PCRM 21 – Day Diet Kickstart launches March 1, 2010

It's an honor to be part of the Kickstart celebrity coach team for the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) March 1 Kickstart.

We have over 16,000 people registered yet expecting thousands more by March 1.

More about the 21-Day Kickstart

Based on research by Neal Barnard, M.D., one of America’s leading health advocates, this program is designed for anyone who wants to explore and experience the health benefits of a vegan diet.

Low-fat vegan — plant-based — diets are the easiest way to trim excess weight, prevent diabetes, cut cholesterol, lower blood pressure, prevent and reverse heart disease, and reduce cancer risk. They even trim our carbon footprint.

On March 1, 2010, PCRM will provide an all-new, free 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program to help people to improve their diets and get healthy. Maybe you’d like to lose weight, lower your cholesterol, or improve your energy. Or perhaps you’d like to go veg for the animals or the environment. Now’s your chance to do that in a way that is engaging and fun.

It is easy, and we’ll guide you every step of the way

During the 21-Day program, you will have an all-access pass to daily messages that will include a 21-day menu, lots of recipes, great information from celebrity and medical guests, and nutrition webcasts. Each daily message also contains links to the Kickstart Web site where you’ll find:

• Celebrity tips providing guidance and inspiration
  

• Daily e-tips that are designed to put you on the path to weight loss, better health, and greater well-being
• A 21-day meal plan with delicious, easy, and satisfying recipes that will help you break cravings for unhealthy foods

• Daily motivational nutrition webcasts

• Social support of other Kickstart participants through a community forum where nutrition professionals answer health and diet questions
  

• An interactive vegan restaurant guide

Register for the Kickstart today at 21DayKickstart.org. Join me with Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. John McDougall, and a long list of health advocates and dietary luminaries on this adventure. You'll see me on the forums as well as on the celebrity pages for Dr. John McDougall in my position as Health and Medical Center Fitness Expert.

Some Tips for Getting Started

Serving sizes: Don't worry too much about the serving sizes of beans, grains, fruits and vegetables. Thanks to the fiber and low-fat content, you would be hard-pressed to consume more calories than you need from these four food groups. (Among the exceptions are avocados and olives.)

Cereal: Look for about 5 grams of fiber per serving. Avoid those that add chemical preservatives, sugar, corn syrup and/or cane juice.

Bread: Look for about 4 grams of fiber per slice/serving. Avoid additives such as whey, sugar, corn syrup and caramel colorings.

Jam: Choose all-fruit jams. They are usually sweetened with pectin, not sugar.

Beans: All beans are great. Buying them dried may be more economical, but you have to plan for the rinsing, soaking and draining process. Canned and frozen are just as good.

Grains: Whole grains are preferred, but as long as the ones you choose have some fiber you are fine.

Fruits: All fruits are good: whole fresh, frozen or dried. Avoid those with added sugar and those that have had the fiber removed (juiced).

Vegetables: All vegetables are good: whole fresh, frozen or canned.