The Dukan Diet, ELLEuk.com

Rules

Masterminded by French Nutritionist Dr Pierre Dukan, the book has taken France by storm over the last 10 years with over 5 million women converted. An English version launched in May and has become a hot topic in recent weeks, especially since Kate Middleton’s mother has been revealed as a fan (others include Jennifer Lopez, Gisele and Jessica Szohr).

The diet is not meant to be a fad, but instead a way of life. It follows similar rules to the Atkins diet in that the first stage allows protein only, however, unlike Atkins, all the protein has to be lean – no streaky bacon or fatty burgers allowed.

The first phase is called the Attack Phase, in which you can eat nothing but protein and non-fat dairy products; it may sound dull but you can expect to lose 2lbs every day. You can stick to this phase for anything from one to ten days depending on how much weight you need to lose. Most people choose five days as it can become a little dull - chicken, eggs, fish and cottage cheese can only whet the appetite for so long… This stage works by reducing water retention and dulling the appetite while maintaining your muscle mass. You must also eat a portion of oat bran everyday (Dr Dukan has recommendations for the best brands on his website).

The next phase, the Cruise Phase, is tougher - even though you can eat more - due to the fact that weight loss slows to a rate of 2lb per week. For this stage you can add unlimited vegetables to your protein intake on alternating days; one day protein only, the next protein and vegetable and so on.

As soon as your goal weight is reached, the Consolidation Phase begins. For this you can gradually start eating fruit (one piece per day), carbs (wholemeal pasta and bread) and cheese (40g per day of hard cheese) again. You are also allowed two celebration meals where you can have anything you want including dessert and alcohol, but no second helpings. This stage helps you realise you can be slim and enjoy your food, as long as it is kept in moderation. You won’t lose weight during this stage; instead it stops you from giving up and going back to your old ways. This phase must last for 5 days for every pound you lost during stages 1 and 2. So if you lost 10lbs you would need to stick with this phase for 50 days.

Once your weight has stabilised you can go forward eating and drinking what you like. The only catch? You must have a ‘protein only day’ every single week for the rest of your life. Dukan suggests Thursdays (thanks Pierre, that's our going-out night) but you can choose an alternative.

Pros

The Attack Phase offers stunning results that really spur you on. His book is very well written – he keeps things simple and to the point so you understand exactly why you are doing everything and what it means for your figure; plus it covers off any doubts you may have along the way.

Cons

You really need to buy both The Dukan Diet book and his recipe book. The first two phases are restrictive and monotonous without his recipe suggestions. There are recipes for Chicken Curry and Seafood Terrine which are easy to cook and tasty to boot.
Click here to visit the Dukan Diet website...