Dukan Diet and Paleo Diet

I tried the Dukan Diet for a week. Epic failure. I need some carbs to maintain civil relationships. I lost, but the minute I started eating like a regular person, it came right back.

It's really pretty simple to do once you get past the craving for sugars and starches. Takes about a month before you stop missing grains and starches. I'm doing sort-of Paleo - I don't agree with the elimination of dairy, so that makes me more Primal Blueprint than Paleo.

If you just cut the starchy vegetables back to an occasional use, then you should do fine. All I know is that by eliminating grains and starches from my diet, I have almost completely rid myself of Type 2 adult-onset diabetes.

I don’t know about the Dukan diet but the Paleo diet is something I’m familiar with. I don’t know what “LOTS” of protein means to you, but on the paleo you are encouraged to eat more protein than what most diets recommend. But nothing way out there, 1g of protein give or take per pound of lean body mass. The processed carbs is right, you should cut out as much processed carbs as you can, no matter the diet you are on really. I would encourage you to pick up a copy of Primal Blue print and read it, instead of rely on what others have “told” you. There is a lot of misinformation out there from people that have never been on it or for some reason think you will be killing yourself if you eat the way your body was designed to function, lean meats, vegetables, berries, fruits, and nuts, and not on “foods” that have been invented by man to be cheap and store forever.

I'm eating based on the hunter-gatherer/paleo guidelines (my diary is open if you want to look at it). What I like best about it is the sustainability of eating this way ... no going back to eating 'normally'. Not sure what 'normally' means exactly ... likely varies from person to person.

Anyway, I've never felt better, have plenty of energy, don't have the late afternoon gnaw-my-arm-off-I'm-so-hungry cravings like I used to.

I don't know anything about the Dukan diet other than what I've read in the media.

Well Kat Middleton's mother and JLO do the diet

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so of course it's FAB!

_____ LOL joking seriously the Dukan diet ... I tried of course before and several -- no most of my friends are doing it ... it's basically a high-protein, low-carb, and low-fat, with 4 “phases”:

Phase 1The first phase is protein only for up to 10 days to get into ketosis, then you alternate pure protein one day, protein and vegetables the next day until you lose the weight you want to lose, then you gradually reintroduce other food.

Phase 2 Alternate days of protein only and protein plus vegetables (almost paleo/primal).

Phase 3 Gradually re-introduce “forbidden” foods – apparently this generally includes one fruit and two slices of whole grain bread per day, one serving of carbs per week (e.g. pasta), and two cheat meals (they call it “celebration meals”) per week.

Phase 4Anything goes as long as you do the following: eat 3 Tbsp of oat bran per day, have one all-protein day per week, walk 20 minutes a day and avoid all elevators/escalators. (At least he recognizes the importance of walking..)

While this diet may be a jumpstart towards the right direction ... and he does make walking important ...
What I don't agree with ...

- this diet tells your to avoid all fat, even fat naturally occuring in nature
- it belittles vegetables in the first stages, yet tells you to eat oat bran ... this is beyond me. Isn't it better to get that fiber from vegetables?
- You can only have meat, fat-free dairy, and sugar-free gelatin and oat bran in the first stage, which causes stomach problems and constipaton ... the oat bran is suppose to help, but believe it doesn't. It only expands the stomach makes you feel full for a little while, you get bloated ... then hungry again ...Fat actually helps ...
- cycle eating ... what the fk for do you need to have veg then protein days ... Primal lifestyle has been much more easier for me to maintain ... why does eating have to be complicated? eat good clean natural REAL food as God made it ... avoid the crap, move around, play have fun then rest ... no need for gimicky diets or phases or pills or whatever else crap they tell us to eat
- the main purpose of Dukan is to lose weight ... Primal or Paleo is a lifestyle change ... plus after completing the phases you go back to eating the same crap ... so what's the point then here? Lose a few, eat crap again then gain it back? Dukan is clearly a DIE-T! Not a long term solution!
- And the cookie cutter 1200 cal like the 17 day diet ... well that isn't for everyone ... that's starvation mode for real! I know I did it for a month and I was always hungry
- It doesn't address inflammation, Omega-6, SFA vs PUFA, Grains, Lectins, Phytates or fructose like Paleo or Primal does ...
- With Dukan you are allowed and encouraged to eat modern covienence crap ... and slide by metabolism hacks to lose weight while Paleo you eat natural for optimal health ...
- The- It also doesn't address the fact that us French were conspicuously missing from Ancel Keys' study which is why they are a paradox
- dukan encourages low fat ... so we all should know low fat foods have unnatural crap put in them to replace the fat, which is worse for our health then the fat
- the amound of protein on the diet you need to eat is unrealistic. No one can eat that much ... low carb and fat and high protein isn't realistic unless you hunt rabbit or eat only bison or fish and are really a carnivore ... and I think most ppl are not. Low carb, mod protein and higher or moderate fat is more sustainable

Do yourself a favor, weight loss is based on calories vs. calories out.
Good luck.

But health and body composition are not.

YES!!! Excellent points.

We sure have gone off the rails when eating whole, unprocessed food is considered a "fad" diet.

I don't know from Dukan but Paleo/Primal eating plans are not a "fad". They're both very healthy ways of eating.
Carbs included. Just not grains and legumes and with Paleo, no dairy.

As for eating LOTS of protein ... I don't see people eating any LESS protein that also eat grains. Not sure what this is all about.

I'm having the same experience and after falling off paleo for a couple of weeks recently and experiencing all the negatives I'm certain that for me, this is the best way to eat. Just wondering what dairy you do. I've still been eating about a cup of plain greek yogurt a day and that doesn't seem to cause any kind of insulin response at all. I'd also like to have a little cheese along the way too. Are you still eating cheese and if so, what kinds? Thanks!

I was going to try the Dukan diet...but it is impossible for me to eat that little amount of carbs!! Instead I did the Rosemary Conley lose a stone in a month diet and it was pretty effective!!

We sure have gone off the rails when eating whole, unprocessed food is considered a "fad" diet.

I don't know from Dukan but Paleo/Primal eating plans are not a "fad". They're both very healthy ways of eating.
Carbs included. Just not grains and legumes and with Paleo, no dairy.

As for eating LOTS of protein ... I don't see people eating any LESS protein that also eat grains. Not sure what this is all about.

How is >Dukan healthy, if you go back to eating the crap they intitally say in pahse 1 to avoid?

Do yourself a favor, weight loss is based on calories vs. calories out.
Good luck.

But health and body composition are not.

YES!!! Excellent points.

I second that.

For example...you burn 600cal doing an hour and a half on the treadmill...I burn 240cal doing 30 minutes of intervals. Who will be the one spiking their metabolism and convincing their body to release hormones that help it shed fat for hours or more after?

I eat steak, chicken, and fish...you eat McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Jack in the Box...we're both well within our calorie 'limits'. Who is going to lose weight, and remain lean and healthy?

Nothing is ever that simple, and properly fueling your body isn't something to try to simplify to that level.