Dukan Diet – A Weight Loss Plan

By Suparna Chakaraborthy

Monday, September 20, 2010, 11:40

Celebrities seem to never put on extra kilos, even after childbirth. Wonder how? Well, it is because of the Dukan diet. Reports say that the secret behind the perfect figure of Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bundchen, is the Dukan diet. They have lost their pregnancy flab with this diet.

What is Dukan Diet?

This diet originated in France and was invested by a French doctor, named Pierre Dukan. He had tried this diet on his obese patients and it worked wonders. This French diet preaches protein diet. People who have benefited form the Dukan diet say, that it's one of the best diet plans for quick weight loss without giving up your favourite food.

Dukan Diet Plan

The Dukan diet plan is divided into four steps - attack, cruise, consolidation and stabilization. The first two steps, aim at quick weight loss and the next two steps work on maintaining the perfect weight. The French diet starts at a strict regime but the pressure is lessened as time passes by.

1.Attack – In this phase the person has to survive on protein-only food. This includes, meat, fish, eggs and non-fat dairy products. Oil and butter has to be strictly avoided. All fat has to be trimmed from meat and poultry products. The person can stay in this stage for a week or ten days, depending on how quickly he/she lost weight.

2.Cruise – In this stage of the French diet, the person along with protein food, can include loads of vegetables. It may include, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, sprouts, mushrooms, spinach and other non starchy vegetables. The person should continue to loose around two pounds in this phase. The diet should be continued till the time one reaches their desired weight.

4.Consolidation – This stage aims at maintaining the present weight. The dieter is allowed to reintroduce bread, cheese, noodles to their diet, maintaining the protein and vegetable diet. The dieter has to be careful of not putting on the lost weight. For every one pound lost, the dieter has to stick to that phase for five days to maintain the weight.

5.Stabilization – You are allowed to eat everything but one day of the week should be dedicated to only protein food. Dr. Dukan, wants this day to be Thursday. Thursday is taken to be the mid of the week, thus, giving a break to your body from regular diet will be beneficial. This allows to maintain the correct weight.

However, dieters are expected to avoid over eating after the desired weight loss. Drinking loads of water is one the main demands of Dukan diet. Before following this diet one should take the advice of a doctor and this diet is strictly for overweight people.