According to Pierre Ducant himself, the effectiveness of his method is due to the careful selection of the nutrients contained in food, with an emphasis on proteins. The fact is that proteins have a moderate caloric content (4 kcal per 1 g), but the body expends a lot of energy in its digestion. Also, they are absorbed much more slowly than fats and carbohydrates. That is why after eating meat, fish or cottage cheese, we feel full for a long time. Unlike most weight loss methods, the Ducan diet is designed not only to lose weight, but also to consolidate and stabilize results.
Stages of the Ducan diet
The Dukan diet consists of four successive phases that, according to the author, ensure its reliability and effectiveness. The first two stages are designed to lose excess weight and the last two, to consolidate and stabilize the results obtained.
Stage 1. Attack
Duration: from 2 to 7 days, depending on how many kilograms you need to lose.
Estimated weight loss: 2-6 kilograms.
The essence of the first stage is rapid weight loss in a short period due to the use of only pure protein products.
Ducan's diet menu for this phase
You can choose from 72 protein foods.
These are all lean meats (veal, veal, horse meat, except entrecote and beef tenderloin), offal, lean ham, all fish without exception, all shellfish, poultry (except duck and goose), eggs, bassin fat dairy products.
Pierre Ducan also recommends consuming 1. 5 tablespoons. tablespoons of oat bran daily. Oat bran helps not feel hungry, helps eliminate fluids, as well as excess high-calorie foods from the body.
The products allowed on the Ducan menu can be consumed in any quantity, at any time. Combine them or consume them separately. You only need to cook without adding fat.
Stage 2: alternation
Duration: 2 to 6 months.
Estimated weight loss: 1 kg per week.
The weight loss process at this stage continues optimally.
The essence of the second stage of the Ducan diet is the alternation of protein and protein-vegetable days. Day - pure proteins, day - proteins and vegetables. A 5/5 scheme is also acceptable, that is, five protein days and five protein-vegetable days.
Ducan's diet menu for this phase
Raw and boiled vegetables are added to the above diet: tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, spinach, asparagus, leeks, asparagus, cabbage, mushrooms, celery, dill, all kinds of lettuces, endives, aubergines, zucchini, peppers, carrots and beets. (the latter should not be consumed at all meals).
You can eat them in unlimited quantities, at any time. Avoid starchy vegetables: potatoes, peas, beans, lentils, beans, as well as avocados and artichokes. It is recommended to increase the amount of oat bran to 2 tablespoons. spoons per day.
Stage 3. Anchorage.
Duration: it depends on the amount of kilos lost. It will take 10 days to repair 1 kilogram dropped. For example, if you have lost 10 kg of weight, it will take 100 days to consolidate what you have achieved.
This is a transition phase from the Ducan diet to the regular diet. This phase is necessary to consolidate the result achieved.
At this stage, the diet is expanded by adding new carbohydrate foods. A good innovation - two festive meals, during which you can eat everything that has been deprived for a long time. True, there is a condition here, such lunches or dinners should not be followed one after another. The optimal time interval between them is four to five days. Another feature of the third stage of the Ducan diet is the introduction of one day of pure protein per week. This measure is preventive. It will help combat light weight gain during the transition phase.
Ducan's diet menu for this phase
During the week two slices of bread, a portion of fruits or berries (except bananas, grapes, cherries, as well as dried fruits and walnuts), forty grams of cheese (except Camembert, Roquefort and goat cheese), twoservings of starchy foods without oil (durum wheat pasta, couscous, bulgur, polenta, buckwheat, lentils, rice, potatoes and rice).
Stage 4. Stabilization
Duration: In fact, this stage will continue throughout your life if you want to always be in perfect shape for you.
In essence, it is about returning to a normal diet and maintaining the weight achieved.
Ducan's diet menu for this phase
When choosing food, it is no longer necessary to follow strict rules and restrictions, but you should take the diet of the third transition period of the diet, the stage of weight consolidation, as a basis. This is the foundation of a healthy diet. Pierre Ducan also recommends maintaining one day of pure protein a week to avoid excessive weight gain and not to forget about the daily intake of oat bran, the amount of which should be increased to 3 tablespoons. l. in a day.
Important note! When consuming a large amount of protein foods during the Ducan diet, you should drink at least 1. 5 liters (and preferably 2 liters) of water daily. Unlike most others, protein foods do not dissolve completely, so the body accumulates some wastes, such as uric acid, that must be eliminated. Our kidneys have mechanisms to eliminate these wastes, but this requires increasing the amount of fluid we consume.
And finally, physical exercise is "prescribed" to all those who are losing weight with the Ducan diet, as a prescription drug, as well as the mandatory walk of twenty minutes a day and the refusal to use the elevator.