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14 reviews for:
21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart: Boost Metabolism, Lower Cholesterol, and Dramatically Improve Your Health
Neal D. Barnard
3.77 AVERAGE
14 reviews for:
21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart: Boost Metabolism, Lower Cholesterol, and Dramatically Improve Your Health
Neal D. Barnard
3.77 AVERAGE
Another book that’s probably really good for people who aren’t yet vegans, but isn’t very useful for existing vegans. And I really just am not inspired by recipes in the back of books, with no photos. I need photos.
It seems like I am continually on the search for something to help me kick a bit more weight off of my frame. While I'm at what some would consider an 'okay' weight at the moment, it is still within the realm of overweight.
Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled to be able to shop in the ‘regular’ sizes again. I just know that there’s a bit more hanging about than needs to be there. Or, maybe having spent a while at this particular weight range for several months I have rebranded my body as still being fat.
All this brings me to a book that arrived this spring to review. And, sadly, I kept putting off writing a review for it. Maybe I was thinking it would be better to actually DO the 21 day plan before sharing about the book. Yet, that hasn’t happened.
What will you find if you read this particular title?
The kick start is to abandon you regular diet and embrace what is essentially a vegan diet. No animal products and minimal vegetable oils is the basic mix.
Now, I enjoy fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. But, the thought of abandoning all meat products when the options for fresh produce are quite limited just wasn’t so appealing.
So, I haven’t fully utilized the book.
But, I can share that a lot of the research behind the plan is presented in a clear and easy to understand manner. And, there are plenty of recipes shared to help you get started embracing this way of nourishing your body.
What reading this book has done for me is to re-emphasize the need to maximize my produce consumption and minimize animal products. (As an aside, I noticed a slight weight drop during Lent when I gave up coffee…which is always drunk with a creamer or as a cappuccino.)
And, I have to admit that I am seriously considering embracing the ‘plan’ to kick myself off the plateau I’ve been on for several months. Having improved health will be another benefit I’d love to accept.
Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled to be able to shop in the ‘regular’ sizes again. I just know that there’s a bit more hanging about than needs to be there. Or, maybe having spent a while at this particular weight range for several months I have rebranded my body as still being fat.
All this brings me to a book that arrived this spring to review. And, sadly, I kept putting off writing a review for it. Maybe I was thinking it would be better to actually DO the 21 day plan before sharing about the book. Yet, that hasn’t happened.
What will you find if you read this particular title?
The kick start is to abandon you regular diet and embrace what is essentially a vegan diet. No animal products and minimal vegetable oils is the basic mix.
Now, I enjoy fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. But, the thought of abandoning all meat products when the options for fresh produce are quite limited just wasn’t so appealing.
So, I haven’t fully utilized the book.
But, I can share that a lot of the research behind the plan is presented in a clear and easy to understand manner. And, there are plenty of recipes shared to help you get started embracing this way of nourishing your body.
What reading this book has done for me is to re-emphasize the need to maximize my produce consumption and minimize animal products. (As an aside, I noticed a slight weight drop during Lent when I gave up coffee…which is always drunk with a creamer or as a cappuccino.)
And, I have to admit that I am seriously considering embracing the ‘plan’ to kick myself off the plateau I’ve been on for several months. Having improved health will be another benefit I’d love to accept.
I'm already vegan and I'm not trying to loose weight but I did really enjoy this book and found it super helpful. Dr. Barnard writes in a way that is easy to understand (even when talking science) and easy to relate to. I also made a couple of the recipes and loved them! His focus isn't on making any life-long diet changes, but just sticking to a plant-based diet for 3 weeks and seeing how you feel.
For anyone who's interested in this book but doesn't want to dedicate the time to read it, there is also a 1 hour DVD that you can watch that is very engaging, or you can even search YouTube and watch it on there (split into a couple segments due to length).
For anyone who's interested in this book but doesn't want to dedicate the time to read it, there is also a 1 hour DVD that you can watch that is very engaging, or you can even search YouTube and watch it on there (split into a couple segments due to length).
I would recommend this book to anyone curious about vegan diets, looking to make a healthy lifestyle change and lose some weight, as well as to novice vegans who maybe want to understand their choices more fully. This program works. Period. I did it, and I have no intention of going back to my former diet.
I went vegan about six months ago using the KickStart program online. I consider myself a novice vegan, still learning the ropes. This book provided me with a deeper understanding of how eating a plant based diet positively affects my health and helped me tweak areas of my diet that were a little lacking.
Dr. Barnard describes the changes in cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar that occur very rapidly on a plant based diet. There are numerous studies cited throughout the book detailing the many health benefits of a vegetarian diet. There are also a number of celebrities that offer their words of advice throughout the book.
This book is set up in three parts. The first goes in depth about the benefits of a vegan diet for health, weight loss, and a variety of chronic diseases. It helps prepare you for the starting the program, with meal planning, trying new foods out, and getting into the right mindset to be successful. The second part of the book is the 21-day plan. Each day offers advice, encouragement, and goes a more in depth on a subject, like heart benefits, the glycemic index, and environmental benefits of a plant based diet. The third section has menus, recipes, a glossary of foods, and cooking techniques to use during the program.
I tried out quite a few of the recipes. I particularly enjoyed the soups, especially the Curried Red Lentil soup, and the wraps and sandwiches. I didn't love every recipe, but they were all good. Quite a few are now part of my regular meal rotation. I even tried some of the fake meat that I had been shying away from because I didn't know how to work with it and I was a little scared of the taste. I was pleasantly surprised and have been using the meat substitutes a lot more regularly.
Does the program work for weight loss? Absolutely. When I started the program, I was a healthy body weight, but I knew I wasn't at my body's ideal weight. I lost seven pounds, bringing my weight back to where I was in my early twenties. After three kids, I thought I'd never see that number on the scale again. I have easily maintained the weight for the last six months without feeling hungry. My energy level has increased. My skin glows. Best of all, I have a new relationship with food. I don't worry about how much I'm eating or count calories. I don't find myself planning how much longer I need to exercise to burn off a fatty meal, or skipping meals when I'm planning on eating too much later in the day at a party or over the holidays. I eat when I'm hungry. I stop when I'm full. And I don't worry about it. I know I'm eating healthy and my weight is stable.
There are parts of the book that are a little dry, but it is well written and the program well worth a try.
I went vegan about six months ago using the KickStart program online. I consider myself a novice vegan, still learning the ropes. This book provided me with a deeper understanding of how eating a plant based diet positively affects my health and helped me tweak areas of my diet that were a little lacking.
Dr. Barnard describes the changes in cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar that occur very rapidly on a plant based diet. There are numerous studies cited throughout the book detailing the many health benefits of a vegetarian diet. There are also a number of celebrities that offer their words of advice throughout the book.
This book is set up in three parts. The first goes in depth about the benefits of a vegan diet for health, weight loss, and a variety of chronic diseases. It helps prepare you for the starting the program, with meal planning, trying new foods out, and getting into the right mindset to be successful. The second part of the book is the 21-day plan. Each day offers advice, encouragement, and goes a more in depth on a subject, like heart benefits, the glycemic index, and environmental benefits of a plant based diet. The third section has menus, recipes, a glossary of foods, and cooking techniques to use during the program.
I tried out quite a few of the recipes. I particularly enjoyed the soups, especially the Curried Red Lentil soup, and the wraps and sandwiches. I didn't love every recipe, but they were all good. Quite a few are now part of my regular meal rotation. I even tried some of the fake meat that I had been shying away from because I didn't know how to work with it and I was a little scared of the taste. I was pleasantly surprised and have been using the meat substitutes a lot more regularly.
Does the program work for weight loss? Absolutely. When I started the program, I was a healthy body weight, but I knew I wasn't at my body's ideal weight. I lost seven pounds, bringing my weight back to where I was in my early twenties. After three kids, I thought I'd never see that number on the scale again. I have easily maintained the weight for the last six months without feeling hungry. My energy level has increased. My skin glows. Best of all, I have a new relationship with food. I don't worry about how much I'm eating or count calories. I don't find myself planning how much longer I need to exercise to burn off a fatty meal, or skipping meals when I'm planning on eating too much later in the day at a party or over the holidays. I eat when I'm hungry. I stop when I'm full. And I don't worry about it. I know I'm eating healthy and my weight is stable.
There are parts of the book that are a little dry, but it is well written and the program well worth a try.
This is a pretty interesting book. First off, when I picked it up, I had no idea it was a vegan diet concept. I probably wouldn't have even looked at if I had known. That being said, I'm pretty intrigued. I may just attempt to incorporate these concepts into my diet, or, I might even try it all out. I really don't eat very much meat, so this might just work. Although I am not sure about the dairy aspect. I LOVE my yogurt. And whey protein. We will see. Definitely interesting and definitely worth reading.
The author did tend to dumb things down throughout the book - I felt he could have been a little more specific or detailed. And he repeated several things multiple times. In his rant against chicken, I would have preferred to hear why baked chicken is so bad, not just fried, breaded, etc. chicken. Maybe I just need to read the study he was discussing.
The author did tend to dumb things down throughout the book - I felt he could have been a little more specific or detailed. And he repeated several things multiple times. In his rant against chicken, I would have preferred to hear why baked chicken is so bad, not just fried, breaded, etc. chicken. Maybe I just need to read the study he was discussing.
One of my friends recently completed 21 days of this plan with her family and she has seen amazing results - she is sleeping better, has lost weight, and is feeling much better overall. I am now going to try it and we will help each other with recipes and general support!
I will be back after reading the book and then the 21-day period.
I will be back after reading the book and then the 21-day period.
This is really best when combined with the website. There is a lot of very useful information, but already being a vegan, I knew most of it. Plus, the website had menu plans, which this did not. For those who are interested, and still eating a diet including animal products, I would recommend getting the book. Personally, I used the website more. This is definitely a good book to have on the shelf, but I'd be happier if I'd waited for the softcover version.
This is a very easy to understand book. It takes you on a 21-Day weight loss regime.
First thing you need to know is that it is STRICTLY vegetarian. You are not allowed any meat or dairy during these 21 days.
Each day, there is a different focus that you read about. Such as day 17 is about the food/sleep correlation. Did you know that eating healthy can actually help you sleep better? Did you also know that if you are overtired, you tend to overeat?
So not only are they having you change your eating habits, but they are explaining why. I think that is one of the most important. Too often we follow a diet and aren’t really sure of the reason behind it. This explains everything on each step of the way.
Not only does he tell you how to eat, but he provides great recipes that will help to satisfy your cravings.
I know that I learned a lot about nutrition and health that I really didn’t know before.
In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.
First thing you need to know is that it is STRICTLY vegetarian. You are not allowed any meat or dairy during these 21 days.
Each day, there is a different focus that you read about. Such as day 17 is about the food/sleep correlation. Did you know that eating healthy can actually help you sleep better? Did you also know that if you are overtired, you tend to overeat?
So not only are they having you change your eating habits, but they are explaining why. I think that is one of the most important. Too often we follow a diet and aren’t really sure of the reason behind it. This explains everything on each step of the way.
Not only does he tell you how to eat, but he provides great recipes that will help to satisfy your cravings.
I know that I learned a lot about nutrition and health that I really didn’t know before.
In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.
I just re-read this book and I still think that it is wonderful! I strongly recommend this book for anybody who eats, especially for those concerned about health and nutrition. This book is designed for optimal nutrition, and I agree with the book 100%. Why? Because eleven years ago, I started following the diet described in this book, and my excess pounds just floated away. It was easy--it was not an exercise in will power, because after a few weeks, I did not miss any unhealthy foods (except for cheese--I still crave cheese occasionally). And since losing a massive amount of excess weight, I have not gained it back!
I have read other excellent books that describe the same diet/lifestyle. But Dr. Barnard's emphasis is a little different. He recommends that a newcomer to this diet just try it out for 21 days, and "get the feel for it." This is an excellent approach, because a newcomer is unlikely to agree to make this a permanent lifestyle change, until after he or she has tried it out. After trying it out for a few weeks, you will notice amazing changes--I sure did! If your blood pressure is high, it will decrease towards normal very quickly. If your cholesterol levels are high, they will start decreasing too. If you are overweight, then you will start losing weight. You will feel more energetic. If you snore, that might improve, and you might start sleeping more restfully. If you are diabetic, your blood sugar level may improve. If you continue with the lifestyle, your doctor will just shake his head in amazement, reduce your medications, and tell you; "Just continue what you are doing!"
One of the secrets of this diet, is the reduction in fat. As Dr. Barnard mentions, there is evidence that by reducing fat--all fat, including oil--to a minimum, insulin is better able to suck sugars into cells. This increases metabolism, and leads to faster weight loss. And, this may have an added benefit of reducing the highs of the roller coaster of blood sugar.
I have read other excellent books that describe the same diet/lifestyle. But Dr. Barnard's emphasis is a little different. He recommends that a newcomer to this diet just try it out for 21 days, and "get the feel for it." This is an excellent approach, because a newcomer is unlikely to agree to make this a permanent lifestyle change, until after he or she has tried it out. After trying it out for a few weeks, you will notice amazing changes--I sure did! If your blood pressure is high, it will decrease towards normal very quickly. If your cholesterol levels are high, they will start decreasing too. If you are overweight, then you will start losing weight. You will feel more energetic. If you snore, that might improve, and you might start sleeping more restfully. If you are diabetic, your blood sugar level may improve. If you continue with the lifestyle, your doctor will just shake his head in amazement, reduce your medications, and tell you; "Just continue what you are doing!"
One of the secrets of this diet, is the reduction in fat. As Dr. Barnard mentions, there is evidence that by reducing fat--all fat, including oil--to a minimum, insulin is better able to suck sugars into cells. This increases metabolism, and leads to faster weight loss. And, this may have an added benefit of reducing the highs of the roller coaster of blood sugar.
I like Dr. Barnard's style. His books are informative and easy to read. He seems to drop a lot of celebrity references, but they're usually useful. I skimmed, due to time constraints, but liked what I saw, and may buy this book at a later date. The recipes are as tasty as his other book The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook, although there is some overlap. But this is full of a lot more information explaining the vegan diet, and his specific diet guidelines, as well as the health and wellness benefits of a vegan diet. I recommend it highly.