The Dukan Diet with Tips for Filipinos

If you’re Filipino and you’re into the Dukan Diet, chances are that you would be scrambling about town to find the food that you can eat.  Here is how to do the Dukan Diet and the places to get the ingredients and food that you can consume while you’re on it. 

Dukan Diet Attack Phase (Phase 1)  

The Dukan diet Attack Phase is the most simple to remember but it is also the most difficult to adhere to.  However, it is in this phase that the most rapid weight loss occurs.  It is done anywhere from 2 to 10 days.  Dieters lose 5 to 7 pounds in 5 days.  Someone I know (Doc Mercy, this is you!) lost 10 lbs in 7 days.  Just don’t overdo it.  It is not a balanced diet and most dieters tend to become constipated.  It’s good that fat-free yogurt is allowed during this phase and will help address the problem of constipation.  Milk Kefir is also allowed as long as it is fat free.  I would suggest you take both.  Personally, I have lost weight just taking these two products with my regular meals.  In the Philippines, you can buy fat free, sugar free natural yogurt from Yoggie’s Yogurt Station.  Our yogurt do not have any emulsifier or other known stabilizers so you get a product that is purely made from milk and milk solids. 
The daily intake for this phase recommends the unlimited consumption of only lean protein from pork, beef, fish and eggs along with 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran and 1.5 liters of water daily.  However, in the US, tenderloin pork is allowed.

Attack Phase Food List
These are mostly what you can eat during this phase:
•    Seafood – any as long as it does not have carbs (e.g. breadcrumbs, flour, etc), or oil or in a sauce that has oil or fat.

•    Meat -  lean cuts of beef, veal or venison, low fat slices of ham with all rind and fat removed, lean bacon, calves  liver and kidneys, rabbit or hare.  The US version of the Diet also allows pork tenderloin.   Lean cuts of chicken, turkey, ostrich and other birds  without any limitations as long as they are devoid of all fat including the skin.  You are also allowed to eat chicken livers.  I found some ostrich meat at Rustan’s Grocery.

•    Dairy Products and Eggs – virtually any fat-free, sugar-free dairy products such as skim milk, quark, fromage frais, kefir or yoghurt can be eaten.  Yogurt is specially important to prevent constipation which is the usual complaints of Dukan dieters.  If you can find fat free ricotta and cream cheese, those are allowable too.  At Yoggie’s Yogurt Station, you can buy your yogurt, kefir, ricotta. 
Sugars from fruits are not allowed.  The consumption of up to 2 eggs a day in the attack phase.  I suggest you get the organic eggs which has very little cholesterol.  I found some cheap organic eggs are available at the organic stall at the fresh produce at Market Market.  Tofu and soy products are allowed. 

•    Herbs and Spices - You can use any herb or spice in any phase of the diet. However, they should be used sparingly – only to give some flavour to your food.  There ’s a wide selection that I found at the SM Megamall grocery.  Also, there’s a store at Market Market that sells unusual herbs and spices.  It is located across serendra right beside Fiorgelato.  The name eludes me this time. 
Even salt is allowed.  Just try not to be tempted to put too much of it as the proteins will be taxing on the kidneys already. 

•    Vinegar - All vinegars are allowed in all phases.  Some lemons can be used too for flavouring.

•    Sweeteners - Aspartame, Stevia, Splenda(sucralose) and Xylitol are allowed. I suggest you go for stevia instead.  You can buy the plant and use the leaves.  They’re available at the Manila Seedling Bank.  However, if you prefer the dried and readymade ones, I believe they’re available at the AANI stalls at Quezon City Memorial Circle.  Healthy Options has them too but those are a bit pricey.
Chewing gum can be used to freshen your breath.  It also helps you get rid of the hunger pangs. 

•    Drinks - You can drink skim milk, coffee, diet soda (as long as it is under 1 calorie per glass), green tea or fruit teas.   

•    Goji Berries - A tolerated item according to the official site.  Yoggie’s has this too. 

•    Brewer’s Yeast and Multivitamin Supplements
I will write about these in another blog tomorrow:
Dukan diet Cruise Phase (Phase 2)
Dukan diet Consolidation Phase (Phase 3)
Dukan diet Stabilization Phase (Phase 4)