The Ducan diet is one of the most popular ways to lose weight. It was developed by Pierre Ducan, a French nutritionist. The essence of the diet is the use of only foods allowed in any quantity.
Basic principles of the Ducan diet
The basis of the diet according to the method of Pierre Ducan was the restriction of certain nutrients. In particular, the consumption of carbohydrates and fats decreases. At the same time, nutrition is shifting in favor of protein foods. As such, there is no limitation in the amount of food consumed. Isn't that happiness? There are as many as you want and at the same time lose weight. Certainly, lovers of chocolates, brioches and sweets will find it more difficult. After all, these products will have to be excluded from the diet.
It has long been known that protein is the main building block of muscles in the human body. Its importance should in no way be underestimated. Protein contains 80% non-essential amino acids and 20% amino acids, which the body cannot synthesize on its own. In addition, these 20% are in different types of products. This is why it is so important to eat a variety of protein foods. Then the body will receive a full set of amino acids that are important for the body.
An important difference from other diets is the presence of clear stages. In no case should they be violated and reversed. Weight is reduced thanks to four phases of the diet:
- Attack.
- Alternation.
- Stabilization.
- Anchoring.
The first two steps are clearly focused on weight loss. And the last two make it possible to consolidate the result obtained for a long time. Together, this helps prevent the yo-yo effect.
The "yo-yo" effect is the likelihood of not only regaining your original weight after dieting, but also adding a few extra pounds.
Advantages and disadvantages of the diet
It must be said about the indisputable advantages of the diet. If everything is done according to the rules, the excess weight is not returned. The new body mass remains at the same level for a long time. The main rule is that after the end of the diet, you can not immediately start to eat whatever comes to hand. Follow the recommendations of your dietitian.
The advantage of the diet is that there is no feeling of hunger. The diet includes 100 different foods to eat. As a result, there isn't much of a feeling of limitation like with any mono diet. A person who loses weight because of hunger does not experience dizziness or fainting.
But it is important to talk about the disadvantages of the Ducan diet. They are not many, but they are:
It is important to consult your doctor before starting the diet. All diets have contraindications.
- A fairly high load on internal organs. This is especially true for the kidneys. Significant formation of ketone bodies due to protein products must be removed from the body in a timely manner. In this case, the main burden goes to the kidneys. If they do not cope, the concentration of ketone bodies in the blood plasma may increase and doctors may diagnose ketonosis.
- Losing weight can taste like acetone in your mouth. The state of health may worsen slightly.
- A diet high in protein can lead to constipation.
- Additionally, drastic reductions in fat intake can negatively impact women's health.
The fats in the female body are responsible for the menstrual cycle. Their absence can lead to dysfunctions of the reproductive system.
It is also worth talking to your doctor about vitamins. If you limit the intake of certain foods, many useful substances needed by the body will stop flowing with them.
Nutritional rules at each stage of the Ducan diet
As mentioned earlier, the Dukan diet consists of four stages. At each phase of the diet, you can eat a specific list of foods. Under no circumstances should you add anything to the list of products.
Oat bran is allowed throughout the diet. They are necessary in order to reduce the risk of constipation.
1st phase of the diet - "Attack"
The first stage of the diet lasts from two to seven days, depending on the desired result. The stage is called an attack because there is currently a sharp decrease in carbohydrates and fats in the diet. Specialty foods stimulate the body to break down fat. Metabolism is accelerated and weight loss occurs. During this stage, you can lose up to 4 kilograms of excess weight. It is important to consume only 72 permitted protein foods.
2nd phase of the regime - "Alternation"
This stage can last a week. The maximum duration is not limited and depends on the desired result. On average, about 1 kilogram is lost per week. The "alternation" phase is also called "cruise". 28 vegetables are added to the 72 already existing products.
Step 3 of the regime - "Consolidation"
This phase is necessary in order to consolidate the result already obtained. If after two phases a lot of high-calorie foods are suddenly introduced to the menu, the weight will return. According to the rules developed by Pierre Dukan, the fixation should last 10 days for each kilogram lost in the last few weeks.
Step 4 of the diet - "Stabilization"
Stabilization is nutrition. There is no time limit. The "Stabilization" phase should not become a stage, but a way of life.
The same amount of kilograms can look completely different. During and after the diet, you need to play sports and lead an active lifestyle.
Menu for each day of the diet
There are no restrictions on the amount of food, but you still can't overeat. Moderation is important in everything.
There are many free resources with photo recipes for people on the Ducan diet. Thanks to the huge table with authorized products, you can create delicious and satisfying dishes.
Below is a sample diet for each diet day. Skipping meals is undesirable.
The average duration of the first phase of the diet is 7 days. You can create your own menu for the whole week, or you can follow the list below. Each woman must decide what will be most practical for her.
On Monday
- Breakfast - scrambled eggs and coffee.
- Lunch - chicken chops and kefir.
- Snack - cottage cheese.
- Dinner - seafood and tea.
Tuesday
- Breakfast - curd casserole and tea.
- Lunch - meat soup with hard-boiled eggs.
- Snack - yogurt.
- Dinner - chops and tea.
Wednesday
- Breakfast - Bran breads with melted cheese and coffee
- Lunch - fish cutlets.
- Snack - cottage cheese casserole.
- Dinner - baked meat and kefir.
Thursday
- Breakfast - scrambled eggs, coffee with lightly salted salmon.
- Lunch - fish soup with bran bread.
- Snack - cottage cheese.
- Dinner - grilled chicken fillet and tea.
Friday
- Breakfast - bran bread with turkey ham and coffee.
- Lunch - boiled beef tongue.
- Snack - curd casserole.
- Dinner - boiled shrimp and tea.
Saturday
- Breakfast - bran pancakes and tea.
- Lunch - meatball soup.
- Snack - syrniki.
- Dinner - fish stew and tea.
Sunday
- Breakfast - poached egg and coffee.
- Lunch - meatball soup.
- Snack - yogurt.
- Dinner - turkey cutlets and kefir.
Remember the importance of water during the diet. You should drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water per day without gas.
In the second phase, certain foods containing carbohydrates can be introduced into the diet. The duration of the stage is chosen individually. Below is a meal option for a week.
On Monday
- Breakfast - scrambled eggs and coffee.
- Lunch - chicken chops and kefir.
- Snack - cottage cheese.
- Dinner - seafood and tea.
Tuesday
- Breakfast - curd casserole and tea.
- Lunch - fish balls and salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce sprinkled with lemon juice.
- Snack - yogurt.
- Dinner - chops and tea.
Wednesday
- Breakfast - bran breads with lightly salted fish and coffee
- Lunch - beef vegetable soup.
- Snack - bran pancakes and tea.
- Dinner - baked meat, salad and kefir.
Thursday
- Breakfast - ham and coffee omelet
- Lunch - fish soup with bran bread.
- Snack - cottage cheese.
- Dinner - meat roll with cream cheese and tea.
Friday
- Breakfast - bran bread with turkey ham and coffee.
- Lunch - boiled beef tongue.
- Snack - curd casserole.
- Dinner - vegetable stew with turkey and tea.
Saturday
- Breakfast - bran pancakes and tea.
- Lunch - simmered beef liver.
- Snack - syrniki.
- Dinner - fish stew with vegetables and tea.
Sunday
- Breakfast - cottage cheese with yogurt.
- Lunch - meatball soup.
- Snack - yogurt.
- Dinner - fish chops and tea.
The third phase of the Ducan diet is "consolidation". The staple diet is pretty much the same, but there are a few good food additions. On Saturdays, add a glass of red wine for dinner. You can add some kind of dessert. The main rule is that you cannot have dessert and alcohol in your diet for one or two days in a row. Once a day, you can add berries, a banana, or nuts to any of the meals. Once or twice a week for lunch or dinner, you can add a side dish (rice, pasta). But you need to cook all the dishes without oil.
This phase of the diet is not intended for weight loss. At this point, the desired result should already be achieved. All that remains is to secure it. Once a week, it is necessary to make a protein day from the week of Attack. Pierre Ducan advises doing it on Thursday.
The fourth step does not involve any prohibition. It is important to approach the nutritional process rationally and not to overeat. It is advisable to do a fasting day once a week and to eat only foods from the "attack" phase.