Dukan

Guinivere
Guinivere Posts: 357 Member
edited September 30 in Food and Nutrition
Has anyone else tried the Dukan Diet?

Just to be clear - I know everyone is different and has to find the thing that works for them. So I never tell people what to try.

I just wanted to share this with you I feel so lucky to have found this - it really works for me. I was 234lbs, lost 21lbs following MFP then hit a wall, put on 4 lbs and sought out an alternative regime. That's when I found Dukan and in less than a month I've lost 18lbs and always feel full and satiated. I have no doubts that I will reach my goal of 150lbs by the end of the year.

My skin is amazing thanks to all the water I now drink and my IBS has vanished. I feel energised, and awake, and can think more clearly. Also loving the long walks I can now go on without any chaffing thighs!

I tried MFP with will-power (and many other diets in my life) and have finally found something that works for me. I'm so relieved. I'd love to hear from anyone else that is on it or achieved their nirvana! :smile:

Replies

  • glypta
    glypta Posts: 440 Member
    It worked really well for me too, though I have to admit I've had a few terribly off days. I went back on yesterday, but the carb-craving hasn't gone yet, though I know it will. Nothing else has worked for me like this (or potentially low-carb generally) did.
  • xxquzme
    xxquzme Posts: 157 Member
    So what does te Dukan diet detail? I am looking for a diet that will allow me to follow structure.
  • akaChuck
    akaChuck Posts: 233 Member
    That's great! When I'm starting to gain weight back again I try to eat Dukan Diet-esque for the week and it really helps. I exercise a ton during the day (competitive athlete) so following the diet closely isn't beneficial for my performance.
  • glypta
    glypta Posts: 440 Member
    High protein, low fat, low carb but allows low fat dairy. You can google it and get all the info you need. Attack phase 2-10 days protein-only, then alternating protein and protein/veg days til goal weight. Dairy throughout.
  • CaseyDiane
    CaseyDiane Posts: 22
    Please share what the principle's of the Dukan Diet are...You have me interested but know nothing about it.

    Thanks!
  • noogie98
    noogie98 Posts: 452 Member
    High protein, low fat, low carb but allows low fat dairy. You can google it and get all the info you need. Attack phase 2-10 days protein-only, then alternating protein and protein/veg days til goal weight. Dairy throughout.

    Thanks for the info ~ I was curious about it myself. I will definitely check it out when I get back home from working out!
  • whitejessamine
    whitejessamine Posts: 166
    I started with the Dukan diet and lost 20 lbs--but after the first week, I was violating the diet more often that sticking with it. After 2-1/2 months, I decided to modify it a little. So I'm doing the first half of the consolidation phase, but also monitoring my calories. That little bit of fruit and bread, and the one free meal a week, allows me to stick to it without feeling too deprived, and I'm still losing weight--just not as quickly. Speed doesn't matter now. Health does. So I'm happy.
  • Gabby215
    Gabby215 Posts: 69
    I'm in week 2 and really liking it. I did Atkins when I was younger and HATED it. I am a breadaholic and my favorite food is pizza...so for a long time the thought of Dukan was just impossible. But I have a lot of friends, male and female, who have had success on it so I decided to give it a go. Some days are better than others, but I have not missed bread and pasta as much as I thought I would. I've been eating yogurt, eggs/egg whites, chicken, turkey burgers and on alternate days spinach, peppers and butternut squash, just to name a few. I have eaten out multiple times and been able to stay on track. Dukan works for some/is a do-able program for some and not for others. I would never tell someone it's the ONLY thing that works but I am surprisingly doing well (I didn't think I'd be able to stick with it at all!) so I am enthusiastic. The only thing is that I like to work out and for some workouts, especially my runs, my energy feels a little on the low side, so on these days I am concentrating on upping my calories and I know that some of this has to do with "carb flu." If it continues I may modify a bit to fit my lifestyle. I want to make it clear that this is not a no carb thing, just low carb, I still get between 50-100 grams of carbs a day but it's just that now it all comes from veg and low-fat dairy products and not from bread or other processed foods. I have lost pounds, inches and my stomach as not been this flat is a long time! Also once I read up a bit on Dukan I was actually surprised at how many different things you can eat! This site is great and has a lot of info - I've been using it exclusively since I did not want to pay for the official book!

    http://thedukandietsite.com/
  • AmyNVegas
    AmyNVegas Posts: 2,215 Member
    I am pretty much doing the second phase where you add veggies but I am not doing the oat bran I get my fiber through other supplements and I have not tried the all protein days. How hard is the protein only part of it and did you feel crappy? I have thought about it since I just read the book. I keep plateauing and thought the attack phase might help me when I get stuck.
    Thanks!
  • kellogsmscott
    kellogsmscott Posts: 67 Member
    If it works for you it's great, but I had a few problems on it. Plus I do a very intensive sport and ran on empty a fair few times.

    Best of luck on it
  • randa_behnam
    randa_behnam Posts: 488 Member
    Iv just bought this book, cant wait to read it. :o)
  • glypta
    glypta Posts: 440 Member
    I can't work out like I could pre-Dukan, but I always hated exercise anyway. I still do it, and do it as often as before and work as hard, I just can't go at the intensity I could - eg I'm a bit slower and gradients are lower but I'm equally knackered after it so I reckon I'm still working!

    Protein only days are dull, and I really realise it now that I'm in consolidation and maybe stabilisation where I get to have veg every day other than that one day (I have a new appreciation for veg - always ate it as it was good for me, but now savour it!). So eggs for breakfast, chicken for lunch, some kind of meat/seafood for dinner with Greek yoghurt & oatbran for 'pudding'. It's only one day so it's not too bad.
  • Guinivere
    Guinivere Posts: 357 Member
    I have to admit that for me it's been a revelation - I love that it is so clear and so strict. There is no grey area - no uncertainty. And to be fair, compared to most diets - the book only costs about £9 so its a tiny investment.
    There's no room for errors. If I follow it to the letter it works.
    The oat bran is an essential part of the diet and must be taken every day unless you are gluten intolerant.
    The oat bran swells to 25x its original size and fills you up for a few hours, plus it takes away all sorts of fats with it ....
    Some people say it's expensive but the money you spend on the meat/fish etc, you are not spending on the pasta, rice, bread, pizza, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, ready-meals. so I don't find it expensive at all.
    It's really important to follow the plan as instructed in the book from Attack, to Cruise, to Consolidation to Stabilisation.
    Dr Pierre Dukan has worked for 35years to refine this diet and is quite clear about following it to the letter if you want results.
    I can attest to this being true.
    If you have to "cheat" - plan to do so and then immediately go back to the plan, he's trying to stop people having a rotten relationship with food with punishment and guilt and rewards, and "being naughty" all removed from one's association with food.
    There's some revelations in his book (which you have to read to the end by the way) which are startling. Including info about how the body copes in certain situations given certain foods, like salt, water, fats, proteins, and also why your body is constantly trying to get you back to your largest ever weight. (Goes back to cave-man days - storing fat before the next famine).

    He talks about increasing metabolic rate - the importance of moderate regular exercise and how once over a certain body fat percentage you fat cells divide to make more room to store fat (and this cannot be reversed!) How scary is that!!

    There are forums specifically to help fellow Dukanites and Facebook pages for UK and USA (separate because we measure food differently and have different brand names for food)

    If you do have a go - commit to it. and if you are very sporty learn how to modify it to ensure you can still get the right kind of energy for your sport. I read there are a few people on here that have done that already.

    You can't do it half heartedly. The Dukan website works out your "plan" so you know how long you should be on each phase according to about 10 questions (its free to do this) and will tell you when you can expect to reach your true weight. That's when Consolidation begins and Stabilisation follows so you never ever go back. Its a programme for life.
  • kellogsmscott
    kellogsmscott Posts: 67 Member
    Like i said, a great diet, brilliant even, but not for everyone :)
  • Guinivere
    Guinivere Posts: 357 Member
    Totally agree not for everyone - you do have to be quite disciplined and not everyone can sustain their focus for the time needed for total success (in my case a whole year). I made a decision that this is the last diet I will ever try so it must and will work. I bet you could apply that to anything you want to do.

    But the breadcrumb style - something to look forward to in the next phase works well for me, and I'm lapping up all the compliments I am already getting! That really keeps me motivated. Looking forward to a new wardrobe in December when I reach my true weight. Gives me time to save up!!!

    Plus all of our physiologies are so different - it's definitely about finding what works for you and then committing to it.

    If I could make a wish I would ask that we all find that "something" that works for us quickly so we can all get on with living and enjoying our lives without the health worries or body-shape worries.

    Good luck everyone. I will post before and after pics in December. x
  • Guinivere
    Guinivere Posts: 357 Member
    Re: "I am pretty much doing the second phase where you add veggies but I am not doing the oat bran I get my fiber through other supplements and I have not tried the all protein days. How hard is the protein only part of it and did you feel crappy? I have thought about it since I just read the book. I keep plateauing and thought the attack phase might help me when I get stuck.
    Thanks!

    Amy "


    The attack phase would definitely help to get you going again as it feeds your muscles and makes your body use up its own fat reserves. I just lost 4lbs in two days after doing 2 attack days, now I'll do two protein plus veg days and go back for another protein only day alternately until I'm at my goal. The key is the oat bran and the water. because you will be consuming so much protein you must drink loads of water so that you flush out the uric acid. And the bran stops you getting constipated and takes away other fats.

    Hope that helps.
  • brit49
    brit49 Posts: 461 Member
    bump need to look into this, already on low carbs 50/100 a day just want to step it up a bit
  • AmyNVegas
    AmyNVegas Posts: 2,215 Member
    I can't do oat bran I am grain intolerant which is what led me to Primal Blueprint, but I keep plateauing. I use psyllium instead for fiber. I loved Dukan's section on the caveman and the body trying to get back to the high weight. I was 535 when I started and although I will never get near that weight again I am having a hard time fighting to stay under 300 since at 296 I have almost lost half my body weight it makes sense that my body is fighting losing more. I was surprised at the weight the website came up with though it was 229 for my goal. My doctor set it at 200-205 and I know I will need plastic surgery when I get to about 230 so that will get me to about 200-210. I would be extremely happy there since I have not been 200 pounds since about the 2nd grade. (I was a very tall and chunky child).

    My other concern is the low fat dairy. I can only do high fat because of the lactose content in low fat I cannot tolerate it. I guess I could stop coffee altogether but I really like it and just plain don't want to give it up. Do you think a serving of half and half each day in my coffee would make a huge difference in the effect of the diet?

    Thanks for all the suggestions and help.:flowerforyou:
  • glypta
    glypta Posts: 440 Member
    I think you just need to watch carbs more than fat, to be honest. I've gone out for dinner, stayed low carb but had things in oil, had cheese and avocado a couple of times and been fine. Maybe Atkins'd be better for you with their okay-ing fat?
  • AmyNVegas
    AmyNVegas Posts: 2,215 Member
    I am doing Primal Blueprint but I pretty much have to keep my carbs at about 30gm or less(Atkin's ketosis level) to lose I think the protein days would help kick in the fat burning and loss since I have been struggling to lose lately. I think I will try it every other day for a week and see what happens. Thanks glyta!:flowerforyou:
  • jamaicaqueen24
    jamaicaqueen24 Posts: 23 Member
    I started the diet July 25 and did 3 days of protein which was hard but doable. In his book he has some modification you can choose to make this "diet" manageable. I chose the 2/7, two days (mon &thur) all protein days and the rest of the week no real diet but no extreme eating. This is where MFP comes in. I modified my carbs/protien/fat to 30/35/35 and I increased my calories to 1330. In less than two weeks I have lost almost 10 pounds, 2" on my waist and 1" on my arms. That being said I have also increased my exercise and water intake.
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