The Ducan diet is very popular all over the world, mainly because of its fast and amazing results. It belongs to healthy eating systems. It allows you to lose weight and at the same time not to feel hungry, because it is allowed to use more than a hundred different, tasty and satisfying products.
Characteristics and rules of the Ducan diet
The main objective of the Ducan protein diet is to reduce the intake of fats and carbohydrates. They are necessarily included in the weight loss diet, but in minimal quantities. Proteins become the basis of the menu. They should be consumed in the amount recommended for weight loss (approximately 1. 5g per kilogram of weight). As a result, it is possible to get rid of extra pounds and stabilize the resulting figure on the scale.
<1_img_centerxx>The choice fell on protein as the basis of the diet for a reason.
There are several reasons for this:
- For the digestion of such substances, the body must expend the maximum amount of energy and, therefore, calories.
- Pure protein reduces hunger, prevents excess fluid from remaining in the body and increases its defenses.
- These substances prevent sagging of the skin. If the body lacks protein, it will be extracted from the muscles.
It is very important to try to eat less salt while following the diet discussed. This additive retains water in the body and increases hunger. But it is also harmful to exclude it completely. Especially for people with low blood pressure.
At all stages of the diet, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. That's at least 2 liters of various liquids per day. Water also eliminates the feeling of hunger, fills the stomach and cleanses the body of all kinds of impurities. This is especially true with a protein diet. When protein is consumed in large quantities, the body is constantly accumulating wastes which must be eliminated from it. Otherwise, there will be no long-awaited effect.
Interestingly, even carbonated drinks can be drunk with such a diet.
The main thing is to choose the "light" options that do not contain sugar. Their taste also helps weight loss to cope with a strong craving for forbidden sweets.
It is allowed to drink at any time and regardless of the meal. The feeling of thirst should be completely satisfied and not dulled.
Description of steps
There are four main stages in eating. The main goal of the first half of them is to get rid of extra pounds. And the second is to set the new ideal weight.
At each step, you don't have to limit yourself to certain portions. You also don't need to count calories.
Stage 1 - attack
On the Ducan diet, the attack is the initial step. It's short, but stimulating and effective. The usual carbohydrate food is completely replaced by protein. This leads to active fat burning.
On average, this stage is designed for 7 days. But under certain conditions, it can last from 3 to 12 days. It all depends on how many hated pounds a person wants to lose.
During the attack, it is allowed to eat protein foods from a special list. They can be eaten in any amount and combined with each other. The main thing is to cook food without fat. For example, boil or grill.
In the first phase, the weight begins to disappear very quickly. This encourages the weight loss not to stop, but to continue to adhere to a difficult nutritional system.
Stage 2 - cruise / alternation
The second phase turned out to be very long. This is the main reason why those who lose weight often have blackouts at this stage. The phase under discussion generally lasts from a few months to six months. A special nutritional system should be observed until the weight becomes ideal.
The main idea of the second phase is the alternation of menus. These are days of consuming fully protein foods or their combinations with vegetables. You can change the diet every other day, two, three.
Protein menus should consist of "starter" products, and raw, boiled and baked vegetables should be added. These should represent about 60% of the diet.
Step 3 - consolidation / consolidation
At this stage, the hard part is over. You can slowly and gradually start to resume your usual diet. It is important to consolidate the weight reached.
The duration of this phase will have to be determined by yourself. To do this, you need to calculate the weight that you managed to lose in the previous steps. For each kilo lost, it is necessary to add 10 days of "fixation".
This period can be quite long (especially if more than 10 kg have been lost), but you should not be afraid of it. Now you can indulge yourself even with delicious desserts and other culinary delights.
- Five days a week you need to eat according to the usual pattern of alternation.
- In the first half of the period, you can add 100 g of bread (whole grain), 200 g of fruit, 50 g of cheese to it daily.
- One day, consume exclusively proteins on the principle of "attack".
- On the seventh day, it is allowed to eat starchy foods (200 g), a portion of pork, ham, sausages, a favorite dish.
- In the second half of the day, "Feast" with fatty sweet foods and sausage can already be enjoyed twice a week. Days like these shouldn't follow.
The "Feast" day does not involve the use of "harmful things" throughout the day. It is allowed to be pampered only in 1 to 2 meals. It is also allowed to drink high quality weak wine.
Step 4 - stabilization
At this stage, the weight loss will return to its usual nutritional system with some peculiarities. First of all, you should continue to follow the drinking regimen, continuing to consume plenty of water per day. It is very important to include in your schedule daily physical activity, at least minimal - exercise in the morning, walking, refusing the elevator.
Be sure to periodically organize fasting days and eat 3 tablespoons per day. l. oat bran in any form.
To maintain your ideal weight for a long time, it is worth taking the third phase as a basis and making vegetables and protein products the basis of your nutritional system forever. In this case, you can pamper yourself with 2 festive breakfasts or lunches per week, as well as 2 servings of starch-based products in the composition.
It is advisable to leave one more protein day per week. It will become a defense mechanism against repeated weight gain.
Authorized and prohibited products
The prohibited and permitted foods depend on the phase of the diet.
So, at first it is allowed to eat protein products from a special list.
He:
- horsemeat;
- beef;
- bird;
- ham;
- waste;
- fish (even canned and smoked);
- crab sticks;
- eggs;
- low fat drinks and dairy products / fermented milk.
You can use 1-2 cooked pickled cucumbers without sugar (per day), 1 onion, a small amount of tomato paste, vegetable oil (no more than 1 teaspoon), mustard, garlicfresh / granulated, fresh / dried herbs.
Make sure to use 1 to 1. 5 tbsp. l. fiber. You can eat them in any form.
In the "alternation" phase, a variety of vegetables are added to all of the foods listed above. Only legumes and potatoes will need to be completely eliminated.
These days are allowed:
- olives / olives (4 pcs. 2 times a week);
- flax and chia seeds (1 teaspoon per day).
It is always necessary to consume oat bran.
As noted above, in the third step, cheese, bread, fruit and some favorite foods are added to the menu. The expansion of their list continues in the fourth step. The portion of bran is increased to 3 tbsp. l.
Among the cheeses it is worth choosing hard varieties. Fruits, bananas, cherries, grapes, dried fruits cannot be eaten.
At any stage of the diet under discussion, most sweets are strictly prohibited. For example, bars, cakes, pastries, sweets. When consolidating the result, you can pamper yourself with a cube of dark chocolate or 1 to 2 fruit candies once a day. The exception is holiday meals, where even your favorite cake is allowed.
The list of prohibited products at all stages includes muffins, baked goods, nuts, dough dishes, butter, goose and duck meat, mayonnaise and all sauces made from it. here, the ketchup.
Detailed menu for each day
During the "attack" period, the regime will be as follows:
- scrambled eggs for breakfast, chicken soup for lunch, cheesecakes / casseroles for afternoon tea, seafood in all its forms and sour milk drink for dinner.
- Bran porridge (oatmeal), beef chops, oatmeal muffins, meatballs / poultry cutlets.
- Soft-boiled eggs, nuggets, orange juice pie and pollock casserole with eggs.
- Omelet, fish soup with boiled quail eggs, egg whites and lemon dessert, squid and / or fish salad.
- Grilled poultry, bran pancakes, white fish pie.
- eggs (in any form) with ham, steaks from lean meat fillets, cookies (with bran) and yogurt, seafood omelet.
- Omelet with parsley, chicken meat, cheesecakes and yogurt, pie with minced meat and kefir.
During the alternation phase, the basis of the menu can be kept, but vegetable salads can be added to it every other day. For example, chops, nuggets or steaks. It is also allowed to cook meat, poultry or fish with vegetables.
The following weekly menu is recommended at the 'fixation' stage:
- Cottage cheese casserole for breakfast, lemon soup with bread (whole grain) for lunch, fruit for snack, cooked vegetables and chicken for dinner.
- Oatmeal and a slice of cheese, pasta with cooked meat, cottage cheese, chops with salad.
- Scrambled eggs with ham and cheese / scrambled eggs, borscht, cookie and chips, chocolate soufflé with lemon juice, baked seafood.
- Cottage cheese and fermented milk drink, grilled poultry, kefir with croutons of bread, shrimps and hard-boiled eggs.
- Cottage cheese, chicken broth with meatballs and bread, fruit, cream of mushroom.
- Rice with cutlets / meatballs, pancakes with vegetables, cheesecakes, salad with fish cutlets.
- Cottage cheese and a piece of cheese, chicken broth and quail eggs, fruits, vegetables cooked with cheese.
The menu of the third stage can be repeated on the fourth, without forgetting the days of "feast" and other permitted indulgences.
Exercising with the Ducan diet
Pierre Dukan notes that quality weight loss and an ideal figure are impossible without regular physical activity. The nutritionist advises to combine his special nutritional system with training.
You can start with the minimum - replace the elevator with stairs, get out of public transport a few stops before home, morning exercises with 3-5 exercises.
Active walking should gradually become daily weight loss training.
You should start with 20 minutes of walking, gradually increasing the time. It is advisable to walk in the open air on terrain in relief.
If you decide to include intensive physical training in your daily routine. For example, a visit to the gym, and then to the first stage of the diet is strictly prohibited. You can only resume training at the food alternation stage. It is better to actively engage in the days when vegetables are added to protein dishes.
Aquagym has a beneficial effect on the figure. If possible, it is worth visiting the pool 1-2 times a week. It is not at all necessary to practice in the water with a trainer. You can just swim for fun. At the same time, calories will be actively burned, and the reliefs of the figure will approach the ideal.
The pros and cons of this weight loss method
The diet under discussion has its advantages and disadvantages. They should be carefully considered by anyone who has decided to lose weight this way.
Benefits:
- Efficiency. If you strictly follow all its rules, about 1 kilogram of excess weight will disappear per day.
- The ability to increase muscle tone, make the skin elastic and fight cellulite.
- No need to constantly weigh portions and count calories.
- The ability to eat certain dishes / products in the quantity necessary for satiety.
Disadvantages:
- Imbalance. With long-term adherence to such a diet, a lack of certain vitamins and minerals is found in the patient's body.
- Possible side effects. At the first stage, some patients develop dizziness, a feeling of constant fatigue.
- Bad breath. This problem occurs when proteins are the basis of human nutrition for a long time.
- High cost. The diet consists of expensive and high-quality foods.
How to get out of the diet properly
To maintain the results, you must quit the diet properly. The output of it begins at the stage of consolidation. New previously banned foods are added to the weight loss diet gradually and in small portions.
<10_img_centerxx>When stopping the diet, it is important to continue to exercise and drink plenty of water. Gradually, it is possible to put desserts back in your diet. But let it be high-quality bitter chocolate, fruit and berry marshmallows, honey and other useful sweets.
Contraindications and possible damage
There is a whole list of contraindications which are an important reason for choosing a different diet for yourself.
Thus, it is prohibited:
- People with metabolic problems. Including patients with pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus.
- Patients with chronic diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, entire urinary system. It is on these organs and systems that high doses of protein in the body will exert a serious load.
- Pregnant women and women during breastfeeding. With such a diet, the most pregnant girl and her baby will lack vitamins and nutrients.
- People under 18. Especially for girls with an unstable menstrual cycle. Otherwise, weight loss can be faced with serious violations or the complete disappearance of menstruation.
- People with diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Losing weight lacks fatty acids in the diet, which can lead to exacerbation of ailments.
- For women during or the day before / after menopause. An unbalanced diet during this period can cause hormonal disturbances.
- People with mental problems and heightened emotionality. A lack of carbohydrates in the diet affects the functioning of the brain.
In order for the Ducan diet to be effective and safe for a person, it is worth consulting with a specialist before starting it. Especially if the man or woman has health problems.