Dukan vs Atkins diet plans - How to lose weight more effectively?

Thinking of losing weight? Dukan vs Atkins: low-carbohydrate or protein-based diet? Both diets are very popular among celebrities, but which is the best? 

Dukan vs Atkins

Losing weight has become and obsession in the twenty first century. People want to imitate skinny models and celebrities and rely on fitness, homeopathic treatments, and even medical treatments and surgery to lose weigh. Finding the 'best diet ever' has become the quest of many. Tips to lose weight can be found in all magazines and newspapers. In particular before summer holidays, men and women are concerned about how to lose weight effectively. Nutritionist and other experts are more in demand than ever. But do diets work? Many people regain much of their corporal mass after diets. In some cases, the obsession with getting thinner may lead to physical and psychological disorders, such as anemia, bulimia and anorexia. Doctors argue that diets do work, however, it is important that they are followed in a responsible way and if possible under medical supervision. 

Here we contrast and discuss two of the most popular methods: the Atkins and Dukan diet plans. Both have been embraced by thousands of people including many celebrities. Each of them presents some pros and cons and may be more effective depending on lifestyles, dietary habits and tastes. Would you rather follow a low-carbohydrate or a protein-based diet?  

Atkins diet plan

American cardiologist Robert Atkins developed a method to lose weight based on a low consumption of carbohydrates. Atkins argues that our metabolism relies on both sugar and fat as source of energy. By limiting the intake of carbohydrates which produce sugar, the body starts consuming its fact and thus loses weight. This new diet resonated with the findings of a research on weight reduction conducted by Alfred W. Pennington, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1958. The Atkins diet become very popular after the publication of “Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution” (1972) and it has been polished over the years, in particular after the 2002 re-implementation “Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution”. 

Atkins diet has four phases: 

• Induction: transforming the body into a fat burning machine- By limiting the daily intake of carbs so to make the body change its main source of energy from carbs to fat
• Ongoing weight loss: people can enjoy a wider variety of foods while still losing weight in a continuous fashion
• Pre-maintenance: during this phase the body continue building up carb tolerance while the person establishes long-term healthy dietary habits
• Lifetime maintenance: the person already knows the appropriate intake of carbs to maintain a healthy life and stay at her/his goal

​Many celebrities such as Kim Kardasian, Jennifer Aniston, Sharon Osbourne and Robbie Williams have embraced this diet, which seems to be working for many people.

Dukan diet plan

One of the most famous alternatives to Atkins diet was created by the French physician Pierre Dukan in the mid-1970s . For more than twenty years he conducted research and tested different versions of his protein-based diet and then published his findings in his book “Je ne sais pas maigrir” (2000). Dukan diet plan claims to produce a quick and permanent weight loss without hunger through a high-protein and low-carb dietary routine.

The Dukan diet has also four phases:

• Attack phase: where you can eat as much as you want of lean protein (alongside water and some oat bran).
• Cruise phase: it adds to the core diet unlimited amounts of some vegetables.
• Consolidation phase: allows unlimited protein (now including lamb and pork) and vegetables (now including carrots, peas, sweetcorn and potato), as well as a little portion of fruit, bread and cheese.
• Stabilisation: in which you can eat whatever you want simply by following once a week the diet of the attack phase and walk 20 minutes daily.

Jennifer Lopez, Gisele Bundchen and Kate Middleton are among the many celebrities that have successfully followed the Dukan diet.

Cons of Atkins and Dukan diet plans

Despite their popularity both diets have been criticized. Low-carbohydrate diets are controversial in medical circles.  Some argue that the apparent initial success of Atkins method is linked to the increase water loss and that the loss of fat is similar in low-carbohydrate diets than in other diets with equal caloric intake. People undergoing Atkins diet may be more prone to general lweakness, diarrhoea, cramps and rushes. Some people may lose muscles rather than fat once the levels of carbs are drastically reduced in their food.

On the other hand, the British Dietetic Association have declared that the Dukan diet should be avoided at all costs, that science does not support this method. Excluding some types of food is not good for your health and could cause constipation, lack of energy and even bad breath. For instance Dukan davocates the consumption of 0% fat dairy products and artificial sweeteners. However, those highly processed dairy products have lower nutritional value and the chemicals of artificial sweeteners such as aspartame may weakened the brain ability to determine when you are full.

Watch these videos explaining Dukan and Atkins diet plans

Do diets work or are they simply a scam? Which of the two do you find easier to follow and offers better overall results Dukan vs Atkins?

Vote to see result and collect 1 XP. Your vote is anonymous.
If you change your mind, you can change your vote simply by clicking on another option.