Her Royal Highness Catherine Duchess of Cambridge slimmed down so much before the Royal Wedding, she had to get her ring refitted.
“She’s marrying that prince, so she’s got that fairy tale life and ending that a lot of people have been hoping for,” said North Olmsted resident Abby Seelie. “She does seem like that perfect model person, like the perfect role model for people to be looking up to.”
Her secret to her new, trimmer bod? Reportedly, the Dukan diet, with results many envy.
“She’s beautiful, just so beautiful,” said Cleveland resident Jessica Keating. “I think it’s pretty cool. I mean, they look happy.”
The Dukan diet book originated in France, and according to media reports, more than 1.5 million French women rely on the plan to maintain their figures. Celebrities like Penelope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez and Giselle Bundchen have been linked to Dukan.
The book was released in the United States this April. Now with the buzz of Duchess Catherine’s new frame, many expect the low-fat, high-protein regimen to become the next diet fad.
“It’s a gimmick,” said University Hospitals dietician Lisa Cimperman. “It’s not necessarily new. It’s just kind of the same thing, just repackaged in a different way.”
According to the book’s website, the Dukan diet is split into four phases. Each phase varies in length, depending on your weight-loss goal.
First, there’s the attack phase. For one to 10 days, you eat nothing but lean protein, a bit of oat brain and lots of water.
Second, the cruise phase. Here, you will stick with lean protein, add more oat bran and mix in non-starchy vegetables every other day.
Then, third, the consolidation phase. You get to add two slices of bread, an apple and a slice of cheese into your day. You also get two “celebratory meals,” where you can mostly eat what you want.
And fourth, the stabilization phase. In this final phase, it’s all about maintaining your weight. You can eat a number of foods, even fried chicken or mac ‘n’ cheese.
Although plans like Dukan can offer quick results, dieticians argue they can come with a number of risks.
“It could potentially lead to diabetes later in life or even hyperlipidemia,” said Elizabeth Pash, manager of nutrition therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. “Some of those diets do not meet the recommendations of the American Heart Association. They’re higher in fat. They’re higher in protein. They promote weight loss. But that’s also something that were striving to avoid in terms of heart disease.”
For a low-carb, high protein diet, Cimperman says there are healthier alternatives, like the South Beach diet, which focuses on eating good carbs and good fats.
“I do think cutting back on starchy foods, things like bread or pasta or rice, can really be beneficial for weight loss,” she said.
The Dukan diet: a weight-loss plan with a bit of controversy. It may be fit for a future queen–or at least a princess in the making.
If you want to lose weight, be sure to talk to your doctor about the best plan to reach your goal.
For more information on the Dukan Diet, click here.