Dukan Diet Guide: Everything You Want to Know

What is the Dukan Diet?

Dukan Diet is a nutrition program published by Dr. Dukan in 2000, divided into four stages. The doctor, who specializes in weight management, was inspired by an obese patient when creating this diet. He started several of his patients on this diet when the patient said he could stop eating anything but meat. Since most of the patients lost significant weight, the doctor published his book called Dukan Diet, which provides information about the diet he developed. This book, which was published in 32 countries and became a bestseller, became popular in a very short time because it enabled people to lose weight without starving^[1].

There are 4 different phases in the Dukan diet: attack, course, consolidation and stabilization. The diet aims to make you lose weight in the first two phases, and in the other two stages it helps to make the weight you lose permanent. The duration of the diet’s four phases mostly relies on how much weight you need to lose^[1]. Therefore, it is very important to determine the actual weight you should be when starting the diet and to know how long each stage will take. In addition, each phase of the diet has its own unique patterns. Each one contains foods you are allowed to eat and those you are not allowed to eat. It was determined by Dr. Dukan to be limited to 100 pieces. The 100 nutrients are divided into proteins and vegetables. You can know which foods to eat when because each food group has permissible consumption limits depending on your diet. At the same time, the diet process becomes even more efficient and rich as some alternatives are added to the foods you can consume towards the final stages. Consequently, all of your limits are predetermined by the Dukan diet, and you are expected to adhere to these limits religiously.

Essential Nutrients That Can Be Consumed During the Diet

There are 100 foods you can consume during the Dukan diet. It is totally forbidden for you to eat anything but these 100 foods. You can eat as much as you like as long as you consume 100 foods. 68 of these 100 foods are just proteins and 32 are vegetables. The most important rule is to pay strict attention to food consumption in the initial stages. You can act more flexible in next stages.

Some of the 68 pure proteins that are allowed on the Dukan diet and that you will consume during the attack phase are as follows^[2]:

• Beef Tenderloin
• Mandate
• Extra lean ham,
• Lean steak slices
• Veal chop
• Lean parts of chicken
• Sea bass
• Herring
• Sardine
• Trout
• Tuna
• Crab
• Mussel
• Oyster
• Clam
• Shrimp
• Calamary
• Vegetarian protein sources such as tofu
• Fat-free cheese and milk varieties
• Eggs
• Sugar-free gelatin

Some of the 32 vegetables allowed on the Dukan diet and generally allowed during the cruise phase are as follows^[2]:

• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrot
• Cauliflower
• Onion
• Leek
• Pumpkin
• Pepper
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Celery
• Cucumber

In addition to these, you can consume olive oil, wheat gluten and a few other foods, limited to 4 tablespoons at all stages, starting from the cruise phase^[2].

Application Process and Stages of the Diet

You must first perform calculations for the Dukan diet using basic information like your age, gender, and past weight reduction. This calculation will bring you to your real weight. Your target weight is the weight you must maintain on the program^[1]. The primary determinant of how long you will continue with the first three phases is your actual weight. Once you know the actual weight you need to reach at the beginning of the diet, you can plan all the remaining phases of your diet.

The Dukan diet is divided into four phases, and each phase has its own characteristics. There is also a list of foods that you can and cannot eat during these phases. When you pay attention to these details, you can first lose weight and then make the weight you lose permanent.

Attack (Attack Phase)

The attack phase, or simply attack, is the initial stage of the diet. The duration of the phase is determined by the weight you wish to lose. You will stay in the attack phase for 1-7 days depending on the weight you lose. Basically, you can consume unlimited lean protein throughout the day at this stage. In addition, include 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran in your diet. It is also very important to drink six to eight glasses of water during the attack phase, also called pure protein days. During this procedure, you can eat lean beef, white meat, shellfish, and eggs as sources of lean protein. In brief, you can consume all the lean protein sources included in the 68 foods that your body can handle during the attack phase.

The general theory about the attack phase is that you lose weight rapidly during this period. This is because you should fully avoid carbohydrates and keep them out of your body. With water loss and dehydration, it becomes possible to lose serious weight in 1-7 days. While the process lasts between 2-5 days for people who have a maximum of 40 kilos to lose, the attack phase can last up to 7 days for those who want to lose more than 40 kilos^[3].

Cruise Phase

The cruise phase adds 32 vegetables to your diet along with 68 sources of lean protein. You can begin the cruise phase of the diet on any day between the 2nd and 8th day, and it can run for up to 12 months. During this process, you need to consume lean protein one day. Lean protein and foods containing 32 nutrients can be consumed the next day. Additionally, consuming 2 tablespoons of oat bran every day is mandatory during the cruise phase. Additionally, you can consume olive oil, limited to 1 teaspoon, to add to salads or grease pans.

During the cruise phase, the consumption of any vegetables or fruits other than 32 vegetables is not allowed. At this point, the most crucial thing to remember is to focus on lean protein days and days when you can have vegetables along with protein. Although the phase lasts from 2 days to 12 months, you can mathematically calculate how long it will take in advance. For every kilo you want to lose, your cruise phase is extended by 3 days. You can make your planning with a few simple calculations^[3].

Consolidation Phase

The consolidation phase is the third phase, which continues for an additional 5 days for every 450 grams you lost in the first and second phases. The consolidation phase, which starts when you reach your real weight, is much more flexible than the first two phases. You can begin eating fats and carbohydrates in addition to lean proteins and vegetables, as long as you remember to take your daily need of 2.5 tablespoons of oat bran.

During the consolidation phase, you can pair the following foods with the foods in the attack and cruise phases^[1]:

• 1 serving of fruit per day
• Whole grain bread (Maximum 2 slices)
• Cheese (1 serving)
• Starchy foods (225 grams)
• Fried meat 1-2 times a week
• Celebration meals consisting of appetizer, main course, dessert and beverage
• Pure protein day once a week, same as in the attack phase

You can progressively complete the first 2 stages of weight loss and move into the weight maintenance phase during the consolidation phase. When you pay attention to the consumption of foods on the Dukan diet list, you can maintain the weight you lost in the first 2 stages and make your weight loss permanent.

Stabilization Phase

The stabilization phase is the final phase of the Dukan diet, which continues for an indefinite period of time. There are no foods prohibited at this phase. Strict rules are eliminated during the stabilization phase, however there are a few minor nuances to be aware of. For example, you need to keep one day every week as a pure protein day, just like in the consolidation phase. It is also important to consume 3 tablespoons of oat bran every day and continue to drink enough water every day.

During the stabilization phase, the Dukan diet now becomes a part of your life. During the balancing phase, artificial sweeteners, vinegars, sugar-free gums, and spices can be consumed. You should not expect to gain or lose weight while making this process a part of your life with less restrictions. Therefore, as long as you continue the stabilization phase, you can maintain the weight you lost in the first 3 stages.

The Role of Exercise in the Dukan Diet

The Dukan diet lists the things you can eat and determines which and how much you should, taking into account your daily activities. How much you move and which movements you do is determined for all four phases of the diet. Thus, one of the tips for sticking to the Dukan diet is to be mindful of your activities and motions in addition to what you eat. The exercises you should do at each phase during the Dukan diet are:

• Attack Phase: You need to exercise for 20 minutes every day in this phase. You can think of exercise as walking, running or various workouts^[3].
• Cruise Phase: There is a large increase in your exercise time during the cruise phase. It is important to spend 30-60 minutes of your day exercising. You can keep your exercise time short at first, and as you get used to it and gain strength, you can extend it to 60 minutes^[3].
• Consolidation Phase: Your exercise time will also decrease as you will start to maintain the weight you lost in the first 2 stages in the consolidation phase. You can maintain your weight by exercising for 25 minutes a day^[3].
• Stabilization Phase: One of the most important details is that you should not neglect sports during the stabilization phase, which is a relatively more flexible and irregular phase compared to other phases. Thus, if you walk or run for at least 20 minutes a day, you can maintain and balance your weight. At the same time, there is a detail stating among the rules stated for the last phase of the diet that you should avoid elevators or escalators if you have the opportunity to climb stairs^[1].

As a result, the Dukan diet and exercise complement each other. It is recommended that you spend at least 20 minutes of your day exercising as long as you make the Dukan diet a part of your life. Thus, you can lose weight faster in the attack and course, which are the weight loss stages; you can maintain your weight more efficiently in strengthening and balancing, which are the stages of weight maintenance.