Dukan Diet Phases

As we look back on some of the famous diets that arose, the Dukan diet is known for its high protein and low carbohydrate diet.

We will study the four phases that the Dukan Diet introduced, from removing Carbohydrate-rich foods on the plate and, as time goes by, slowly reintroducing them in small quantities.

Let’s go back to the origins of the Dukan Diet for beginners. In 2000, Dr. Pierre Dukan, a French doctor practicing as a neurologist, became interested in helping obese people lose weight.

Establishing his website, he spent 40 years working as a clinical nutritionist and treated 40,000 patients. Dr. Dukan sold books about his diet entitled “Je ne sais pas maigrir” translated as “I don’t know how to lose weight.”

The book was revised in 2011 entitled The Dukan Diet: 2 Steps to Lose the Weight, 2 Steps to Keep it Off Forever in the USA and became a best seller.

As of 2012, the book has been published in 14 languages and sold 7 million copies worldwide.

There are 4 phases of the Dukan Diet, allowing the followers of this diet to modify the taste of their dish through artificial sweeteners, spices and herbs, and other seasonings.

Even diet soft drinks, teas, and non-fat dairy milk are also allowed in each stage of this diet. Dr. Dunkan would like the followers to enjoy their meals with varying tastes.

The First Phase of the Dukan diet is the “Attack Phase” which lasts 2 to 5 days. This phase removes any types of Carbohydrate-rich foods except oat bran for at least 1 and a half teaspoons a day.

No fruits and vegetables and can eat 68 types of high protein foods in unlimited quantities, which include:

Beef (roasts or grilled items only, and not fatty cuts such as ribs).
Veal (cutlets, roast, or well-trimmed chops)
Buffalo
Venison
Chicken
Turkey
Other lean poultry
Eggs
Tofu

Dukan diet phases

The duration of the effectiveness of this diet depends on your age, height, weight, medical, and family history. Some guidelines are as follows:

Less than 10 lbs. to lose: 1 or 2 days
From 15 to 30 lbs. to lose: 3 to 5 days
More than 40 lbs. to lose: after consulting with your physician and can last up to 7 days.

Since the nature of this diet comes mainly from Protein-rich foods, ketosis will occur, and the energy will come from protein and some fat sources, producing ketones in the body as an energy source.

Drinking a lot of water is recommended to flush excess ketones through the urine.

It is also not advisable to stay longer on this type of phase since too much production of ketones as a waste product could cause a burden on kidneys and, if unfixed, would lead to kidney problems in the future.

It is advisable to go on active exercise, especially in the morning, to take advantage of burning too much fat from the body and weight loss is observable from many people who follow this kind of diet.

Once the dieter has achieved his or her weight goal from the first phase, he or she can proceed to the second phase of the Dukan Diet.

The second phase of the Dukan Diet is the “Cruise Phase” and it introduces a step-by-step process of eating Vegetables with Protein back in the meal plan but starchy vegetables are not yet allowed, such as potatoes and corn.

From 68 allowed proteins, 32 non-starchy vegetables in this phase.

Oat bran is still allowed to be consumed every day for about 1 and a half tablespoons or if the dieter wants to increase it to 2 tablespoons, it’s fine.

This introduces added nutrients to our body, such as Water-Soluble Vitamins, Minerals, and Fiber.

An average person loses 1 lb. every 3 days. The dieter can increase the exercise for 30 minutes so that he or she can feel the forceful beating of his heart.

The effect is to lose excess body fat and take care of lean body mass. Some of the allowed Vegetables are as follows:

Broccoli
Celery
Cucumber
Mushrooms
Spinach
Tomatoes

The third phase is the “Consolidation Phase” wherein starchy vegetables are slowly introduced, and the expected weight loss is every 5 days.

You are now allowed to eat lamb, roast pork, and uncured cooked ham.

The goal of this phase is to maintain true weight and the dieter may do physical activity like brisk walking for 25 minutes every day. The diet still excludes bananas, grapes, figs, and cherries.

The last phase is the “Stabilization Phase” wherein the dieter will follow three simple rules to maintain the True Weight: first is to consume 3 tablespoons of oat bran per day, second is to choose to take stairs whenever possible, and last is to have a pure protein and exercise every Thursday.

These rules are guidelines to maintain the True Weight for the long term and to avoid the rebound of getting back the old weight and might be, at worst, heavier than the previous one.

Regardless of the diet where you are, always remember that “what you eat is what you are”.

This is a famous quotation that everyone should always know and everything you put inside and out of your body will always reflect your health.