Dukan Diet

The Dukan Diet has been very popular in France for several years. It is now making its way over to the states, but with some very similar characteristics to other low carb diets we have seen. The Diet was created by Pierry Dukan and has been very successful in treating obesity in millions of people. As with other low carb diets we know, there are several different phases that you must follow to be successful on the Dukan Diet.

The Attack Phase. This first phase of the Dukan Diet is very restrictive. You can eat all you want as long as it is lean proteins. You also need to have 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran in any form that you like, along with 1.5 liters of water every day. This phase does not include any veggies, fruits, or carbs what so ever. There is a list of 72 lean meats that you can have. Theses include fish, poultry, soy, eggs, and nonfat dairy products. This phase can last for up to ten days depending on how much weight you want to lose.

The Cruise Phase. This phase allows you to eat an unlimited amount of non-starchy vegetables, but only every other day along with your lean proteins and oat bran. This phase of the Dukan Diet can last for months, and should be followed until you reach your weight loss goal.

The Consolidation Phase. During this phase of the Dukan Diet you can add the non starchy vegetables on you off days as well. You are also allowed one piece of fruit as long as it does not have a lot of sugar and two slices of whole grain bread. You can also have one piece of cheese. The best thing about this phase is your cheat meals. Each week you can have one or two meals where you eat anything you want. This is the phase where you start changing your lifestyle to include just protein one day a week.

The Stabilization Phase. This is the maintenance part of the plan and is followed for life if you choose to maintain your weight loss. During this time of the Dukan Diet you can eat what ever you want as long as you follow phase 1 at least once a week. You also must commit to walking at least 20 minutes each day.