Whether you’re a royal watcher or not, you’re sure to have heard about the latest weight loss craze – the Dukan Diet. Designed by French nutritionist and dietician Pierre Dukan, the diet became well known after it was said that Carole Middleton (Kate Middleton’s – now Duchess of Cambridge – mother) used it to slim down before THE wedding of the year.
Although the Dukan diet has been around for more than 30 years (Dukan developed it in the 1970s when he started treating obese patients), he only published his findings after nearly 20 years of research. It is a protein rich diet, supplemented with vegetables and oat bran and which involves four distinct phases. It is often compared to the Atkins diet, created by Dr Robert Atkins in 1972. Similar to the Dukan diet, the Atkins diet emphasizes lots of protein. However, Atkins recommends liberal consumption of fats and oils, which are restricted in the Dukan diet.
Does the Dukan diet work? Proponents claim that it most definitely does. And while there are concerns for individuals with kidney problems, pregnant or breast feeding women and diabetics, it seems to be well tolerated by most individuals. It has a structure that makes following along easy (if you can keep away from the croissants!).
The diet is outlined in Dukan’s best seller The Dukan Diet, which I’ve read. I’m not sure that the diet deserves a whole book as it tends to repeat many of the same things over and over. I applaud many of the diet’s premises – minimize carbs, drink lots of water, take the stairs instead of the elevator, choose lean proteins over fatty ones. But I’m not sure I buy many of the others – eliminate almost all fats (except for fatty fish) or drink ice water instead of room temperature (apparently you burn more calories that way). What I do like is that it has 4 phases, including one that helps you adjust to normal eating, which I think is where most diets let people down.
If you are interested, read more about the Dukan Diet at the official website. If you have any health conditions you should probably check in with your doctor before embarking. There’s still time this summer to show off your beach ready body – this diet may just work for you.
