Dukan diet is one of the famous diets for weight loss, and it works in 4 important phases – attack phase, cruise phase, consolidation phase and stabilization phase. This article is a detailed discussion on the cruise phase of this diet.
Dukan diet, which has its origin in France is a popular diet for weight loss in France, and slowly its popularity is also catching up in other countries now. It was proposed by famous French physician and nutritionist Dr. Pierre Dukan, and his book The Dukan diet is a bestseller in many countries. The diet emphasizes strongly on the consumption of high protein low carbohydrate food. As was mentioned at the start of the article, this diet works in four phases.
And, strict adherence to all the phases is very important for weight loss. The diet is not very strict when to compared other weight loss diets, and in some of the phases, celebration meals can be included in the Dukan diet plan, in some of the phases. The duration of a single phase is not fixed, and it depends on the amount of weight a person needs to shed, and also the weight burning ability of the person. Let’s first briefly understand the working of the four phases of this diet, to give you a basic idea of its working.
4 Phases of the Dukan Diet
The four phases work one after the other. The first phase, the attack phase, is a preparatory phase for weight loss. It changes the food habits of the person at one go, and so the person can lose up to 2-3 kilos in the first phase itself. Only the specified protein rich foods can be had during the first phase. Next is the cruise phase, the goal of this phase is to help the person reach his/her target weight.
One has to now eat protein rich vegetables along with the protein rich foods. After this comes the consolidation phase, which is the weight maintenance phase. And, lastly comes the stabilization phase, and it is like putting you back to your old food habits. Some other lifestyle modifications are expected from the person, in this phase.
Our topic of discussion in this article is the second phase, that is the cruise phase. This phase is very important because it helps you achieve the target weight. Neatly following this phase can help you reach the desired weight quickly. Let’s now get into the detailed discussion of this phase.
The Cruise Phase
Cruise phase is the third phase of the Dukan diet, and the aim of this phase is to help the person achieve the target weight. Along with the daily protein rich foods, one has to consume some protein rich vegetables during this phase.
There are generally alternate days, that is, on one day you have to consume the high protein low fat food and the next day protein rich food along with the vegetables. Also, not all vegetables are allowed during the diet some specific vegetable (those which have low starch are allowed) are only allowed to be eaten.
The duration of the phase varies from person to person, and it generally depends on the weight the person has to lose, metabolic rate of the person, and many other factors. As reaching the target rate is the aim of this phase, the phase lasts till the person achieves the desired rate. As compared to the attack phase, the weight loss rate drops slightly, and a person can expect to lose up to 2 pounds in week, during this phase.
Oatmeal intake can be increased by 2 tablespoons in this phase, and along with it one has to also increase the activity level. For example, if you walk for 20 minutes daily, increase it to 30 minutes. This is because the goal of this phase is reaching the target rate. Take a look at the foods you can have during the cruise phase.
Foods Allowed in the Cruise Phase
Listed below are some of the best foods you can have during the cruise phase. There are plenty of options to choose from. There are more than 100+ foods in the Dukan diet food list. Remember to choose your foods carefully, they should be high protein and low fat. Also it is best advised to eat the vegetables raw. If you are not comfortable eating raw vegetables, boil them or cook them in low fat oil.
- Lean and skinless meat
- Fish, beef, ham
- Eggs
- Low fat dairy products
- Oatmeal
- Courgette
- Fennel
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Tomatoes
- French beans
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Pumpkin
- Brussels sprouts
One thing that can be said for sure is that, though medically it is not proven or supported, the Dukan diet works for weight loss. According to the reviews of the diet, there are comparatively less side effects with this diet, and the most commonly experienced side effects are weakness and nausea. But it is recommended that you follow the diet under the guidance of a physician only. This is because, persons with diabetes, heart diseases, etc., are not allowed to follow this diet.
The cruise phase is very important, as the target weight is to be achieved by the person. Following all the rules correctly, and eating right food along with proper exercise would benefit largely in this phase.
