The Ducan diet is very popular all over the world, primarily because of the fast and amazing results. It belongs to the healthy eating systems. It allows you to lose weight and at the same time not suffer from hunger, because you are allowed to use more than a hundred different delicious and filling products on it.
Features and rules of the Ducan diet
The main goal of Dukan's protein diet is to reduce the intake of fats and carbohydrates. They must be included in the diet for weight loss, but in minimal quantities. Protein becomes the basis of the menu. They will need to eat in the amount recommended for weight loss (this is about 1, 5 g per kilogram of body weight). As a result, it is possible to get rid of extra pounds and stabilize the achieved figure on the scales.
The choice fell on protein as the basis of the diet for some reason.
There are several reasons for this:
- To digest such substances, the body must expend the maximum amount of energy and, therefore, calories.
- Pure proteins reduce hunger, prevent the retention of excess fluid in the body and increase its defenses.
- These substances prevent sagging skin. If the body lacks protein, it will be extracted from the muscles.
It is very important to try to eat less salt while following the diet discussed. This supplement retains water in the body and increases hunger. But it is also harmful to turn it off completely. Especially for people suffering from low blood pressure.
During all stages of the diet, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. This is at least 2 liters of different fluids per day. Water also eliminates the feeling of hunger, filling the stomach and cleanses the body of any impurities. This is especially true of a protein diet. When protein is consumed in large quantities, the body constantly accumulates waste products that must be removed from it. Otherwise there will be no long-awaited effect.
Interestingly, even carbonated beverages can be drunk on such a diet.
The main thing is to choose "light" options that do not contain sugar. Their taste also helps lose weight to cope with the strong thirst for forbidden sweets.
Drinking is allowed at any time and regardless of the meal. The feeling of thirst should be completely satisfied, not blunted.
Description of the stages
There are four main stages in the diet. The main purpose of the first half of them is to get rid of extra pounds. And the second is to fix the new ideal weight.
You do not need to limit yourself to certain portions at each stage. You don't even have to count calories.
Stage 1 - attack
On the Ducan diet, the attack is the initial stage. It is short but challenging and effective. The usual carbohydrate food is completely replaced by protein. This leads to active fat burning.
On average, this stage is designed for 7 days. But under some conditions it can last from 3 to 12 days. It all depends on how many nasty pounds a person wants to lose.
During the attack, it is allowed to eat protein foods from a special list. They can be eaten in any quantity and combined with each other. The main thing is to cook fat-free foods. For example, cook or grill.
In the first phase, the weight begins to disappear very quickly. This encourages weight loss not to stop, but to continue to adhere to a difficult food system.
Stage 2 - cruise / alternation
The second phase turned out to be very long. This is the main reason why those who lose weight often have breakdowns at this stage. The phase under discussion usually lasts from a few months to six months. A special diet should be followed until the weight becomes ideal.
The main idea of the second phase is the alternation of the menu. These are days of eating protein foods or combinations of them with vegetables. You can change your diet in a day, two, three.
Protein menus should consist of "attacking" products and mixed raw, cooked, roasted vegetables should be added. The latter should make up about 60% of the diet.
Stage 3 - consolidation / consolidation
At this stage, everything is most difficult to do. You can slowly and gradually begin to return to your usual diet. It is important to consolidate the weight gained.
The duration of this phase will have to be determined by you. To do this, you need to calculate the weight you managed to lose in the previous stages. For each kilogram lost, you must add 10 "fixing" days.
This period can be quite long (especially if you have lost more than 10 kg), but you should not be afraid of it. Now you can pamper yourself even with delicious desserts and other culinary temptations.
- Five days a week you should eat according to the usual pattern of alternation.
- During the first half of the period you can add to it daily 100 g of bread (from whole grains), 200 g of fruit, 50 g of cheese.
- One day consume exclusively protein on the principle of "attack".
- On the seventh day it is allowed to eat starchy foods (200 g), a portion of pork, ham, sausages, a favorite delicacy.
- In the second half of the day, "Feast" with fatty sweet foods and sausages can now be used twice a week. Days like these should not be followed one another.
The "holiday" day does not involve the use of "harmful things" throughout the day. You are only allowed to indulge in 1-2 meals. It is also allowed to drink high quality weak wine.
Stage 4 - stabilization
At this stage, weight loss will return to their normal food system with some features. First of all, you should continue to follow the drinking regime by continuing to consume plenty of water a day. It is very important to include in your schedule daily physical activity, at least minimal - exercise in the morning, walking, giving up the elevator.
Remember to periodically organize hungry days and eat 3 tablespoons every day. l. oat bran in any form.
To maintain your ideal weight for a long time, it is worth taking the third phase as a basis and turning vegetables and protein products into the basis of your food system forever. In this case, you can treat yourself to 2 festive breakfasts or lunches a week, as well as 2 servings of starchy products in the composition.
It is still recommended to leave one protein day a week. It will become a protective mechanism against recharging.
Authorized and prohibited products
Prohibited and permitted foods depend on the phase of the diet.
So, in the first place it is allowed to eat protein products from a special list.
That:
- horse meat;
- beef;
- bird;
- ham;
- offal;
- fish (even canned and smoked);
- crab sticks;
- eggs;
- low-fat dairy / fermented milk drinks and products.
You can use 1 - 2 pickled cucumbers, prepared without sugar (per day), 1 onion, a small amount of tomato paste, vegetable oil (not more than 1 teaspoon), mustard, fresh / granulated garlic, fresh / dried herbs.
Be sure to use 1 - 1, 5 tbsp. l. bran. You can eat them in any form.
In the "alternation" phase, a variety of vegetables are added to all the foods listed above. Only legumes and potatoes will need to be completely eliminated.
These days are allowed:
- olives / olives (4 pcs. 2 times a week);
- flax and chia seeds (1 tsp per day).
There is still a need to consume oat bran.
As noted above, in the third stage, cheese, bread, fruit and some favorite foods are added to the menu. The expansion of their list continues in the fourth stage. The portion of bran is increased to 3 tbsp.
Among the cheeses it is worth choosing hard varieties. From fruits, bananas, cherries, grapes, dried fruits can not be eaten.
At every stage of the diet discussed, most sweets are strictly forbidden. For example, bars, cakes, pastries, pastries. During the consolidation of the result you can pamper yourself with a cube of dark chocolate or 1-2 fruit candies once a day. The exception is the festive dishes, when even your favorite cake is allowed.
The list of banned products at all stages includes muffins, baked goods, nuts, dough dishes, butter, goose and duck meat, mayonnaise and all kinds of sauces based on it, ketchup.
Detailed menu for each day
During the "attack" period, the diet will be as follows:
- Scrambled eggs for breakfast, bird soup for lunch, cheesecakes / pots for afternoon tea, seafood in any form and yogurt for dinner.
- Bran porridge (oatmeal), beef cutlets, oatmeal muffins, meatballs / poultry cutlets.
- Boiled eggs, pieces, pie with orange juice and casserole with mint with eggs.
- Omelet, fish soup with boiled quail eggs, egg whites and lemon dessert, squid and / or fish salad.
- Grilled birds, bran pancakes, white fish pie.
- Eggs (in any form) with ham, steak fillets with lean meat, biscuits (bran) and yogurt, omelet with seafood.
- Omelet with parsley, chicken, pastries with cheese and yogurt, pie with minced meat and kefir.
During the alternation phase, the base of the menu may remain the same, but vegetable salads can be added to it every other day. For example, cutlets, bites or steaks. It is also allowed to roast meat, poultry or fish together with vegetables.
At the "repair" stage, the following weekly menu is recommended:
- Casserole with cottage cheese for breakfast, lemon soup with bread (wholemeal) for lunch, fruit for afternoon breakfast, stewed vegetables and chicken for dinner.
- Oatmeal and a piece of cheese, pasta with roast meat, cottage cheese, cutlets with salad.
- Eggs with ham and cheese / scrambled eggs, borscht, biscuits and bites, chocolate souffle with lemon juice, baked seafood.
- Cottage cheese and fermented milk drink, grilled poultry, kefir with bread croutons, shrimp and boiled eggs.
- Cottage cheese, chicken broth with meatballs and bread, fruit, mushroom cream soup.
- Rice with cutlets / meatballs, vegetable pancakes, cheese cakes, salad with fish cutlets.
- Cottage cheese and a piece of cheese, chicken broth and quail eggs, fruits, vegetables, baked with cheese.
The menu from the third stage can be repeated on the fourth, not forgetting the days of the "feast" and other permitted indulgences.
Exercise with the Ducan diet
Pierre Ducan notes that high-quality weight loss and an ideal figure are impossible without regular physical activity. The nutritionist advises to combine your special food system with exercise.
You can start with the minimum - replacement of the elevator with climbing stairs, getting off public transport a few stops before the house, morning exercises with 3 - 5 exercises.
Active walking should gradually become a daily weight loss workout.
You should start with a 20 minute walk, gradually increasing the time. It is recommended to walk in the fresh air in the terrain.
If you decide to include heavy physical training in your daily routine. For example, visiting a gym, then the first stage of the diet is strictly prohibited. You can return to training only at the stage of food alternation. It is better to be actively engaged in those days when vegetables are added to protein dishes.
Aqua aerobics has a beneficial effect on the figure. If possible, it is worth visiting the pool 1-2 times a week. You do not need to train in the water with a trainer at all. You can just swim for fun. At the same time, calories will be actively burned, and the reliefs of the figure will be close to ideal.
The advantages and disadvantages of this method of weight loss
The diet in question has its pros and cons. They should be carefully studied by anyone who has decided to lose weight this way.
Benefits:
- Efficiency. If you strictly follow all its rules, then about 1 kg of excess weight will disappear per day.
- The ability to increase muscle tone, make the skin elastic and deal with cellulite.
- You don't need to constantly weigh portions and count calories.
- The ability to eat certain foods / products in the amount needed for satiety.
Disadvantages:
- Imbalance. Long-term adherence to such a diet in the patient's body reveals a lack of certain vitamins and minerals.
- Possible side effects. In the first stage, some patients develop dizziness, a feeling of constant fatigue.
- Halitosis. This problem occurs when protein is the basis of the human diet for a long time.
- High price. The diet consists of high quality, expensive food.
How to get out of the diet properly
To maintain the results, you need to get out of the diet properly. The way out of it begins at the stage of consolidation. New, previously banned foods are added to the diet of those who lose weight gradually and in small portions.
When giving up the diet, it is important to continue exercising and drinking plenty of water. You are gradually allowed to return desserts to your diet. But let it be high-quality bitter chocolate, fruit and forest marshmallows, honey and other useful pastries.
Contraindications and possible harm
There is a whole list of contraindications that are an important reason to choose a different diet for yourself.
So it is forbidden:
- People with metabolic problems. Including patients with pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus.
- Patients with chronic diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, the entire urinary system. It is on these organs and systems that high doses of protein in the body will put a serious strain.
- Expectant mothers and women during breastfeeding. With such a diet, the most pregnant girl and her baby will lack vitamins and nutrients.
- Persons under 18 years of age. Especially for girls with irregular menstruation. Otherwise, weight loss may face its serious disorders or the complete disappearance of menstruation.
- People with heart and blood vessel diseases. When losing weight, there are no fatty acids in the diet, which can lead to exacerbation of diseases.
- For women during menopause or on the eve / after. An unbalanced diet during this period can cause hormonal disorders.
- People with mental health problems and increased emotionality. Lack of carbohydrates in the diet affects the functioning of the brain.
In order for the Ducan diet to be effective and safe for a person, it is worth consulting a specialist before starting it. Especially if the man or woman has any health problems.