Are you done with your attack and cruise phase? Wow! Great! So it’s time to maintain that achieved weight huh, well, then you would want to know about the Dukan diet consolidation phase, AKA the third phase of the diet. Just scroll down to known more about it.
What if your dietitian told you to eat all that you want, as much as you want, and still ensures a good amount of weight loss. You would love him for this, wouldn’t you? Well, this is exactly what a French medical doctor Pierre Dukan did to help his patients lose weight a few years ago. Now, most of the people around the world not only love him for introducing such a diet plan, but follow it sincerely and religiously to reap its benefits. The Dukan diet was introduced in 2000, and ever since, it has been the number 1 diet in France. But what is more amazing is, it is catching up amongst most of the people in over 100 countries now, for its phenomenal results and success.
Dukan Diet: An Overview
The Dukan diet is a high protein, low-fat and carbohydrate diet plan. The Dukan diet plan ensures to inculcate healthy eating habits and a gradual weight loss. It follows four steps, the first two aim at weight reduction and the next two aim at maintaining the true weight. The first phase, AKA the attack phase, allows 72 pure high protein products or foods that enable visible weight loss. In the second phase, which is also called the cruise phase, you are supposed to have vegetables and proteins on alternate days, until you reach your target weight or true weight. Phase three and four are important as they help you maintain your true weight, where you will continue to follow your base diet plan. The third and the fourth phase are known as the consolidation and stabilization phases, respectively.
Dukan Diet Consolidation Phase
Now this phase is an important phase, for you have achieved your true weight, and the challenge is to keep it forever. Your body in this phase is very vulnerable to regain the extra pounds you already got rid of. Therefore, you have to be alert and careful. This phase allows you to have some starchy food products, and fruits, and the best thing about this phase is the celebration meal. You get to treat yourself twice a week with anything, absolutely anything!
Now, when you jump-start the third phase, your diet plan undergoes a change. You are supposed to include 1 portion of fruit per day. The fruits to be included are apples, berries, melon, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, peaches, pears, nectarines and mangoes.
2 portions of some starchy products can be eaten in a week. But one has to avoid white rice and potatoes. Once a week, lean parts of pork and lamb can be consumed. 2 pieces of whole grain bread, along with soup or cheese, (only 40grams though) is allowed.
The fun part of this phase is the celebration meal. These meals allow you to enjoy tastes, but at the same time not overdo it. The celebration meal comes with a few restrictions though. The first being, you ought to have a day’s gap between two celebration meals (since you are allowed 2 celebration meals per week). The second being, “no second serving” is allowed. Preferably, begin your celebration meal with something you have prepared at home, like fried chicken or some yummy dessert.
Last but not the least, the very serious part of the consolidation phase is observing one day of pure high protein intake, per week. This will not only ensure that you do not gain any weight on that day of the week, but also make up for the other days of the week.
Dukan Diet Reviews
Like every other diet plan, and one’s ability to adapt to a new diet, this diet too has its own pro and cons. The advantages of the Dukan diet are its fast results, vegetarian options, it does not require calorie counting, and the celebration meal actually boosts motivation to stick to the diet plan. The disadvantages are, it is a restrictive diet plan. It also requires you to give up on foods like grains, legumes and fruits, in certain phases. Many dieters experience digestive problems like constipation, gas, and so on. Many even experience fatigue, headaches, mood swings and bad breath. Moreover, it just does not suit some people, mainly those with a history of kidney diseases and high blood sugar levels.
The Dukan diet is an extreme approach that facilitates fast and effective weight loss. Even though, initially, the weight loss might be quick and noticeable, in all probabilities, one is likely to regain weight once you retain your normal eating habits. Therefore, the Dukan diet is a good bet if you are sincere and persevering enough to hold on and continue the diet for years to come!
