Dukan Vs Atkins - Can anyone explain the difference?

[LoweredBrow]

So I've just started on Atkins and am on day one of induction. I've done this diet before but only lasted 2 weeks (however I lost almost a stone in those two weeks!) so I know it works IF you can stick to it.

It's SO restrictive though eggs, ham, cheese, beef, eggs, cheese, ham - In the end I'm probably losing weight simply through not eating!!

I've just been looking on the dukan threads however and see people eating yogurts etc - I thought Dukan was the same as Atkins??

So my question is, what's the difference and is weight loss slower with Dukan?

Weight loss is faster with Dukan I think but it is actually more restrictive. You can have yogurts but not fruit ones which leaves the nasty plain variety. It is basically protein and non fat dairy for the first part (2-10 days dependant on your weight) then alternates days where you can eat veg with your protein and pure protein days.

Atkins is much easier. If you are struggling to eat much you need to be more imaginative. What is your menu now?

www.minimins.co.uk (or maybe .com) is good for recipes etc.

I am doing the Atkins and it is not too hard once you get into the swing of it.

well today I've had a plain omelette for breakfast but that was only because it was the only low-carb thing I had in, normally for brekkie I'd have a cheese and ham omellete with salad.

Lunch today was a tin of mackerals in sunflower oil with salad leaves

Dinner was a home-made beef burger, Cheese, salad and mayo

I've had a look at some of the low carb recipe sites and I think I can make a few 'sweet' snacks but I need to get some splenda, I'll pick that up tomorow.

Any advice or ideas on this very welcome!

Isn't Dukan low fat as well as low carb? check out the various low carb threads - lots of good recipe ideas there.

Dukan is low fat and low carb. And very high protein, including protein only days. Good if you like fat free dairy.

Atkins is very low carb and high fat and high protein. Its a ketosis diet, so carb intake very low. Good if you like cheese, cream.. Omelette with cheese and ham would be fine for atkins.

I prefer dukan as I love fat free dairy and can't bear to eat foods high in fat.

Are you making sure that you're getting your 20g of carbs from salad and green veg, LoweredBrow?

There are actually quite a few vegetables that you can eat during induction, so it really needn't be that restrictive.

I would also suggest avoiding the low carb sweet snacks - the whole point of the induction phase is to break the addition to sweet things. And there is some evidence, apparently, that some people's bodies react to sugar substitutes in the same way as sugar - i.e. the body produces insulin, which is the hormone which will then lay down fat.

I didn't like Dukan, as it relies too much on processed foods - lots of artificial sweeteners in the foods you can have. And he also insists on a tablespoon of oatbran each day, which is quite high in carbs.

Atkins is better in that it emphasises real, fresh and unprocessed foods.

re: dukan, I don't agree about the processed foods, no need to have any artificial sweetners or processed foods on either dukan or atkins. But yes dukan induction v restrictive as no veggies are allowed.

In terms of the oatbran, it might be high in carbs but its all soluble fibre and for some people is essential eg when I tried atkins I was totally constipated!

Sorry - you're right, forever - you don't have to have them, but there was a lot of emphasis on things like diet drinks and low fat yoghurts, all of which have artificial ingredients in them.

As for constipation, never suffered from that on Atkins, thankfully! Lots of water seemed to do the trick for me.

I do have occasional diet drinks as a treat - never more than one can a day though, and some weeks don't have any, and I stick to natural low fat live yoghurt which is not processed and is quite healthy. Does atkins not allow diet drinks?

re: oatbran - I know that this doesn't affect everyone. Even on dukan I occasionally have to eat some prunes - (and yes I have tried psyllium husk and it doesn't help me)! For that reason a ketogenic diet doesn't work for me.