Dukan Diet

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thoughts on a Pseudo-Dukan Diet???

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elfo
elfo Posts: 353 Member
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What do you guys think would happen in a little tweaking of Dukan. My problem is the PP days. Now that I've started working FT again (not to mention doing my Masters)- it's getting harder to do PP days all day long what would happen if I did it by meals say on my PP days have a PV lunch but then on my PV days substitute one meal Pure protein-- not sure if this works. Breakfast is easy for me as I have egg whites and ham. Snacks I can always do dairy on PP days, BUT lunch is HARD to just keep PP-- like I can just have a salad when timing or options are an issue-- but it's hard to find just PROTEIN. Also, I can't imagine that eating healthy veggies is a BAD thing-- why can't the cruise phase just be PV all the way- with out the cheese, carbs, sugar etc??????
These are things that are GOOD for you and should not be limited from a diet. Any input would be GREAT!!

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  • Capone1971
    Capone1971 Posts: 14 Member
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    I've been thinking the same thing - as I struggle with my PP days through lack of inspiration.

    I prefer the variety of the PV day. I think the only way to tell whether it would work would be to trial it. I imagine that the weight loss would be slower.

    In the meantime, I have been adapting the chocolate muffin recipe from your blog to make them savoury (use 1 tsp sweetener and 1/2 tsp salt) - then I can pretend its bread - slice it up and make it into a sandwich.
  • applekoko19
    applekoko19 Posts: 85 Member
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    Ohhh I don't know to be honest... I think the pp/PV rotation is a key part of the diet. I totally agree with you that it seems bonkers that salad and veg are not allowed but I think it is to keep your carbs way down...I think it might be how the diet stays ketogenic. If it wound not have any negative impact then phase two wouldn't have the pp PV breakdown... There must be a good reason. That said I am totally breaking dukan's rules with my Chocolate and that isn't slowing me down too much. Maybe all you can do is try it and see if it works for you. :)
  • elfo
    elfo Posts: 353 Member
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    The thing I don't get is that even on the PV days-- the calories are pretty low, so just by that fact-- won't that keep you loosing weight?
  • applekoko19
    applekoko19 Posts: 85 Member
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    You are right, they are SOOO low. To be honest I just don't know. I am sick of the restrictive-ness of the diet now... this is my fourth month and chicken, turkey, ham, eggs and yoghurt though tasty are becoming less appealing. Today at work all I wanted was a muffin... i had it! Now I was under on my cals,my sodium, my fat on MFP.
    Maybe if we stick to dukan rules pp and pv days but allow regular cheats we can still lose but stay happy. After losing 50lbs the impetus has gone for me to deprive myself. I still want to lose 20lbs but now I know I can and I am not in a rush because I like my reflection in the mirror now. I am not eating the cheat foods to feel better about hating my body anymore...
  • elfo
    elfo Posts: 353 Member
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    What about adding a 2.5 phase before Consolidation---
    I'm thinking to do 1 PP day and the rest just to do PV without the allowed:
    1 portion of fruit a day
    2 pieces of wholegrain bread a day
    40grams of cheese a day
    2 portions of starchy products a week
    Celebration meal (?)


    Do you guys think this would still keep me loosing weight. I don't really have cravings, but the biggest problem I have is that my skin is getting REALLY dry, and I feel dehydrated- I try to drink lots of water but it's like my body NEEDS the veggies. I'd rather do it healthy and take a bit longer than do it quick and unhealthy. Also- PV days are super easy for me but PP days are getting hard to balance with work, and I don't like having this bad feeling that I cheated because I had something like spinach - insane!
    I am going to try this out for a week. My biggest fear is the yo-yo effect, so if the weight comes back- I will for sure go back to attack! I guess the only way is to try.

    Any thoughts???
  • Louisa1979
    Louisa1979 Posts: 46 Member
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    I know exactly what you mean! I have actually gone to 1 day a week PP and all the rest are PV. I have still lost weight on this and feel better for it. I have also substituted the oat bran cereal for high fibre cereal on 2 mornings and again, I haven't seen any weight gain. However, I also calorie count through MFP so I never go over 1200 calories a day even with the cheats!
  • elfo
    elfo Posts: 353 Member
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    Thanks Louisa!!
    I also track cals on MFP -- Logically it makes sense to do 6 PV days and 1 PP day- and still loose.
    Can I ask how much you usually loose per month?
  • Louisa1979
    Louisa1979 Posts: 46 Member
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    I've lost about 3-4 lbs a month which is about 0.5kg a week on average. I've actually reached my goal weight, now anything I lose is a bonus :)
    Also, I try and not use my exercise calories if I don't have to (about 800 calories a week). This makes up for the odd glass of wine or piece of chocolate I have at the weekend when I need it!
  • elfo
    elfo Posts: 353 Member
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    Yeah- I'm usually under with just my food calories as well. I think 3-4 pounds is about half of what I was loosing on strict Dukan, but I think that the benefits far outweigh the speed. I had a veggie loaded day and felt so good. I was way under my daily cals as well, so I think this will work well for me-- thanks!!!
  • applekoko19
    applekoko19 Posts: 85 Member
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    Can i ask what ye aim for with the calories?? Do you try to hit 1,200 every day? I never intend on eating back exercise cals, if I do it isn't because I planned to!Usually i hope to eat just under 1,000 do give me the spare 200 for things that might not have made it into my journal like a splash of low fat milk in my tea (happens more than once)??
  • paulwgun
    paulwgun Posts: 439 Member
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    I lost 16lb in the attack phase, but as I joined a gym and work out did my own adaptation of the dukan diet
    I now keep my carbs lower but not as low as dukan due to the fact i found i had no energy to run

    My weight loss has slowed down, but I'm enjoying my food avoiding rice, potatoes, pasta, bread but do occasionally have pasta (wholemeal) and brown bread

    I do also indulge in some beer, especially as Wales are playing in the 6 Nations rugby but try and put a bigger workout in before and the following day

    Basically I'm eating healthier and exercising two things that were alien to me this time last year :bigsmile:
  • elfo
    elfo Posts: 353 Member
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    applekoko-- Although I track daily, I don't usually worry about calories because I find that with Dukan -- they are always VERY low. I think the highest they've ever been since Dukan is a little over 1000, but I average about 600-700 per day. I eat a lot of fish for my meals and egg whites everyday for breakfast-- that I think keeps me full and the calories way down. I also don't really indulge in the dairy.
    On another note-- it's been about 3 or 4 days of just the PV and the scale just budged-- I'm down 0.8lbs since being stuck for about a week. Not to mention I really like my veggies and I feel a bit more hydrated. It was so bad that my eyes were stuck together when I would try to open them in the morning.

    Paul-- I think you're right - the diet teaches us good habits, healthy eating and exercise- after that we should adapt it to our lifestyles if it still works out.

    I will keep you all posted.
  • elfo
    elfo Posts: 353 Member
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    Ok, so I lost again today, and the all PV days thing is working out really great for me. Also I briefly mentioned this on my Dukan Blog and had some comments from others that they had done the same and still managed to loose the weight, so I'm really happy with my choice - I feel a lot healthier too!!!

    By the way today I am at 25 lbs LOST --wooohoo

    me-on-dukan.blogspot.com
  • sarvalfon
    sarvalfon Posts: 58 Member
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    I'm actually thinking of mostly keeping the rotation, but having PV dinners every night, so that I don't alienate my family. This business of making two dinners every night was ok while I was on Spring break (I work in a school), but back to full time work is just not feasible.
    Ultimately, you need to do what's right for you. Reading the book gave me the impression that the reason there are 4 phases (and why consolidation is SO important), is because you lose weight so quickly on Dukan, that your body will want it all back, fast. Slow and steady progress is best...but I'm so driven to get into that swimsuit!!!
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,039 Member
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    I am doing the on line coaching with Dukan and am on the Consolidation phase. When I was on the cruise phase, I added more PV days after talking with my coach. I did have 3 PP days every week. The coaches assured me I would continue to lose weight, but at slower pace..and I did.

    I have lost 4 more pounds on consolidation, but the coaches tell me that it is normal to continue to lose if you have adapted the healthy eating habits. I am trying to lose about 6 more pounds - but don't care if it takes me 8 weeks or 8 months.

    I think the PV days were the best days on the cruise phase.

    Oh -I continue to have a packet of Emergen-C every day.
  • marshallexi
    marshallexi Posts: 162 Member
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    I'm the exact opposite, I struggle so hard with PV days, I'd stay on PP forever if I could.

    I've taken to do 4PV/ 3PP days a week. On the PV days I only eat veggies with my dinner, as I just can't stand the hunger if I have them during the day. Dealing with the hunger the following day from the dinner the previous night is hard enough.

    I think it's all down to what you want to get out of the diet. I was looking to get myself off carby sugars and get away from my sugar addition / binge tendancy for life. In that respect I don't care if it takes me 8 months to lose 10lbs as long as I'm eating right and not begging for sugar on a daily basis.
  • photorific
    photorific Posts: 577 Member
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    I'm going to hope a reasonably modified version works... I don't do well with the different-meals-for-each-member-of-the-family thing, so our PP/PV rhythm will be largely dictated by my husband's work schedule. We'll be doing PV on days when he's got customer meetings, and PP on days that he doesn't - keeping an eye on overall ratios, trying to keep it at a 3/4 split overall for the week. We've also decided that a single, modest, cheat meal is allowable - but no more than once per week.

    On the oat bran front, I'm trying to be consistent with that, but just haven't made it a priority yet... I get anywhere from 1-4Tbsp/day.

    But on the "good" side, I've also modified the exercise a bit in that I've upped the intensity. I run at least 3 times/week and also incorporate strength training 5 days/week.

    I'm sure the modifications have slowed the progress a bit, but I'm still making progress - which is the important thing! Plus, it's enabled me to not feel like this is taking up more effort than it should or like it's anything unsustainable long-term. If, at any point, my loss stalls completely - I'll come back and re-evaluate how I'm approaching the program and make adjustments to come closer in line with doing it as it's written.

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