The new Dukan Diet is easier and just as effective as the original –

Visualize a ladder where, with each step you climb, you are entitled to a reward. That’s how it works the new dukan diet, the Nutritional Ladder, recently launched in France (the book is expected to arrive in Brazil in the first half of 2015). Less restrictive than the traditional one, it promises to gain even more followers. While in the first version only the proteins were released in the first days, in this one, from the second, you are entitled to vegetables. And, in the sequence, fruit, bread, cheese, rice or pasta are added, a new food group per day. On the seventh, a meal is free and can be accompanied by a glass of wine and dessert!

“The Nutritional Ladder was created for those who need to lose weight a little and find it difficult to deprive themselves of certain food categories for longer periods”, explains Pierre Dukan. Sabrina Heupa, a specialist in functional medicine from Itajaí (SC), agrees: “The new diet is especially indicated for people who find it difficult to go days without fruit and carbohydrates”. Although more flexible, it also restricts the consumption of refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, sugar), which invariably end up stored as fat. Just like the original method, the goal is to ensure weight loss in a healthy and lasting way.

one step at a time

The first few days are more restrictive: this is the “metabolic shock” phase. The idea is to interrupt the cycle in which your body is used to functioning, giving it a new rhythm. In it, lean proteins, vegetables and fruits with a low glycemic load are released. The goal is to avoid excess insulin (hormone that takes glucose to cells), which triggers hunger and makes weight loss difficult. From Friday to Sunday, more caloric foods are introduced. But the following Monday, pure proteins are back on the scene, giving metabolism another shock.

The menu must be repeated until you reach the desired weight. Afterwards, the consolidation phase begins, which lasts ten days for each kilo lost. If you’ve lost 3 kilos, this step will take 30 days – time needed for your body to get used to the new weight and not want to regain the old one. Protein and vegetables remain a priority. You can also consume, per day, one fruit, two slices of wholemeal bread and 40 grams of cheese, in addition to oat bran. In the first half of the phase (15 days, in the example above), you are entitled to one portion of carbohydrate and one gala meal per week. And, in the second phase (the remaining 15 days), two servings of carbohydrates and two gala meals. These additions are offset with PP Thursdays (Pure Protein Only Thursdays).

weekly guide

In addition to consuming only the indicated foods, you should do physical activity daily to lose about 1.5 kilos per week. Walking, being democratic, is the most suitable exercise, but you can also swim, ride a bike, dance or practice another sport of your choice.

Monday: Protein (at will) + 20 min* of physical activity
Tuesday: Protein + vegetables (both at will) + 30 min* of physical activity
Wednesday: Protein + vegetables (both at will) + 1 fruit + 30 min* of physical activity
Thursday: Protein + vegetables (both at will) + 1 fruit + 2 slices of light whole wheat bread + 60 min* of physical activity**
Friday: Protein + vegetables (both unlimited) + 1 fruit + 2 slices of light wholemeal bread + cheese (1 portion with up to 40% fat) + 60 min* of physical activity**
Saturday: Protein + vegetables (both unlimited) + 1 fruit + 2 slices of light wholemeal bread + cheese (1 portion with up to 40% fat) + carbohydrates + 60 min* of physical activity**
Sunday: 1 gala meal (free any type of food) + 1 protein-based meal

* At least
** The 60 min can be divided into two sessions of 30 min each

lose weight without suffering

By following the menu adapted for BOA FORM by Sabrina Heupa, specialist in functional medicine, you can lose about 1.5 kilos a week (if you exercise every day). Want to vary the foods? See the Allowed Exchanges table for possible substitutions

Monday (1st step)
Lean meats, fish, seafood, poultry, eggs, 0% fat dairy products and soy meat are allowed in unlimited quantities. As in the original diet, it is recommended to consume 1 ½ tablespoons of oat bran every day.

Breakfast: coffee or tea + oat bran pancake with 0% fat cottage cheese or light cream cheese
Morning snack: 0% fat yogurt
Lunch: grilled fish or smoked salmon
Afternoon snack: turkey breast and white cheese
To have lunch: grilled chicken fillet (or grilled shrimp)

Tuesday (2nd step)
You can add vegetables as you like to Monday’s list of proteins, cooked or raw, with the exception of artichokes and starchy foods (potatoes, rice, corn).

Breakfast: green juice: 150 ml of coconut water, 1 cabbage leaf, 1 medium slice of ginger, half a carrot or a medium beetroot (optional) + coffee or tea + oat bran pancake with 0% cream cheese or light cream cheese
Morning snack: 0% fat yogurt
Lunch: lettuce, arugula and cucumber salad (or green leaves of your choice) + filet mignon and zucchini or steamed green beans and tomato sauce + 1 cup of diet gelatin
Afternoon snack: 2 pieces of kani-kama
To have lunch: green leaf salad, radish and celery + chicken fillet with eggplant and steamed cauliflower + 1 cup of diet gelatin

Wednesday (3rd step)
One fruit is released (except bananas, grapes and dried fruits), in addition to lean proteins, vegetables, greens and oat bran.

Breakfast: green juice (optional) + coffee or tea + omelette with onion, tomato and parsley + turkey breast rolls and white cheese
Morning snack: 1 apple, 8 medium strawberries or 1 slice of melon
Lunch: fish fillet with steamed cabbage or broccoli + 1 cup of diet gelatin
Afternoon snack: 0% fat yogurt with 1 ½ tbsp. (soup) of oat bran
To have lunch: tomato, onion and basil salad + roasted chicken drumstick (without the skin) with zucchini and carrots

Thursday (4th step)
Whole grain bread can be added – 2 slices, morning or afternoon, never at night (white bread is excluded). Lean proteins and vegetables are still allowed, as well as one fruit a day.

Breakfast: green juice (optional) + coffee or tea + 1 slice of wholemeal bread with 0% cream cheese or light fresh cheese or light cottage cheese
Morning snack: 1 pear or 2 kiwis
Lunch: green leaf salad (lettuce, arugula, watercress) and 1 col. (soup) grated carrot + grilled chicken fillet with sautéed mushrooms or cauliflower or asparagus
Afternoon snack: 1 slice of whole wheat bread with light cream cheese
To have lunch: gazpacho + 0% fat yogurt (suggestion: consume with the gazpacho) or 1 shredded chicken breast, with green leaf salad, grated carrots and beetroot

Friday (5th step)
It is the second phase of this weekly process, when the weight lost in the first four days of the diet begins to stabilize. You can add 40 g of cheese (in slices or grated over vegetables), avoiding fermented ones. And keep betting on the foods released so far.

Breakfast: green juice (optional) + coffee or tea + 0% fat yogurt with 1 ½ tbsp. (soup) oat bran + 1 slice of wholemeal bread with 0% fat cottage cheese and turkey breast
Morning snack: 1 wholemeal toast with 1 slice of light mozzarella cheese or light fresh cheese
Lunch: green leaf salad and 3 black olives + baked fish with vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, tomato)
Afternoon snack: 1 slice of melon with turkey breast
To have lunch: spinach omelette + 1 cup of diet gelatin

Saturday (6th step)
The novelty is the introduction of starch: you can consume a portion of brown rice or pasta al dente or potatoes or cassava.

Breakfast: green juice (optional) + coffee or tea + 1 or 2 slices of wholemeal bread with scrambled egg
Morning snack: 8 medium strawberries, 1 apple or 1 pineapple slice
Lunch: rump fillet with vinaigrette sauce + brown rice or whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce or baked potato + green leaf salad with tomato
Afternoon snack: oat bran pancake with light fresh cheese
To have lunch: light tuna salad with green leaves, cherry tomatoes and quail eggs + 1 cup of diet flan (made with skimmed milk)

Sunday (7th step)
On that day, you can enjoy a gala lunch – you are the one who chooses the dish and dessert. Then, go easy on your afternoon snack and eat protein for dinner.

Breakfast: green juice (optional) + coffee or tea + 0% fat yogurt with 1 ½ tbsp. (soup) of oat bran + 1 or 2 slices of wholemeal bread with 0% cream cheese
Morning snack: 1 orange or 1 peach
Lunch (gala meal): starter, main course and dessert of your choice, all without repeating, with 1 glass (150 ml) of wine (optional)
Afternoon snack: 1 cup of diet gelatin
To have lunch: salmon tartar or light tuna salad or kani-kama with greens

Coffee, tea and juice: without sugar and preferably without sweetener.

Can’t negotiate!

Four rules are mandatory for the diet to work
1. Drink at least 1 ½ liters of liquid per day. It can be water, tea, coffee, always without sugar.

two. Do not deviate from the list of authorized foods.

3. Do physical activity daily.

4. Consume 1 ½ spoons of oat bran daily to satisfy hunger and help the intestines to function properly.
allowed exchanges

Choose foods for each day of the week according to your preference – but don’t escape the options listed here
1st STEP
Protein: poultry, beef (with the exception of sirloin steak and ribs), fish, egg, soy meat, pork, veal, crustaceans, seafood, low-fat dairy products.

2nd STEP
Vegetable: zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, tomatoes, arugula, chicory, spinach, celery, lettuce,

3rd STEP
Fruit: apple, strawberry (up to 8 medium units), pear, kiwi, tangerine, orange, 1 slice melon, 1 slice pineapple, nectarine, peach

4th STEP
Bread: wholemeal bread (up to 2 slices), rye bread (up to 2 slices), konjac (type of light noodles made from a Japanese tuber), wholemeal flatbread, 7-grain bread (up to 2 slices), wholemeal toast ( up to 2 units)

5th STEP
Cheese: fresh cheese, cheese, ricotta, provolone, parmesan, gorgonzola, brie, cheddar, tofu (soy cheese)

6th STEP
Carbohydrate: beans, brown rice, cassava, chickpeas, lentils, quinoa, corn, potatoes, whole grain pasta, yams

7th STEP
Extras: 1 piece of 70% cocoa chocolate, 1 glass of wine, 1 glass of sparkling wine, 1 glass of beer, 1 portion of lemon mousse, 1 scoop of ice cream, 1 small brigadeiro, 1 creme brulee, 1 papaya cream with cassis