This diet is based mostly on carbohydrates, proteins, and low amounts of fats. During a day without too much physical activity, a woman can burn up to forty grams of fat, but the daily fat intake is of seventy percent or more. Monday: Breakfast includes a muffin and a glass of orange juice. A banana, an orange, or another fruit substitutes for a snack. For lunch, flat bread with salad and bacon and two glasses of water. The afternoon snack may be a small, low-fat yogurt, and an apple. A large bowl with vegetables and two slices of bread can satisfy the hunger of those who wish to follow this diet. A salad of fresh fruits is recommended as a dessert. Tuesday: This diet requires that people eat in the morning a small bowl with low-fat milk with corn flakes, and drink a glass of orange juice; morning snack should be a banana, an orange, or another fruit. For lunch, dieters may have for lunch a bowl with vegetable soup, one or two slices of bread, and two glasses of water. A slice of bread along with a small and fat-free yogurt is indicated for a snack. Dinner consists of one glass of water and two portions of rice with vegetables. A small cup of ice cream is allowed. To read the rest of this article, go to ProjectWeightLoss.com an online weight loss community featuring calorie counter, carbs counter, BMI calculator, diet planner, workout planner and nutritional information. (c) ProjectWeightLoss.com 2007. All rights reserved.
What is Dukan Diet and its side-effects?
This article gives pertinent information about Dukan Diet and its side-effects
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Pierre Dukan, a French doctor and nutritionist, challenged with the case of obesity started to look for alternative ways in curing the illness. After 20 years of thorough research he published in the year 2000, a book called, “Je ne sais pas maigrir” or translated as, “I don’t know how to get slimmer.” It gained the best-seller in France after a year it has been published.
It was made a hit in UK when Kate Middleton, now the duchess of Cambridge, tried the Dukan Diet before her marriage to the beloved Prince William, she reportedly claimed a loss of two dress sizes. It also allegedly claimed to help five million French. The book is also gaining fame in the US in the year 2011 when actress/singer, Jennifer Lopez, lost pounds after her pregnancy by following this diet.
Dukan Diet: What is it? How does this work?
Dukan Diet is similar to the famous Atkins diet. Atkins and Dukan are much alike in terms of non-intake of carbs initially and do not require portion control or counting calorie consumptions. In Atkins, it requires net carbohydrate intakes and unlike Dukan, it suggests a daily intake of oats, increase water consumption and 20 minutes of everyday brisk walking. Dukan Diet adopts four phases namely: Attack, Cruise, Consolidation and Stabilization.
Four Phases of the Dukan Diet
Attack: In this starter phase, the dieter is only allowed take protein rich foods that are exquisitely low in fat. Dr. Dukan provided 72-item list of foods to be eaten, it excludes pork, lamb, poultry products and cheeses. Food should always be cooked but without adding any fat to it, it best to cook in grilling or roasting. It also requires you to eat 1 ½ tbsp. oat bran & 1.5 liters of water per day. This phase should be followed around 2-7 days or more. Results from this initial phase within 5 days may result in 4-7 lbs. loss. This phase promotes quick loss of weight since it is strictly based on a protein-only diet.
Cruise: Cruise, the second to the fourth phase of the Dukan diet scheme. During this phase dieters who were only allowed to eat protein-only foods can now alternate a 28-items of non-starchy vegetables. They may take attack phase diet for today and take non-starchy veggie diet for tomorrow, and so this phase must go on by alternating these two types of diet each day. This phase may last long enough as much as you want by reaching your desired weight and assuring 2 pounds per week loss.
Consolidation: As one achieves the desired weight, one has to go the next phase called Consolidation, this is the maintenance phase of this diet scheme where you have to prevent putting back excess pounds. The plan in this phase is less strict compared to the first two phases. During this phase you are permitted to eat protein-only and veggie diet along with a piece of low-sugar fruit, 2 slices of whole grain bread and a portion of hard cheese. In this phase you are allowed to have 1-2 serving of starchy foods and one celebration meal per week. The phase of consolidation does not expect to loss off pounds but rather it is steadily the maintenance process.
Stabilization: Stabilization is the final phase and a life-long phase of the diet scheme. In here maintenance of the life-changing diet may be a challenging and tempting. During this portion of the scheme, one is already permitted to allow any food intake that a person wants and by also sticking to the diet rule in the consolidation phase. As Pierre Dukan suggest, that staying on the phase 1 rule once a week and eat whatever you like for the rest of the week lowers the chances of regaining weight.
Pros and Cons of Dukan Diet
Pros: The fast results of this diet scheme is beneficially rewarding and motivating. It allows you to have protein and veggie meal plan diets and does not require you to count off your calorie intakes.
Cons: It is highly restrictive and can exclude healthy foods. Dieters can experience side-effects such as symptoms of headaches, nausea, lethargy, irritable and loss of concentration. Dieters may acquire halitosis (bad breath), metallic tasting mouth and strong smell in their urines. For those people who have problems with their kidneys and liver are not advised to follow this diet plan. It is not also recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers.
Views and Opinions by Health Experts on the Dukan Diet
There are lots of critics in this diet plan. Due to the restrictive type scheme of this diet, some fruits, grains and nuts which are healthy and have high amounts of vitamins and minerals that are vital to the nutrition of the body are eliminated. Keri Gans of American Dietetic Association, said that the lost amount of multivitamins that should be acquired from those restricted foods are not compensated in the Dukan diet. Experts have also criticized that experiencing such side-effects may not be healthy at all.
Lose 104 Pounds in a Year
Sooo…. Let’s say that you have only about 20 to 30 pounds to drop. You could safely lose that extra weight in 10 to 15 weeks, or about 2 1/2 to 3 months. I think that’s a pretty handy thing to know.
Why you shouldn’t try to drop weight too quickly
First of all, your body tends to want to retain weight; and the first weight that drops off is usually water weight, or fluid weight. So that 10 pounds that you drop so effortlessly and gain back just as quickly is probably just extra fluid.
Even if you try to starve yourself, your metabolism will just slow to a crawl, and make it that much more difficult to drop weight. Your body thinks it needs that extra fuel (weight) for survival.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
“Slow and Steady…” says the tortoise.
Okay, now how do you do this?
Well, lasting weight loss means improving your eating habits and yes, exercising. This takes time and effort. This is one reason why quick weight loss is usually followed by quick weight gain – you haven’t had enough time to develop good eating and exercise habits.
You can start by not skipping meals. This slows your metabolism even further. Try to eat five or six small meals a day to keep your metabolism revved up and burning those calories.
Exercise – think you just don’t have the time? How about a quick ten minute walk two or three times a day? That adds up to 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day. And you get the same benefits as exercising all at once. As a matter of fact, you get your metabolism going more often when you break exercise into manageable chunks.
Slow and steady weight loss is beneficial to your body AND helps you to adjust to new eating and exercise habits.
Besides, with everything else in life rushing by, why not slow something down? You’ll feel great when that weight drops off and stays off, to the tune of 104 pounds in only a year.