Book Review: The Dukan Diet [part-1]

The Dukan Diet, authored by French doctor Pierre Dukan, is one of the latest best sellers among fad-diet books in the US, and it falls into the high-protein/low-carb approach.

It is not however one of the healthier choices in its genre. Unfortunately, the Dukan Diet is not only extreme in its protein regime, but also cuts out healthy fat sources along with carbohydrates. During its first (Attack) phase you eat only lean proteins, nonfat dairy, and eggs, supplemented with 1½ Tbl. of oat bran per day (no vegetables, grains, fruit, nuts or oils). During its second (Cruise) phase you get to add a selection of (low-carb) vegetables in every other day (still no grains, fruit, nuts or oils). According to Dr. Dukan’s numbers you would spend 2½ months in the Cruise phase to lose 25-pounds, or 4-months to lose 40-pounds. That’s in addition to the week you will probably have spent in the Attack phase.

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Weight Training and Weight Control...

Strength training has lots of benefits -- for people of all ages -- and ideally it should be a component of a balanced overall fitness program. However, for the average person (following the average gym-based workout routine) it won't have a clinically significant affect on their Resting Metabolic Rate.

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"Fat-Burning" Workouts: Founded in Fact or Fiction?

We see a lot of claims about the so-called "fat-burning" properties of various eating styles, foods, supplements and exercise modes. On that track I am reposting my blog from a few months ago on "fat-burning" workouts. The rest of these fat-burning claims will be the subject of future blogs, so stay tuned!

At some point you’ve probably heard the term “fat-burning,” and if you’ve ever set foot on a piece of cardio equipment it probably had a “fat-burning” mode. The implication is that there is something especially important about burning fat in maximizing weight loss.

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White Knuckles and Willpower…

If humans were logical, there would be no argument regarding the fact that controlling what is readily available to you is a smart thing to do. That’s not, however, what people tend to do. Exactly what is the most relied upon way of controlling what you eat? Willpower. What’s also the least effective form of what psychologists call “behavioral control?” You guessed it, willpower.

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Which Protein Foods are Best at Keeping Hunger Away?

Knowing something about appetite regulation will support your efforts at eating fewer calories over the course of the day, which translates directly into better success with weight loss or maintenance.

As I discussed in my recent blog 5 Things you Need to Know about Protein for Healthy Weight Loss  protein "stays with you longer" than "carbs" or fat. This characteristic of protein supports your efforts at eating fewer calories over the course of the day. That however is not the end of the story.

We also need to also look at which types of protein are most and least satiating. The first example is liquid proteins, which are a complete exception to the rule. Liquid proteins are NOT more satiating than the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and fat).

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