The Forks Over Knives Plan: How to Transition to the Life-Saving, Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet

Out of this book's 336 pages, the 2-page Forward, and the first 140 pages of the book are the core of the book - and what an astounding, invaluable and revelatory core! The fact that Brian Wendel, the Executive Producer of the excellent DVD entitled FORKS OVER KNIVES (FOK), contributed to the content of THE FORKS OVER KNIVES PLAN, is a resounding "Good Nutrition" seal of approval to recommend this book. Dr. Colin Campbell, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, basically provided us with the key concepts in the FORKS OVER KNIVES DVD, but Drs. Alona Pulde and Matthew Lederman, really fleshed out their basic concepts with reams of astonishing additional detail, such as debunking the glycemic index, or "The Incomplete Protein Myth," for starters - this is terrific content. If there is a Pulizer Prize category for "personal quotes" included in a book, then most of the personal quotes included in this book are of Pulitzer Prize caliber - one after another, they include great insights and observations, well stated. This is not a "once and done" book, because most everyone will probably be repeatedly referring to those initial, and transforming 140 pages from time to time, until they become intuitive. This book's 146 pages of recipes are, compared to this book's first 140 pages, fluff - but you want to know what? I expect I will be frequently referring to these convenient recipes, because I will also be frequently referencing the content of the first 140 pages of this book. Furthermore, I always enjoy the introductory comments to each recipe by a recipe's author, a nice and informative touch not frequently found in recipe books - I have already read all of these introductory observations. This book also includes a 3-page "Resources" section listing recommended websites, books, DVDs, and courses; and 15-pages of informative and authoritative "Notes." Thank you Drs. Pulde and Letterman, and Brian Wendel, plus, inter alia, Dr. John McDougall. See "Acknowledgments," p.289.

This book and the documentary which inspired it were recommended by a doctor after another round of blood tests showed that my triglyerides and fasting blood sugar were still high after being put on two different cholesterol meds. First of all, the documentary blew me away. I'd never heard of the doctors that they profiled or the studies that they'd done on diet and disease. I bought the book immediately after watching the documentary on Netflix and started the transition in my diet right away. I've been following this program for almost three weeks and have gone to a completely plant based diet in that time. In the process, without counting points or weighing and measuring anything, I've also lost eight pounds. That may not sound like a lot but over the past five years, I've been on at least ten different diets and managed only a half pound or so loss per week and that was with drastic cuts to the amount of food I would normally eat. I have honestly been eating as much as I want at meals and even between meals but I just stick to plant based foods like beans, brown rice, fresh vegetables, and whole grains. I'm never hungry and I really didn't even experience meat cravings after the first week or so. My new favorite breakfast is the homemade granola recipe from this book. I've also tried several other recipes and they've all been good so far. If you're struggling to lose weight or dealing with health problems like high cholesterol or blood sugar, give this a try. It's a completely new way to look at food and it works. You may think you can't live without eating meat but just give it a try. It's amazing how much more energy I feel since I've been on this and I haven't had heartburn or indigestion even once and that used to be a daily occurrence for me. Forks over Knives is not a diet. It's a way of life. I truly believe this is going to change my health and my future for the better.

After seeing the documentary, I ordered this book. So glad I did, as the book helps me understand what these doctors are saying. I have changed maybe 70% of my diet, and feel so much better, that some things must be improving inside my body. I am after healthy blood vessels, and a healthy body, and my food budget has decreased. So far, I still allow about 30% meat, dairy and processed foods, but this helps me to continue with the improvements long term. I have found it easy and do-able, compared to the many plans I've tried, and many foods I'm eating are less expensive than my older ways. Foods I'm eating are much more satisfying and flavorful now. I have some great, energetic days - which is a huge improvement for me. My weight seems to be down slightly and my clothes are starting to get looser, but it feels like it's what I'm eating that is making such a huge difference, and not merely from this slight weight loss.

I bought this book twice. Once several years ago when my husband and I followed the program for 7 months. I have been overweight, up to about 50 lbs, on and off my whole life. I have tried diets and excercising and different things, but I never felt as good as I did when I was eating plant based whole food. My stomach problems went away and I had very healthy bowel movements:). It's very hard for someone who doesn't like to cook and has small kids and also works full-time. We eventually fell off the plan. I tried again recently but I really struggled because I just can't seem to food prep or get organized. I really hope to get back to eating this way again one day because I really believe it's the healthiest way. I don't believe in diets, I just think we eat a lot of processed food. But time and money makes it a difficult habit to change. I highly recommend watching the documentary several times too!

Finally bought the book. Wow. Such an excellent book of first-steps and guidelines for anyone looking to start on the "whole-food plant-based" diet journey. "Whole-food plant-based" wow, that's such a...mouthful, isn't it? :) First time I ever heard "whole-food plant-based"...and that this translates to Vegan?!! Picketing, hippies and sad-faced cows, amongst other things flashed through my mind. But rest assured this is a just wonderful book of instructions (and recipes) on how to start cooking delicious, satisfying plant-based meals - and just feel really, really good and healthy for the first time in your life. As we read through the book, it feels as though the authors have thought through questions we might have as we begin transitioning to eating this way, and address our concerns about calories, nutrition, feeling full, etc. Realistic, easy to follow guidelines and instructions with simple language, recipes that are easy for a beginner to put together, advise on how to cook, even what kind of utensils to start with, make this an excellent book to follow for anyone looking to start their journey on this healthy lifestyle. The teacher will come when the student is ready. So, if you've come this far, you are ready. :) Happy Cooking!!

A lucidly written book that leads you by the hand into a vegan diet. For every question that I had there was an answer and in most cases the science to back up their position. I am now in my mid 70's and have only been following this plan for 8 weeks, not out of a philosophical viewpoint but out of necessity. You see I had a range of health problems that I thought were due to old age, from frequent atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome. But apart from arthritis, most have either gone entirely or are much less troublesome than they were. My heart has not troubled me for weeks now, and my cardiologist has reduced my medication. My blood work has returned to normal and I hoping to come off statins in the near future. My stomach feels the best that it has for years and without trying or feeling hungry I have lost 10kg in 8 weeks. A few weeks ago I thought that Vegans were the lunatic fringe, but now I realise that it was my own lunacy that was killing me. There is a better way and this book points to it.

This review is for both books I ordered at the same time. I don't see where I can review them separately. The plan book was very helpful for this newbie. I found the recipes practical and interesting. Love the meal plan section! The cook book however has a lot of recipes that take hours if not overnight to make. Be sure to read and plan ahead! Some of them reference other recipes you have to just happen to have made ahead. Any recipe that says you need a batch of another recipe is not practical for me. When I need to get something healthy on the table quickly that's not helpful. Some call for ingredients that vague (see dry sweeteners on another page that doesn't define what the actual ingredient is) or ingredients found in specialty Asian stores which don't exist near me. I know I can order online but planning literally weeks ahead for a recipe that calls for products I've never heard of just doesn't work. I'm sure its delicious and a plant based diet is important to me, but as someone new to it and trying to adapt, the cookbook did little to ease my worries on how to actually make it work.

This book is amazing. I started buying the Forks over Knives magazines at the grocery store, so I decided to research to see if they have a cookbook. Yes! I have been cooking strictly vegan recipes for the past month and every recipe from this book is delicious! My husband was dubious at first but has liked everything that I have made so far. I have both lost weight and neither of us feels a sense of deprivation-which is what most people fear will happen if they start a vegan diet. No restrictions on volume of food, no calorie counting.

Brilliant book if wanting to change your life style to a vegan, plant based diet. Really explains the benefits and teachers the four week transition really well. Love the delicious recipes as well. Would definitely recommend.

This is THE Book if you want to start a plant based regime. Very interesting to read and full of hints to start your new lifestyle. Also good the receipt section.

O livro busca apresemtar sua proposta alimentar de produtos naturais e integrais com bases científicas, contrapondo suas pesqusas com outras que indicam o consumo de carnes, ovos e laticínios. Isso, por um lado é bom, mas por outro, torna a leitura um pouco cansativa. Apesar disso, consegue apresentar um plano de mudança gradual, semana a semana, de forma prática e mais leve. Algumas receitas são apresentadas no fim do livro, mas infelizmente com ingredientes que, muitas vezes, não encontramos no Brasil. Por isso, acabam não sendo muito úteis, mas ajudam a ter uma ideia do tipo de refeição que se pode obter com a proposta alimentar.

I love it. Good condition when it arrived

When I watched the film Forks over Knives I knew that was the anwser to all the questions about nutrition I'd been asking for so many years. This is a really pragmatic book, easy to follow and full of advise and good tips. Perfect to get into the whole food, plant based world.