About the diet
Dikul's protein diet is an effective nutrition system that has helped thousands of women and men get rid of fat deposits and increase muscle mass. The main idea of the diet is a high content of protein foods, avoidance of simple carbohydrates and fatty foods. It is intended for those people who exercise regularly.
The Dikul diet does not imply quick results and is recommended for people with slight excess weight, up to 10 kg. This diet is more suitable for people who lead an active lifestyle, or at least regularly engage in physical activity. If you are overweight, more than 10 kg, it is recommended to first adjust the weight using another diet, and then, when there is an extra 5-8 kg left before the desired result, the Dikul Diet will turn out to be very effective.
Thanks to a specially designed menu, subcutaneous fat is burned to compensate for the lack of carbohydrates in the menu, and muscle mass is increased due to the large consumption of protein foods in combination with physical activity (fitness, dancing, aerobics). Don't be alarmed - this doesn't mean you will have huge muscles, you won't. As a result, you will get a slim, toned figure without saggy skin and cellulite.
There are no recommendations regarding the number of calories consumed, which makes the diet much simpler. Body weight is reduced by limiting fats and carbohydrates. Muscles are preserved because protein consumption does not decrease, and even increases.
Dikul's diet involves limiting fat. The author of the diet believes that there is too much fat in the modern person’s diet. But the diet does not imply a complete rejection of fats, since a person gets healthy fats for the body by consuming foods recommended by the diet: fish, nuts, flaxseed or hemp oil. By healthy fats, Dikul means a complex of substances called omega-3, these are polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are actually contained in the above products; the human body really lacks them in modern living conditions. Omega-3 acids promote weight loss and muscle building. They are good for joints and spine.
Essence and features
Valentin Dikul is a doctor of rehabilitation medicine, he helps people recover from serious injuries and illnesses. The doctor himself went through this difficult path, when experts predicted that he would spend the rest of his life in bed. However, Dikul has an unshakable thirst for life, so he managed to gather his will into a fist, get on his feet and begin to help others.
The doctor’s technique is based on protein nutrition with minimal inclusion of fats and carbohydrates. The body takes more energy to digest such food, which has a beneficial effect on burning fat deposits. Of course, without training this principle will not work.
Dr. Dikul’s diet is suitable for you if the following conditions are simultaneously met:
- excess weight is no more than 10 kg;
- you regularly play sports - swimming, jogging, exercise;
- you do not have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, excretory system, heart or blood vessels;
- you have time to organize a rational diet;
- you can afford to regularly buy meat, fish, vegetables and fruits.
The peculiarity of the technique is that everyone determines for themselves how long it will last. For some, a month is enough, others stretch it out for six months. The main thing is that throughout such a diet, physical activity is present in life, otherwise the effect will be exactly the opposite of the desired one.
The menu is based on alternating carbohydrate and protein days, which depend on whether training is planned. Thanks to such a nutritional system, the body does not experience a deficiency in nutrients, and the diet does not harm.
Recommended Foods
- It is recommended to consume as the main source of protein: buckwheat, corn, beans, nuts, seeds, fish, meat, eggs, milk.
- To provide the body with calcium, the following are suitable: cheese, nuts, cottage cheese, eggs, cabbage, liver.
- To provide the body with necessary microelements, including the extremely important magnesium, manganese and phosphorus, the Dikul diet recommends consuming: seaweed, bananas, spinach, sunflower seeds, cheese, peas, fish, onions, potatoes, cucumbers.
- Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: fish, nuts, flaxseed or hemp oil.
Rules
- The diet is based on meat, eggs, and dairy products. Protein intake is not limited
- Fats are eliminated from the diet whenever possible. It is prohibited to cook food using fat, including vegetable oil.
- Vegetables and fruits – without restrictions
- Sugar and sweets are prohibited
- Carbohydrate-containing foods are limited - cereals, potatoes, bread
- Every day you need to drink at least 2 liters of still water
- It is recommended to consume oat bran 2 tablespoons per day, as a protein diet can cause constipation.
- During the first and second stages, take vitamins
- Eat bran - two spoons per day
- Walk outdoors for two hours every day
- Drink herbal decoctions, such as rose hips or just green tea without sugar
- You need to eat in small portions, but often - 6 times a day
The first stage of the Dikul diet
The first phase of the diet will last from 3 to 10 days, depending on how much you need to lose. At the first stage, the basis of the daily diet should be foods high in protein. It is necessary to exclude fats and complex carbohydrates.
The basis of the diet should be the following products:
- kidneys and liver
- poultry meat
- lean meat
- fish
- seafood
- buckwheat, corn, beans
At the first stage, adipose tissue decreases from 2 to 4 kilograms.
The second stage of the Dikul diet
At this stage, protein-rich foods need to be diluted with vegetables. It is necessary to alternate purely protein days with days when vegetables are actively consumed along with protein foods. That is, a protein day is replaced by a protein-vegetable day, then another protein day, and so on.
The duration of this stage can be up to 3 months until you achieve the desired result.
The basis of the diet should be the following products:
- foods high in protein (products of the first stage of the Dikul diet)
- asparagus, radishes, spinach, beans, celery, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers and other vegetables
- potatoes in limited quantities and then only boiled or baked
- any fruit
List of permitted and prohibited products
Try to use in your menu only those products that are allowed on the Dikul diet, in this case you will get results from it much faster and safer .
Authorized Products
List of products that should be included in your diet:
- vegetables and greens: peas, zucchini, garlic, dill, tomatoes, celery, arugula, peppers, olives, cucumbers, onions, watercress, Chinese and Brussels sprouts, broccoli;
- fruits: sweet and sour apples; mushrooms;
- chicken eggs
- cereals: millet, oat flakes;
- whole grain bread;
- kefir, cottage cheese, skim milk
- lean beef, veal, chicken, turkey;
- chicken eggs;
- seeds;
- fish and seafood: squid, pike, hake, cod, pike perch, mussels, shrimp;
- vegetable, flaxseed and hemp oil;
- green tea, instant chicory, mineral water, rosehip decoction.
Prohibited Products
Exclude from the diet :
- bakery products made from wheat flour;
- high fat cheese, cream, sour cream, fermented baked milk;
- white polished rice, semolina, pasta;
- mayonnaise, butter;
- beef and lamb fat, lard, bacon;
- smoked meats;
- canned fish and meat;
- sausages;
- fast food;
- semi-finished products;
- pork, goose, duck;
- starchy vegetables: pumpkin, eggplant, corn, potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets; ice cream;
- dried fruits: dates, figs, raisins;
- chocolate, confectionery, waffles, jam, preserves, condensed milk, sugar, honey;
- sweet fruits: mango, figs, melon, bananas;
- pink salmon, caviar;
- coffee, black tea, alcohol, sparkling mineral water, sweet drinks.
Table of prohibited and permitted foods on a diet
Authorized (+) products | Prohibited (-) products |
Vegetables and greens | Vegetables and greens |
boiled peas | vegetables legumes |
zucchini | potato |
broccoli | carrot |
Brussels sprouts | beet |
cabbage | horseradish |
watercress | Fruits |
red onion | bananas |
bulb onions | melon |
cucumbers | figs |
olives | mango |
salad pepper | Berries |
arugula | grape |
celery | Nuts and dried fruits |
tomatoes | raisin |
dill | dates |
garlic | Snacks |
Fruits | potato chips |
baked sweet and sour apples | Cereals and porridges |
Mushrooms | porridge |
Cereals and porridges | white rice |
oatmeal with water | Flour and pasta |
wheat bran | pasta |
Bakery products | pancakes |
whole grain bread | vareniki |
Dairy | pancakes |
kefir 1% | dumplings |
Cheeses and cottage cheese | Bakery products |
cottage cheese | buns |
Hard cheeses | wheat and yeast bread |
Meat products | Confectionery |
lean beef | jam |
veal | jam |
Bird | candies |
boiled chicken breast | cookie |
steamed chicken breast | cake |
boiled chicken fillet | jam |
turkey | dough |
Eggs | halva |
hard-boiled chicken eggs | cakes |
Fish and seafood | Chocolate |
boiled fish | Raw materials and seasonings |
squid | seasonings |
shrimps | mustard |
mussels | ginger |
seaweed | mayonnaise |
zander | honey |
cod | sugar |
hake | vinegar |
pike | Dairy |
Oils and fats | fat milk 3.2% and above |
vegetable oil | condensed milk |
linseed oil | fat cottage cheese 18% and above |
olive oil | Meat products |
Non-alcoholic drinks | fatty pork |
mineral water | pork fat |
instant chicory | salo |
green tea | bacon |
Juices and compotes | Sausages |
rose hip juice | boiled/smoked sausage |
sausages | |
sausages | |
Bird | |
smoked chicken | |
duck | |
goose | |
Eggs | |
Fish and seafood | |
fried fish | |
salted fish | |
pink salmon | |
caviar | |
Red caviar | |
cod roe | |
canned fish | |
semi-finished fish products | |
Oils and fats | |
butter | |
creamy margarine | |
coconut oil | |
vegetable-fat spread | |
animal fat | |
cod liver oil | |
cooking fat | |
Alcoholic drinks | |
white dessert wine | |
vodka | |
cognac | |
liquor | |
beer | |
Non-alcoholic drinks | |
cola | |
coffee | |
Pepsi | |
sprite | |
energetic drinks |
The third stage of the Dikul diet
The main task of the third stage is to consolidate the results obtained. At the third stage, any products are allowed, but the following rules must be followed:
- Eat 2 tablespoons of bran every day
- Once a week, eat only proteins throughout the day.
- Twice a week you can indulge in a high-calorie meal
- Your daily diet should contain vegetables and fruits
Despite the fact that there are no special restrictions on products and their quantity, this does not mean that your diet can now consist of fatty and high-calorie foods or exceed 1800 kcal per day for women and 2500 kcal for men. It is recommended to constantly adhere to the principles of a healthy diet, including more vegetables and fruits in the diet and excluding complex carbohydrates and fats.
A little history
Valentin Ivanovich Dikul runs a rehabilitation center for people with musculoskeletal problems; he was also a weightlifter. This man has developed his own method of nutrition and special exercises that help get back in shape even after complex injuries and illnesses.
The author of the diet tested its effect on himself personally. Being a circus performer, Dikul received multiple body fractures in his youth - the insurance could not stand it. Doctors predicted that the young talent would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, but Valentin Ivanovich did not put up with this. He worked hard to heal for several years, eating a special diet and doing exercises to strengthen his muscles. As a result, he returned to the circus arena again, only this time in the role of a heavyweight.
Dikul’s nutrition and exercise system is designed specifically for bedridden people and those who cannot fully move.
The diet is based on consuming large amounts of protein and fat. Carbohydrates are either completely eliminated or reduced to a critical minimum. This principle of nutrition helps strengthen the muscle corset and prevents muscle atrophy, but only if certain exercises are performed.
"Dikul's cocktail"
Valentin came up with not only a diet, but also special cocktail recipes, which, according to him, should help give energy and muscle growth. Only people engaged in intense training should take cocktails, before and after training.
To prepare the cocktail, mix in a deep container:
- 2 packs of low-fat cottage cheese
- 100 g sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 spoons of honey and jam.
This shake contains about 50 grams of protein, which corresponds to half the daily requirement for a person gaining muscle mass, weighing 60 kilograms.
Dikul's nutrition system for weight loss
For those who want to get in shape, this diet will also be useful. Its principle is to replace fat tissue with muscle tissue. This means that you will not only have to eat protein foods, but also actively work out in the gym. The diet itself will not give any results; it must be supported by physical activity.
The process of losing excess weight is directly related to the restructuring of metabolism. Since we will receive only fats and proteins from food, muscle mass will begin to actively grow. Carbohydrate fasting combined with physical activity will give the body a signal to consume reserve fat deposits. Thus, we achieve the following results:
- the skeletal muscles cease to be flabby, they become stronger and grow;
- extra centimeters disappear;
- tone increases;
- the state of the nervous system is stabilized due to physical activity;
- sleep improves;
- There is no depression and apathy due to a constant feeling of satiety.
Dikul’s diet is often compared to the “cutting” diet that athletes periodically use. However, this system is much safer, since it involves saturating the body with beneficial substances of different groups, with the exception of carbohydrates.
Sample menu
- Protein day
- Breakfast
- three boiled eggs, tomato salad, a glass of kefir
- Lunch
- glass of fermented baked milk
- Dinner
- chicken breast boiled or baked in foil, garnished with a vegetable mixture without corn and potatoes or stewed cabbage
- Dinner
- boiled meat with boiled vegetables
- An hour before bedtime
- a glass of kefir or yogurt
- Protein-vegetable day
- Breakfast
- a cup of herbal tea, 2 eggs. If necessary, they can be accompanied by a couple of grain bread toasts.
- Lunch
- cucumber and celery salad. Can be replaced with a large unsweetened apple.
- Dinner
- boiled piece of beef and weak meat broth. It is better to cook it without salt, but with onions. You can take 1-2 tomatoes.
- Afternoon snack
- Cottage cheese with yogurt
- Dinner
- baked fish, garnished with green beans
- Snacks
- During the day you are allowed to snack on any fruit or vegetable salad without oil.
- The main task is to make predominantly protein meals so that this element takes up from 70% to 80% of the plate. The remaining 20-30% mostly goes to vegetables.
Dikul nutrition system
In the main points I will review the most important features of this method.
Who is it suitable for?
An important point, because the system is suitable only for those who want to gain weight, form a good muscle corset and reduce body fat. That is, the main consumers of such a system are bodybuilders, athletes, people actively involved in sports. Girls, women looking for a slim figure - think carefully before you start losing weight under this system. Is this really what you are looking for?
In addition, the method helps to get rid of muscle atrophy or prevent it.
It is important to understand and remember: This method will not affect the needle on the scale - the results of such “weight loss” are that fat is gradually burned, volumes in problem areas decrease, and weight remains the same
Diet menu
The main principle: a sharp reduction in the amount of fast carbohydrates, which are replaced by protein foods.
During the diet, you should drink more water (at least two liters) and do not forget about supporting the body with a vitamin complex.
It is recommended to eat 2 tablespoons of oat bran per day to prevent constipation.
Four phases of weight loss
Phase separation is reminiscent of the famous Dukan method, isn't it?
First stage
Duration – from three to ten days, it all depends on your individual characteristics and the amount of extra pounds.
The menu is based on fermented milk products (kefir, milk, fermented baked milk, yogurt), fish and meat (offal) as a source of protein.
Allowed:
Liver, kidneys, tongue, lean pork, seafood, lean fish.
Dishes are prepared without fat; it is advisable to boil, steam, stew, bake, but not fry. It is better to exclude salt and seasonings.
Sample menu
- In the morning - an omelet and a glass of milk, a boiled egg
- Lunch – boiled or oven-baked meat with potatoes.
- Afternoon snack – 200 g of cottage cheese with natural yoghurt or sour cream.
- Dinner - boiled fish or seafood, which can be served with stewed vegetables (for example, cabbage) or boiled rice.
- Before going to bed, you can drink a glass of kefir
Second phase
Duration - from ten days to several months, again, everything is individual.
Nutrition principle: alternate protein and vegetable days. Green vegetables are preferred - cucumbers, zucchini, celery, bell peppers, cabbage; eggplants and tomatoes are also allowed.
Avoid sweets, fruits, white bread, vegetables with a high glycemic index, and sugar.
Sample menu
- Breakfast – 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese with natural yoghurt, boiled egg.
- Lunch - vegetable soup, for the main course - liver stewed with sour cream.
- Afternoon snack – salad of cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Dinner – oven-baked potatoes, boiled fish or seafood, vegetable salad (cabbage, carrots, bell peppers).
- Before bed - a glass of kefir
Third stage
Duration - at your request.
The menu is quite balanced - it contains all the products from the third stage, to which cheese and fruit are added.
Sample menu
- In the morning - cereal (oatmeal, corn) with milk, tea and fruit, maybe 50-100 g of cheese.
- Lunch – offal (liver, kidneys) or meat with side dishes (pasta, rice, buckwheat), vegetable salad
- Afternoon snack – stewed vegetables, fruits, jelly.
- Dinner – boiled fish with potatoes, cucumber and tomato salad.
- Before bed – a glass of kefir.
Fourth stage
Return to the regular menu, but once a week you need to give yourself a protein day.
Cocktail from Dikul
This is not just a cocktail - it is a complete way of eating for those who decide to adhere to this system. They can replace two meals a day.
The cocktail, which would be more correctly called a paste, is so thick it turns out, gives vigor and strength and helps to increase muscle mass.
Cocktail recipe
Will be required
- Cottage cheese 0% fat – two packs of 200 g each
- Chicken eggs (raw) – 2 pcs.
- Sour cream – 0.5 cups
- Honey – 2 spoons
- Currant or any other jam - 2 tablespoons
- Walnuts (optional) – 0.5 cups (ground)
Mix everything thoroughly.
Divide the resulting amount into two parts. Take the first part before training (2 hours), the second – two hours before bedtime
If the portion seems large at first, reduce the amount of ingredients proportionally.