Has anyone done the Dukan Diet?

My cousin and her husband have tried it and they LOVE it. She lost like 14 pounds within the first 3 weeks.

BUMP

I pulled this off webmd.com

You'll certainly lose weight on The Dukan Diet because it cuts calories drastically. The lack of carbs also helps keep hunger at bay. But the bottom line, experts say, is that this eating plan does not include all the nutrients you need for good health.

"A once-daily multivitamin will not compensate for the nutritional goodness from fruits, whole grains and healthy fats that are inadequate in The Dukan Diet," says Keri Gans, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

She points out the health hazards of restrictive dieting. “When dieters start losing weight rapidly, I worry they will continue the restrictive phases longer than advised -- which puts them at risk for nutrient deficiencies and kidney problems," says Gans.

Losing more than 1-2 pounds per week can promote gallstones and muscle loss, she says: "It is unhealthy to lose weight so quickly because you not only lose fat and fluids but precious muscle mass, which is really hard to replace, especially as you get older."

Constipation, bad breath, dry mouth, and fatigue should be a red flag that this is not a healthy diet, she says.

"Your body’s preferred fuel to energize and keep you going is smart carbs, and when you eat a healthy diet you should feel great -- not have negative side effects," Gans says.

The Dukan Diet: Food for Thought
There is no question this very restrictive diet will lead to weight loss, if you can actually follow it. But the elimination of healthy food groups, and the unpleasant side effects, makes The Dukan Diet an unlikely choice for the long haul.

Protein is an essential part of a healthy diet, but it cannot stand alone. A truly healthy diet includes all the food groups -- vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy and healthy fats along with lean protein. Your body needs the nutrients these foods provide.

Skip this fad diet. Instead, choose a calorie-controlled eating plan that you can stick with for the long term.

When I first read this topic line, I immediately thought of a recent comment I heard. Just for fun LOL


"I'm proposing that in the future a "dunkin" -- that is, the distance between Dunkin Donuts franchises -- will be a unit of measure (approx. 4/10 mi.). For example, "I live two dunkins from work." or "I had to walk a dunkin in the rain."

Hi, I have been on this diet for 5 days. I have lost almost 4 pounds. I am not really hungry. However, on the fourth day out, I was really exhausted and dragging, finding it difficult to exercise. Today, I am feeling better and more energized. I like not counting calories or points. I hope to try and stick to the attack phase one more week. I have about 10 (maybe 15) pounds to lose. I'm testing this diet out with a friend, finding it easier to do that way...good luck everyone!

I am on Day 2 of Dukan. I think the main misconception is the people commenting on this diet (Dr's and Nutritionists) have not READ THE BOOK. I have a background in Nutrition and the Attack phase (when followed properly) does not last long enough to cause issues that many doctors are listing. Now of course you are going to have people who go to extremes, but that is the case with ANY diet or lifestyle. I did a lot of research before starting this plan including reading the book, and reviewing a lot of what Dr. Dukan discusses in my own outside research. This plan struck me as the best option for me.

So far I am liking it, and my husband is doing it with me as well. Once we are done with the attack phase we will each do a different cycle of foods during Cruise as there are different alternating cycles you can follow. I wish anyone luck in their endeavors with Dukan or any other lifestyle change just so long as you do what is RIGHT for you, and do your research beforehand! There will always be those that sing praises and skeptics on any lifestyle change, just do what is right for you and listen to your body :-)

I read this book while on vacation. I was doing the 4 hour body "diet" which is pretty restrictive, but allowed for a cheat day which kept me sane. I am leaning toward the Dukan diet because it is progressive. The most restrictive phase doesn't last more than 5 days and the cruise is built on that. Plus I would really like to eat "normally" with a newfound idea of what my body really needs and what I don't need. I plan on re reading the book and starting this week.

p.s. where can I find oat bran?

I don't know a lot about this diet but would be concerned about losing so much weight so quickly - surely if you were quite heavy to start with, you would end up with skin elasticity problems as your skin wouldn't reduce as fast as the weight is going?

I'm doing the Dukan diet. I'll be honest, I'm not as strict as I should be (still accepting the odd dinner invite etc), but since I started about 2 months ago I've lost 8 kilos, my husband has dropped 9. I still have about 20 kilos to go to my 'true weight' and it seems to be going at a good pace. Although I don't weigh myself every day and I've just been on a trip to Spain where there is all manner of non dukan friendly foods, so I'm avoiding the scales...

I really recommend the diet and I found a great series of blogs that I find really helpful:
http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2010/04/21/how-the-dukan-diet-works-the-french-diet-that-is-supposed-to-end-the-obesity-epidemic/