The Duncan Diet is one of the most popular ways to lose weight. It was developed by Pierre Duncan, a nutritionist from France. The essence of the diet is to use only permitted foods in any quantity.
The Fundamentals of the Duncan Diet
The basis of the diet according to Pierre Duncan's method is the restriction of certain nutrients. In particular, the consumption of carbohydrates and fats is reduced. At the same time, the diet is leaning towards protein-rich foods. Thus, there is no limit to the amount of food consumed. Is this not happiness? Have as much as you like and at the same time lose weight. It is true that lovers of chocolate, sugar cakes and sweets will have a harder time. After all, these products will have to be excluded from the diet.
It has long been known that protein is the main building block of muscles in the human body. Its importance should not be underestimated. Protein contains 80% non-essential amino acids and 20% amino acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own. Furthermore, this 20% is in different product categories. This is why it is important to eat a variety of protein foods. Then the body will receive a complete set of essential amino acids for the body.
An important difference from other diets is the presence of clear phases. Under no circumstances should they be violated and reversed. Weight is lost through four phases of the diet:
- Attack.
- Alternate.
- The stability.
- Mooring.
The first two steps are obviously focusing on weight loss. And the last two help to consolidate the results obtained for a long time. Together, this helps avoid the yo-yo effect.
The "yo-yo" effect is the ability after a diet to not only return to your original weight, but also gain a few extra pounds.
Pros and cons of the diet
It is necessary to talk about the definite advantages of the diet. If everything is done according to the rules, then the excess weight is not returned. The new body mass remains at the old level for a long time. The main rule is that after the end of the diet, you cannot immediately begin to eat all that is at hand. Follow your dietitian's recommendations.
The advantage of the diet is that there is no feeling of hunger. The diet consists of 100 different foods to eat. As a result, there's not as much feeling of restriction as with any single diet. A person who loses weight because of hunger does not experience dizziness and fainting.
But it's important to talk about the disadvantages of the Duncan diet. There aren't many of them, but they are:
It is important to consult your doctor before starting a diet. All diets have contraindications.
- Fairly high load on internal organs. This is especially true for the kidneys. Large formation of ketone bodies due to protein products must be eliminated from the body in a timely manner. In this case, the main burden goes to the kidneys. If they don't cope, plasma levels of ketone bodies can rise and doctors can diagnose ketosis.
- Losing weight can taste the acetone in the mouth. The state of health may deteriorate slightly.
- High protein diets can lead to constipation.
- In addition, drastic reductions in fat intake can negatively impact women's health.
Fat in the female body is responsible for the menstrual cycle. Their deficiency can lead to malfunctions of the reproductive system.
You should also talk to your doctor about vitamins. If you limit the consumption of certain foods, many useful substances that are needed by the body will no longer follow them.
The rules of nutrition at each stage of the Duncan diet
As mentioned earlier, the Dukan diet consists of four phases. At each phase of the diet, you can eat a specific list of foods. Under no circumstances should you add anything to the product list.
Oat bran is allowed throughout the diet. They are needed to reduce the risk of constipation.
The first phase of the diet - "Attack"
The first phase of the diet lasts from two to seven days, depending on the desired results. This phase is called an attack because right now there is a sharp drop in carbohydrates and fats in the diet. Special foods stimulate the body to break down fat. Metabolism is accelerated and weight loss is achieved. During this period, you can lose up to 4 kg of excess weight. It is important to consume only 72 foods with allowed protein.
Phase 2 of the diet - "Alternate"
This phase can last from a week. The maximum duration is not limited and depends on the desired results. On average, I lose about 1 kg per week. The "alternating" phase is also known as the "cruise". 28 vegetables added to 72 existing products.
Phase 3 of the diet - "Consolidation"
This stage is necessary to consolidate the results already obtained. If, after two periods, suddenly introduce a lot of high-calorie foods, the weight will return. According to the rules developed by Pierre Dukan, the repair will last 10 days for every kilogram that has been lost in the past weeks.
Phase 4 of the diet - "Stabilize"
Stabilization is nutrition. There is no time limit. The "Stabilization" phase should not become a stage, but a way of life.
The same kilos may look completely different. During and after the diet, you need to play sports and lead an active lifestyle.
Menu for every day of the diet
There's no restriction on food intake, but you still can't overeat. Moderation is important in everything.
There are many free resources with photo recipes for people following the Duncan diet. Thanks to the huge table with allowed products, you can create delicious and satisfying dishes.
Below is a sample diet for each day of the diet. Skipping meals is undesirable.
The average duration of the first phase of the diet is 7 days. You can create your own menu for the whole week or follow the list below. Each woman has to decide what is more convenient in her case.
Monday
- Breakfast - scrambled eggs and coffee.
- Lunch - chicken balls and kefir.
- Snack - cheese.
- Dinner - seafood and tea.
Tuesday
- Breakfast - curd casserole and tea.
- Lunch - meat soup with boiled eggs.
- Snack - yogurt.
- Dinner - barbecue and tea.
Wednesday
- Breakfast - bran bread with melted cheese and coffee
- Lunch - fish balls.
- Snack - cheese casserole.
- Dinner - barbecue and kefir.
Thursday
- Breakfast - scrambled eggs, coffee with lightly salted salmon.
- Lunch - fish soup with bran bread.
- Snack - cheese.
- Dinner - grilled chicken fillet and tea.
Friday
- Breakfast - bran bread with turkey ham and coffee.
- Lunch - boiled beef tongue.
- Snack - curd casserole.
- Dinner - boiled shrimp and tea.
Saturday
- Breakfast - pancakes and tea.
- Lunch - soup with meatballs.
- Snack - syrniki.
- Dinner - fish stew and tea.
Sunday
- Breakfast - boiled eggs and coffee.
- Lunch - soup with meatballs.
- Snack - yogurt.
- Dinner - turkey cutlet and kefir.
Don't forget about the importance of water in the diet. You must drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water per day without gas.
In the second phase, some foods containing carbohydrates can be introduced into the diet. The duration of the period is selected individually. Here are meal options for a week.
Monday
- Breakfast - scrambled eggs and coffee.
- Lunch - chicken balls and kefir.
- Snack - cheese.
- Dinner - seafood and tea.
Tuesday
- Breakfast - curd casserole and tea.
- Lunch - fish meatballs and cucumber, tomato and lettuce salad drizzled with lemon juice.
- Snack - yogurt.
- Dinner - barbecue and tea.
Wednesday
- Breakfast - bran bread with coffee and salted fish
- Lunch - vegetable soup with beef.
- Snack - pancakes and tea.
- Dinner - barbecue, salad and kefir.
Thursday
- Breakfast - omelette with ham and coffee
- Lunch - fish soup with bran bread.
- Snack - cheese.
- Dinner - meat rolls with cream cheese and tea.
Friday
- Breakfast - bran bread with turkey ham and coffee.
- Lunch - boiled beef tongue.
- Snack - curd casserole.
- Dinner - vegetable stew with turkey and tea.
Saturday
- Breakfast - pancakes and tea.
- Lunch - stewed beef liver.
- Snack - syrniki.
- Dinner - fish stew with vegetables and tea.
Sunday
- Breakfast - cheese with yogurt.
- Lunch - soup with meatballs.
- Snack - yogurt.
- Dinner - fish balls and tea.
The third phase of the Duncan diet is "consolidation". The basic diet is the same, but there are some good food additions. On Saturdays, add a glass of red wine to dinner. You can add some kind of dessert. The main rule is that you must not eat dessert and drink alcohol for a day or two in a row. Once a day, you can add berries, a banana or nuts to one of your meals. Once or twice a week at lunch or dinner, you can add a side dish (rice, pasta). But you need to cook all the dishes without oil.
This phase of the diet is not intended for weight loss. Now, the desired result has been obtained. It's still just to secure it. Once a week, a protein day should be taken from Attack week. Pierre Duncan recommends doing it on a Thursday.
The fourth stage does not imply any prohibition. It is important to approach nutrition sensibly and not overeat. It is recommended to fast once a week and only eat foods from the "attack" phase.