Book Review: 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart

 

21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart: Boost Metabolism, Lower Cholesterol and Dramatically Improve Your Health
By Neal D. Barnard, MD
Grand Central Life & Style, 2011
English, 368 pgs


Description:
The Fast Track Plan to Lose Weight and Get Healthy

For years, Dr. Neal D. Barnard has been at the forefront of cutting-edge research on what it really takes to lose weight and restore the body to optimal health. Now, with his proven, successful program, in just three short weeks you'll get fast results - drop pounds, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improve blood sugar and more. With Dr. Barnard's advice on hoe to easily start a plant-based diet, you'll learn the secrets to reprogramming your body quickly:

• Appetite Reduction: Strategically choose the right foods to naturally and easily tame your appetite.
• Metabolism Boost: Adjust eating patterns to burn calories faster for about three hours after each meal.
• Cardio Protection: Discover the powerful foods than can reduce cholesterol nearly as much as drugs do in just weeks.

Whether you are one of the millions who are anxious to get a jumpstart on weight loss or who already know about the benefits of a plant-based diet buy have no idea how or where to start, this book is the kickstart you've been waiting for. Complete with more than sixty recipes, daily meal plans for the 21-day program, tips for grocery shopping, and more, this book will teach you how to make the best food choices and get your body on the fast track to better health.

Review:
I like the theory behind this diet plan. The science seems to be sound. I've been trying to incorporate more fruits and veggies into our diets. But man, Sonic calls my name with a greasy voice that's hard to ignore. This diet advocates all plant based foods and absolutely no animal based foods and almost no oils.

The tone of the book, many times, can be condescending and I can almost picture the author saying "you silly meat-eaters, I have this all figured out...just do this and you'll never want meat again".

There are so many recipes in the back that I really want to try. I like that he advocates a jump-right-in-with-both-feet method. I thought I'd try to start it and work my way into it. He really does say that doing it gradually won't work. You have to do it all at once. He does advocate a few days before you start to test out foods and find the ones you want on the diet, because when you start, there is no option to fail. You do it, as my husband just so eloquently put it, "whole hog, without the hog."

At this point, I don't know if we're all in yet. We have two boys who are pretty picky and love their milk. I think I'm going to have to do it the gradual way for our family. Of course, I could always just replace what we use now and they'd never know it...

I received a copy of the book from The Hachette group for the purpose of a review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.