The Dukan Diet: Put your fat cells on a revolutionary weight-loss plan
Here,
the man behind the plan, Dr Pierre Dukan, explains, for the first time
in English, the basic principles of the first rapid-weight-loss parts of
his four-stage diet.
By
Daily Mail Reporter
Our size, says Dr Dukan, is largely
determined by the number of fat cells (called adipocytes) we are born
with. The more you have, the greater your capacity to gain weight
(women, unfortunately, usually have more than men).
Dukan Diet: Protein-only Thursdays for the rest of your life. The first few days will also see dieters foregoing carbohydrates
The problem is, when you eat badly or too much and gain weight, your
adipocytes put on weight too, becoming distended. If this continues, the
adipocytes 'hypertrophy', or enlarge, and eventually reach the limit of
their elasticity.
At this critical moment, if you continue to live unhealthily,
each adipocyte cell will divide into two daughter cells, doubling your
body's capacity to make and store fat.
It also makes dieting much harder because although you may be
able to reduce the size of your adipocytes, the daughter cells will
never become a single mother cell again.
Having worked with tens of thousands of patients, Dr Dukan
believes the crisis point happens when your body mass index (BMI)
reaches 28, making managing and controlling your weight more
complicated.
But after ten years of widespread use in France, the
Dukan Diet has been proven to help the obese as well as those with only a
few pounds to lose.
THE ATTACK PHASE
The
Dukan Diet starts with a short, sharp 'attack' phase where you eat
nothing but protein - just meat, fish, eggs and no-fat dairy products.
You can spend just one day here - or as many as ten days if you have a
lot of weight to lose - and many people can expect to lose as much as
7lb in five days.
You may experience bad breath and a dry mouth during this pure
protein phase. Both are signs that you are losing weight. You should
welcome them as proof of success.
Ease them by drinking more
water. Constipation may strike after four days on attack so add a
tablespoon of wheat bran flakes to your oat bran. But keep drinking.
During this phase, eat freely any foods on the following list -
eat as much as you want, whenever you want. You must adhere to this plan
strictly.
Anything NOT on the list is forbidden ... for now:
Shellfish: Prawns are allowed during the attack phase
- Lean beef and veal or rabbit, not pork or lamb (trim all
fat and avoid ribs as too fatty). Eat meat grilled, roasted or boiled
and without using butter, oil or cream (not even low-fat versions).
-
You could also 'dry fry' it - rub the surface of a frying pan with a
few drops of oil on kitchen paper. Lean minced beef can be prepared as
burgers or meatballs (mixed with an egg, spices, capers or gherkins) or
enjoy frozen beefburgers (if less than 10 per cent fat).
- All
chicken and turkey (not goose or farmed duck) but remove skin before
eating and avoid the outside part of the wings (too fatty).
- Ham if low-fat and lean, also cut rind off. Avoid deli, cured, and smoked hams (too fatty).
- Beef, veal or chicken liver.
- All
fish white or oily, fresh, frozen, dried, smoked or canned (but not in
oil or in any sauce containing fat), even crab sticks.
- All crustaceans and shellfish.
- Up to two eggs a day. Stick to 3 to 4 yolks per week if you have high
cholesterol, but the white can be eaten without restriction.
- Non-fat dairy products such as 0per cent yoghurt, fromage frais, quark,
cottage cheese, and skimmed milk. Natural ( plain) and flavoured
yoghurts (coconut, vanilla, lemon) are allowed without restriction, but
non-fat fruit yoghurts (containing fruit puree) should be limited to two
a day (or avoided if you want a lightning start to your attack phase).
- Sweeteners
(Canderel, Silverspoon Sweetener) or Stevia (a natural sweetener
available from health food stores), vinegar, spices, herbs, garlic,
onion, gherkins, pickled onions (as condiments, but not in large
quantities), lemon juice (on food, but not to drink), mustard and salt
(in moderation), sugar-free natural ketchup in moderation, sugar-free
chewing gum (can slow down the mechanical swing towards eating whenever
you feel under pressure).
Additional rules
HOW MUCH TO LOSE?
To work out your optimum weight loss and calculate a personalised time line for your journey through the Dukan Diet, log on to www. dukandiet.co.uk
Drink 1.5litres of water per day (plain or carbonated) particularly
at mealtimes to help you feel full. Tea, coffee and diet drinks (no more
than 1 calorie per glass) can be included in this total.
Eat 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran per day (as porridge, sprinkled on yoghurt, or made into a pancake).
Walk briskly for 20 minutes every day. This is a non-negotiable doctor's prescription.
Avoid all butter and oil.
THE CRUISE PHASE
This next phase consists of two alternating diets. This is the
workhorse stage where you alternate pure protein days with days when
you include a delicious array of unlimited vegetables to your wide
selection of meat, fish and no-fat dairy products. Expect to lose
around 2lb a week.
The most efficient way to work this stage is to spend one day on the
pure protein 'attack' diet (above), and the next on a protein and
vegetable diet, switching between the two, one day at a time, until you
reach your chosen weight.
However, some people prefer to work to a rhythm of five days of
protein followed by five of protein plus vegetables, or, if you have
only a little weight to lose, try two days of pure protein (say Mondays
and Thursdays) with every other day protein combined with vegetables.
Now you can introduce the following vegetables - raw, steamed,
boiled or baked (in foil) - with your meat or fish: artichoke,
asparagus, aubergine, broccoli, cabbage (white, red, savoy, cauliflower,
kale, Brussels sprout), celery/celeriac, chicory, courgette, cucumber,
fennel, French beans/ mangetout, leeks, mushrooms, onion, peppers,
pumpkin, radish, salad leaves (lettuce/rocket/watercress), sorrel, soya
beans, spinach, swede, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip.
In principle, you can eat as many of these vegetables as you
like, whenever you like, but if you want speedy weight loss, it's best
not to eat vegetables with complete abandon - better to eat until you no
longer feel hungry.
Carrots and beetroot are on the list too, but they are quite
starchy, so avoid having them with every meal and while in this phase,
steer completely away from starchy vegetables such as potatoes, rice,
corn, peas, beans and lentils and avocado (it is technically a fruit
anyway).
Don't worry if your weight loss plateaus occasionally on
vegetable days. This is merely water levels resetting themselves. Stick
with it. The weight will fall off.
The rules
One
to five pure protein days (as the 'attack' phase) interspersed with one
to five days when quantities of vegetables can also be eaten.
Increase oat bran intake to 2 tbsp per day.
Increase exercise to a 30-minute brisk walk each day.
Keep drinking at least 1.5 litres of water each da.
A TYPICAL VEGETABLE AND PROTEIN DAY
Breakfast: Coffee or tea (with skimmed milk and
sweetener), either 2 small non-fat yoghurts or 225g (8oz) non-fat
cottage cheese and either 1 slice turkey, chicken or low-fat ham, or 1
boiled egg
Snack: 1 small non-fat yoghurt or (115g or 4oz) non-fat cottage cheese
Lunch: Stuffed mushrooms, three-pepper tuna, café creme
Snack: Oatbran pancake (made with 2 tablespoons oatbran) with a slice of ham or smoked salmon
Dinner: Thick courgette soup, beef kebab, floating island
PROTEIN RECIPES
Shrimps sauteed in herbs (2 servings, can be doubled)
900g (2lb) shrimps, peeled, de-veined and rinsed.
4 garlic cloves, crushed.
30g (1oz) fresh parsley, chopped.
50ml (2fl oz) dry white wine.
1 lemon, cut in half.
In
a non-stick frying pan add the shrimps, garlic, parsley and wine. Sauté
on a medium heat until the shrimps are pink. Serve with fresh lemon.
Tandoori chicken escalopes (6 servings)
6 chicken breast fillets.
2 small pots non-fat yoghurt.
2 tbsp tandoori masala spice mix.
3 garlic cloves, crushed.
2cm piece ginger, crushed.
2 green chillies, crushed.
Lemon juice.
Salt and black pepper.
Mix all the ingredients together, except the meat. Make sure the
garlic, ginger, chillies and spices are completely crushed to make a
smooth blend. Score the chicken so that the yoghurt-spice mixture gets
inside the meat and marinate overnight in the fridge. The next day cook
in a moderate oven - 200c/400F/ Gas 6 - for 20 minutes then brown under
the grill before serving.
Beef kebabs: Allowed in the attack phase, but only add vegetables on non-protein days
Beef kebabs (4 servings)
You will need 4 skewers.
400g (14oz) beef fillet, cut into large chunks.
50ml (2fl oz) low-sodium soy sauce.
2 tbsp Dijon mustard.
1 tbsp cider vinegar.
A little thyme.
1 bay leaf.
Dash of vegetable oil.
50ml (2fl oz) fresh lemon juice.
Mix all the ingredients together and marinate the beef for 2 to 4
hours in the refrigerator. Discard the marinade. place the chunks of
beef on the skewers (if using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them in
water first to prevent burning). Grill until cooked to your liking.
During the cruise phase you may add tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers and onions.
Cafe, chocolate or vanilla creme (4 servings)
3 eggs, separated.
¼ tsp cornflour.
225ml (8fl oz) skimmed milk.
Flavouring
(choose one): 1tsp instant coffee, 1 tsp non-fat cocoa powder dissolved
in water or 1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise, insides removed and mixed
with a few drops of vanilla extract.
Sweetener to taste
PROTEIN AND VEGETABLE RECIPES
Stuffed mushrooms (makes 20 hors d'oeuvres)
20 large mushrooms, washed
2 garlic cloves, chopped
30g (1oz) fresh parsley, chopped
A few tsp of skimmed milk
A few drops of vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper
Pre-heat oven to 200c/400F/Gas 6.
Use
the largest mushrooms you can find. Wash and remove the stalks. Chop
stalks and add garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and skimmed milk. Cook the
stuffing mixture in a non-stick frying pan. Meanwhile, bake the mushroom
caps stem side down for 10 minutes.
Fill the hollow mushroom caps with the cooked stuffing and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until done.
When cooked drizzle a drop or two of vegetable oil over each stuffed mushroom.
Courgette soup: Eat only on mixed food days
Thick courgette soup (6 - 8 servings)
4 large courgettes, washed and peeled.
1 large onion.
1 carrot, wash and peeled.
1 turnip, washed.
1 low-fat beef bouillon cube.
Wash,
peel and cut the vegetables into large pieces. Put in a tall pan with
the low-fat beef bouillon cube and cover with water. Cook for 20 - 30
minutes. Puree using a blender to obtain a thick, smooth soup. Serve
hot.
Three-pepper tuna (2 servings)
700g (1lb 9oz) tuna steak.
1 red pepper.
1 green pepper.
1 yellow pepper.
Juice of 1-2 lemons.
2 garlic cloves, crushed.
Salt, white pepper.
Wash, de-seed and halve peppers. Grill for 5 minutes, then to make peeling them easier place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes.
Next cut into strips and gently fry for a few minutes over a
moderate heat in a non-stick frying pan that has been lightly oiled (add
some oil then wipe with kitchen towel) with a little water in the
bottom. Season the tuna and steam for 20 minutes.
Mix together lemon juice, garlic and peppers. When the tuna is
cooked, allow to cool then marinate it with the peppers in a cool place
for 2-3 hours. Serve cold.
Floating Island (4 servings)
4 eggs, separated.
500ml (18fl oz) skimmed milk.
1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise.
Sweetener to taste
In
a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft but firm peaks
(you can use a dash of cream of tartar to make this easier). in a
saucepan bring the milk, sweetner and a small vanilla pod to the boil.
With a ladle carefully spoon out snowball-sized portions of the
egg whites and drop them into the hot milk. They will swell up. after
turning them over remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate.
Extracted from the
Dukan Diet by Dr Pierre Dukan to be published by Hodder & Stoughton
on May 13 at £12.99. ° 2010 Dr Pierre Dukan.
TOMORROW: THE KEY TO STAYING SLIM FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
