diet, causing the person to lose 4.5 kg.
But it is essential to point out that these 4.5 kg lost are not fat but glycogen and water, giving a false idea of healthy weight loss.
In the following weeks, the diet's large consumption of protein will cause the body to search for energy in the fat tissue, and then fat is burned. Besides, protein promotes the release of a glucagon hormone, which stimulates the body to burn more fat tissue for energy.
In addition to fat-burning, protein restriction also leads to muscle-burning. The other energy source that the body uses in the face of a lack of carbohydrates comes from the amino acids present in the muscles.
Muscle burning is especially harmful to the weight loss process because these muscles use a lot of energy to exist, i.e., their existence helps in weight loss.
Advantages of The Dukan
Diet
The great advantage of the Dukan diet is in providing rapid weight loss. After drastically reducing the consumption of carbohydrates, the body is left without its primary source of energy.
Then, the body will use glycogen, a small reserve of energy in the muscle and liver.
The human being usually has stored about one and a half kilos of glycogen, which is always added to H2O, so there are also about 3 liters of water. This reserve is usually spent in the first week of the Dukan diet, causing the person to lose 4.5 kg.
But it is essential to point out that these 4.5 kg lost are not fat but glycogen and water, giving a false idea of healthy weight loss.
After this phase, the proposed large protein intake will cause the body to seek adipose tissue energy, so fat burning occurs. Also, protein promotes the release of a glucagon hormone, which stimulates the body to burn more fat tissue for energy.
In addition to fat-burning, protein restriction also leads to muscle burning.
The diet makes the person feel encouraged to continue this weight loss process by providing rapid weight loss.
This may eventually make him/her accept to do the dietary re-education and healthily lose weight.
Disadvantages of The Dukan
Diet
Monotonous: In the first two phases, a maximum of 100 foods can be eaten, so this weight loss method becomes very monotonous.
Longevity effect: This diet does not teach dietary re-education. It makes people drastically reduce their carbohydrate intake and then does not teach the method's followers to follow a healthy diet, with all the nutrients eaten in a balanced way.
Therefore, the chances of weight regain are high.
Difficult to maintain: Cutting or drastically reducing a particular macronutrient, such as carbohydrates, is very difficult.
Therefore, adherents to the method encounter problems when following it.
Risks of The Method
It harms the kidneys: The Dukan diet leads to excess protein consumption, and the kidneys excrete this excess.
However, the constant excess of protein begins to overload the kidneys and may even cause kidney failure.
Fatigue and headaches: With a lack of carbohydrates, the body tends to convert fat into energy, which leads to the release of substances called ketone bodies.
In excess, these substances can cause nausea and motion sickness. Reducing carbohydrates will also cause feelings of fatigue.
Causes muscle loss: Carbohydrate restriction leads to muscle burning. The other energy source that the body uses when faced with a lack of carbohydrates comes from the amino acids present in the muscles.
This burning of muscles is especially harmful to the weight loss process because these muscles use a lot of energy to exist, i.e., their presence helps in weight loss.
Increases the risk of cancer: Several studies indicate that excessive consumption of animal protein increases cancer risk.
And this method encourages the consumption of large amounts of animal protein, and in some phases, plant-based proteins cannot even be eaten.
Causes hypoglycemia: Because it drastically reduces the number of carbohydrates, this method can lead to hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, which causes a lot of weakness and even fainting.
It affects the mood: this eating plan can lead to a bad mood. This is because the body needs carbohydrates to get tryptophan to the brain.
Tryptophan is essential for the synthesis of serotonin, which is vital in modulating mood and well-being. Thus, reduced carbohydrate intake can cause low mood.
Causes bone decalcification: Ingesting large amounts of animal protein makes the blood more acidic. For it to return to the normal ph, the body uses the calcium present in the bones.
Therefore, the Dukan diet increases the risk of bone decalcification.
Recommendation
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the macronutrient distribution for healthy individuals should be: 55 to 75% carbohydrates, 10 to 15% protein, and 15 to 30% fats.
The Dukan diet goes entirely against the WHO guidelines and can cause a series of health problems. Therefore, the vast majority of neurologists and nutritionists do not recommend that people go on this diet.
For people with kidney problems, this method is even more dangerous since it affects the kidneys' health.