How Much Weight Can You Lose on a Dukan Diet?
Many people have been constantly asking about the effects and benefits of the Dukan diet.
The curiosity is understandable as people hear more success stories of this unique diet.
This diet regimen has proven highly effective for those who have previously struggled to lose excess weight with other dieting products.
However, most queries are regarding the effectiveness of the diet and how soon you notice the weight loss.
As with any other dieting product, numerous people have also asked us whether the diet is safe and the kind of results that users can expect from following it.
Let’s take a detailed look at the effectiveness of the Dukan diet, its success, and how much weight you can lose with continuous use.
How effective is the Dukan Diet?
“Does the Dukan diet work?” is our readers’ most frequently asked question.
It is natural to be skeptical and wary of any new diet product you hear about despite so many success stories doing the rounds on the internet.
However, if you understand the science behind the Dukan diet, you’ll notice the effectiveness of this weight loss solution.
Some of the common facts and features of the Dukan diet are:
- Composition of the body (such as gender, weight, height, body fat percentage, etc)
- Metabolism (whether fast or slow)
- Overall health conditions (whether suffering from any underlying medical conditions or not)
- Level of daily activity
- Standard diet (type of food you eat)
- Adherence to the diet
- Ability to maintain energy levels throughout a typical day
What can you have on the Dukan Diet?
What to eat on a Dukan Diet – Phases
The Dukan diet emphasizes eating loads of oat bran and protein in its four phases, which are:
- Attack Phase (Days 1 to 10) – During the initial phase, you can comfortably eat all the lean proteins that your body can handle. This phase also requires you to eat at least 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran and have at least 6 cups of water daily.
- Cruise Phase (Several months) – During the second phase, you must add unlimited non-starchy vegetables to your daily diet. Additionally, you need to have 2 tablespoons of oat bran daily.
- Consolidation Phase (5 Days for every pound lost) – In the third phase, you must eat vegetables daily, a piece of fruit, 2 slices of whole-grain bread, and a serving of hard cheese. This phase also requires you to eat 1 to 2 servings of starch-filled food and 1 or 2 additional meals with your choice of food any time during the day.
- The Stabilization Phase (Continuous) focuses on maintaining the resultant weight loss. In this phase, you are required to eat anything you like and take a break for a day during the week, in which you need to eat an all-protein diet as outlined in the first phase. This phase also requires you to increase your daily oat bran intake to 3 tablespoons and take a 20-minute walk daily.
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It is important to remember that the exact weight loss in a person varies with diet as it depends on various factors that are unique to each individual.
A short woman would lose a few pounds more quickly than a tall man who is excessively overweight.
However, irrespective of your factors, you can expect noticeable weight loss within the first week, then a month and the most significant change in weight after 90 days of constantly sticking to the Dukan diet.
How much weight can you lose on the Dukan diet in a week?
How much weight can you lose on the Dukan diet in a week
After a week of diligently using the Dukan diet, you will notice a noticeable weight drop.
Compared to other dieting methods combined with regular exercise and calorie deficit, most people tend to lose a couple of pounds within the first week, which can stretch to a loss of 2 to 10 pounds with continuous use.
This might sound amazing, but you need to remember that most of the weight you lose will be what is called “water weight”.
This is because carbohydrates in the body retain a significant amount of water in your body.
Typically, your body converts your diet intake into glycogen, which is a form of carbohydrate. Every gram of glycogen stored in the body retains about three grams of water.
So, when you limit your carb intake, the body begins to lose glycogen and the water stored with it.
With that in mind, the weight loss you will notice in the first week of following the diet is mainly due to the loss of the stored water in the body as the carbohydrate stores get depleted first.
Once the glycogen is burnt completely, your body will begin to shed the fat stores, which is the main aim of the weight loss diet.
Within 5 to 6 weeks of constant dieting, the body begins to burn the fat stored in the body. On average, you can expect to lose as much as 4 to 10 pounds within the first month.
Bottom Line
It is highly advisable to consult your physician before starting the Dukan diet to ensure it is compatible with your body type.
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