The Dukan diet is a diet divided into 4 phases and, according to its author, allows you to lose about 5 kg in the first week. In the first phase, the diet is made only with proteins, and the duration of the diet depends on the amount of weight that the person wants to lose weight.
This diet was created by the French doctor Dr. Pierre Dukan and is fully explained in his book: ‘I can’t lose weight’. This is a good option for those who need to lose weight quickly, but it is not a diet that changes eating habits. Therefore, it is common to regain all the weight lost in a short time, unless you start another less restrictive diet, when reaching the ideal weight, to maintain the weight.
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Check the permitted foods, the prohibited foods and how each phase of the Dukan diet works:
Dukan diet step by step
To find out how many days each phase of the diet should last, Dr. Dukan suggests:
- For those who want to lose 5kg: 1 day in the 1st phase;
- For those who want to lose 6 to 10 kg: 3 days in the 1st phase;
- For those who want to lose 11 to 20 kg: 7 days in the 1st phase.
The duration of the other phases varies according to the individual’s weight loss, and the only sweets that can be eaten on this diet are Dr. Dukan’s egg pudding with skimmed milk and sugar-free light gelatin. See the Dukan diet step by step below.
1st phase of the Dukan diet – attack phase
In the 1st phase of the Dukan diet it is only allowed to eat foods rich in protein, and sources of carbohydrates and sweets are prohibited.
- Allowed foods:lean, grilled, roasted or cooked meats with no added fat, kani, boiled eggs, smoked turkey breast, natural or skimmed yogurt, skimmed milk, cottage cheese. You should always eat 1 and a half tablespoons of oat bran a day, as it satiates hunger, and 1 spoon of Goji berries, for its purifying power.
- Prohibited foods:all carbohydrates, such as bread, rice, pasta, fruit and sweets.
This phase lasts from 3 to 7 days and 3 to 5 kg is lost.
Sample menu for the attack phase
In the attack phase, the diet is based only on protein-rich foods. Thus, the menu can be:
- Breakfast:1 glass of skim milk or skimmed yogurt + 1.5 col of oat bran soup + 2 slices of cheese and ham or 1 egg with 2 slices of cheese. You can add coffee to milk, but not sugar.
- Morning snack:1 low-fat plain yogurt or 2 slices of cheese + 2 slices of ham.
- Lunch / Dinner:250g of red meat in a 4 cheese sauce, made with skim milk or 3 grilled chicken fillets with cheese topping and ham or shrimp in a cheese sauce.
- Afternoon snack:1 low-fat yogurt or 1 glass of low-fat milk + 1 spoon of Goji berries + 1 boiled egg or 2 slices of tofu + 3 slices of ham or 1 soy burger + 1 slice of cottage cheese.
It is important to remember that only 2 eggs are allowed per day.
Foods allowed in phase 1
Foods banned in phase 1
2nd phase of the Dukan diet – cruise phase
In the 2nd phase of the Dukan diet some vegetables are added to the diet, but it is not yet allowed to eat carbohydrates. Vegetables and greens must be eaten raw or cooked in salted water, and the only sweet permitted is light gelatin. The spices used should be olive oil, lemon, herbs such as parsley and rosemary or balsamic vinegar.
- Allowed foods:tomato, cucumber, radish, lettuce, mushroom, celery, chard, eggplant and zucchini.
- Prohibitedfoods : foods rich in carbohydrates, sweets and fruits.
Attention: in this 2nd phase, you should alternate 1 day eating only protein and another day eating protein, vegetables, until completing 7 days. On the day you eat only protein, you should also eat 1 tablespoon of Goji berries and, on the other days, 2 tablespoons.
Sample menu for the cruise phase
You should follow the attack phase menu for protein days. The following menu provides examples of meals for the days when you eat protein and vegetables:
- Breakfast:1 glass of skim milk or skimmed yogurt + 1.5 col of oat bran soup + 2 slices of baked cheese with tomato or egg and tomato pancake.
- Morning snack:2 slices of cheese + 2 slices of ham.
- Lunch / Dinner:250g of meat in tomato sauce with cucumber, lettuce and eggplant salad or 2 slices of salmon in mushroom sauce + tomato salad, zucchini and chard.
- Afternoon snack:1 low-fat yogurt + 1 spoon of Goji berries + 2 slices of cheese or 1 hard-boiled egg
In this phase, which lasts up to 1 week, 1 to 2 kg is lost. See a recipe indicated for this phase of the diet: Dukan pancake recipe .
Foods allowed in phase 2
Foods banned in phase 2
3rd phase of the Dukan diet – consolidation phase
In the 3rd phase of the Dukan diet, in addition to meats, vegetables and greens, you can also eat 2 servings of fruit per day, 2 slices of whole wheat bread and 1 40 g serving of any type of cheese.
In this phase, it is also allowed to eat 1 serving of carbohydrate 2 times a week, such as brown rice, brown noodles or beans, and you can have 2 free full meals, where you can eat any food that has already been allowed in the diet, together with a glass of wine or beer.
- Allowed foods:proteins, vegetables, 2 fruits a day, brown bread, brown rice, brown pasta, beans and cheese.
- Prohibited foods:white rice, white pasta and all other sources of carbohydrates. Forbidden fruits: banana, grape and cherry.
This phase must last 10 days for each 1 kg that the individual wants to lose. That is, if the individual wants to lose 10 kg more, this phase should last 100 days.
Sample menu for the consolidation phase
In the consolidation phase, food becomes more liberated, and you can eat whole grain bread daily. Thus, the menu can be:
- Breakfast:1 glass of skim milk or skimmed yogurt + 1.5 col of oat bran soup + 1 slice of whole grain bread with cheese, tomato and lettuce.
- Morning snack:1 apple + 1 slice of cheese and ham.
- Lunch / Dinner:130 g of chicken breast in tomato sauce + brown rice + raw vegetable salad or 1 can of tuna with whole pasta in pesto sauce + raw vegetable salad + 1 orange.
- Afternoon snack:1 low-fat plain yogurt + 1 tablespoon of Goji + 1 slice of brown bread with cheese.
See recipes that can be used at this stage in: Dukan breakfast recipe and Dukan bread recipe .
Foods allowed in phase 3
Foods banned in phase 3
4th phase of the Dukan diet – stabilization phase
In the 4th phase of the Dukan diet, the recommendations are: do the protein diet similar to the 1st phase once a week, do 20 minutes of physical exercise a day, abandon the elevator and use the stairs, and ingest 3 tablespoons of oat bran per day.
- Allowed foods:all types of foods are allowed, but you should give preference to whole products and it is mandatory to eat 3 servings of fruit a day.
- Prohibited foods:nothing is prohibited, you can have a normal diet.
In this diet it is necessary to drink at least 2 liters of water per day to ensure the proper intestinal functioning and to be able to eliminate toxins. Other liquids allowed are tea, coffee without sugar or sweetener and zero soda, in moderation.
Example menu for the stabilization phase
In the stabilization phase, you can have a normal diet, such as:
- Breakfast:1 glass of skim milk or skimmed yogurt + 1.5 col of oat bran soup + 2 slices of wholemeal bread with minas light cheese.
- Morning snack:1 pear + 4 crackers or 3 chestnuts + 1 slice of watermelon.
- Lunch / Dinner:120 g of meat + 4 col of rice soup + 2 col of bean soup + raw salad + 1 orange
- Afternoon snack:1 low-fat yogurt + 1.5 col of oat bran soup + 4 whole toast with ricotta.
It is important to remember that the Dukan diet is restrictive and can cause malaise, dizziness and weakness, in addition to not taking into account food reeducation, which facilitates weight gain after the diet. So being the most recommended to lose weight is to go to the nutritionist and follow his guidelines.
