Phase II Cruise

Dukan Diet Phase 2: the Cruise

The Dukan Diet Phase 2: Criuse is in fact a combination of two sub-phases. One, that in terms of the menu, is almost identical to the Attack Phase and the other that broadens the list of the allowed foods by including the remaining 28 vegetables from the 100 dukan diet safe products list.

The key rule of the Cruise Phase is to follow The Pure Protein (PP) sub-phase and the Protein + Vegetables (PV) sub-phase in turns until you reach your target weight.

There’s not much I can write about the PP sub-phase since it’s basically based on the same rules as the Attack Phase (see links above). Let’s focus on a PV sub-phase then.

Like in the Attack Phase there are more than one variation of the Dukan Diet Phase 2 as well. Which option will you choose depends on certain conditions, including your individual preferences.

How much vegetables you can eat during Dukan’s Diet Phase 2?

Basically there are no restrictions to the amount of vegetables you eat during the second phase of the diet. On the other hand, taking advantage of this rule and going crazy with vegetables is not a good idea either. Despite the careful selection the vegetables on the list, deliberate overeating can spoil your efforts. You should only eat as much as needed to satisfy your hunger. Don’t get me wrong, there are no restrictions to how much food you consume but the more you eat (beyond the level of satiation) the slower the weight loss proceeds.

The initial weight gain

It often happens that when a dieter passes on from the Attack Phase to the PV, the weight loss, once so spectacular, is now progressing at the minimum rate. Some dieters report that they even regained some of the weight they’d just lost. What is happening? Nothing to be worried about.

When you feed yourself with large amounts of protein your body, apart from burning the fat, loses significant amounts of water. Now, when you add variety to your menu and start eating vegetables, your body strives to regain its natural balance (the body tries to counteract the changes you are making; this happens as a part of a broader process called human homeostasis) and, among other things, starts to replenish its water reserves.

Don’t worry. The real weight loss that is caused by the elimination of the body’s excessive adipose tissue is still in effect. The results may not be visible on the scale but there’s no harm being done to the weight loss process.

The moment you return to the PP sub-phase the body will get rid of the water and the scale will show you the progress again.

If you record your weight daily you will notice that you weight loss curve is similar to this:

Chart: Weight Loss on Dukan Diet Phase II Cruising
Gradual Weight Loss on 5/5 PV/PP (30 lbs lost in 3 months)

Why does the weight loss curve look like that? The reason is simple. The PP sub-phase is the beating heart of the weight loss process throughout the entire Phase 2. Don’t expect to lose a shocking number of pounds on the PV sub-phase. The latter is more a balance-restoring element rather than a fat burning machine. That said, don’t underestimate the importance of the PV sub-phase. In fact, if not for the PV’s stabilizing effect you could get yourself into some serious trouble by overdoing the PP diet (see more: ketosis and ketoacidosis).

Unless your goal is to lose 2 or 3 lbs, you are very likely to stay in the Phase 2 for weeks. You need to choose the frequency of switching between the sub-phases. There are a couple of ways in which you can approach the matter.

The Dukan Diet Phase 2 variants

5/5 (5 days on PV, then 5 days on PP)

This is the most common choice. 5/5 means that you eat vegetables with protein for 5 days and then for the next 5 days you switch to a protein-only diet. According to Dukan, this scheme corresponds well with the psyche of an obese person. 5/5 is not the easiest way to go but the results are pretty rewarding – says Dukan in one of his books.

Let me add a few thoughts on the 5/5 scheme. Whereas, 5 day long sub-phase seem pretty optimal from the dieter’s point of view (in terms of not getting bored with it), a small problem arises when it comes to knowing which sub-phase are you in and when does the next sub-phase begin. If that’s your case you may find it convenient to apply a 7/7 system that better reflects the weekly rhythm around which most people’s lives revolve.

An example: if you choose a 5/5 system and start the PV on, let’s say, Monday then the next switch is on Saturday, then on Wednesday, then on Monday on so on… Choosing the 5/5 option forces you to remember what comes when or, at least, monitor the calendar closely. I know of people who always forget that ‘today is the day’. If you have the tendency to forget things, try the 7/7 system.

7/7 (a week on PV, then a week on PP)

Using the 7/7 system makes it easier to remember the day of the switch. 7/7 means that you follow the PV sub-phase for a week and then PP for the next week and so on. It’s easy to remember and, in means of weight loss, it should bring about the same (if not better) results as the 5/5 system. Of course, if for some reason you can’t use the 7/7 system (for example you suspect the intervals may be too long for you), just follow some other option.

1/1 (1 day on PV, then 1 day on PP)

This option serves the best if you plan on losing less than 22 lbs (< 10 kg). It is not as efficient as 5/5 or 7/7 plans but it is much easier to follow and adds variety to the diet. Choose it to catch your breath if you lose your motivation or when you get tired of the 5/5 or 7/7 schemes.

5/2 (5 days on PV, then 2 days on PP)

In one of his books Dukan writes about a 2/7 scheme and describes it as “2 days on PP followed by 5 days on PV”. While I do not argue with the idea, I think Dukan has showed some inconsistency in terms of naming the scheme. The proper “code” for this option should be 5/2, which means you are 5 days on PV and then 2 days on PP. Nevertheless, I recommend this  system to the dieters who expect only a slight weight loss.

Custom PV/PP plan

Try your own options and find the one that suits you the best. You can experiment with PP and PV sub-phases if you wish. You can try 4/3 or even 2/5 systems when you hit a plateau. Remember though, don’t overtax your body with the PP. This can result in some severe consequences including ketoacidosis. So, a good rule of thumb is to choose wisely keeping in mind that a slow but steady progress is always better than any immediate results.

Expected weight loss during the Dukan Diet Phase 2

How much and how fast will you lose weight during Cruise Phase depends on several factors:

You basal and target weight.

It’s hard to estimate your weight loss rate when you need to drop more then 44 lbs (20 kg) but in most cases people  drop about 2 lbs (1 kg) per week. Practice also shows that during the first few weeks the weight loss rate is higher and can amount to 3 – 4 lbs (1.5 kg) per week.

The sub-phase scenario you choose.

Selecting the optimal PP/PV interval, which corresponds best with your individual preference and your body’s actual condition, can increase the weight loss rate. But it’s not always about maximizing the duration of the PP sub-phase. More importantly, you should choose a plan that suits you best in terms of your general physical and mental state, your lifestyle, taste and such. It is crucial that you feel good and maintain a good health while you’re on a diet.

Overcome your body’s resistance to weight loss.

After about two months since the beginning of the diet your body will, most probably, start to resist the treatment and you may notice a sudden drop in your weight loss rate. This process is considered natural. Until then (i.e. within the first 8 weeks or so) you should be able to lose 22 lbs / 10 kg).

During your entire dieting period you might experience several stagnation episodes, commonly referred to as plateaus. Normally, you body will not resist much to losing the first few stones. However, after the initial considerable weight drop, it will start to defy being ‘robbed’ of its reserves. In theory, one might consider an intensification of the efforts as a remedy to prevent the occurrence of the plateau. Indeed, this is a reasonable approach but practice shows that many people tend to lose their dedication to dieting when they hit a plateau.

Losing one’s first 22 lbs (10 kg) or so contributes substantially to an improvement in general health, physical condition, agility etc. Moreover, you start getting compliments, you fit into your old clothes you start to feel great. But the dieting process hasn’t been completed yet. This is the moment you should double your efforts to stick to the diet. It’s easy to dispense yourself from the diet rules when everything goes well.

Many people have a tendency to lose their self-control after the initial successes. Deviating from the diet at this point often results in feeling guilty. In consequence, you get back to the diet, but then you lose some weight again and stop dieting again and again. This is nothing good since such chaotic behavior can lead to a severe deregulation of the metabolic processes and will only deepen your compulsive eating habits.

If you find yourself in such a tight corner, there are three things you can do:

Give up and return to your compulsive overeating and muse over your failure. This will inevitably lead to a spectacular yo-yo effect. I strongly advise against this option.

Pull yourself together and start anew keeping in mind that the diet isn’t over until you reach the Phase IV.

Maintain a status quo. If find yourself somewhat satisfied with what you’ve achieved so far but, in the same time, tired of following the Phase 2 rules, you can immediately pass to Phase 3. Then, after  certain time passes (4.5 days for every pound or 10 days for every 1 kg lost), proceed to the Final Stabilization Phase.

337 Comments

  1. How long does this phase last for? I had a hard copy of the book. Boughy an ebook and now I cannot find the diet durations. I remember the book told you exaclty how long each should last

  2. Hi Admin
    Ive been on dukan since April 16, my goal weight was 57kg,when I started I was 70.4 and now weigh 58.9..please with myself and felt good, but now I feel bloated and have picked up some fat around my chest and stomach area.. how can this be… yes I have been naughty by eating sweets and chips and bread,… I know this can be part of it… I try and walk 30 min every day but somehow I feel bloated..when I get onto the scale it does not show an increase of weight but I feel like ive picked up… :( feeling sad I know ive been wrong to eat what I was not suppose to…. can I start from the attach phase again or continue on the cruise… never went on the consolidation phase yet..

  3. my target is to lose 5-6 kilos, so the attack phase would be 2 days, so how long the cruise phase should be ?

  4. i was 84kg did attack for 5days and lost 0.5kg with exercise :( i expected 1.5 to 3 kgs now starting cruise 7 pv with 7 pp any ideas why lost little weight

  5. I would love to see a list of tollerated foods, how much of each is allowed and how often they can be eaten.

    Thanks

  6. Hi could you have a look at this diet and see if anything can be changed.

    The diet says no calorie counting, but it was suggested i do
    so i have. I would have less than 1400 calories per day what would be a good
    amnt per day to continue to lose

    Thx

  7. Hi also this is my diet pretty much what you think. Im pretty restricted i feel.

    Brekfast. 1.5 tbsp oatbran sweetener 2.
    if hungry still maybe 2 eggs boiled or fried with small amnt of canola spray.

    Lunch some times half roast chicken no skin bought from supermarket.
    or beef rump with onion/ pv stage with salad or veg no dressing

    brunch if hungry can sardines or tuna or sliced salmon with chopped onions
    pepper, corriandor salt to taste.

    Dinner, last night i had chicken 1 breast no fat, stuffed with fat free bacon,shallot,mushrom. cottage cheese. sealed and lightly poached. added cornflour to pan to thicken.

    Dessert usualy all i have fat free yoghurt. ice milk lassie.
    all i drink is either coffee no sugar and coke zero or diet drink.

    if i snack during PV i have celery cucmber carrot dipped in low fat tzatziki
    If i cant cook i get take out.

    half hot nandos chicken no skin.
    Have had also from chinese shop mixed meat/seafood veg for PV days
    also from turkish shop i have had mixed meat only chicken lamb on those spits

  8. Ok thx Admin . will maybe change protein and some veg.

    What does change (sth) mean.?
    I have been walking everyday for up to an hr briskly.
    Do you have or know any good execrcise for stomach chest area.
    I thought on this diet would lose all fat? im i right

    I hear alot of stomach excercise dont really work.

    1. Actually most stomach exercises work, they just do something different than what most people want/expect them to do. Stomach exercises like sit-ups, crunches, and many others increase the strength of what is known as your “core”- the section of your body that include the abs, serratus, obliques, and lower back muscles. Reassuming, most exercises will increase the size and toning of your muscles, but will do nothing in the way of loosing fat. So you can feel free to do as many crunches as you want, but if you don’t restrict your calorie intake you will never achieve a six-pack (and I’m assuming this is your goal). Also, and this is very important, calories DO matter. If you eat 3000 calories worth of protein and nothing else every day, you will gain weight. So maybe what you need to do is start tracking your calories?

      As to your second question: no, you will not lose all of your fat on this diet. That is not only impossible, it would be extremely unhealthy. Professional athletes have a body fat level of around 6-13% (men) and 14-20% (women). Us regular folks have more than that :). You should try to understand that that’s not a bad thing. Without fat, our endocrine system wouldn’t work at all, and our bodies would have no means of storing vitamins A, D, E, and K (these vitamins dissolve in fat but not in water), to mention just two problems. So remember- small amounts of healthy fats are essential for maintaining overall health.

  9. i have been on dukan now coming up to 5mnths. i have had 3 slips
    with alchol and chocolate. I have noticed since febuary my weight has been
    going from 64kg to 62.3kg up and down. according to the diet
    i should be loosing at least 1kg per month right? if this is the case i should be at ideal by now 60kg but im not and feel really fat and hard to get it off tummy chest area. Ive been so good with resisting junk food etc etc. please help.

    1. Sometimes, our body disagrees with the perfect weight calculations. Maybe what you weigh now is your natural weight. Maybe this tummy fat need some exercising? Anyway, how can you feel really fat being so close to your perfect weight? In my opinion, you should change sth. What exactly… hard to say. Maybe a change in the menu would help? Like switching from one protein rich food to another, from one veg to another you haven’t been eating before.

  10. can i take this cereal bar during PP and PV for phase II cruise :-

    Nutrition facts:-
    serv size 1bar(23g)
    serving 1
    calories 90
    Fat cal 15
    *percent daily values(DV) are based on a 2,000 calories diet
    amount/serving %DV*
    total fat 1.5g 2%
    sat. fat 1g 5%
    trans fat 0g
    cholest. 0mg 0%
    sodium 85mg 4%
    total carb. 18g 6%
    fiber 3g 10%
    sugars 8g
    protein less than 1g

    1. This bar is mostly fat (6% of fat) and sugar (35%). How did you come to a conclusion that this kind of food (=sweets) might be allowed in cruise phase? :)

  11. Hi,
    I gave birth to my 3rd baby 6 weeks ago and I found myself not loosing any of the weight even though I am breastfeeding.
    I have currently lost 4 kg by doing 9 days of the attack phase (I intended to do 10, but didn´t make it), but need to loose 10 more to be back to my weight from the old old days…
    I find the 5/5 and 7/7 scheme a bit too harsh but I really want the good results. Would you recommend a 4/ 3 scheme in this situation?
    Thank you very much!

  12. Just eaten a Yeo Valley Fat Free yoghurt and now I am worried because I have just Googled it and a lot of people are saying it is not allowed on the Dukan diet due to the sugar content! I thought all fat free yoghurts were allowed – can you help with this? Seriously beating myself up now :-(

  13. Hi I have just been reading the book I as just want to make sure what I read is right the book is advising us to do 1 day of pp and 1day of pv if u have a lot to lose

    1. 1/1 is slower. Is it better for people who need to lose a lot? I prefer 5/5, and I was to lose like 50 lbs.

  14. Hi I have been on the dukan for 10 days I have done 4 day attack phase and lost 2 kilos, I have chose 5pv and 5 Pp I have just finished the 5 PV and I haven’t lost or gained anything in those five days i stayed the sane weight Is this normal? I start the 5 days Pp today should I expect any weight lost by the end of the week? thanks!.

    1. This is normal. Basically, you will lose weight during PP days and sometimes even gain during PV days. That’s completely normal. If you gained nothing during PV days, that’s better than usual. And yes, you can expect weight loss at the end of PP days.

  15. When in phase 2 of dukan is it ok if I do 1week of Pv and then one week of just protein and just carry on till I reach goal

  16. Hi..it’s been 5days I’m in phase II PV but i didn’t lose any weight..i didn’t take vegetable that much and i evrn went to gym since last wednesday until friday. But until now my weight been up n down :( am i doing mistakes here? :(

    1. Probably not. Weight changes up and down in the early phase 2. Don’t worry. You will lose during PP days, and sometimes gain a bit during PV days.

  17. And how much have you got left, more or less? If you think you need a lot more time than 22 days to reach your true weight I’d start over again, but do only 2 or max 3 days of attack. If you feel comfortable with your overall progress so far, and you haven’t got a lot of “cruising” left to do, go ahead and continue with the cruise phase. It will just take a little longer.

    1. Well i had 38 days left for cruise to finish and was meant to reach my true weight by 17/5/12…in total loosing 10.8kg. At the moment i have done 6.3kg loss.

      Thanks John

      1. Don’t forget that the length of the cruise phase isn’t set in stone. 60 days is not a ‘set’ value- consider it more of a guideline. Certain variables including (but not restricted to): age, height, sex, genes, activity, and even how stressed you feel all have a profound effect on how fast you shed fat. So don’t worry if 60 days turns into 70, or even 80, days. As long as you stick to the diet as best as you can, and achieve your desired wight-loss in a sensible (as defined by your own consciousness) period of time, you’ve achieved total success. You’ve made a change for the better in your life, and no one can say otherwise :)

  18. I have been very bad and cheated for 3 continuous days scoffing cakes and naan bread and coke zero and a little bit of rice as well. How can I make up?? I feel horrible : (
    Also saw a 1.2kg gain..but all due to my own bad habit.

    1. Don’t make up at all. Just continue with the plan. Your weight gain is your punishment (how long did it take to lose that 1.2 kg, huh?). Coke zero is fine, you can drink it (i.e. it is fine as far as the diet rules are concerned; in general, coke is bad).

  19. can we take crunchy granola bars(power bar) in phase II? normally i take 1 in the morning and the 1 during lunch. I take this power bar before i start dukan diet. can i still apply it once i start with dukan diet?
    nutrition facts:
    serving size 42g(2bars)
    energy 191(801kJ)
    protein 3.4g
    carbohydrate 27.4
    of which sugars 10.6g
    fat 6.9g
    of which saturated 0.8g
    sodium 0.12 g

    1. 65% of carbs! 16% of fat… 25% of sugar… This kind of food is not in the spirit of dukan diet rules. Absolutely forbidden. I wonder why is it called a power bar anyway? Nutrition values you posted here are very much the same as in just any chocolate bar (like snickers)…

      Maybe it’s good for people who work out heavily, but not for dieters on a low-carb diet.

      1. normally i go to gym from monday to thursday..and friday normally i play badminton..when i eat that power bar, i felt full.anyways thanks for the info :D

        1. Always remember this, 90% of processed foods, which means it is not in its natural state will not be healthy of good for you. Power Bars and such are sold to fuel the billion dollar diet economy. Stay away from things like this. Diet is what you consume.

          I have done excellent on my diet with the processed food rule and not eating them.

  20. luckily i didn’t buy it :) yeahh will definitely try the lemon-mustard sauce :) it’s simple and easy to make. Thanks!

  21. yes..it’s a sauce.
    1tbsp (16g)

    %Daily value

    Total fat 6g 9%
    -Saturated fat 1g 4%
    -Trans Fat
    Cholesterol 4mg 1%
    Sodium 138mg 6%
    Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
    -Dietry Fiber 0g 1%
    -Sugar 2g
    Protein 0g

  22. Hi,

    Can you check these links and advise, if they are good :
    1. http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/meatless-hot-dog
    2. http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/good-dog
    3. http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/meatless-beef-burger

    Thank You

    I am still on dukan, but my weight loss is very slow !!! Now, I am walking daily for 30 mins, and my breakfast is eggs, lunch grilled chicken and dinner is oat bran, I started the diet 42 days back, and have lost 4.6 to 5 kgs !! Is it worth continuing ?? doing 3 PV / 5 PP, and not one miss all that time, not 1 cheat !!! and yes I eat cucumber pickles with my chicken as well !!! and I am not having any tolerated food !!!

    NEED MOTIVATION

    1. According to the true weight calculator, I am supposed to loose by mid JULY 20 kgs, I dont think I will meet this deadline !! can’t be iwth this pace !!

    2. 1, 2 & 3 they are ok in terms of fat & carbs contents, but I don’t think they are good products anyway. The protein within are of plant origin (thus incomplete). Also it is very salty. Not recommended.

      Has the weight loss stopped completely? What do you eat during your PV days?

      1. Weight loss is always up and down, ex. :
        PP Day 34: weight loss 0.6
        PP Day 35 : same
        PP Day 36: weigh gain 0.7
        PV Day 37 : weight loss 0.7
        PV Day 38: weight loss 0.3
        PV Day 39 : weight gain 0.5
        PP Day 40 : same
        PP Day 41: same

        My PV days mostly : morning eggs (omlette with veg)
        Lunch grilled chicken with Veg and salad
        Dinner : some veggies (little) as snacks as well as my oat bran

          1. Most of us, I presume. I used to experiment with new foods when a plateau happened. Besides, slow weigh loss is better than no weigh loss, and even better than weight gain. How do you feel on this diet? (I mean in general). Some weight fluctuations can be caused by feminine matters. It’s a good idea to wait until your period ends (or whatever… umh… I’m not an expert in this field :P) before making any radical moves (like giving up).

            Quitting the diet is a very bad idea. Why would you want to quit? Do you miss sth?

              1. Try adding some very low-carb foods into your PV and PP (sic!) menu. This will make the diet more bearable and maybe will help you against those radical carbohydrate cravings. Adding foods like: lettuce, rucola, belgian edive, chives, parsley green, dill weed (use them as salads or condiments; don’t bother about quantity, but always add it to some protein rich meals).

                You can also try a lemon-mustard sauce (squash half a lemon for one tbsp of mustard, add black pepper; mix it). Add this sauce to meat and salads (as a dressing). This sauce is somewhat sweetish (especially when you use horseradish mustard), it may help as well.

                This was written in haste, hope you got everything. If not, feel free to ask :).

                  1. 1. Officially, not really. But in your case it’s better to try sth than not. Myself, I ate many kinds of lettuce and rucola even in my PP days.

                    2. I always used brown and horseradish mustard in my lemon-mustard sauce. With dijon mustard you can’t actually prepare this sauce as it should have somewhat velvet consistency, so to say.

                    As I said before, it’s better to bend the rules in order to see some progress and get back on the track again than to struggle with the lack of motivation.

        1. Try some new foods. Maybe some non-fat dairy, lean fish. Adding variety to the diet often helps.
          Are these stats kgs or lbs?

      2. The protein in those products comes from soy, which makes it a complete protein. Soy, quinoa, amaranth, hemp, salvia, and some algae are the most common sources of complete proteins for vegetarians. Of these, only soy and algae (and not all of them either) are compatible with this diet.

          1. Sherry- have you tried the cauliflower line of recipes? Cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, pizza crust, bread sticks… The possibilities are (almost) endless! Since I’ve started making cauliflower pizza on my PV days, which is 100% within the rules of this diet, I haven’t had ANY cravings. You can find a load of recipes on-line, but I personally recommend these: http://www.damyhealth.com/2011/03/the-secret-life-of-cauliflower/ . So far the recipes have worked every time for meal, and they need very little reworking to make them Dukan-compatible.

        1. Yes and no. Soy is a complete protein by definition (indeed, it does contain each of the 8 essential amino acids). However, it’s methionine content is very low, so like all legumes soy should ideally be eaten with foods such as nuts or vegetables, and the latter is not really the best choice. I agree that soy is a good source of proteins for vegetarians (’cause they mix various vegs and legumes in their diet), but it is hard to follow this line on dukan diet.

          1. Sherry, I can say I just hit a huge plateau at week 8. I have lost 41lbs now, but did not lose anything week 8 and actually gained 4 lbs. I stuck true to my diet and only added a banana each morning. To me it makes me feel better and gives me a little more energy. Week 9 i weighed and lost 7lbs. Your body takes sometime to adjust to it.

            Keep up your hard work, yes your weight will flux on this diet. If you feel better and look better don’t give up. :)

              1. Phase 3 is to consolidate (maintain) your perfect weight. Usually no further significant weight loss should happen during phase 3.

                You proceed to phase 3 as soon as you reach your goal weight (or decided that you’ve lost enough and now would like to keep that lost pounds off for good).

                1. is cabbage allowed for phase II ? and if allowed is it possible if i put thousand island just for dressing?

            1. Hi Joe, I would have loved as well the diet if I have lost 40 lbs !! :) I am in week 7 and it’s 10 lbs !!! Although, I am very strict !!! any ways, I am trying to give it one more week and that’s it. I hope I can have any weight loss !!!

  23. I would like to ask, how to know what’s best for eating when looking at the products nutritional value, for example how much carbs, fats should the product include in order for it to be ‘good’ for eating? I would really appreciate if you answer this.

    1. Meat- under 10% fat is OK, although I stick to chicken and turkey breasts and they’re much less than that.
      Dairy- under 5% fat and under 6% carbs.
      Fish- any except for the iridescent shark (aka “swai”, “Pangasianodon hypophthalmus”) which has a very poor nutritious profile compared to mast any other fish. It’s just not worth your money.
      Veggies- any that are on the list.
      As for any other products I just try to limit fat and carbs as much as possible. Try not to consume any foods that have more than 10% fat (or 5% saturated fat), and around 6 % carbs. Try to make sure that at least 70% of the calories supplied by a product come from protein. This isn’t an official standard, it’s just a rule of thumb that I use to verify if I can or can’t eat a certain product.

  24. Your blog is really helpful, thank you for it. I would just like to ask you what kind of oil you use in your cooking? I started using olive oil and I’m not sure if it’s right. I would certainly be grateful if you answer this. Peace.

    1. Don’t use oil at all. It’s forbidden :). The only thing you can do is to oil your frying pan (in terms of greasing a frying pan) with a paper tissue dipped in oil. This way you won’t consume any significant amounts of oil but still you will keep you pan in a good condition. Some people use synthetic oil-free fryers for that purpose but personally I don’t like them and never used anything like that.

      1. Don’t ever fry with Olive oil either. When heated it loses it’s green color and nutrients. When I pan fry my meats I normally just use a nonstick pan and and some water every now and then or cover them. Keeps the meat moist.

    1. It’s pretty decent. I think that 1 serving every now and then won’t hurt. I’d say you can have 1 serving a day (as a base for protein rich meals of course). But in case of any difficulties in losing weight, stop having it.

    2. It’s pretty decent. I think that 1 serving every now and then won’t hurt. I’d say you can have 1 serving a day (as a base for protein rich meals of course). But in case of any difficulties in losing weight, stop using it.

  25. Hate to say it but I had to take the last week off. I still ate healthy, but had to add some carbs back into my diet. I still did not eat white carbs (chips, potatos, rice). I had been experiencing some numbness and tingling in my lips and around my eyes. Doctors said it was possibly from my dieting so hardcore. I have lost almost 40lbs now. I love Dukan and I am going to start back up this week with some extra daily vitamins. The last week was hell, I was hungry all the damn time from the carbs.

    I just posted this to remind people to keep it healthy! I know you all want to lose weight fast, but their is a right way and a wrong way. Don’t starve yourself and make sure you are getting all your nutrients.

    Admin could you suggest any vitamins that may help on the Dukan besides a daily? I also have some B vitamin and potassium I started and I think is helping.

    1. I’m not the admin, but I really must invite everybody here to look at some of the articles at http://www.whfoods.com
      The website offers a very wide and easy-to-understand database for food nutrition. You can check for yourself which vegetables will provide the vitamins and nutrients you need to stay healthy. Hope this helps.

      1. On a related note- you need to consume all types of vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, D, E, K) for optimal health, in the correct doses. It is possible to overdose most vitamins (I believe B2, B7, and C are the exceptions here), but on this diet I must say that hypervitaminosis is very unlikely.

        1. Hypervitaminosis is very unlikely no matter what the diet is. Normally, it is hard to overdose vitamins by just eating natural food.

      1. Thanks for that website was very helpful. Since I was unable to find pure Oat Bran here when I started the diet I recently went to a nutritional store and found some. Taking 2 tbs in the morning and I feel great :)

  26. So I’ve got a problem. Easter is coming up in two weeks, and it’s sort of a big deal in my family. Especially the part where everyone has a big communal breakfast and then a big communal lunch topped of with a (Yup! You guessed it!) BIG communal diner. I don’t want to stay out of these festivities, but I also don’t want to have to cripple my dieting efforts too much… One solution I’ve come up with was to eat as I would normally eat on a PV day (luckily Easter Sunday is a PV day), but not count the amount of egg yolks that I’d consume. My mom said she’d even help me prepare the “dukanized” versions of what everybody else will be eating, but I’m guessing I could hit as many as 6 or 7 egg yolks…
    Do you think that sounds reasonably? Do you have any suggestions as to what I could do? Thanks in advance

    1. I’m a fan of eggs and have never bothered to limit the amount of yolks I consume. As a matter of fact I am an advocate of a theory that egg yolks have nothing to do with the level of cholesterol in your blood (I’m guessing that it is your concern here).

      Some say that eating eggs not only does not increase the level of cholesterol in your blood but even relieve your liver of producing its own cholesterol. Sources say that human liver secretes cca 1.5 to 3 g of cholesterol every day. One egg yolk contains as much as 0.2 g of cholesterol, which is nothing in comparison with some other cholesterol rich foods people eat every day.

      My dad is obese and suffer from hypertension. He has been eating 3 eggs a day, every day, for his entire life. Even so, despite his overweight and other problems, he never had any problems with cholesterol.

      So, briefly speaking, I wouldn’t give a damn about Easter egg craziness at all if I were you. Eat to your heart’s content :).

      1. Umm, the cholesterol is not really an issue, I don’t believe dietary cholesterol has much to do with blood cholesterol either. It’s the fat content that I’m more worried about. But I’m guessing, based on your answer, that that’s not a concern either. Thanks :)

        1. If I were to judge by the numbers, then yes, there’s sth like 10% of fat in an egg. But consider this: 1 egg weights cca 50 grams. This equals to 5 grams of fat per egg, and this equals to 150 grams of roasted chicken breast or 40 grams of cooked salmon. Nothing to be worried about.

  27. Thank you for the quick response! Tomorrow I am on to Phase II 5/5 and I was wondering if cooking with PAM non stick cooking spray is all right? Thank you! Thank you!

    1. People here say it’s ok. I never used it myself as I find it so synthetic… I used to grease the pan with a piece of paper tissue dipped in oil (it is good for the frying pan itself to be greased when you’re going to heat it).

  28. Hello! I have been on the Attack phase for 7 days now and initially lost 6 lbs (2.73kg) and, while not cheating and following the diet, I have gained weight and now have only lost three lbs. Could it be the yogurt? I usually eat the nonfat Greek yoghurt but have been having one Tillamook nonfat or Yoplait light (fat free):
    per 170g = 19g Carbs, 85mg Sodium, 14g Sugar, Protein 5g. Is that why I’ve gained weight? Also, are low fat sausages/franks allowed?
    Many thanks!

    1. The yougurt you listed nutrition data for is bad. Don’t eat it. Low-fat sausages/franks are usually full of unhealthy stuff (like preservatives, additives, salt) and contain little meat (thus not very rich in high quality protein). Not recommended either. The weight gain you experienced is normal, don’t worry, after all you lost 3 lbs in a week. I wouldn’t call this achievement by ‘only’! Keep up the good work you’re doing and good luck!

  29. I have just completed a week using the 1/1 method (so 1 day PV and 1 day PP)

    Is it possible (or rather ok) to now give the 5/5 method a try or ideally should I stick to the 1/1? (I know you are an advocate for the 5/5 yourself)

    It is really due to work commitments rather than anything else and I fear that using the 1/1 method will prove to be very hard.

    I work as a flight attendant where I have to stay 2-3 nights at a time in various countries all over the world. Not all, but some countries will be a lot harder than others to follow this diet. I feel that the 5/5 method will benefit me the most.

    1. Sure, give 5/5 a try. Or 3/4 or anything most easily feasible in your case. The diet should be easy to follow, that’s the key. Choose the routine that will become part of your life. Do not change your life to become part of the diet :).

  30. Another question, If I eat my dukan iat bran bar OR oat bran biscuit, does that replace my daily oat bran intake of 2 Table spoons?

  31. Good Morning ADMIN,

    Wanted to ask about all of the below, are they tolerated, how much per day can I have, or better not to have them?

    1. Dukan Agar-Agar Powder
    2. Dukan Wheat Bran
    3. Dukan Flavourings

    1. They are all tolerated, all should be consumed in moderation, all are just additives, none of them speeds up the weight losing process.

    1. Ok….. For the sour cream :-
      Brand : knudsen
      Fatfree sour cream
      Nutrition fact :
      Serving size 2 tb 32g
      %daily value :
      Fat 0%
      cholesterol 1%
      sodium 2 %
      carb 2%
      fiver 0g
      Sugar 2 g
      Protein 2g

    1. What serving size does this nutrition data refer to? Is it per 100 grams?

      What do the percentage shares refer to?

            1. Yes, I know :). But this can mean anything. Daily value depends on many factors. The daily value is different for different people, different diet, different age etc. Isn’t there anything more specific on the label?

              The daily value is based on an assumption that your daily calorie intake is fixed and the percentage share of calories from fats, carbs and proteins is balanced. This assumption is wrong when you are on dukan diet, thus we cannot rely on the information like that. To fully evaluate the product we need to know how many grams (per what serving size) of fats, carbs and proteins are in the product.

              Do this meat and sour cream have any brand or manufacturer. Maybe we could find some more info online.

  32. Having just read it (and obviously I know they are NOT milk) I would still like to know if a tiny amount in tea or coffee will prevent a weight loss?

  33. Thanks will give it a read.

    But just to clarify, its because I have an intolerance to dairy so that was why I asked the question rather than anything else.

    I physically cannot drink cows milk so my options are rather limited.

  34. Thank you for swift reply :)

    That is the best news ever because I couldn’t see myself giving it up any time soon!!!

    So happy to hear that I can continue to use it in abundance – and tbh, I can no longer feel the burn from the capsaicin I use it that much!

    (Not sure if thats a good or bad thing but thats a story for another day ;-))

  35. Hi all.

    I am on my third day of the Cruise phase (I am doing 1 day PP and 1 day PV).

    I worry because I am completely addicted to Tabasco Sauce. When I say addicted, I’m not even joking. I literally put it on everything (from breakfast to dinner) and I’m worried this is going to stop me losing weight especially on my PP days.

    Other than than that I am following the diet textbook.

    What are your thoughts? :-/

    1. Tabasco sauce (the original one) contains almost no fat or carbs or anything except some salt and huge amounts of capsaicin (the substance that makes tabasco so hot). So, provided that you can deal with the burning sensation inside (you like it, I gather :)) caused by tabasco, there is nothing to be worried about (as far as the dukan diet is concerned).

    1. Wheat germ is the opposite of bran. Although very healthy, it does contain significant amounts of fats, carbohydrates and sugar. This is something you should avoid while on dukan diet. That’s why we eat only bran — to not eat what’s inside the grain (i.e. the germ) :).

  36. Hey!
    I’ve been on the cruise phase for the past 3 months. I’ve lost almost 25 kgs and I’ve got approximately 10 left to lose.
    Lately I’ve been following the 5 PV days followed by 5 PP days rhythm.
    And for the past 2 weeks I’ve been eating 8 small meal instead of 3 standard ones.
    Tomorrow I’m going out with my friends and I plan to cheat!!
    I absolutely must have a Molten Chocolate Cake!!
    To compensate I plan to do 9 consecutive PP days.
    After this comes my birthday and I’ll have to go out with my friends and will definitely have to have some non dukan food and some of my cake (I’ve been forgiven for not having some of their birthday cakes but I doubt they’ll allow me not to have some of mine, not that I don’t want to anyways :)
    After my birthday I’ll go back to the old 5PV/5PP routine.

    Anyways my questions are:
    – What is your opinion?
    – How badly will these 2 cheats affect my weight loss?
    – Is the 9 consecutive PP days a bad idea? I’m sure I can stick to it but will it slow down or speed up the weight loss?

    Thank you for your much appreciated attention :)

    1. My opinion on:

      1. cheating: I can’t decide which one is better, the casual, non-planned cheat or the one with a malicious aforethought :).
      2. compensation: you don’t know if any of the ‘crimes’ you’re planning will ever to be atoned for. Maybe not. Even if so, do not do 9 straight PP days. Instead, use some low-carb vegs during the PV (like lettuce, Belgian endive etc.) and limit the use of the veggies that have more carbs (like beetroot, celeriac or carrots). In addition to that you can switch to super low-fat meat (like chicken breast, turkey breast etc.) for a while. I think changing the rhythm of PP/PV is not the best idea, since you are already accustomed to it. So, stick to the rhythm and just make the changes I proposed in the selection of vegs and meat. This will do the trick (should you be needing to use any tricks at all :)).
      3. weight loss: you might be getting away with those two little cheats. Don’t weigh yourself the day after though :). Wait a day or two and then check your actual weight.

      1. I agree, I found the one day I did cheat it didn’t even matter. Just don’t think it won’t matter all the time and cheat more. :) Happy early birthday!

    1. Devorcal is a kind of drainer — makes your body let go of fluids. It is made from cider vinegar. If you want to test this kind of stuff before you buy, I think you could just drink some cider vinegar for a few days and see whether it works or not. An improvised recipe:

      1. Take a glass of water and
      2. add 1 or 2 teaspoons of vinegar in it.
      3. Drink it.
      4. Check if anything happens :)

      As to flavorings, they are flavorings and thus by definition should be consumed in moderation :).

      1. So Devrocal is not a fat burner? The information meentions that its a fat burner and the flavorings are they considered as tolerated iteems??

        1. Vinegar’s dietary properties had been known since ancient Egypt. It is said that queen Cleopatra had been administering some vinegar with water to herself after every lavish feast.

          Today, there are still some people use vinegar to fight overweight. I never tried it myself, but I know people who did. Some succeeded, some were awarded with liver problems (or was it just an excuse to stop dieting :) — I don’t know…)

          Protagonists say that vinegar:

          – speeds up your metabolism (and, allegedly, burns fat),
          – flushes toxins out of your body,
          – has a acidic reaction that speeds up the digestion processes
          – has almost no calories and can be used in many dishes
          – works as a diuretic, helps getting rid of water

          Antagonists say that vinegar:

          – put additional strain on your liver
          – acidifies your body (which is undesirable on dukan diet, since this diet already acidifies your body)
          – works as a diuretic, causes dehydration
          – doesn’t play nice with salt in your diet

          Personally, I am not a fan of cider vinegar (while you’re on the dukan diet) but it seems others (official dukan diet site etc.) think otherwise. I might be wrong, of course :). And you know, since I mentioned antiquity, Paracelsus said: “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy.”

          1. That’s a detailed answer :) Thank You :) I am still not loosing weight … same !! I lost hope … I am about to giv up, completed 1 month now…. total loss 2.9 kg ?!?!?! I reached 4.1 kg 2 days back and all of a sudden this wonderful weight 2.9 kg !!! ,,, I guess this diet doesnt work with some bodies.

            1. If losing weight was easy then everyone would do it and be skinny. To me, diet is willpower and discipline. Read, read, and read some more about what is “healthly” foods. In today’s world there is a booming economy for “diet foods”. Just because it says low fat or low calorie doesn’t mean it is good for you. I cut out all processed food and white carbs and feel wonderful.

              If you give up then you will never get to what you desired to start with. This forum as been the best yet, there are people that encourage and give great advice. Losing 2kg in a month is better then none or gaining. Age, gender, and genetics all play a horrible role in us losing weight. Dieting is 65% what you put in your body and 35% exercise.

              1. Thanks JOE, afte i read ur reply i just went straight forward to the GYM and did some excercise !! wish me luck, pleeeeaaasee

                1. Tons of exercise followed by poor eating habits will only be a waste of time. If you are doing positive exercise be sure to follow it up with a healthy eating.

                  I choose to exercise very little (minimum 30mins of walking a day). But to off set this I eat minimal food.

                  1. I am eating minimal and only healthy option, msinly chicken , tuna and eggs , nothing more ! But hinestly not enough excercise, because I hate excercising

  37. You’re right, obviously, it’s hard to imagine that cutting down on the portion wouldn’t work.

    On the other hand, the power of protein diet lies in the fact that people usually do eat less than normally while on diet. But on the dukan diet this process is supposed to occur naturally (i.e. dieters just start eating less, because their bodies get accustomed to protein meals and learn to crave less).

    I also agree that in cases like yours (not much weight to lose) it is harder to see the effects of the diet. The cause is that your body is pretty healthy and pretty close to a perfect homeostasis even before the diet. So, when you start the diet (and are not pathologically obese) it is much harder to upset that balance, thus harder to see immediate results.

    So this is how the things are as far as you are concerned, I gather.

  38. As much as I love this diet, I just want to share with you that it doesn’t work unless you cut down on the portion. I was abusing the fact that I could eat unlimited amount of the allowed food, however, i’m seeing a lot more result – eating less, or even not skipping dinner, but sticking to the same food.
    I’ve been counting calories, and it’s a lot more effective.. what are your thoughts?

    1. Splenda is fine to use, just an artificial sweetener. Just don’t abuse its purpose. I use the Splenda with added fiber to help with constipation.

    1. Well… You could, but I can’t say that’s a very healthy idea. Your body needs the vitamins and phytonutrients that it gets from fruits and vegetables to function properly. If you REALLY want to cut back on the veggies, just eat small portions of nutrient dense ones, like spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, and kale to name a few. Not only are they very low calorie choices, they also have lots of fiber, vitamins, phytochemicals, and they taste great. As an added bonus, they have cholesterol reducing properties, which is a great boon for anyone on this diet.

        1. I believe me & John speak with the same voice. I assumed that you are aware of what John explained. I also assumed that you were not going to put any unhealthy stress on your body (i.e. switch back to some more balanced PP/PV option when, or if, needed).

  39. Thanks Deisy, you ‘ve done great and its encouraging. I shall try to do smaller portions for more meals rather then the 3 i do as normal breakfast, lunch and dinner. I do skip my walks as well..so cant really blame anyone but myslef. I think I am doing just 5 days walking – 20-25mins and not the prescribed 7 days 30mins : ( Time to pull up my socks if I need better resukts by 14th April for a function im attending

    1. Should be limited, but it is hard not to use it at all. Won’t do much bad if used in moderation. But it can influence your scale-weight (due to water retention properties).

  40. I have to loose 10.9kg. At the moment im at 66.1kg. I dont see any difefrence on sizing of my daily wear and hence thought by me using little oil in food and splenda in my coffe and oat bran..using salt in my meals..plus i chetaed 1 day, would make a difference…and slow process.I am meant to reach my true weight on 29/5/12 but I am in a rush to see some difference atleast in clothes size by 14/4/12..due to a big function approaching. What can i do better?
    I only eat chicken (skinless) and eggs, fish very rarely and have been on 3/3 pp pv

    1. Just keep up the good work you’re doing and you’ll see the results. Patience and persistence. What can you do better? Limit chicken to chicken breast only.

    2. Hi Rebecca,

      I’ll put in my two cents in this one :) … I’ve been on the diet for 47 days and although I recently plateaued, I have lost 11 kg to date (Yay! but I’m still 7 kg away from hitting my goal). My observation is that when I eat often (5-6 small meals) I loose weight faster, rather then the days where I eat less (or skip meals) and let hunger strike. So now I try to go to the kitchen every 2-3 hours. To hit a snack and try my hardest to never feel empty… I hope this works for you to :)

  41. i eat only chicken (without skin) and eggs for my protein days as i don’t liek fish or eat any other meat. I also use about half teaspoon of olive oil if pan roasting my chicken. Is this affecting my wight loss? i have lost only 3.2 kg in 14 days; had 4 days of attack phase and on 10th day of cruise phase.

    1. 3.2 kg in 14 days is not ‘only’. This is a great result. We discussed it before a bit. Take a look: here and here.

      Also, what is your target weight (how much to lose) and when do you expect to achieve it (i.e. how fast)? Why do you think 3.2 kg in 14 days is bad result?

      1. Took a long time to put on extra kg’s. It is going to take just as long or little less to take it back off. Be patient, work with your body. I personally stopped Olive oil for my chicken and went to a little bit of water. Just add some little by little as you are cooking it and it wont stick.

  42. Not all grocery stores carry the non fat greek yogurt, you might want to find a health food store, or try different stores. Personally, I don’t mind the taste of the non fat plain yogurt, you might want to try flavored stevia drops in the yogurt if you want additional flavor. Stevia drops come in a variety of flavors, they are very concentrated though, so start out with just a couple of drops. Also, LorAnn flavored oils are used by bakers and candy makers. These are very concentrated and come in many, many flavors. They are even sold in 1 dram size for 1.40 each on their website. I use Jay Robb’s egg white protein powder mixed with water and ice and place one or two drops of LorAnn oil in vanilla protein powder. YUM! I love mixing coconut and pineapple flavor, tastes like a pina colada. Jay Robb egg white protein is 120 calories, 0 fat, 4g carbs, 0g sugar, 24g protein. The best tasting protein powder I have ever had! I don’t have a problem losing weight drinking this protein powder.

  43. Oh no!!! No wonder I wasn’t losing any weight. Got so frustrated. Its been 3weeks and i am still the same weight as i started (gained 2 pounds during attack and pv phase and lost it now)Bought so many activia light yogurts first (36 units) and when I found out I was eating the wrong one I got so many of the greek nonfat was fine. I have my fridge full of yogurts now. Hahaha. So I guess I should just quit all of them right?

  44. Thanks for ur quick answer joe and john. Chobani is a non fat Greek 0% non fat vanilla yogurt. 13g of sugar and 4% of carbs. Should still not eat it?

    1. I personally would not eat it, but that’s myself on my diet. Looks high in sugar. If you really can’t live without it then you may have to deal with less results. Admin what do you say?

      1. I agree. Not all Greek yogurts are the same. I assume those 13 g of sugar per 170 g serving = 7.6% of sugar. Too much for me :). There are Greek yogurts that have no more than 5% and still very high in protein. Add some artificial sweetener to it and you can eat it without remorse.

  45. hi i am in phase 2 and only 3rd day but my weight seems to be plateauing, i lost 16 in phase 1 for 5 days on it then sunday the 11 lost 3 more pounds today 12th the 3 pounds are back on.

    1. I actually just ate one! I eat Dannon Light & Fit Diabetic Friendly. 3g carbs, 50 calories, 2g sugar. They are only 4oz, but works great as a snack or dessert. No sugar added either.

    2. Try to eat natural yogurts, or some kind that has sweetener in it. Greek yogurt is best, as it has a lot more protein and less carbs than regular yogurt.

    1. Yes, your weight is fluctuating. During PV days it tends to be higher and the real weight loss (the one that is caused by the actual fat burning) is usually to be seen (on the scale) during the PP days.

      So, wait until the end of the coming PP days and then weight yourself. If you then happen to be, let’s say 1 kg, lighter, you will know you lost your actual 1 kg.

      Also, I assume you weight yourself under the same circumstances each time (like the same time of the day, not after meals). The best time to weight yourself is right after you wake up and before you drink or eat anything.

    2. Remember healthy weight lose is also (your weight x .01). In the long run when you decide to do the final phase your body won’t have such a shock to normal eating.

      1. Thank u admin and Joe for ur continious support ;) but what do you mean by healthy weight loss weight x 0.01 , is it per week or day or ???

        1. Per week. I weight 231lbs. So, (231 x .01 = 2.31lbs per week). This is only applicable to the cruise phase and phase 3. Attack Phase you should have lost between 2-10lbs. Even if you don’t that’s ok it is more of a detox phase. I started Dukan 8 weeks ago and have lost 35lbs so far. I love it and it is easy and I enjoy the food. I have been pretty strict at what I eat and walk 30-60mins daily with daily vitamin.

  46. Can’t help it, but I am really down, Day 23, total loss 3.6 kgs (including the attack phase) and if i was on other diets I could have lost more, I am strict with rules, watching my food, not one cheat !!! I need to loose 17 more kgs to reach my true weight, should I continue ? i am even using the 5/5 plan which is supposed to be most effective.. is that normal? the results I read here makes me more depressed ? Please advise.
    My friends are following same diet, and even cheated with chocolate and still loosing more than me… what can i do to improve the results, I am ready to follow the harshest rules but loose faster than this.

    1. And how do you feel (apart from this dissatisfaction)?

      Is following the diet hard for you? Do you have energy? Do you crave other (forbidden :)) foods?

      How do you look? Did you notice any changes in your looks (like the trousers getting large, or not that tight, around the waist)?

      1. Actually no. following the diet is not hard, and i can still control my cravings, no problems with my energy as well.

        My tummy is tucked in and I my trousers is a bit loose, but honestly, I still need results on my scale and I need people to starts noticing I am loosing weight.

        1. Don’t worry too much. Scale is a good long-term measure but often fails to prove any results in the short term, especially in women.

          The true is, even if you could lose more on a different diet (most likely more extreme, and not healthy), would you be able to even stick to it and starve?

          Dukan diet works like starving (because the PP is in fact a kind of starving) but you do not feel any hunger.

          The Rome wasn’t build in a day. You are doing great losing (on average) 1.2 kg a week.

          Remember that you are, in fact, doing progress all the time and, like you said yourself, there’s no much of a sacrifice that comes with it.

          What sub-phase are you in currently? (PP or PV?)

    1. You shouldn’t eat it. It has 7.6% of sugar in it. A bit too much. Well, after all you can try eating anything you want, but if the progress stops, it’s your fault :). 7.6% is not much above our target sugar contents but it’s always better not to create any precedents.

  47. My current weight is 65kg (I’m 167cm). My target weight is 55kg (my true weight shows as 59kg). The reason I chose 1/1 was it seemed like the most feasible option. I’m eating chicken breast/ grilled salmon – strictly sticking to the rules of no oil, nothing. i’m not limiting my quantity though. (that’s the only thing I can think of). I have not been able to exercise too much (my work hours are very long in the office- maybe an excuse) lately, but on weekends I walk on treadmill for 45 mins. I’ve been quite low on energy as well. (i’m constantly tired..)
    I’m not sure if I’m meant to feel this way for the whole cruise period, and i’m starting to feel anxious about my state.

    Thanks and look forward to your feedback!

    1. It doesn’t seem like you do anything wrong. The effects of the diet are not always immediate. 1/1 system is of the least effectiveness as well. You need to wait a bit to start seeing the results. You do not have that much weight to lose either. IT can be hard to go below your natural (or true) weight, unless it is not your true weight :). What kind of vegetables do you eat? Do you sleep well?

      1. THanks for your message! yes, I will try switching to 5:5 to see better results. I eat salads with lettuce, green pepper, mushrooms, canned tuna in spring water with balsamic vinegar. i also sleep very well -given i get so tired/ low on energy as well. but at least it gives me comfort to find that i’m not doing anything wrong.. this site is indeed helpful. thanks! :)

  48. Hi all, I’m a bit discouraged as I’m not losing any weight since I started my cruise period. I’m on 1/1 PP/PV diet, and have not lost anything since I started. In fact I look even fatter! i’m doing all the right things- strictly sticking to the rules, but I’m not sure why this is. I’ve been on attack for 5 days, and now on my 5th day of cruise period. HELP ME !! :( I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.

    1. What do you eat exactly? Why did you chose 1/1 PP/PV? What’s your current and target weight? Do you exercise? How fast have you expected to lose weight? Tell us sth more about your situation.

  49. HI Admin,

    How are you :)

    It’s my 19th day, from my start of dukan, and i have only lost 3.4 kg since then , my total loss as per true weight calculator should be 20 kg, I am excercising , on my PP days I have two poached eggs each morning, and for lunch any grills mostly chicken, and for dinner my oat bran. and in my PV days I add some salad and vegetables to my food. I am not happy, the reviews I read about people loosing weight is much better than this !!! I didnt eat anything wrong since DAY 1, following rules exactly. What;s Happening ?? :(

    1. So, you’re saying that you lost ‘only’ 3.4 kg in 19 days. It’s about 170 grams per day. At that rate, you would lose 60kg in a year :). Dropping 20 kg should take 4 months, I gather. You probably didn’t do anything wrong. I assume eggs and chicken is not all that you eat. Never let yourself to be hungry. You need to eat a lot so that your body could get used to the abundance of food (and thus stop saving for later). Don’t overeat, but eat well. Eat often. As much as you want. Good luck. Keep us informed.

    2. Almost 8 lbs in 3 weeks sounds pretty good to me, and on top of that it is a healthy weight lose. You should strive for 2lbs a week. All the reviews you read about people losing large amounts of weight are marked with an asterisk next to it because it is not normal results.

      Keep doing what your doing sounds like you got it down right. Remember it may have taken you months or years to put on 20kg…it is not going to take weeks to take off 20kg. If that was the case everyone would be skinny. Good luck Sherry, if you have any questions come ask here, a lot of helpful information!

  50. Hello admin! I just found out that u r not allowed to have activia non fat non sugar yogurt and have been eating it since attack phase. (im in my second week of cruise face and only lost 2pounds since attack phase) and so many a day! 3-5 daily. Should I start all over again or continue?

    1. Just continue. Don’t be discouraged by this. Try eating more stuff like grilled chicken breast & salads. Find some better yogurts (like non-fat greek style yogurts).

      2 pounds in two weeks is a fine score, isn’t it? It’s 2 lbs in minus. Not zero. Not 2 lbs in plus. You actually lost 2 lbs in 2 weeks, right? No reasons to be worried at all.

  51. Thanks Deisy, I didn’t know Smooth Move was a laxative, a friend gave me 4 teabags, I only needed to use 2 and never had problems with constipation again. But, I also drink almost a gallon of water a day (I love water) Glad you clarified that for others. No one should get dependent on laxatives!!

  52. Flora, I’m no expert at this diet by any means….here is my 2 cents worth. Cut back on the oat bran, try an herbal tea called Smooth Move for constipation. Make sure you drink at least 7 to 8- 16 oz. glasses of pure water per day cut back to 1/2 to 1 diet drink soda, diet soda will help you to retain too much water. Pure Protein works the best. Best meal and snacks throughout the day is boiled egg whites, throw away those yokes, if you must eat a yoke limit to 1 per day. Hormone free chicken breast cooked with out skin use salt free spices and herbs to flavor meats, turkey just like you would make at thanksgiving, buy a frozen breast if you don’t want to cook a whole bird. Fish, mainly white fish, tilapia, cod, perch, etc. all without skin, canned tuna in water. I stay away from the unflavored greek yogurts until I absolute feel like I’m depriving my self, same with the cottage cheese. I try to stick with what I view as pure, clean foods.
    Vegetables at beginning of cruise phase I limit to those that are higher in water content, cukes, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, etc. Also, I notice I stall or gain if I eat red meat, I discovered the book “Eating for your blood type”, at first just took the information with a grain of salt, but started to eliminate those foods that said I should stay away from…and wouldn’t you know it, it really helped me lose faster. (Type A blood, limit red meat). Hope this can help you in some way. Again I’m no expert

  53. Thanks Admin and Joe. Ive been eating like 8-10tbs of oat bran yesterday and today. Is that the reason why I’m not losing weight? I was 3 pounds lighter when I started this diet and I’m trying to not lose my hopes on losing. I really enjoy this diet and don’t suffer following it. Should I cut down my meals? I don’t think I’m eating too much compared to before diet but starting to et frustrated withy weight :(

    1. I agree with Nancy (comment below) you are eating way to much oat bran, Dukan book only says to eat 2 in the cruise phase (I strongly suggest to read the book if you haven’t read it yet). In regard the constipation I had the same problem and started to get worried, I took the smooth move but it’s a laxative tea and I believe it ends up doing more harm then good (again stated in the book) I went to my Doctor and she recommended Flaxseed Oil or Natural Vitality Calm relaxing magnesium supplement, which by the way is really good for you (stay away from laxatives). My friend lost 50 pounds with this diet and she took the Natural calm as well and it worked wonders with her ,1-2 days after taking it you will go back to normal bowel movements. I started taking it today and I’m super hopeful I’ll go to the restroom normally again :) eeewww! but so relaxing :)

      1. Laxatives can be very bad, while you do go to the restroom you are also losing a TON of water. Flaxseed Oil I believe is a good thing to take. It will help with you skin also and keep you full. I have lost 30lbs now in 6 weeks. The food that Nancy listed are almost right on for what I eat. You can scroll up to see my previous post about an ideal day for me.

        I did have some side effects from too much tuna tho. Contacts seems gooey and I have some tingling in my mouth and face. I stopped so much tuna and it all went away.

        My only problem now is extremely dry/red eyes. I drink plenty of coffee, water, tea through out the day. I am just dealing with it.

  54. Admin, what about these Kalamata Olives on cruise phase? It seems a bit high in sodium and only met as PV days as 0 protein.

    Thyme Seasoned Kalamata Olives
    Serving size 5 olives
    Calories 25
    Total Fat 2.5g
    Cholesterol 0mg
    Sodium 240mg
    Carbs 1g
    Protein 0g

    1. Apologies, as I sort of laughed when I read your post. Constipation can be a serious thing if not resolved. How much water are you drinking? Any coffee or tea? 8 tbsp sounds like to much if you are in the cruise phase. Try alternative resolutions.

  55. Hi,
    I’m about my third week into the cruise phase and weight loss is at a stand-still. I’ve been having about 200g of low fat (less than 2% fat) cottage cheese a day – is that ok? I have also been having one fat-free raspberry activia yoghurt snackpot a day but am now wondering whether this might be slowing down my weight loss? I only have a few kg to lose (about 3)
    Thank you !

    1. Hi,
      Better eat non-fat (=0%) greek yogurt than the low-fat cottage cheese. Fat-free activia is not a good choice as it is carb rich in the same time. In your case, when there’s only 3 kg to lose (congrats by the way :)), there’s not much a plain (even strict) diet can do. You need to exercise on a regular basis, move, work out, dance or sth.

  56. Hi admin. I am on cruise phase now. Should I do 5/5 or 7/7 for any results since I couldn’t lose any on attack phase? I’m having constipation. Do I have to Take any medicine or eat more oat bran? What do u recommend? Can I drink rock star zero carb and monster absolutely zero? Thank you always for ur responses! :)

    1. Start with 5/5, it is the most universal solution. To avoid constipations eat fiber rich foods (=vegetables; now, in PV, you can), eat more oat bran and drink a lot of fluids (like water, green tea etc.) You can drink energy drinks (that’s what they are, right? monster 0 & rock star?), but do not let them be your only source of water. Do not take any medications! If things go really bad, just eat a lot of cooked vegs alone (= whitout any protein rich additions; vegs like carrots, parsnip, celery, leek etc). Besides, from what I know, things seem to go smoothly after you start the phase II, so I guess it won’t be necessary to stuff yourself with anything.

    2. Admin- are you am MD? I’m not trying to undermine your competence or anything, I really appreciate all the good stuff you do here. But if the answer is “no”, then you musn’t say “don’t take any meds”. “Ask your MD if you should take any meds” is a much better suggestion. (If the answer is “yes” then I apologize for being a nuisance.)
      Flora- oat bran is high in soluble fiber, which decreases your apetite. Try adding more insoluble fiber, which increases stool bulk and softness and makes defecation easier. Substitute a T of oat bran for wheat bran, and eat lots of celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and dark leafy vegetables.

      1. Yeah, you’re right. I was being inaccurate. I am not an MD, I can only speak from my own experience. So, the answer is “Ask your MD if you should take any meds”. Thanks John.

  57. Hi please help
    i have been on diet coming up to 3 mnths very strickt
    lost 12kg. have had alot of stress in life, i Am getting bored of it and slipped and had 3 small chocolates
    wholemeal bread crust, and a cpl chardonay and low carb bee last night
    and a week ago for 1 night. my goal is another 4 kg have i stuffed up my diet now or? please give feedback as to whats best from here. thankyou

    1. Nothing happens, just move on. Abide by the rules from now on and you’ll be fine :). Remember, you can have some wine and desserts in Phase III, just need to hang on.

  58. I followed the diet strictly. Half chicken breast and thigh without skin and no wings. 2-3 grilled mackerels. 4 yougurts. Diet coke. 1.5lt of water and 2tbs oat bran. Is this too much food?

    1. Everyone’s “too much food” is different. If you are hungry in between meals, eat something small for a snack. Never let yourself be hungry for hours at a time.

      How much you eat depends on the person, height, weight, metabolism, and many other things. Just learn to eat enough to not be hungry and not be over satisfied.

  59. and this one please: lean Turkey bacon
    Serving Size 15 g
    Total Carbohydrates 0 g
    Calories 20
    Dietary Fiber 0 g
    Calories From Fat 5
    Sugars 0 g
    Total Fat .5 g
    Protein 3 g
    Saturated Fat .0 g
    Vitamin A 0%
    Trans Fat .0 g
    Vitamin C 0%
    Cholesterol 10 mg
    Iron 0%
    Sodium 120
    mg Calcium 0%

  60. Hi Admin,

    What d do you think of these jumbo franks contents, they are low fat turkey hot dogs : for both attack and cruise?

    Serving Size 56 G
    Servings Per Container 8
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 120Calories from Fat 80
    % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 9 G 14
    Saturated Fat 2.5 G 13
    Trans Fat 0 G
    Cholesterol 50 Mg 17
    Sodium 680 Mg 28
    Total Carbohydrate 4 G 1
    Dietary Fiber 0 G 0
    Sugars 2 G
    Protein 6 G
    Vitamin A 0
    Vitamin C 0
    Calcium

    1. Sherry, I found great hot dogs with Nathan’s Hebrew Dogs. Very good in taste and meets all the requirements for Dukan. They are a bit pricey at $4.99 for 7 here, but are well worth it.

  61. Thank you both for the answers :) I’m happier now knowing I can eat enough and still having my fave drink :) I will make sure I take my daily suplements. I swim 3-4 times a week for like an hour and start walking with the diet. I don’t know why I’m eating at night more than usual. If I try to not eat I can’t sleep. Is this normal and should I avoid snak (a yougurt) before to go to bed?

  62. Don’t now about the fish skin, but I doubt it’s a problem.
    No need to cut back on meals, I usually eat six meals a day (3 large + 3 small). I’m in my fifth day of attack and am tomorrow is a PV day for me. Wasn’t very hard to keep going. I lost two kg this week, but I don’t really have that much fat to shed anyway… I way 57 kg and I’m 1,79 cm tall. I’m actually only on this diet too help my brother lose weight and I’m finding it VERY enjoyable so far. Just for comparison- a large meal is a whole baked chicken (minus skin and wings which I don’t like anyway) plus 400g of natural ff yogurt mixed with 4 tbsp’s of chocolate whey protein :P A small meal is half a Dukan lemon cheesecake :D This diet is beautiful.
    Trust me, I drink WAY more than one diet coke per meal with no effect on my weight loss. So you’re good here.
    Oh, and regarding the exercise- I do 4h at the gym and 1 jogging session per week, and feel great doing this, so I don’t think there’s any limits to the amount of cardio and/or weight training you can do.

  63. Thank for your response again. I don’t eat chicken skin but do eat fish skin wich is oily too. Is it ok? Diet coke fattening? I drink one in each meal. Do I have to cut it down? I usually eat something every 2 hours to not starve… Should I cut down meals too?

    1. Fish skin is ok. It’s a different kind of oil. The good one. I never said diet coke is fattening. It just not very healthy. If you drink a lot of coke, it is recommended to eat a lot of calcium-rich products (like dairy, fish, parsley leaves etc.) Do not cut down anything, eat as much as you need. Your body should sooner or later find its balance.

  64. on the attack phase is 20 min walk in cruise phase is 30 min walk… is this the MAX? or is it OK if I do more? I think I remember the book saying to not force yourself but I love the idea of doing few 30 minute walk/run a day (I will be on the cruise phase for around 3 months) hoping this will also help accelerate my metabolism. I eat before and after exercise. Thank you for all your advices :)

    1. I believe that eating before and after exercise will make the exercise less productive in losing weights. If you exercise in the morning I would eat breakfast 30-1hr after you walk. Dinner same thing. Yes, you can exercise more than 20-30minutes a day. Just don’t over do it so you feel less motivated the next day if you are sore ect.

      I have personally made a self motivator by watching weightloss before and after videos on youtube before leaving work. This helps me want to get out there and walk!

  65. Thank you again for all your quick responses. I’m in my 3rd day on attack phase but I think I’m eating too much to lose weight. My daily menu consist in half of a big chicken (tight and breast) 3 grilled mackerel and 3-4 yougurts with 3tbs oat bran. Drink 1.5 liter of water and 1.5 liter of diet coke. Should I reduce the amount of food?

    1. Eat as much as you want. Never let yourself become hungry. Hey, it’s been only 3 days. Do not eat chicken skin & don’t panic :).

      1. It seems some may think “eat all you want” means to overstuff yourself until you can barely move. The object is to eat until you first start being full. I believe this may be why so many are not losing weight and possibly being discouraged. Try scrolling up to my last post of what I eat. 1.5 liters of diet soda is WAY to much. Try to limit yourself to one per day. I leave my protein sizes to 5-7oz per meal. Snacks are just a slice of super low fat ham. If you can make it through the attack phase of training your body to want less and need less. Your cravings will drop off. I know it is a ton of will power and disciple, but you will get the hang of it.

        Like Admin said above. I had to force myself to only weigh once a week. Your weight will flux up and down so much on this diet you could get discouraged weighing every day.

  66. No way! Popcorn is full of starchy carbs. Corn isn’t allowed at all during the first 2 or 3 phases of this diet. Sorry…

  67. My yogurts contain the following :

    in 100gms
    energy 44 kcal
    fat 0.5 g
    Protein 4.6 g
    Carbs 6.3 g

    and It’s mentioned as skimmed yogurt … is it ok ?

    1. Not bad, but not ok. Try non-fat greek-style yogurts that are far richer in protein, and contain less carbs. The ideal carbs contents in milk products is 4g per 100g. In my opinion, one shouldn’t have any milk products that have more than 6% of carbs (i.e. 6g of carbs per 100g) in phase I or II.

      1. Thanks admin, but is that yogurt too bad because it’s the only option I have here, should I limit myself on certain amount or should I stop it, I found another type which is carbs 4.6 and fats 0.9, and little more protein, which is preferable ? and It’s my 6 th day on the attack and for the last two days my weight loss is stil fixed as 2 kg.

        :( help

        1. The ‘another type’ you found is better. Don’t worry too much about ‘fixed’ weight. During the attack phase it is common that the scale shows no progress. The reason is usually the fact that dieters do not evacuate regularly. There’s nothing much to be done here, just stick to the diet and do not weigh yourself that often :). This will change.

  68. Thank you so much for ur quick replays. How many yougurts can I have a day? calories really don’t matter? How many calories can I Eat a day?

    1. Yogurts –> as many as you wish.
      Calories –> There’s no calorie counting. Eat as much as you want, just stick to the rules. Eat as often as you want, don’t let yourself become hungry.

  69. I brought this HERSHEY unsweetend cocoa powder with the following details (can it be used at any stage) :

    Nutrition Information
    Kosher Status: OU
    Serving Size: 1 tbsp. (5.00 g)
    Total Calories 10
    Calories from Fat 5
    Amount Per Serving %DV *
    Total Fat .5 g 1%
    Total Carbohydrate 3 g 1%
    Dietary Fiber 2 g 8%
    Sugar Alcohols 0%
    Protein 1 g
    Vitamin C 0%
    Calcium 0%
    Iron 2%

    *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
    Calories: 2,000 2,500
    Total Fat Less than 65g 80g
    Sat Fat Less than 20g 25g
    Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg
    Sodium Less than 2,400mg 2,400mg
    Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g
    Dietary Fiber 25g 30g

    1. No way! Not until phase III (free/sumptuous meals). This cocoa powder contains 60% of carbs (only 1/3 of which is fiber), and is pretty fatty too (10% of fat).

  70. Hi admin,

    Just wanted to ask, for the cruise phase, can I keep changing the intervals or that will be a problem, i.e. if I start 2/2 for the first 4 days then 5/5 for the next days then 3/3 i.e as per my daily program if I am going out or invited outside, will that be a problem ? or should I stick to a plan???

    1. It’s always better to stick to the plan, but the most important thing is to stick to the diet. It is better to change intervals than to quit dieting entirely :). So, yes, changing intervals should not much disturb your weight losing process.

  71. I started attack phase and note that oat bran has 27gs of carbs. Is it ok to eat so many carbs on the attack phase and can I eat more than 1.5 spoon a day if I have been already constipated for a while?

    1. Oat bran is good for constipations, so yes.

      1.5 tbsp of oat bran contain about 14 grams of carbs (5 of which is fiber, none of which is sugar). Such amount of carbs is acceptable (but only in a form of oat bran), and it is nothing to worry about. Dietary fiber’s and oat bran’s pros exceed the cons.

  72. I’ve got two questions please:
    1. Is it OK to have fava beans as a vegetable in a PV meal?
    2. Is cocoa fiber (100% fiber, no protein, fat, or any other carbs) acceptable as an ingredient in the cruise phase in general? I used to like to make a cocoa flavored drink with two Ts of cocoa fiber mixed with a cup of hot ff milk, and I know this is enough to satisfy any cravings I might have, so this being able to use this product would make life a lot easier for me now :)
    Thanks in advance for your answers, I appreciate any and all replies :)

    1. 1. Fava beans are high in carbs, not recommended in phase II. Rich in fiber though. I guess you can use them in small quantities, as condiment.
      2. I don’t know much about this product. Can you point me to the place where I can read more about it? It looks promising but no mentions about it in wikipedia or other established sources.

  73. Just want to say I love this diet so far. I did 3 weeks of the attack and the last week was PV. I have lost 20lbs so far and reaching for a total of 66lbs. I am 5’11 and currently 246. I have not started any exercise yet, but plan to start today with walking/running.

    I only had one concern. I wear contacts and found out that heavy protein causes a strong build up of protein on my contacts that makes it hard to see. Almost gelatinous. I almost ALWAYS follow the same eating every day.
    Breakfast:
    8oz Coffee black, 2 strips turkey bacon and egg whites
    Lunch:
    5.5oz canned tuna/salmon with pickles and mustard
    Celery or 2 inch cubed 75% reduced fat Cabot cheese
    Dinner:
    6 oz chicken tenderloins and steamed brocolli

    I am one that can follow strict dieting and can focus, I have lost 75lbs in the past. I am about to start the 7/7 plan and look forward to it. They only thing I am concerned with is a slow in my metabolism, as I sometimes easily get distracted at work and home and may eat once or twice a day. I do put hot sauce on about everything I eat. Should I be concerned? Anything you see that could be improved? Or keep up what I do?

  74. hi…
    I want to know if soya vermicilli is allowed on the diet; 11% carbs (12g) of which 2g dietary fibers, 2g sugar, 6g protein
    fats(15g);22%-saturated15%
    thank you
    Rola khanafer

  75. I have been on the Dukan Diet for a month now, i have lost about 12 pounds but i am looking to lose 25 pounds. i am 5’9 with a med build and would like to get to 145pounds. I am still in phase 1 because when i added the veg’s a couple weeks back every other day I stopped losing weight. I have been back to just Protein for about 2 weeks and did lose some weight last week but this week I have hit a wall again. Should I bring back veg’s or do you have any other suggestions. I exercise 4 – 5 days a week, 3 days of cardio and just started Zumba twice a week. are there certain veg’s that will help lose the weight faster than others. i drink water every day, some days better than others. .

    1. do not prolong the attack phase. Temporary weight gains are common (https://thedukandiet.info/phase-ii-cruise/#The_initial_weight_gain). there’s nothing to worry about. Just stick to the diet (phase II). You can alter the Phase’s II subphases times (7pp/7pv or 5pp/2pv) but do not put away vegetables entirely. Too much pure protein is a long-term strategy. Choose veg’s that are low in carbs, high in fiber. Drink a lot o water. Try seaweed (more here: https://thedukandiet.info/seaweed/)

    1. From what I can read on their website, most of the Hillshire products are too fat to be compliant. Most of their Kielbasas contain about 20% of fat. This is far too much. One thing I can see that is pretty close to meet the Dukan’s criteria is their ham. Check out this: http://www.hillshirefarm.com/products/ham/

      I must have misunderstood what you had posted on tomato & jalapenos. Nevermind :)

  76. I read on the book that the desserts are for the consolidation phase. But can I include them on my cruise phase as well? …. the only difference mostly is vanilla extract … and I’ve been using it to put some flavor on my plain greek yogurt with splenda. Please advice about the vanilla extract, I love using it but I don’t want to if it will affect my weight loss.

    1. What kind of vanilla extract are you using? And in what amounts? Most of the vanilla extracts I know contain nothing but flavor and sugar (about 12% of sugar). That means, a table spoon of the extract (=13 g) contains about 1.6g of sugar.

      Depending on how much of this vanilla syrup you put in your dessert, the said amount of sugar can, or cannot, affect your weight loss. For example if you add a tbsp (13 g) of vanilla extract to a big cup of fat-free greek-style yougurt (let’s say it’s 12 oz = 340 g of yougurt), the yogurt’s sugar contents will increase only by 0.5% (0.47% to be exact :)) which should not be a problem.

      On the other hand, adding 3 tbsp of the extract (= 39g → 4.8g of sugar) into a 2-oz (= 56g) cup of yougurt will change the sugar contents in the dessert from the basal 4% by 8.57% up to 12.5%, which is bad. See more on dairy products and greek yougurtin dukan diet here: https://thedukandiet.info/food-list-dairy/#Plain_yogurts_natural_drinkable_Greek

  77. Hi, I have been eating low fat chicken slices (packaged from the supermarket) and every pack of 100 grams has 890 mg sodium. Is this too much sodium in these products?

  78. Hi there,

    I bought:
    – Sharitaki noodles, which I know they are allowed in any phase but they are crazy expensive.
    – Dried yam flour noodles. Can I it these last noodles?

    Also, I want to get from 65 kg to 60 kg. I already did a 2 day attack phase and today I did my first PV. Tomorrow, I am having some people for lunch and dinner so it would be easier to repeat a PV, instead of doing a PP. Is is ok?

    Greeting from Spain

    1. Sure it is ok to repeat PV. No worries. You can eat noodles that are very low in carbs, should that be sharitaki or sth else.

  79. Hi. I am now on the cruise phase and would like to know if soyabean noodles, also known as glass noodles or chinese vermicelli, is allowed on PV days?

    1. It depends on your noddles’ nutrition values, but most probably, they contain way too much carbs. So, no.

      BTW, can you post any nutritional information on your noodles here?

  80. Hi! Yes I do, around 4 days a week, cardio and weight training. I am also very healthy, but still have a lot of stubborn fat and would still like to be thinner. I am 65 kilos and ideally need to drop to 60 or 59. I am 5’6. It’s been really hard to get out of my plateau, especially now cus Im on hormones (I am TTC) and have been put on weight, that’s why I resorted to Dukan, I think bread even if its wholegrain makes me put on weight. Hopefully Dukan would work! I’ll try 1/1 to start for a week, if no weight loss then I will switch to 5/5! Thanks for the feedback.

  81. Hi There! I am starting cruise phase today, I have a couple of questions: I only have 6 kilos to lose, what’s the best way to do this? 1/1 or 4/3 etc..? I love veggies, but don’t want to stall the weight loss? Also, How long do you think it’s going to take on a diet like dukan? I have been on a plateau for a year and a half now!
    Let me know your thoughts and thanks for this great article!

    1. Hi there,

      Cruise Phase schedule depends on your motivation, perseverance, day/week schedule etc. Choose the option that will best suit your needs. The 5/5 and 7/7 are the most efficient plan but require staying in the PP for long. 1/1 is less efficient but easy to carry out, you will not get bored. 4/3, 5/2 etc., are just variations. You can try them if bored or not satisfied with 1/1 results.

      Try with 5/5 first, and see what happens. Measure your weight loss after the first 5 days, then check again after the next 5 days. How long will it take? Hard to say, it depends on so many factors… Normally you should be able to lose 1kg every week, but that’s not a promise :). It depends on your basal and target weight as well as many other things. Do you exercise?

  82. Interestes in the miracle noodle answer. These noodles are great as a filler with meat and
    veggies and contain nothing! No calories,sugar or fat.

    1. Dukan Diet is about eating solid food not stuffing yourself with fillers. If the miracle noodles contains nothing, then you can eat them but do not forget that your main food should be protein rich products. You need to eat valuable and nourishing food so that your body gets used to regular and solid supplies of food. Stuffing yourself with “miracle” food can only deepen the state of your body’s starvation mode. In conclusion, miracle noodles = yes, but only as an addition to protein rich, nourishing meals.

  83. I just read over the book again, where Dukan says the opposite of what you’re saying here… If you’re losing more weight, he says he has found the 1/1 plan more effective, because in his experience, people don’t stick to the 5/5 nearly as well. This is the American version of the book.

    1. Well, we are both right. 1/1 plan’s effectiveness is better overall (i.e. when you take people’s tendency to lose motivation into consideration). But in terms of biochemical changes in our body, 5/5 or 7/7 is more effective. So, in a perfect world when nobody loses his or her motivation 5/5 is more effective but when you consider that people don’t stick to the more demanding 5/5 plan, 1/1 is more effective because (at least) a dieter will stick to it, and instead of giving up on the diet will carry on with it. Do you agree?

  84. Hi im looking at starting the next phase pv
    but cant find what veg i can eat where can i find
    the 28veg list thx

    also like to know of above post chilli
    can i add onion in pv?

  85. Hi,

    I was wondering if it would hurt to eat a banana a day? I have some fruit left over in my apartment but I do not want to throw them away. Also, are beans allowed in the cruise phase? like black beans, kidney beans, chick peas?

  86. Hi. Is quinoa (which is a green vegetable that is dried and behaves much like a grain) and also the Asian vege noodles (aka miracle noodles which are calorie and fat free) allowed in phase 2? I shed 3 kg in phase 1 so do not want to sabotage my efforts but looking at all the vege possibilities.
    Thanks.

    1. Quinoa’s protein content is very high (12%–18%; and it’s complete protein! ) but it also contains a lot of carbohydrates which makes this, otherwise very valuable, food of no use in the first two stages of the diet. As for the noodles, can you tell us what brand or kind of noodles do you have in mind (maybe point us to some url where we can find more info on your noodles).

  87. thanks a lot for this page.. very helpful!! question: do you by any chance know the weight loss rate on phase II for people who need to lose under 8 kilos?.. is it much slower.. ?

    Tx!

    1. It depends more on the scheme you choose (5/5, 7/7, other) than on your target weight. In your case I would expect a weight loss rate of 1 – 1.5 lbs (0.5 – 0.7 kg) per week for 5/2 and more than 2 lbs per week for 5/5, 7/7 or 4/3.

  88. Can I include seaweed in Phase 2 Protein only day ?

    The raw & dried seaweed use for making soup Vs the ready-packed seaweed that serves as snack ?

    Thank you

  89. It’s 2g ( 1 teaspoon ) twice a day .

    nutrition facts ( per 2g ) :
    energy 21.08kj
    protein 0.59g
    fat 0.1g
    omega-6 1.2mg
    omega-3 62.6mg
    carbohydrate 0.07g
    fibre 0.78g

    Thanks

    1. So, per 100 g it’s:

      protein 29.5 g
      fat 5.0 g
      omega-6 60 mg
      omega-3 3130 mg
      carbs 3.5 g
      fiber 39 g

      Impressive nutritional value. The said dosage is what I would recommend!

  90. Can I include organic barley grass powder ( supplement for dark green vegetables ) in Phase 2 Protein Only days ?

    Thank you very much .

  91. Can I include seaweed in Phase 2 Protein only day ?

    The raw & dried seaweed use for making soup Vs the ready-packed seaweed that serves as snack ?

    Thank you very much

    1. Some seaweed is protein rich but it can be haigh in carbs as well, for example this: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-seaweed-spirulina-dried-i11667?size_grams=100

      On the other hand some seaweed can have nutritional value that is similar to a tomato (but more fat and sodium), see: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-seaweed-spirulina-dried-i11667?size_grams=100

      In conclusion, I would not recommend using much seaweed in the first two phases of the diet. And if you do anyway, read the label so that you are sure there’s more good (protein) in it than bad (fat, carbs, sodium).

  92. Hi all, can
    eat mungo beans vermicelli (noodles)
    in 2nd phase??

    as well I do like seaweed salad very much is it alowed
    Thanks

    1. I did it :) like 3 times a few years back. As to metabolism… I’d rather be concerned about overweight because it’s a visible proof of some bad metabolism. So, focus on the diet and exercise a bit more (let’s say it will be your penance :)).

  93. Hi,
    I have lost 20kg in 3 months on Dukan. Right now I am about 2 months on phase 3. The problem is I have lost discipline and gained 4kg back. I need to burn them. Can I get back to phase 2 (5/5) for a month or so to correct my results? What do you think?
    A

      1. It’s better to stick to the rules in the early stages of the diet. Later on (late Phase II, and then Phase III) you can add some variety to the diet. Officially, Dukan do not allow any oils. 1/4 teaspoon is like nothing but still be sure that you are not goig crazy with it. So the anwer is:

        officially, no, bacause even though it is unlikely to cause you any troubles (in terms of losing weight) it does set a precedent which, in turn, may lead to a total slackening of morals :) (you make one little exeption today, then one bigger tomorrow, and then suddenly you are not on a diet anymore)

        in my opinion, why not :)

    1. Psyllium husks: Yes, it can be a replacement for oat bran if you can’t eat it. But if there’s no contraindications against oat bran you should stick to the latter. Psyllium husks are very high in insoluble dietary fber and can cause some side effects if overdosed. Oat bran is much more versatile and edible source of dietary fiber. Allowed in every phase.

      Flax seeds: No. Not in phase I or II at least. In Phase III in moderation. Flax seeds are high in fat and carbohydrates both of which are restricted in the Dukan Diet.

    1. In my opinion, yes. I used a lot of lean pork when I was on the dukan diet. I used to buy some minced lean pork and prepare meat patties (hamburgers), here’s a quick recipe:

      Ingredients: 1 pound of lean minced pork (mine was 8% fat), 4 eggs, parsley leaves, garlic, salt, pepper, oat bran
      Preparation: chop parsley, press garlic and mix it with minced pork, eggs, oat bran and spices. Form into croquets or hamburgers and fry on a non-stick frying pan (do not use any additional oil; you can use some water instead). Add some water if the meat sticks to the frying pan anyway.

      Tip: after mixing the ingredients, put the mass into fridge for an hour or two. The oat bran will swell a bit and the mass will become more plastic (easier to form hamburgers).

      1. Thank you very much .

        Is there no limit for the amount of oat to be consumed in phase 2 ? I eat about 15 tablespoon each day …

        1. When I was on dukan diet I ate a lot of oat bran, maybe even more than 15 tbsp. I didn’t notice any side effects. On the other hand, Dukan recommends a gradual introduction of oat bran into the menu. This is beacause people whose bodies are not accustomed to large quantities of dietary fiber can experience some side effects from overdosing on oat bran, including: bloating, diarrhea, gas and general discomfort.

          Morover, considering that a recommended daily intake of dietary fiber (for an adult) ranges from 25 to 38 grams, 15 tbsp of oat bran is still within the range. 15 tbsp of oat bran = approx. 200 grams of oat bran = approx. 25 g of pure dietary fiber.

          After all, it seems that you instincively served yourself with the right amount of fiber that your body needed.

      1. What kind of seaweed exactly? Is it dried, raw? Will it be used as condiment or in larger quantities? There are many types of eadible seaweed. Some are very fiber and protein rich, some contain lots of carbohydrates. Can you provide us with some more info?

        1. Thanks for your reply .

          What about the raw & dried seaweed use for making soup Vs the ready-packed seaweed that serves as snack ?

    1. Unfortunately no. Although nuts are pretty healthy and nutritious, they are very fatty too. So, nuts like walnuts, pistachio nuts, hazel nuts, almonds, cashew etc. are not allowed in neither Phase 1 or Phase 2. Peanut is not a nut (it’s in a legume or “bean” family) but it has similar nutrition characteristics to that of other ‘real’ nuts, and therefore it is forbidden as well.

      What kind of nut did you have in mind? And how did you want to include it in your menu? As a snack or condiment?

      1. Thanks for your reply .

        It’s just as a condiment , 1 tablespoon sliced almond nut to be added into the oat pancake , can I include this in Phase 2 ?

        What about freshly-squeezed orange or lemon juice ?

        1. Fruit juices, freshly squeezed or not, are very high in sugars. There’s no chance of including them into the menu.

          As to almonds, they contain 50% of fat. So, 1 tablespoon of almonds eqals to a half of tablespoon of oil. The official rules say, no additional fat in Phase 1 or 2. Decide for yourself then. Personally, I would replace almonds with sth like some baking flavor (if it’s not oil of course; many baking flavors are in fact oils). Vanilla and cinnamon are diet-compliant.

          On the other hand, it’s just one tbsp… But still, it is against the rules.

      2. Actually almonds, cashews, pistachios, and walnuts aren’t ‘real’ nuts either. Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts are the seeds of drupe fruits, and cashews are plain old seeds.

        1. Yup, they are not true nuts either. Thanks for reminding :). After wikipedia (nuts): “While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts.”

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