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Is the Dukan diet sustainable?

The Dukan diet for one week will let you lose 10 lbs, which means that it’s not permanent. But the stabilization phase of Dukan diet can let you have sustainable & permanent weight loss. 

Does the Dukan diet cause the yoyo effect? 

The Dukan diet requires quick weight loss. One of the main rules of weight loss is that the faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to regain the lost weight. So yes the Dukan diet can cause the yoyo effect and it is not permanent. 

Anyway, the diet remains a diet that lacks scientific support as to whether it is a healthy diet or not. 

Does the stabilization phase of Dukan diet is sustainable? 

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I think we have to thank Dr. Dukan for his efforts because very few diets have this idea of stabilization. The stabilization phase of the Dukan diet is made to fix the weight and keep it off as long as possible. 

But despite this important phase, the Dukan diet remains restrictive in its food choices: it is a low-carbohydrate and low-fat diet! This can also cause the yoyo effect apart from the rapid weight loss in the first three phases. 

However, the stabilization phase is not permanent but it can delay the yoyo effect as much as possible. 

Why the Dukan diet is not sustainable? 

Scientifically proven it’s very rare to see a person who didn’t recover the weight lost after a quick weight loss due to a restrictive diet. But that’s not the only reason why the Dukan diet is not permanent. 

Rapid weight loss 

 The faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to regain the weight lost after you stop the diet. Rapid weight loss, especially when there are very few foods allowed, allows you to lose water, especially in the first days of the diet, then there will be a drop in weight.

In this way, you do not give your stomach a chance to ask for less food. In order for your hormones and your stomach to decrease their cravings, you must take the time necessary to change your eating habits permanently. 

Limited food choice

This usually happens with low-carb diets like the keto and Dukan diets. But not only! The sudden elimination of any food from our diet will influence our mental health and impose a demotivation and loss of desire to continue with the diet. Therefore the yoyo effect may occur.

Elimination of sugar 

 A limited choice of foods, especially fruit, and a little pleasure with sugar should be included in your diet. Eliminating or limiting sweet foods has a negative effect on the psychological state of a person on a low-carbohydrate diet. On the other hand, avoid it but eat it occasionally.

You may think you’ve forgotten about the sweet taste and you’ve managed to forget about it, but it will just linger to get that craving again.  

How can I keep a sustainable weight loss with Dukan diet? 

The only effective way not to take back the weight loss is with the Dukan diet and to remain as long as possible with phase 4 of the Dukan diet which is the phase of stabilization. This phase was made on the bus to avoid the effect of the yoyo.

But to succeed in making the Dukan diet permanent, it is necessary to remain in phase 4 of the Dukan diet as long as possible and why not make it a lifestyle, because it is a phase which is balanced or one can eat a little of everything but occasionally for the foods to be avoided. 

How much weight  can you lose when following the Dukan diet 

In the Dukan diet, a really fast weight loss especially during the first phase lasts only one week. 

  • phase 1: 10 lbs 
  • Phase 2: Dr. Dukan’s rule is to lose 1 kilo per week. the equivalent of 2.2 lbs
  • Phase 3: 10 days per kilo lost (if you have 10 kg to lose you must follow this phase for 100 days, or 3 months). 
  • Phase 4: Stabilization. 

How To Know If you’re on a Sustainable Diet?

A sustainable diet has several characteristics, the most important is the duration. 

The duration of the diet

The longer the duration of the diet, the greater the chance of not regaining the lost weight. 

Eating habits require more time to change. Having good eating habits that last as long as possible requires a long time. That’s why the Dukan diet is not permanent. Because it is not long, the first phase already which allows important weight loss lasts only one week. 

Progressive weight loss 

The second key to not regaining the weight lost is progressive weight loss. To succeed in avoiding the yo-yo effect during a diet we must lose weight very gradually, contrary to what the Dukan diet is! 

A varied plate 

Your plate must be varied! Once you are used to the food, it is not possible to ignore it just suddenly, if not, with time, your body will take revenge no matter how long you have waited, there will be a day when you will recover what you have missed by not eating! 

Do not remove any food from your plate, you must eat varied and balanced. Thus, you will not have any problem with demotivation during your diet. 

Limit certain foods but do not eliminate them! 

For example, sweets should certainly be avoided. That is to say, consume them very occasionally. A healthy diet does not recommend eliminating the food that you used to eat before, on the other hand you must eat it very occasionally but not anytime! For more information: Balanced diet for weight loss.

How much weight should I lose on the Dukan diet for sustainable weight loss?  

For progressive weight loss, and for a permanent diet, you should go slowly and lose an average of 2 to 2.7 lbs per month. This depends on each person, their activity, and their basal metabolic rate. It is called the speed of weight loss, which depends on several factors, and the dietician must calculate it for a permanent diet. 

Bottom Line 

Finally, the dukan diet can be a permanent diet if you do not leave the stabilization phase and you continue it for life, however it is really difficult not to regain the weight after stopping the dukan diet.

Hi there ! , I’m M. Kenza , dietitian , my main objective here is to show you how to have a good waistline and feel good about yourself by losing weight or avoiding gaining it, and all this without , having to go out , suffering or starving.