Why & how high protein diet like Dukan Diet works?
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, and ranges from 1 to 10 days. If you just have a few pounds to lose, you only need to spend a day or two here. But I am targeting a massive 23kg, and so I need 6 days!
This is supposedly the most effective phase, as you will be eating only pure protein. Dr Dukan consider this as the "bulldozer" phase, and the most prominent effect can appear in the first couple of days. Looking around the internet, some people have reported losing 1-2 kg itself in the first 2 days. This is is not just fat loss of course, and as you will be losing water with it too. There are pages and pages of benefit of protein, but i will skip that for now.
I would imagine that the first two days will be the toughest. It is shocking - I can imagine "carbohydrate withdrawal syndrome" ( I coined this for myself) - irritability, serious cravings, lack of concentration, bad mood. However, this should be easier if I manage to stick with it till the third day, where ketosis is induced. When there is no carbs to burn, the body turn on fats and proteins and as a result produce ketones. These chemicals are responsible for keeping you full ( and happy).
The downside is I will likely to get bad breath and a dry mouth, and constipation!
Rules of the Dukan Diet
The 4 things that I "MUST" do
- Only have pure protein - lean meat(beef, veal, chicken, turkey), fish, tofu, low fat yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, crabsticks ( surimi), eggs.
- 1.5 tbs of oat bran - must be taken every day
- Drink at least 1.5 l of water
- Walk for 20 minutes a day
Things that help me through this pure protein diet:
- You can eat as much as you want, whenever you want, but only if it is in the "list".
- Sweeteners, 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 .
- Diet Coke, sugar free Cordials
- THIS IS MY OWN ADDITION - sugar free agar agar, home made
- Flavoured low/no fat yogurt allowed
"The list of allowed protein"
1 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). Other than steaming and putting them into the oven, it is also ok to '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).
2 All chicken and turkey (not goose or farmed duck) but remove skin before eating and avoid the outside part of the wings (too fatty).
3 Ham if low-fat and lean. Aim for 3% fat or less. Cut the rind off. Avoid deli, cured, and smoked hams (too fatty).
4 Beef, veal or chicken liver.
5 All fish white or oily, fresh, frozen, dried, smoked or canned (but not in oil or in any sauce containing fat), even crab sticks.
6 All crustaceans and shellfish.
7 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.
8 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 the attack phase).
Plan of sticking to it:
- Stock up the fridge with the right stuff
- Electronic weighting scale - decided to take two measurements a day, at the same time. Morning, after going to loo. Night, before sleep.
- Stocking up with "treats" - agar agar, sugar free cordials, diet coke ( not too sure about coke, the acidity may make me more hungry!)
- Plan survival strategies at work
- Have my own spread sheet, with food diary and cheat notes.
