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Dukanians Talk

I had never liked my body, it was time to do something

By Audrey Published 07/26/2010

I saw on the Internet that there was a method which would give the best possible...

I had reached 18 stone 12 lbs... I was seriously obese

By Chris Published 07/26/2010

I'm called Chris. After dozens of diets with their damaging yo-yo effects......

The VID* of the week *Very important Dukanian

New York Marathon for my 50th birthday!

I'm called Martha, I'm 50 and I have just competed in the New York marathon where I was the first Belgian woman to...

Published 07/26/2010

Chat Online 23/07/2010's Session

mod : Good morning everyone ! And good afternoon to those in Australia! We are on the 23rd of July, welcome to our live chat !All of your questions are welcome and we will do our best to answer to all of you. Today your live chat will be with Pierre DUKAN, Cathy, Hannah,Jessica and Sonja. The chat will last for one hour. Have a good chat!

xmasbubbie : I try to maintain a gluten free diet. I do not eat wheat,rye,oats, or barley. I feel better when I avoid these. When I do take a little get abdominal soreness and bloating. I ask because I have not taken the oat bran or wheat bran. Thank you.

cathy : Hi xmasbubbie, if you get sick as you described, just keep aside the oat bran and wheat bran. If you follow your other instructions, you will manage to lose weight don't worry about that. Have a nice coaching !

xmasbubbie : why is pork and lamb restricted? Ham is included. If these meats are lean would it be okay?

hannah : Hi xmasbubbie,Thanks for your message. Yes pork and lamb are restricted because they are too fatty. Some ham is ok without the rind because it is taken from the leanest part of the pig.

maggiea : Hello DrD & Team My question is about endamame beans ( soya). Are they allowed? They come in their pod, cooked with sashimi as a salad. Thank you

Sonja : Hi Maggiea, This beans are not allowed during the first two phases I'm sorry; But you can eat seaweed without any problem! Enjoy!

weetyt : when in a rush can you eat soya milk puddings ?

hannah : Hi weetyt, I do not fully understand what you mean by soya milk puddings... If it a soya yogurt without sugar then you are allowed one but it would also have to be under 3% fat...

suki234 : I cannot find how to make Dukan mayonnaise, the search just tells me what to use it with.Where do I find it?

hannah : Hi suki234, you can find the recipe in your cupboard. Enjoy!

claudesy : I'm a bit confused I haven't felt the need to eat any oatbran but are you supposed to be eating some every day or does it matter?

cathy : Hello claudesy, if you don't follow a gluten-free diet, I sincerely advise you to have oatbran everyday. Just think about it, you can add it to dairies product or use it for our delicious Dukan recipes.

sueden : I can only find wheat bran or oat flakes here in Spain can I use these instead of oat bran.

Sonja : Hi Sueden! Wheat bran is fine but cannot replace oat bran. Oat flakes are not allowed I'm sorry; You can order some oat bran on the boutique of our French website!

grandmamarilyn : I keep filling in my daily reports with no lapses and am happy with the diet and highly motivated to lose the weight but all that is happening since joining the website is that my weight just keeps goingup and down within the same few pounds. am I doing something wrong? I did manage to lose a few pounds using the book prior to the website coming online but not getting anywhere since then. surely the weight should be starting toreduce by now even though I do have fluid retention which I take medication for. please help!

hannah : Hi grandmamarilyn,You are doing so well with your high motivation and not doing lapses, it is possible that you are suffering from water retention. For the next few days try reducing your salt intake and try taking some natural drainers (suggestions can be found in your slimming apartment>my pharmacy.) Let us know how you get on and don't worry!

MariaTJ : Good evening all, from a cold evening in Australia

hannah : Good evening MariaTJ, welcome to the chat!

MariaTJ : Pork is very lean in Australia and is often called white meat. I wonder if there is a different in the process over here too.

hannah : Hi MariaTJ, thanks for your question. Pork can be called white meat in the UK too but is still too fatty for this diet... sorry!

jellyspicy : Is <12% lean steak mince too fatty?

hannah : Hi jellyspicy, welcome to the chat! Yes it is i'm afriad, try to find mince between 5-10% fat.

W_Andrea : Hi - My husband and I are both on the diet and we're both on the cruise phase. He's finding that his joints have a bit of tingly ache. He does drink more than 2L of water with the diet. Would you know why? Should he see a doctor? Thanks

Jessica : Dear W_Andrea, in any case it is best that you see your doctor about it, it is not normal or acceptable to ache. It might have nothing to do with the diet and the best way to find out is for your husband to go and see his/your doctor. Let us know how it goes.

NataliePGTH : Good morning! I am a little bit confused about allowed foods. I am in the cruising phase. I see in the recipe book that there are deserts with raspberries or other fruits. I did not think these were allowed in the cruise phase. Also, I thought we were limited to 2 tsp of oat bran per day, but some recipes call for oat bran as an ingredient. Does that mean I have to skip the Dukan galette if I choose to have one of these deserts? Thank you! PS - Already 5kg down!!

cathy : Hello NataliePGHT, first of all congrats for your weight loss, continue on this way! Our sweet recipes do sometimes contain fruit flavourings but not fresh fruits. As you said, fruits are only allowed in the consolidation phase. Moreover, you can have up to 2 Tbsp oat bran per day, all recipes included. So if you cook the Dukan galette, you won't be allowed to use this ingredient once more. Thanks for your question and have a nice coaching!

Archy5 : Hi just joined yesterday. Can i eat QUORN sausages and QUORN chicken pieces. They can be bought in Tesco or ASDA. Thank you.

hannah : Hi Archy5, you can have 100g of these products a day. Enjoy!

maggiea : Hello Team, I have read that the occasional merguez sausage is allowed , as long as it is cooked well to release as much fat as possible. Is this true? Also, the occasional 5cl dose of light coconut milk as a sauce for seafood? It has some fat but one needs so little.The week I had it, I lost 2.5 lbs!

Jessica : Hello maggiea, yes the occasional merguez is allowed (50 gr as 1 tolerated, knowing you're allowed 2T/day on the cruise phase). As for the coconut milk, I'm sorry but it is not allowed, even the light one.

maggiea : Dear Dr. Dukan I would so appreciate your view on this. I have made a little brick of bread with ob,wb,egg, fromage frais, yeast and a little baking powder. It is delicious and toasts well. If I could add a little wheat gluten flour ( There are 120 calories in 1 serving of Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten Flour. Calorie breakdown: 4% fat, 20% carbs, 76% protein.) the little brick would rise to a loaf! Could this be a tolerated item like cornflour? Thank you.

Pierre : Dear Maggia, I noticed that you really inventive, that is a very good point. Yes you can use your wheat gluten flour instead of corn flour if you respect the same quantities as allowed. If you get a good result, please send us your receipe in order to enter it in our recipes book. And we will call it the Maggie's bread! Have a nice day!

rekharajani : I am 60 kg now. I need to weigh 58 kg by the 27th. How can I make this possible? Will I be able to do it?

Jessica : Dear rekharajani, first of all you can not foresee a weight loss, but you can achive to lose a good amount of weight in a few days on the Attack phase (pure proteins only). Drink a lot, walk, beware of salt to avoid being bloated and stick to diet, you should make it in time!

Georginaproc : I am quite a serious runner and I am battling a bit on this diet as it is affecting my running. I seem to lack energy and my heart rate is really high. Is there any way of getting around it?

Jessica : Dear Georginaproc, if you run a lot, you must adapt the diet to your life style. Add 100 gr of carbs in your meals on the days you run, and during your training session, drink 200 ml of juice. Rest as much as possible between 2 sessions.

therezitta : hi all dukanians... wishing ur having a nice summer!! :) i have been constipated for a couple of days. and it is very irritating. the only thing that helps is coffee in the morning. but i cant just drink coffee so that i dont get this constipation. so what should i do?... and i only lost 1kg this week. is it always going to be like this? cause when i lost alot in the beginings i was so happy. but now i am getting a bit frustrated. cause i am a very fast person in everything. :(

cathy : Hi therezitta, if you are constipated, just think to drink fresh water (2 L) per day, you can drink coffee in the morning too. Try to find a water which contains more than 100 mg Magnesium per liter. Moreover, try to do some crunches every day, do not forget the oat bran, you can also have 100 g rhubarb puree (with no added sugar) during the PV days. Don't forget that physical activities will help you increase your calorie burn. Have faith I trust you !

therezitta : hi .. i eat two fruit yogurts activia 0% sugar 0% fat.. but it contains realy small fruit bits. and 2 diet cokes per day.. and 2 dukan gallettes.. and some chewing gums.. and since i started eating all this during this diet my weight has been stagniating. so what is there that i can reduce out of all these to make my weight lost fast like before?

Pierre : Dear Therezitta, I could read on your file that you have lost a lot of weight in a very short time so you cannot go quicker. About the tolerated food you have mentioned, it is clear that you have to keep eating them because they help you to find enough sweet taste to keep you going. Do not hesitate to come back to me if you need. Congratulations for your weigh loss though. Have a nice day.

therezitta : hi again :) so i bought this dietary supplement called "equavte" from paris/ its for cellulite. it contains: vitamin E 11.6IU, lithamnium calcareum (algae powder) 135mg, hydrolised palmaria palmata (algae powder) 135mg, conjugated linoleic acid 135mg, linum usitatissium (seed oil) 12mg, pinus pinaster (maritime pine bark extract) 6mg. so is this ok?? the dose is 2 pills 3 times a day

Jessica : Hi Therezitta, yes you can use it, the dose is correct.

jellyspicy : i can't find fat-free cocoa powder, is carob powder ok?

cathy : Hi Jellyspicy, carob powder is not allowed because it contains too much carbohydrates. Just try to find sugar free cocoa powder with the less fat possible (less than 11 % fat if possible). Have a nice day !

frym571 : Hello, Is it possible to have one of the options for organising the recipes by what phase you're in? Would make it a lot easier to work through.

Jessica : Dear frym571, actually we're working on it! I personally am on the case... Just be a little patient!

maggiea : It's cold here too in the UK! One of Dr D's Slimming Secrets advised having wholemeal pasta IF we were in danger of cracking! He said to soak it in skimmed milk to increase protein. Is that soak it cooked in hot milk? Uncooked? Thanks and love the Slimming Secrets!

hannah : Hi maggiea,Yes if you are cracking you can have 220g of wholemeal pasta once a week. You can cook it in some milk if you want to enrich it with proteins and add vegetables to the pan. On this day though you cannot have any other meat or fish, but you can have two yogurts as well. Hope this helps!

carolineking : Are rice cakes allowed?

Jessica : Dear carolineking, I'm sorry but rice cakes are not allowed as they're considered as carbs.

debthebee : The diet says you can have the allowed foods in unlimited quantity, so why is more than 2 fat free yoghurts a day considered a lapse? Also, with some of the dessert recipes there is a large amount of very light cream cheese used. Why is this not on the list of unlimited foods as it is just as low in fat as yoghurt and fromage frais? Same for eggs...if only one a day is allowed then why do some parts say unlimited amounts and some recipes use more than one egg for a meal only made for one person? Thank you

cathy : Hello debthebee, if these yoghurts are plain, you can have up to 1 kg dairies products per day. If they contain fruits, they are limited to 2 units per day indeed because of their sugar containing. Philadelphia extra light cream cheese is actually limited because it isn't totally fat free. Eggs are limited because the yolk contains cholesterol : so above 5 eggs per week, only use the whites.

JxxiaR : Hi Dr. Dukan, This is my first "chat" so thank you for everything so far. I've completed my 2 days of PP and am now on my 2nd day of PV (put weight back on:-( In my daily report should I insert my "morning weight" or my "evening weight"? I have been sending you my evening weight and it's a bit depressing!! Julia

Pierre : dear Julia, I'm glad to be here with you for your first chat. if you put weight back on your first PV day don't worry, it's just water from vegetables which is waiting for being eliminated. So wait for a little bit and your weight will decrease after one or two days. For the weight you have reported choose the evening or the morning way and then keep it during all your diet. You have just started and you will meet on your way others slowing moments with your weight. It's completely normal. I have never met a person losing regularly weight as a mechanic engine. Remember it if happens on one day it will happen again. The only thing you have to keep in mind is your true weight , your real target and to not modify your way in case of slow down. Have a nice day.

AlyxBarlow : Hi is there anything i should avoid if im stagnating think its been a week

hannah : Hi AlyxBarlow, don't worry, there is a lot that you can do to help you move on from the stagnation period! Firstly avoid all tolerated foods, and make sure that you are eating and drinking enough. Contrary to popular belief you need to eat your way through the stagnation! Increase your exercises if you can and you will get through this! If you are suffering from constipation then you can have up to 200g of baked rhubarb, and if it is water retention then try taking some natural drainers (see my slimming apartment>my pharmacy.) Let us know how you get on... All the best

therezitta : i noticed that in the measurments i lose centemeters from all my body EXCEPT my hips! and its annoying because thats the area i want to lose weight from.. so is there a kind of food that reduces the size of hips? ;)

cathy : Hi again therezitta, in this case, only physical activities like fitness, aquagym, swimming will firm up your hips. Just be patient, your efforts will pay off, I trust you!

DeeDee2010 : I am making my own Quark, but I cannot find a recipe for Fromage Frais can I use Quark in it's Place or am I better with Yoghurt cheese. Hi Dr Dukan your changing my life thank you

Pierre DUKAN : Dear DeeDee2010, yes you can use quark instead but also fat free plain yogurts; feel free to add condiments to your convenience. Thank you for your lovely message. I really did change your life, I can tell you that you and all the Dukanians changed my life as well. Every time I receive such a message, it gives meaning to my life and give me the strength to keep going with you and for you all.

xmasbubbie : Is cauliflower green? It comes in a green cover! And when do mushrooms appear? Thanks

hannah : Hi xmasbubbie, no cauliflower is not a green vegetable but it is allowed in all the phases. Mushrooms and other green veg are allowed on PV days. Enjoy!

maggiea : Yes Hannah! That helps enormously. Thank you.

hannah : Hi maggiea you are very welcome, let us know how you get on!

maggiea : Dear Dukan Team The Forum is magnificent! I am so happy it is working now. Thank you for the list of Tolerated Items, but it seems very very short. Will it grow with items in the Recettes Dukan like baking powder, yeast etc etc.Is there a full list on the French website? Anywhere? Thanks

Jessica : Dear maggiea, thank you for your support and your compliments, we're very happy about the opening of the forum too. Because we have a special offer standing this week for a full access to the non coached people, we decided to not put too many informations in it because it wouldn't be fair to the actual coached people. Just stay with us as the forum will grow more and more complete and obviously, all your suggestions are welcome!

MariaTJ : Good evening Dr Pierre. I have a question in relation to food labels. When you say we can eat cheese that is less than 7% fat is that per serve or per 100g. Example mini Babybel light is 3.4g per 20g serve but 17g per 100g. Thank you

cathy : Hello MariaTJ, that means that you can choose every cheese which contains less than 7 % fat. Once you have chosen your favorite cheese, just cut a 30g serve, this equals to a tolerate. Bon appetit !

maggiea : Thank you Dr. Dukan. I will experiment with my bread as you suggest, and when it is a loaf, not a brick, I will send you the recipe with pleasure. Maggie's Dukan Bread! Sounds good!

Pierre : Dear Maggiea, yes it sounds good to me too! I hope to taste it personally. I'm sure that with such a great cooking talent you will reach your true weight and keep it forever.

Robbiedob : I do actually go to the gym several days a week, so I won't do the prescribed exercises those days. How do I record that on my daily report?

hannah : Hi Robbiedob, that is brilliant that you go to the gym as well, if is the same or more as your exercise programme you can say that you have done the obliged and supplementary programme. Well done!

SkinnyLinnie : I thought that evidence was now available to show that eggs being a problem with cholesterol was a myth?

Jessica : Dear SkinnyLinnie, the yolk doescontains cholesterol and the white doesn't. If you have it, you should not have more than 2 full eggs per week, otherwise you can have up to 5/week.

maggiea : Hello Team Dukan, Does oat bran or wheat bran prevent/inhibit the absorption of vitamins through the intestine? Should I take my daily vitamin a time before my oat bran?

cathy : Hi maggiea, if you have some medicines or vitamins, just take it a few hours before or after the oat bran to be sure that the absorption will be ok. Have a look at the Dukan Diet homepage on the bottom (left), you will find a precise article about oat bran. Have a nice coaching !

suki234 : With this diet I dont feel hungry so dont need the 3 course for each meal, does not eating it all affect your weight loss?

hannah : Hi suki234, thanks for your message. You should listen to your body and eat as much as you want, the important thing to remember is that you should NEVER feel hungry on this diet and you should always eat until you are full. The menus are just suggestions so you find a way to make them work for you. Enjoy!

psychicgemini : Hello, I have been on the diet for about a week now. Yesterday I had a PP day and today I weigh a pound heavier than I did yesterday. I did not have any lapses but I did have about 4 oz of non fat evaporated milk in a cup of coffee. I am allowed evaporated (canned) milk? Also, I am not following your exercise plane precisely. I have started walking for 30 minutes every evening and will be picking up Bikram Yoga again and doing this every other day. Thanks

Jessica : Dear psychicgemini, first of all don't get too upset about your weight today as we all know scales are little devils! It might just be a bit of water retention... Anyway evaporated milk is not allowed, I'm sorry. The 30 mn walking are very good, keep going, and as for Bikram Yoga, be careful to drink a lot (those are hot sessions!) and eat properly before to avoid eventual lacks of energy or even fainting. Namaste!

jsa123 : I don't really have a question, but just wanted to say how great I think the diet plan is. I have been on the DD for 4 weeks, and did very well for the first 2-3 weeks, then lost nothing for about 9 days, despite pretty much sticking to the diet rules. Previously, when I have reached this stage on a diet, I have given up, but I stuck with the DD because it is so easy, and sure enough, I have lost over 2lbs this week. I really feel this is an eating programme I can live with for the rest of my life - we'll see!

Pierre : Dear Jsa, I have read your file and I noticed that you have lost weight very efficiently and if you stop losing weight for this week it is completely normal, your body needs time to digest the first four kilos. Do not forget that a body is a living machine programmed to protect its stocks. For your body fat stocks give you survival reasons and when you lose 4 kilos in such a short time, it tries to resist by all ways as possible. So congratulations again and keep going with self confidence.

therezitta : dear Dr.Dukan, thanks a lot for your encouragements.. my concern about the quick weight lose is that i am going back to Egypt in two weeks. and i really want to go back with a huge difference on my appearance. so can i do the 5/5 aletrantion of pp and pv? cause i read in your book that it is slightly faster.. or i mean bit more effective. is that true? is it faster than 1/1?

Pierre : Dear therizitta, I understand really well that you want to go back in Egypt as slim as possible. So I advice you something more and more efficient than 5/5 alternation: it is the 2/1, which means 2 days of PP and 1 day only of PV.

findbecca : I'm wondering if losing weight is the main goal or getting slimmer - maybe both (in my case). I understand that if you exercise a lot and create muscle, this is a more effective way of burning off calories - but you end up putting on weight because muscle is heavier than fat - so I wonder about the value of concentrating only on losing weight. I thought general medical opinion favours losing inches around the waist rather than weight - so how can I do this? Is there an optimal hip-waist ratio you recommend? I wonder why you haven't mentioned it in this programme.

hannah : Hi findbecca, thank you for your question. The answer is both, if you have a lot of excess weight then you will lose weight and get slimmer. We do not concentrate too much on your 'optimal ratio' because each person is different. You don't have to worry too much about this, if you are getting slimmer and feeling fitter then that is the goal and is what we focus on.

MariaTJ : Thank you Cathy but I am still confused.. Is the 7% fat content worked out on the serving size or per 100g. In my example you can see there is a vast difference. 3.4g of fat per 20g serve but 17g of fat per 100g.

cathy : Hi again MariaTJ, this means that the cheese must not contain more than 7 % fat (7 grams fat in 100 grams of cheese). So you can have 30 g of this cheese (= 1 tolerate).

Blossom78 : If I achieve my target weight before the schedule suggests can I move into the consolidation phase early?

hannah : Hi Blossom78, thank you for your question. One thing that you must know is that this diet is not a race, and the length of the programme that has been given to you is that way for a reason, so usually no but it depends on the case. One step at a time!

jellyspicy : thanks for all your advice today, I'm looking forward to starting the diet tomorrow x

Jessica : Hi jellyspicy, thank you for joining us on the Dukan Diet and welcome to our slimming community!!

mod : thanks for having chat with us! This will be the last question!

maggiea : Dr Dukan, it is your regime that will keep me slim for life, rather than my curiosity in the kitchen, though it is lovely to combine the two on your diet!

Pierre : Thank you Maggiea, yes that is the regime that will keep you slim for life but a diet must be brighten by preparing good and inventive recipes. Because if you work like that you will always be concerned by your project.

mod : The chat is now finished, thank you to everyone for your participation. We hope that you enjoyed it! The history of this chat will be available to view later on today so those who might have missed it can see what we discussed.If we didn?t get a chance to answer your question, please don?t hesitate to send us an email so we can answer you that way.Thanks again and see you for the next chat really soon!