The Dukan Diet: Weekly Menus and Basic Principles

What is the Dukan Diet? This is a diet plan based on protein food consumption. According to Irene Jackson-Cannady, the diet was developed in 2000 by Pierre Dukan, a French general practitioner and nutritionist.The diet is based on the following principles:

• The product range is rich. In the initial stages of the diet, only protein is allowed, but over time the diet becomes more extensive.
• Control your drinking habits. An increased content of protein foods in the menu can lead to dehydration, so women should drink at least two liters of water per day and men three liters of water per day, as Arend-Jan Meidels says.
• Quit sugar. High levels of glucose in the body lead to reduced lipolysis. Fructose sweeteners are used to sweeten foods.
• Reduce salt intake.
• Eat in portions. Food is consumed 5 times a day.

What can I eat on the Dukan Diet?

The diet plan consists of four phases, each allowing different foods to be consumed.The first stage is "offensive". The most difficult and shortest stage, lasting 5 to 7 days. During this period you can lose 2-3 kg. During this period, only protein foods are allowed:

• Meats (beef, lamb, lean pork, chicken, turkey, rabbit, quail, offal);
• Eggs (whites - no limit, yolks - no more than two per day);
• Seafood and fish (lean white and red fish, mussels, squid, shrimp, cuttlefish, scallops);
• Skim milk, kefir, cottage cheese, cottage cheese;
• soy meat;
• Spices, dried herbs, vinegar, mustard.

The second stage is "alternation". At this point, one protein day (like the "attack" phase) alternates with the next, allowing for the addition of greens and non-starchy vegetables to the menu. The duration of this phase depends on how much the person wants to lose. To lose 1kg you need to follow the 1 week phase recommendations.You can eat all foods allowed in the "Attack" phase or added to the menu:

• Whole wheat bread;
• asparagus;
• mushroom;
• Tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, eggplants, zucchini, radishes, beets, avocados, cauliflower, broccoli;
• Spinach, sorrel, any vegetable;
• Olive oil (no more than one tablespoon per day).

The third stage is the "consolidation" stage. The purpose of this phase is to prevent weight regain. Approximately 500g of weight loss is achieved per week, so the duration of this phase depends on the goals. You can eat any prohibited food at two meals a week.You should consume at least three tablespoons of bran or fiber per day. In addition to the foods allowed in the "Attack" and "Alternation" phases, you can also add to your diet:

• Honey (no more than three teaspoons per day);
• seasonal berries and fruits;
• Lentils, peas, beans;
• olives;
• nut;
• corn;
• rice and buckwheat;
• Pasta made from durum wheat.

The fourth stage is the "stabilization" stage. During this phase, you can eat all the foods that were previously allowed. In the meantime, you need to continue eating small amounts more frequently, eating bran every day, and keeping it to just protein once a week. As long as a person adheres to the "stable" stage, he can maintain a slim figure.

Diet effects

Digesting protein is more difficult than digesting fats and carbohydrates, so the body uses the energy it gets from the fat it has accumulated. Additionally, protein foods cause a feeling of satiety for a longer period of time, so people do not overeat or consume unhealthy foods. As medical candidate Marina Altashina points out, a diet rich in protein allows you to lose weight without losing muscle mass. Since the diet consists of four phases, the last of which can be followed throughout life, the Dukan Nutrition Plan assumes long-term results.

This week's menu

How to start the Dukan Diet? To make dietary restrictions easier to tolerate, reduce your sugar and salt intake a week before starting to change your diet. Start replacing regular bread with whole wheat bread or crisp bread.After preparation (including self-motivation), enter the first phase of the Dukan Diet - "Attack". Let’s take a closer look at this week’s menu.

first day

• Breakfast: Roasted turkey slices, two-egg omelette and low-fat milk.
• Second breakfast: cheesecake.
• Lunch: Shrimp and squid soup.
• Afternoon snack: bread with lightly salted salmon.
• Dinner: Low-fat cottage cheese.

the next day

• Breakfast: scrambled eggs, roast lamb.
• Second breakfast: a cup of low-fat kefir and boiled pork.
• Lunch: Herb chicken soup.
• Afternoon snack: rabbit stewed in milk.
• Dinner: Steamed veal fillet.

The third day

• Breakfast: boiled eggs, beef, marinated in spices, grilled.
• Breakfast No. 2: Cheese Casserole.
• Lunch: Kefir meatball soup.
• Afternoon snack: omelette with liver pate.
• Dinner: Boiled squid and shrimp.

The fourth day

• Breakfast: Cheesecake.
• Second breakfast: bread with low-fat cheese.
• Lunch: veal and turkey soup.
• Afternoon tea: milk.
• Dinner: Grilled quail.

fifth day

• Breakfast: steamed egg rolls, grilled chicken tenders.
• Second breakfast: Kefir.
• Lunch: liver, turkey pate, bread.
• Afternoon snack: cheese.
• Dinner: Mussels in milk mustard sauce.

The sixth day

• Breakfast: two boiled eggs, spicy grilled veal.
• Second breakfast: whole wheat bread with low-fat cream cheese, lightly salted salmon.
• Lunch: Seafood soup.
• Afternoon snack: cheese.
• Dinner: Grilled zander fillet.

seventh day

• Breakfast: fried eggs and beef.
• Second breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese with sweetener.
• Lunch: Mussels and squid soup.
• Afternoon snack: steamed chicken and turkey steak.
• Dinner: Grilled pork chop

You can drink not only water but also coffee, sugar-free tea and herbal decoctions between meals. After one week, continue with the next phase of the diet.The Dukan diet is suitable for effective weight loss. But it involves strict restrictions, so to avoid harming yourself, be sure to consult a doctor before starting.attention! This material is for informational purposes only. The treatments described in this article should not be used without first consulting a physician.