Dukan Diet?

[PhilK]

Hey guys how's it going?

Like many young men I know, I seemed to have um.. let myself go slightly after highschool. There was a time for a few years when I was a peak physical specimen - I didn't drink much and did plenty of sport at school and I was a sight to behold in my day I can tell you that :lol:

I've only been out of school 5 years now but I am considerably less impressive than I once was. Too much drink and not nearly enough exercise has seen me gain probably 20kg or more.. I am pretty disappointed in myself of course and have had numerous attempts at losing the weight, joining gyms etc but my problem is I am too lazy and eventually forget about it.

Recently I have read about the Dukan Diet.. I am fairly wary of these fad diet things as I am a scientifically minded person but this one seems quite believable. It's basically a protein only attack phase, putting your body into negative energy balance and forcing the body to live off it's fat reserves (quite considerable as far as my body goes). Then there are other phases you go to gradually lose more weight and keep it off.

I have decided to give it a shot as I have nothing to lose by trying and everything to gain.. just posting this thread to see if anyone else has heard of it, or tried it even?

Cheers all

 

[Megzz]

You cant be eating only protein, you wont be able to function.
I'm gonna google the diet and see what I think

*edit* Ok just had a look at the protein phase menu. As a calorie obsessed fitness freak I will tell you what I think

It will work. However, I would prefer to do a 'detox/cleansing' sort of phase before jumping straight into the protein one (Lots of fruit and veg with a small amount of wholegrain carbs). The detox is where you would lose the most weight (excess water, crap in system) and put you in the best possible mindset for the rest of the weightloss.
To me, a 'protein' phase is the sort of thing I would chuck into my diet every now an again to kick things up a notch once my body got used to my lifestyle of healthy eating or you feel you have hit a 'plateau'. Protein is more difficult for the body to digest and therefore really gets the metabolism going.
If you have a large amount of cardio in your excercize regime, you may find on the protein phase that you dont have enough energy.

Of course, thats just my opinion and what works for me.

Good luck with the diet!!!

 

[euphorion]

No such diet will work, it's only going to mess with your metabolism. Balanced diet WITHOUT cutting all fats, moderate regular exercise and a touch of vigorous exercise will have you there in no time. Detox diets are good to a degree, for flushing toxins and what not, but diets that cut anything bar fat and sugar from your intake are going to do you harm. Like those no carb diets? What a joke. But basing a diet totally on proteins, even plant based proteins, is alsking for trouble. Just get out a go for a good hard walk every day! As for diet, try cutting salts, saturated fats, sugars and preservatives. Go for veggie soups, lean meat and three veg, marinated kebabs, etc. Easy

 

[Megzz]

The fact of the matter is, there is no better way to loose weight and keep it off than HEALTHY EATING and regular EXCERSIZE as shooshoo suggests

Unfortunately, most people have real issues with finding the motivation to start a gradual weightloss program, and thats why I dont believe starting off with a fad diet is neccessarily a terrible thing. You do see results quickly and that is often enough to push people to continue with losing weight.

 

[kupper]

Just go raving for a few weekends .... Works for me lol

 

[relyt]

I'm goin to go buy the Joshi's Holistic Detox book, i was reading it in a friends car the other day and it looks really good!

 

[Megzz]

You guys, very strict healthy eating with no processed foods, lots of fresh fruit and veg and lots of water is all you need for an effective detox. Our bodies detox naturally ... Providing you still have your liver

 

[PhilK]

I really don't buy into the "detox" thing.. as Megzz said, that's the point of having a liver.

I can't see how this diet won't work.. no carbs and plenty of protein for a while will essentially shift the body into ketosis so it will work. I am planning on trying this one just to see if it even works as I am quite curious - seems too easy to be effective.

Agree with you Megzz in saying that if I lose a few kilos in the first few weeks it will be a psychological advantage for me; i.e. it'll be good to see something happening!

 

[monique18026]

I'm on that diet well a very similar one they workgreat I havebeen losing 1 kg a week it dose take some self control not eating much carbs but u get used to it .

 

[Megzz]

I really feel you should try not to cut out carbs for too long though guys.

 

[Kristy_07]

Walk more, eat less.

 

[Magpie]

I could never give up my fruit and veg, but it works for some people.
I agree with Kristy here; move more, eat less.

 

[LullabyLizard]

Exercise 1/2 an hour each day, don't have anything with saturated fat in it - Anything fried, any fatty meats (chicken and fish is great), lots of leafy green veggies, no cream, butter or full fat milk. Lower your carb intake, but don't take it completely out. It is safe to lose 1 kilo a week. Think about it. In 20 weeks, you will be slim again!

 

[smeejason]

mate i have struggled since i gave up sport. and have lost and put on 20 kg many times on fad diets. oneday i did the forest gump thing and started running. first time i did not make a km. now i can do 20km in under 2hrs and have kept off 20kg for well over a year. i still go up and down a few kg but a half hour jog is not much a day and it is amazing how you get addicted to endorfans(sp) i get annoyed when i miss my jog now.

 

[WombleHerp]

I just recently started a diet thing too Phil, But I went to a nutritionist for it.. I'm on a detox for a few weeks and so far have lost 2 kgs in 9days. It is fairly strict. Let me know how your protein one goes, I am fairly curious also!
I'm about 15kgs from my goal weight, i currently weigh 67kgs... Which some would consider the goal weight quite small/thin but it's what I am supposed to be for my frame and height

 

[Laghairt]

Yeah Phil those protein diets are unsustainable. They do work in the short run buy they really mess with your metabolism. I dated an American girl who was doing the whole Atkins thing and looked great. 10 days after going back to carbs she couldn't fit into her jeans.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet is the only way

No such diet will work, it's only going to mess with your metabolism. Balanced diet WITHOUT cutting all fats, moderate regular exercise and a touch of vigorous exercise will have you there in no time. Detox diets are good to a degree, for flushing toxins and what not, but diets that cut anything bar fat and sugar from your intake are going to do you harm. Like those no carb diets? What a joke. But basing a diet totally on proteins, even plant based proteins, is alsking for trouble. Just get out a go for a good hard walk every day! As for diet, try cutting salts, saturated fats, sugars and preservatives. Go for veggie soups, lean meat and three veg, marinated kebabs, etc. Easy

 

[Jay84]

Sounds exactly like the Atkins diet which was a craze in 2004 / 2005 ? I had a few friends loose lots of weight
on this diet and seem to have kept it off.

I put on 5kg of unwanted extra weight beginning of this year and lost it in a week through eating healthy and gym.
i am now back at the gym because i stopped going for 4 months and put it back on!

My ''diet'' is -

Breakfast: 4 vita brits with low fat milk.

Morning tea: Tuna salad

Lunch: Chicken with veg (pumpkin, potato, carrot etc) and cous cous

Arvo tea: Can of tuna and piece of fruit

Dinner: Chicken with steamed veg (non starchy veg) Zuccini, carrot, squash, capsicum, mushroom etc

 

[Megzz]

Jay that is a PERFECT example of how people should be eating. Not just as a 'diet' either, but for life

 

[PhilK]

Argh Jay I couldn't mate.. would get bored of that in about a day!

This diet only has a protein phase for about 6 days first as a headlong attack on the weight loss. You go protein only for 6-10 days and then do the next phase which incorporates fruit and veg, then to the next which incorporates a little fat and carb every now and again etc.

Nat, I don't think you need to lose any weight? Not from what I've seen anyway? And your liver does the detox, not your nutrionist haha.. sorry pet peeve of mine!

 

[Megzz]

The problem is that however you eat to lose the weight, you need to be able to eat that way forever (except for the occassional treat). If you lose the weight then change back to your old eating habits, you'll gain it all back!
You say you've let yourself go since highschool... none of us are ever going to be able to eat the way we ate back then and still look good, because back then we were growing and our bodies required hundreds more calories per day than they do now!

I'm only trying to save you the frustration of it all but I guess I just have to accept that people have to try the yoyo weightloss and fad diets for themselves before they will understand. I do hope it all goes well for you, even as just a motivating kickstart to an overall healthier lifestyle