The Dukan Diet [Paperback]

I'm really glad I bought this book.
I am on the Dukan Diet and was eager to start it based on website reviews. However, while there is a lot of free information out there about the diet, none of the information was complete or even completely accurate. Many sites that claim to give you the facts on the diet actually contradict each other, and so after sorting through it all, I ended up with more questions than answers. The diet is new here, making its way from France and the UK mostly by rumor and word of mouth. The official website is not yet fully functional.

If you are not completely familiar with the diet it consists of 4 phases.(I will simplify here:) The first phase lasts an average of 5 days and is nothing but lean protein and water. The second is alternating days of protein only days and protein plus vegetable days and this phase lasts until you are at your goal weight. Phase three is where you continue as in phase two but add in specific foods to your diet (bread, cheese, fruit)and get "celebratory meals" 2x a week. The final phase is where you eat whatever you want everyday except Thursday which is a protein only day. This is for life. Those are the basics in a nutshell - but there is a lot more to know about what is allowed or not allowed and it is well-laid out in the book. Sticking to these foods, you can eat as much as you want whenever you want - and don't worry, there are plenty.

The book took a while to get here but it was worth the wait. Despite the language differences, it is well-written and very easy to understand. The diet seems to be well structured and the reasoning and science is well-explained and easy to "get". It also addresses specific issues that women face when trying to lose weight - which has been a question mark in other diets. The book has some recipes, a few I really like and rely on, some that just don't cut it for me. After the first 5 days you can really get creative with allowed foods, so its not a big deal.

In all, the diet is easy to understand, grasp and follow. In my opinion as a lifelong dieter, this will be my last. I am in my late 40's, have lost 10 pounds in about 3 weeks and feel comfortable in that I will be able to easily stick to subsequent phases that will prevent me from re-gaining the weight. This is largely due to the fact that you continue to see results on the scale even after the first week of losing water weight. (Unlike Atkins where I dropped the weight and then had little patience or will power to follow through with the latter phases.)

Having the book has allowed me to follow the diet accurately, so it works more efficiently. I am not hungry between meals and my energy level is high.
I suggest getting the book if you are serious about being on this diet.

Felt the urge to write this review to share my own personal experience of this diet and this book.
I saw a colleague a while back now and thought she must be ill as she had lost such a lot of weight so quickly. It is then that I was introduced to this book.
Perhaps you have heard and read loads of negative stuff about this book. My advice is just to ignore all these scaremongering people; who are normally size 10 and quite happy to see you stay at your size 14 or more!
I am a women over forty; fast approaching fifty with two kids. Was I fat; yes; obese; no not really but those size 14 clothes were starting to feel tightish and I was not one bit happy with my chunky look, chunky arms; mumsy look; almost felt well there was nothing to do about it; with age; with the kids.
I am not an enormous eater but picking here and there had put on 10 kg, about one and a half stone in weight over eight years.
So got the book and started. The first day was quite hard as I don't eat red meat; just chicken fish and eggs and I did feel hungry
Followed the first part of the plan for five days; lost weight
Then the second part of the plan; lost more weight
Now on the third consolidation part of the plan
Still losing weight. Now lost one and a half stone reasonably simply I would say
and back to my nine and a half stone look; look skinny almost; feel light and healthy.
What I would say is buy this book if you are serious about getting back to a normal weight. If you are over forty with kids it is perfect. You can and will lose weight
and if; and this is very important; IF you are prepared to follow the plan to a tee; drink the water; eat the oat bran; I make a porridge in the morning; walk; not everyday if you dont want but a few times a week; don't cheat and just hold your head up high and get on with it you will definitely losee weight and keep it off; good luck. Fat and forty - buy this book!

First the book - yes, arrived in jet speed time from Amazon as with all books. Can't fault it. Yes, I suppose the text can seem a tad repetitive but I think he's just trying to ensure the messages get into our subconcious on every level. No need for me to go into the 4 stages - lots of other reviews have done that (you almost don't need to buy the book!). Would I recommend this - most definately. Because it works - but you have to work as well. It ain't no miracle cure.

Look, I'm a 54 year old female, so menopausal okay! And we gals know that wherever Mrs Menopause goes, weight gain tags along behind (in more ways than one!). Six weeks ago standing at 5ft 3ins and weighing 11st 5lb - not a good look, trust me. Size 14 heading for a size 16, aaargh noooooo. Six weeks ago caught sight of Dr Dukan on Amazon, read the reviews. Six weeks later - having to go out a buy size 12 trousers cos all my size 14 are drowning me! Okay so I didn't have a lot to lose but in some ways that's more difficult. Like most of us I've tried all sorts of diets in all the decades since the 70's. Yes you do lose some weight, stagnate and then give up and on go the pounds again. Believe me:

THIS IS DIFFERENT: THIS WORKS:

I've not once been hungry, never been bored, no cravings and no calorie counting. I don't miss bread, rice, pasta nor potatoes. Never felt ill! and I absolutely love my half hour walk every evening - my time, my space. And I feel wonderful.

But to me now - this is not a diet but a way of life. I have complete confidence in being able to maintain my ideal weight and still enjoy good meals, eating out and even chocolate! I am not on a diet - I have found a new way of living with food. Try bolognese with a lovely green savoy cabbage - absolutely beautiful.

Trust me - this works.

PS: I've lost 12lbs in six weeks.