The Military diet allows you to LOSE UP TO 10 lbs in one week, while the Dukan diet allows you to lose 3lbs in one week. several factors define which is the healthiest: the military Vs Dukan diet.
Comparing the Military Vs Dukan diet
They are two restrictive diets, but they let you lose weight quickly, although they have many differences. This chart will summarize everything.
| Dukan diet | Military diet |
| Rapid weight loss: 3lbs / Week | Verry quick weight loss: Up to 10 lbs / Week |
| High protein, Low carb & fat diet | Extremely low-calorie diet |
| 4 phases: Attack phase, cruise, consolidation & stabilization | 2 phases: Restrictive in only 3 days & 2nd phase from 4th day. |
| Eliminates added sugar | Eliminates added sugar |
| Milk with 0% MG is allowed | Milk is forbidden |
| Side effects: Ketosis, Dizziness, fatigue, yoyo effect | side effects: dizziness, fatigue, yoyo effect |
| Risk of deficiencies | Risk of deficiencies & muscle loss |
| Duration: Attack Phase: 5 days, cruise: 1 week, Consolidation: 10 days, Stabilisation: Forever or longest time possible. | Duration: 7 days. Phase 1 : 3 restrictive days. Phase 2: 4 days |
| Doesn’t count calories | Counting calories diet |
Which diet is more restrictive?
The most restrictive diet is the military diet. It is an extremely hypocaloric diet that will ban you from eating enough but for a very limited period of time which is one week.
The Dukan diet on the other hand is less restrictive, it will still let you eat enough protein without calculating your calories, the most important thing is the choice of food and its quality.
However, when it comes to duration, the Dukan diet takes longer so it can also seem very hard for some.
Military or Dukan diet is more safe? Dietitian’s guidelines
Why is the Dukan diet healthier than the military diet?
When we have to compare which diet is healthier, we have to check first of all the choice and the quality of the allowed and not allowed foods in these two diets.
| Food Group | Military Diet | Dukan Diet |
| Milk & Diary products | Cottage cheese only | Allowed |
| Meat and derivatives | Limited | Allowed |
| Fish & Seafood | Canned tuna | Allowed |
| Carbohydrates | 38% Of daily intake | 10 to 15% Of daily intake |
| Sugar | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Veggies | Allowed | Allowed |
| Fruits | Apples and bananas only | 1st phase : Not allowed from 2nd phase : Low carb fruits |
| Nuts & seeds | Allowed | 1st phase:Not allowed From 2nd phase: Limited |
| Poultry | Allowed | Allowed |
| Eggs | Allowed | Allowed |
| Drinks | Only water, black coffee, tea | Fat-free, low-carb drinks |
| Processed foods | Allowed | To avoid |
| Starchy vegetables | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Alcohol | Not allowed | Low-carb alcohol allowed |
1 – Duration of the diet
The first factor that shows whether a diet is healthy or not is its length, a diet that lasts a short time is generally too restrictive. Quick results usually lead to severe food restrictions, rapid weight loss with the risk of deficits and also the yo-yo effect.
In this case, the military diet lasts only one week, whereas the dukan diet has an advantage which is the stabilization phase which is balanced and lasts for life.
2 – The food choice
The choices of food are also important during a diet, the more a diet diversify your plate, the more it is healthy.
3- Dairy products
Dairy products have a lot of benefits for our health, the Dukan diet allows low-fat cottage cheese and milk, but the military diet does not allow any dairy products except greek cheese. You can suffer from some bone or joint problems if you suddenly enter the military diet, unlike the dukan diet.
4-Processed foods
The military diet did not emphasize processed foods, but Dr. Dukan said that you should limit processed foods for better health.
5- Fish and meats
Fish and meat are good sources of high-quality protein, which is very important for development, maintenance, and even cell renewal. Proteins are also very important when you are on a restrictive diet like the Dukan diet and the military diet to avoid muscle loss.
The Dukan diet, fortunately, allows you to eat these foods as much as you want, but the military diet recommends choosing the leanest pieces of meat and eating them in limited quantities.
Common points between Dukan and military diet
Lose 10 lbs in one week!
The first phase which lasts up to 5 days of the Dukan diet will allow you to lose 10lbs, the military diet also which lasts one week will let you lose 10lbs.
Starchy foods
Starchy foods such as wholemeal pasta are forbidden by the military diet and the Dukan diet. But the Dukan diet authorizes whole pasta but starts from the phase of stabilization. Starchy foods are a good source of energy, vitamin B, and magnesium, an anti-stress nutrient.
Fruits
Fruits are very limited by both the Dukan and military diets, this is their other negative common point. Fruits are a very good source of antioxidants and vitamins and they should not be excluded from your plate.
Lose weight quickly but in a healthy way
If you are a person who is looking to lose weight as fast as possible for personal or medical reasons (surgery), you need to restrict your calories and choose a good choice of foods.
Here is a healthy diet that provides 600 calories per day. But for this type of diet, the yo-yo effect is very common (regain the weight lost once you stop the diet).
How to choose between the military diet and Dukan diet?
Simply put, depending on your goal, if you insist on following the Dukan diet despite its disadvantages, and the military diet also despite the fact that it is not healthy.
You need to know your goal first; if you want to lose only 10 lbs, go on the military diet, If you want to lose more weight (more than 10 lbs), then start the Dukan diet.
Military Vs Dukan diet meal plan
The military diet includes in his menus hypocaloric foods ( foods that don’t provide many calories), while the Dukan diet is a hyper protein low carb & fat diet but doesn’t count calories.
What does the military diet meal plan look like?
Breakfast
- Tea or black coffee without sugar or sweetener
- 80 g lean pork meat
- A slice of rusk
- 100 g cottage cheese
- 1/2 avocado
Lunch
- carrots and broccoli salad
- Tuna
- Fresh fruit
Dinner
- 1 slice of toast
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- Fresh fruit
What does Dukan’s diet meal plan look like?
Breakfast
- 1 Cup of Milk
- 1 Dukan galette
- 2 Roasted eggs
- ½ Avocado
Lunch
- Raw vegetables
- Chicken cutlet
- Red lentils cooked with minced lean meatballs
- Greek yogurt
- Natural lemon juice
Dinner
- Baked lean pork
- Oven-baked green beans with tomato
- cottage cheese
- ½ avocado
Militarry Vs dukan diet for women with pcos?
.A woman with PCOS should strictly avoid overly restrictive diets with limited food choices. The obese woman with PCOS who needs to restore her fertility must eat enough oleaginous fruits (not exceeding the recommendations), and especially enough fruits and proteins.
She must offer her body all the nutrients that her body needs. to know more: Dukan diet for women with PCOS
Military vs Dukan diet for a pregnant woman who wants to lose weight?
The pregnant woman is a sensitive subject because her baby is also affected by the diet she follows. The pregnant woman must follow the recommendations to meet the needs of her body and her baby.
Fortunately, Dr. Dukan has developed a new version of the diet that is better balanced and suitable for pregnant women but only during the first 4 months.
As for the military diet, it is not the recommended diet for pregnant women. It can bring many risks not only for the pregnant woman but also for a normal person.
Bottom Line
Both diets eliminate many food groups which can affect people’s health. However, the Dukan diet contains a stabilization phase which is very close to the balanced diet which is good.
