Dukan diet slammed

Mirjam

Never Ever Give Up!
Typically superficial stuff! Criticisms of Dukan seem to be based on misrepresentations of what it is and what it can achieve. Any diet can be boring/ unhealthy in the long term or if carried to extremes.
Point is, it works! Well, it has for me and it's the first diet that ever has. And it has not been that difficult to follow, it's do-able on ordinary, accessible food, and if the whole programme is followed it provides a pattern for a proper more healthy way of eating.
I'm still in early conso, but I'm pretty sure I can now at least identify and manage my over eating problems better.
Certainly didn't feel worn out, tired etc, rather the opposite!
And yes ok, rather too much chicken at times, but that's my lack of imagination, time, and just plain convenience.
I'd be more interested if they came up with a list of 'best' diets, whatever that might mean.
 
This would be the same Daily Mail that gave the diet lots of positive publicity last year?:rolleyes:

No diet is perfect but I have done extra research and for overall good health, I do think low-carb is the way to go. OK, it's low-fat also, so 2 groups 'almost' cut out (but there are carbs in veg, oatbran and milk and high enough levels of fat in meat to keep us going) but surely this or any other diet has to be better than carrying around excess weight to the point where you're possibly risking diabetes and other illnesses, being constantly out of breath because you have extra weight to lug about (I couldn't believe how hard it was to carry my youngest for a short while - 5 minutes - when just a year before I'd been carrying 10 kilos extra all the time. He weighs more than 10 kilos, but you get my drift) let alone the more practical aspects like finding clothes easily, being able to run for a bus, etc.

The low-fat and very-low carb (but not as low as Atkins, I don't even know if I was in ketosis much - I have lots of dairy) is only for the first 2 phases, then more carbs and fats are introduced and the 'protein only' (although it's not because dairy and oatbran are in there too) is just a couple of days, so huge exagerations there too.

I'm in France, so am happy to eat both rabbit and offal;) but I was never bored on cruise - OK, I hold my hands up and admit that Thursday PP days are hard (because they are strict on stabilisation) and I don't often do them (strictly) and add in green veg if I've had a cleanish week. But overall, I'm pleased with the results, I feel fine and am happy with my new way of eating.

I know that everyone here on Dukan knows all this, but just in case there are newbies lurking...

As for the 'research', I think this article was written in a hurry, 5 minutes or so before the printing deadline because obviously none has been done.:D
 
What a load of crap! If they say there is no science behind it then they surely can't have read the book. And promotes weight loss of 7lb a week? I wish!
 
How can they say that it is a worse diet to do than the alcorexia one!!!!
I am down 20lbs now afetr 7 weeks on Dukan and I have never felt better, I don't feel deprived and I know I can do this!!
 
It's total rubbish, just like most of the content of the Daily Mail. The fact they say the Dukan is worse than that baby food diet / the VLC-and-then-get-smashed-at-the-weekend-diet just proves they don't know what they're talking about! It's laughable really.....
 
What total twaddle! Not even precise and the writer obviously has no clue about the theory of Dukan! I have tried loads of diets, ww, cd, sw, calorie counting, rosemary conley, slim fast - all have worked to varying degrees but I love the Dukan diet so far and wouldn't change a thing!! It is liberating being free of the addiction of carbs!!!
 
The Daily Mail's marketing strategy is to target insecure middle-class middle-aged women and bombard them with contradictory information -

How to keep your husband/how to lose your husband/tomatoes are superfoods/tomatoes cause cancer/coffee rots your bones/coffee protects your brain/plastic surgery is dangerous/plastic surgery is the only way to succeed/diet sodas keep you trim/diet sodas kill/Dukan is great/Dukan is dangerous...

If we fall for it, our self-esteem pummets, week on week, simply making us more desperate to read the next authoritive DM pronouncement on what we need to do to make everything better.

Frankly, after all the DM Dukan hype of the last 10 months it was just a count down to the inevitable "Dukan will make your hair fall out" article.

Oh well, at least this might ease the Oat Bran shortages and bring prices down again.
 
Excellent! And it might stop another 50 newbies signing up in January!! haaaa!!
 
The Daily Mail would, of course, say it is simply reporting what the British Dietetic Association have said. This is the paper that the day before, reported that a toast sandwich was recommended by a different bunch of 'scientist's' as an economical and calorie saving lunch!

Good job we don't always believe what we read in the papers!

To their credit, the BDA did at least say that they thought the addition of an egg and a bit of cress may improve the toast sandwich nutritionally.
 
I so agree with all of you! It's just another way for DM to fill their paper.... I must say, I do miss my oatbran muffins now I'm on LT for a couple of weeks and can't wait to eat them again! That is somthing that I will be eating for the rest of my life as they are so yummy... :D
 
This article has really got my dander up...!

This is what the DM says is the problem with the diet -

While weight loss can be quick,
True for most people, but not always and depends on whether you follow it strictly

followers of the Dukan report difficulties
Naturally – all diets are restrictive – that’s the point! They are designed to wean you off bad eating habits and get you onto good ones. The difference between a good diet and a bad one is (a) how effective the diet is, (b) whether you personally can live with it and (c) whether you can ultimately get back into eating a balanced diet for you and your life-style

Here are the main cons.

1 Much of the diet prescribes solely protein for days on end.

Really? Which book have they been reading? Attack – the pure protein phase, only lasts a maximum of 10 days. Most people only do 5 or 6 pure protein days. Many people, me included, are not 100% strict on the PP days of attack. (‘fess up time – my lovely lean steak seemed lonely without a lettuce & tomato garnish!) Even if you are strictly PP for the full 10 days, it’s not forever. The Cruise phase lasts as long as it takes to get to your target weight, with unlimited vegetables on alternate days. Just no potatoes or starchy stuff. So is that really a problem?

Followers complain this can get boring and as a result is difficult to adhere to.

OK, we all get those days when you open the fridge door and you think, not chicken/tuna/cottage cheese again! But there is plenty of stuff that it is possible to eat, it’s just a case of making sure you’ve planned for it in the shopping. I get creative at the weekend when I have more time and lay in a stock of dukan friendly dishes so I know I won’t get tempted by the biscuit tin. Eating out and made up dishes are a little more tricky, because you can’t really tell how much fat/hidden sugar there are in dishes but frankly, half the problem with the present UK diet is all that hidden sugar/salt and fat in made up dishes. I’m happy to go back to basics – and if that means eating a bit of scary ‘offal’ or (heavens forbid) bunny rabbit, then I’ll become an honorary Frenchwoman.

2 Eating so much protein - around three to four times the normal amount - can put a strain on the kidneys.

Hence the recommendation to drink plenty of plain water and to consult your doctor before starting this kind of regime. But what is the ‘normal amount’ of protein? It surely must depend on your culture, your preferences and your life-style? I do hate sweeping generalisations like this. Any diet can cause health problems – you rely on people to use some common sense.

This can be more problematic for those with underlying kidney problems they may not have known about.

This is a stupid comment. If they don’t know they’ve got a problem, they can’t anticpate the ill-effects, can they? Repeat loudly, tell your doctor what you are planning on doing, drink lots of plain water and stop if you feel ill.

3 A lack of fibre can be a problem. An unbalanced diet short of fruit and vegetables and heavy in fish and meat can lead to constipation.

Very true. That’s why oat-bran and daily exercise (walking is sufficient) is recommended at every stage of the diet.It’s also why I personally take vitamin C, and enjoy my PV days immensely for the huge variety of vegetables I can have. The ones I can’t have – well, I like them too, but I can live without them because I know that one day soon, I can have them again - in moderation. The absence of fruit really bothered me at first, but now I’m in Conso, I can have one piece a day and that’s fine – some days I don’t even bother.

4 Lack of cereal-based foods can lead to deficiency of vitamin B.

Easy to remedy – take a Vitamin B supplement whilst on Attach and Cruise. Better still, take a good all round multi-vitamin. Daily oatbran is a cereal, and there is plenty that can be done with that.


5 Weight loss is difficult to maintain once the rigid programme has ended.

You don’t want to have weight loss when you have stopped dieting- just a stable weight. Jury still out on this personally as I’m in early Conso. But one thing this diet has taught me is the control I have over what I put in my mouth, and the effects that each type of food will have on my body. Now I understand what the effects are, I can tweak my daily food to keep a steady weight, let me have treats and enjoy my food again without worrying about piling on the pounds.

The maintenance phase alone - six days of eating normally

I like this assumption – for the average Daily Mail reader, is the ‘normal’ diet non stop take away pizza’s, starchy foods and sweets? The normal diet for a dukaner is going to be rather different, I think.

and one Dukan day of protein - is unlikely to keep the weight off for the average dieter, whose indulgence throughout the week will outweigh the benefits of the protein day.

The point about Dukan maintenance is that it does allow you indulgence, but only on condition that you eat sensibly the rest of the time. The process teaches you that – I’m still on this journey but I’m confident the destination is worth it.

Apologies for the length of this post but once I started I couldn't stop....!
 
The Daily Mail's marketing strategy is to target insecure middle-class middle-aged women and bombard them with contradictory information -

How to keep your husband/how to lose your husband/tomatoes are superfoods/tomatoes cause cancer/coffee rots your bones/coffee protects your brain/plastic surgery is dangerous/plastic surgery is the only way to succeed/diet sodas keep you trim/diet sodas kill/Dukan is great/Dukan is dangerous...

If we fall for it, our self-esteem pummets, week on week, simply making us more desperate to read the next authoritive DM pronouncement on what we need to do to make everything better.

Frankly, after all the DM Dukan hype of the last 10 months it was just a count down to the inevitable "Dukan will make your hair fall out" article.

Oh well, at least this might ease the Oat Bran shortages and bring prices down again.

Too true, yesterday I read that the ASA had ordered the removal of pictures of an unhealthy weight model from a catalogue because she was too thin, whilst opposite was the headline saying Martine McCucheon had been indulging in too much activia because she was getting fat. Good ole Daily Fail.
 
You've said it all and we've been here before - the DM needs to sell copies... and looks like Dr D has withdrawn his sponsorship ;-)
 
as some of you will know (if u read my long neglected diary :eek:) my partner are/were both on this diet as my partner had a stroke last year aged only 39 and put on a lot of weight in the few months that followed (me? ive always been fat lol)

After 2 months on the diet he had an appointment with a consultant at the hospital and was commended on his weight loss and his overall health. The consultant asked him about the diet and when he explained exactly what he was eating the consultant said as long as you're getting enough calories per day (which he was) the diet sounds fine and she was actually very jealous of the weight he had lost!

He has never been in such good health, his cholesterol is low, his blood pressure is now 120/65 (it was over 200/120 at one point) and his breathing problems have all disappeared.

Unhealthy diet???? show me how!!
 
I wish all medical peeps were so supportive - I had a general check-up mentioned lost 8-9lbs (4 weeks in) and when drilled about diet explained Dukan and just got one of those looks! Mainly concerned with lack of veg every other day. When I pressed her - is it better to be on Dukan and lose weight or go back to "healthy" eating and can't manage to loose anything - then she agreed better to loose the weight yes - and I said restriction on veggies only when loosing weight - then I promised to get closer to the 5 a day recommended!
 
Coincidently, I am wearing a T-shirt today that says:

I'm the one the Daily Mail warned you about.

The words "Daily Mail" are in gothic script.
It's a loathsome paper.
 
Before going to bed last night, I said to my OH: "I hope you're not going to buy the Daily Mail each day as you usually do when we're in England!". His response: "I'll buy whatever I like!". Hmm!

I think their website is far worse than the paper version somehow... is that possible?

They can't be all bad though - they did make me their slimmer of the year way back when ;)
 
This is good for you.......that isn't good for you........eating this way will help to prevent cancer......eating that way will put you at higher risk of cancer etc etc etc.......Is is any wonder that there's so many people with eating disorders/unhealthy relationship with food????? :mad:
Jackie xx
 
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