diet chart

The easier Atkins

The Dukan Diet gained in prom
nence when it was credite
with Kate Middleton's svelt
figure. The diet, launched i
France and hailed as the “eas
er Atkins”, promises weigh
loss while eating as muc
meat, fish and fat-free yogur
as the dieter likes. In a nut
shell, the Dukan Diet consist
of four stages
In the first stage, Attack stage
you live on only protein-ric
foods for up to ten days. Th
time spent on this phase de
pends on how much weight yo
have to shed. The Attack phas
involves having eggs for break
fast, fish for lunch and steak fo
dinner. Other foods in thi
phase are lean and skinles
chicken, turkey, lean ham, se
food such as crab and mussels
cottage cheese and skimme
milk. These must be cooked m
nus added fat but you can us
spices, lemon, vinegar and so
sauce to season them. In add
tion, dieters have about two ta
blespoons of oat bran each da
for fibre and at least 1½ litre
of fluids such as water, tea, cof
fee and herbal teas
The Cruise stage is next, whic
involves adding unlimite
amounts of certain vegetable
every other day. If you make
to your goal weight withou
falling off the Dukan wagon
you can enter the Consolidatio
phase. This is when 'norma
foods — such as bread, break
fast cereals, fruit, pasta, rice
oils and butter along with th
odd glass of alcohol — are grad
ually re-introduced. Dieter
have to follow the Consolida
tion phase for five days fo
every pound lost on the diet
While this diet insures rapi
weight loss and is comparative
ly simple, eating around thre
or four times your daily protei
quota can put a strain on th
kidneys. In spite of the oa
bran, daily fibre intakes ar
usually lower than targets
which can caus
constipation