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The Forks Over Knives Plan: How to Transition to the Life-Saving, Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet
From the creators of the groundbreaking documentary (and bestselling book) Forks Over Knives comes a four-week plan, showing anyone how to transition to a delicious whole-food, plant-based diet.
The trailblazing film Forks Over Knives exposed an entirely new generation to the whole-food, plant-based nutrition revolution and inspired thousands to want to transform their diets, and their lives. With so many people looking for change, the outstanding question became, “How can we put these dietary ideas into practice?” That’s what authors Alona Pulde and Matthew Lederman reveal in The Forks Over Knives Plan: The 4-Week Guide to Whole-Food, Plant-Based Health—a clear, easy-to-follow plan that outlines the steps to take each week to transform your diet by cutting out animal-based and processed foods.
Forks Over Knives is a leading authority in the “food as medicine” movement, showing how simple dietary changes are proven to prevent, and even reverse, chronic disease such as type-2 diabetes and heart disease and improve your overall health. This is no fad diet; the Forks Over Knives program is backed by original research and has received rave reviews from physicians like Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Mehmet Oz, to athletes like pro football star Arian Foster and pro basketball player Steve Nash, to healthy lifestyle pioneers like Alicia Silverstone, to name a few. Whether you’re already a convert and just want a dietary reboot, or you are trying a plant-based diet for the first time, The Forks Over Knives Plan makes it easier than ever to transition into this new way of eating.
The trailblazing film Forks Over Knives exposed an entirely new generation to the whole-food, plant-based nutrition revolution and inspired thousands to want to transform their diets, and their lives. With so many people looking for change, the outstanding question became, “How can we put these dietary ideas into practice?” That’s what authors Alona Pulde and Matthew Lederman reveal in The Forks Over Knives Plan: The 4-Week Guide to Whole-Food, Plant-Based Health—a clear, easy-to-follow plan that outlines the steps to take each week to transform your diet by cutting out animal-based and processed foods.
Forks Over Knives is a leading authority in the “food as medicine” movement, showing how simple dietary changes are proven to prevent, and even reverse, chronic disease such as type-2 diabetes and heart disease and improve your overall health. This is no fad diet; the Forks Over Knives program is backed by original research and has received rave reviews from physicians like Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Mehmet Oz, to athletes like pro football star Arian Foster and pro basketball player Steve Nash, to healthy lifestyle pioneers like Alicia Silverstone, to name a few. Whether you’re already a convert and just want a dietary reboot, or you are trying a plant-based diet for the first time, The Forks Over Knives Plan makes it easier than ever to transition into this new way of eating.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published August 19, 2014
1180 people are currently reading
1307 people want to read
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May 4, 2023
Full Disclosure: I've always been a sucker for fad diets and fitness programs. Weight Watchers, Tae-Bo, 21-Day Fix, Ab Glider, Zumba, P90X, and pretty much anything from Jillian Michaels (I should probably seek out therapy to help me better understand why butch lesbians shouting insults at me is so effective and inspiring). You name it, I've probably tried it.
But what I love most about "Forks Over Knives" is that the authors repeatedly remind us theirs is NOT another short-lived fad diet where you lose 20 pounds in three weeks, only to gain all the weight back and fall into old eating habits again six months later. This isn't about portion control, obsessively counting calories, or even targeting individual vitamins and nutrients. In fact, they throw all of that typical diet stress out the window and call for a complete paradigm shift and lifestyle transformation.
Based on the 2011 documentary by the same name, this book encourages a transition to a whole-foods, plant-based diet that eliminates or at least dramatically reduces one's consumption of processed foods, refined sugars, bleached flours, and oils. (Yeah, that last one will probably be a deal-breaker for many).
The idea being that such a transition, while seemingly radical and daunting at first, ultimately offers the freedom to eat anything we want, any time, in any combination, and even AS MUCH as we want to full satisfaction, trusting that as long as what we're eating is WFPB, our body will be getting all the healthy nourishment it needs, and which Nature so plentifully provides. (*)
Co-authored by two of the doctors who contributed to the original documentary (which I've yet to watch), the book reads like a friendly but direct and no-nonsense session they might have with a brand-new patient visiting their Nutritional Health Practice. The book is surprisingly well-written and consists of roughly three sections:
They begin by asserting that a whole-foods, plant-based diet can prevent and in many cases reverse many chronic health conditions like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even many types of cancer. They back up their conclusions with a robust bibliography consisting mainly of scientific studies published in reputable, peer-reviewed medical journals, often acknowledging where other medical professionals have drawn different conclusions from the same research (and defending why they disagree).
They then shift to a practical, encouraging four-week guide to help readers transition to a whole-foods, plant-based diet, offering pointers on everything from how to read food labels carefully, to purging one's pantry and fridge and substituting all the "bad" stuff with recommended staples.
The last section includes at least 100 recipes for everything from breakfasts and soups to main-course comfort-food favorites and desserts that adhere to the plan. I might actually be a little high right now from the permanent marker I was using to highlight all of the recipes I wanted to try....because it turned out to be almost ALL of them!
Just wish they all had pics rather than just a select few, as well as clear, estimated prep times. But I loved that most of them had simple ingredient lists that won't break the bank or demand hours to hunt down, clear instructions (including helpful tips for cooking without oil), and the vast majority seem like they could actually be prepared in 30 minutes or less (music to my ears).
"A lot of people considering transitioning to a plant-based diet worry they will be relegated to a life of steamed vegetables, brown rice, and salads -- so plain and boring it's enough to make many people run to the nearest barbecue joint! But nothing could be further from the truth."
The "Forks Over Knives" plan is a call to action I found inspiring and intimidating in equal measure. It's radical, but also refreshingly simple. I think I’m most skeptical about just how practical and sustainable this would be in everyday life, especially when traveling and/or eating out at restaurants or social gatherings with family and friends. The sections addressing these concerns were the weakest and least convincing, in my opinion, basically recommendations to politely request the chef to custom-make your meal without animal products or oil, and bringing your own prepared food to the dinner party. I'm sorry, but both of those scenarios would be epic nightmares of social anxiety, especially for a non-confrontational, semi-introvert like myself.
But revolutionary and challenging as this may initially seem, it's also hard to argue with the results. This was actually recommended to me by one of my oldest and dearest friends here on GoodReads. When I first met Doug, he was severely obese, asthmatic, pre-diabetic, and taking a high dosage of statins to treat his high cholesterol. Within seven months of adopting a WFPB diet (along with a daily routine of moderate exercise), he'd lost 60 pounds and his doctor had canceled all of his prescription medications in amazement.
Yes and More, Please! And there are dozens more similar testimonies shared in this book.
Anyone who's read my other reviews already knows I'm doing this first and foremost for the animals, and that's the motivation that will hopefully keep me from back-sliding in the future. But if I can also lose weight, feel better, and improve my own long-term health in the process, that's a WIN-WIN in my book. Maybe it's just these Sharpie fumes talking, but I'm motivated enough to give this a try!
(*)There's the weird little exception of Vitamin B-12, which is derived from bacteria and therefore no longer contained in the plant foods available to most of us through our grocery stores, requiring supplements for anyone choosing to eliminate meat from their diet.
But what I love most about "Forks Over Knives" is that the authors repeatedly remind us theirs is NOT another short-lived fad diet where you lose 20 pounds in three weeks, only to gain all the weight back and fall into old eating habits again six months later. This isn't about portion control, obsessively counting calories, or even targeting individual vitamins and nutrients. In fact, they throw all of that typical diet stress out the window and call for a complete paradigm shift and lifestyle transformation.
Based on the 2011 documentary by the same name, this book encourages a transition to a whole-foods, plant-based diet that eliminates or at least dramatically reduces one's consumption of processed foods, refined sugars, bleached flours, and oils. (Yeah, that last one will probably be a deal-breaker for many).
The idea being that such a transition, while seemingly radical and daunting at first, ultimately offers the freedom to eat anything we want, any time, in any combination, and even AS MUCH as we want to full satisfaction, trusting that as long as what we're eating is WFPB, our body will be getting all the healthy nourishment it needs, and which Nature so plentifully provides. (*)
Co-authored by two of the doctors who contributed to the original documentary (which I've yet to watch), the book reads like a friendly but direct and no-nonsense session they might have with a brand-new patient visiting their Nutritional Health Practice. The book is surprisingly well-written and consists of roughly three sections:
They begin by asserting that a whole-foods, plant-based diet can prevent and in many cases reverse many chronic health conditions like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even many types of cancer. They back up their conclusions with a robust bibliography consisting mainly of scientific studies published in reputable, peer-reviewed medical journals, often acknowledging where other medical professionals have drawn different conclusions from the same research (and defending why they disagree).
They then shift to a practical, encouraging four-week guide to help readers transition to a whole-foods, plant-based diet, offering pointers on everything from how to read food labels carefully, to purging one's pantry and fridge and substituting all the "bad" stuff with recommended staples.
The last section includes at least 100 recipes for everything from breakfasts and soups to main-course comfort-food favorites and desserts that adhere to the plan. I might actually be a little high right now from the permanent marker I was using to highlight all of the recipes I wanted to try....because it turned out to be almost ALL of them!
Just wish they all had pics rather than just a select few, as well as clear, estimated prep times. But I loved that most of them had simple ingredient lists that won't break the bank or demand hours to hunt down, clear instructions (including helpful tips for cooking without oil), and the vast majority seem like they could actually be prepared in 30 minutes or less (music to my ears).
"A lot of people considering transitioning to a plant-based diet worry they will be relegated to a life of steamed vegetables, brown rice, and salads -- so plain and boring it's enough to make many people run to the nearest barbecue joint! But nothing could be further from the truth."
The "Forks Over Knives" plan is a call to action I found inspiring and intimidating in equal measure. It's radical, but also refreshingly simple. I think I’m most skeptical about just how practical and sustainable this would be in everyday life, especially when traveling and/or eating out at restaurants or social gatherings with family and friends. The sections addressing these concerns were the weakest and least convincing, in my opinion, basically recommendations to politely request the chef to custom-make your meal without animal products or oil, and bringing your own prepared food to the dinner party. I'm sorry, but both of those scenarios would be epic nightmares of social anxiety, especially for a non-confrontational, semi-introvert like myself.
But revolutionary and challenging as this may initially seem, it's also hard to argue with the results. This was actually recommended to me by one of my oldest and dearest friends here on GoodReads. When I first met Doug, he was severely obese, asthmatic, pre-diabetic, and taking a high dosage of statins to treat his high cholesterol. Within seven months of adopting a WFPB diet (along with a daily routine of moderate exercise), he'd lost 60 pounds and his doctor had canceled all of his prescription medications in amazement.
Yes and More, Please! And there are dozens more similar testimonies shared in this book.
Anyone who's read my other reviews already knows I'm doing this first and foremost for the animals, and that's the motivation that will hopefully keep me from back-sliding in the future. But if I can also lose weight, feel better, and improve my own long-term health in the process, that's a WIN-WIN in my book. Maybe it's just these Sharpie fumes talking, but I'm motivated enough to give this a try!
(*)There's the weird little exception of Vitamin B-12, which is derived from bacteria and therefore no longer contained in the plant foods available to most of us through our grocery stores, requiring supplements for anyone choosing to eliminate meat from their diet.
December 22, 2016
Notes:
*high carb, extreme vegan diet -- no oil, no meat, no dairy,
*but.... YES to SUGAR!!! "With dessert you'll never feel deprived" -- true of every vegan book I've ever read
*foolish authors still believe fat makes you fat
*permission to snack constantly to stay full and to gorge yourself on fruit
*of course we should eat more plants, but no culture exists solely on them
* "your new lifestyle is about freedom" -- except that it's not, it eliminates everything!
*this book is brainwashing!!!! -- "find others who eat this way; they will never question you or make you feel bad"
*high carb, extreme vegan diet -- no oil, no meat, no dairy,
*but.... YES to SUGAR!!! "With dessert you'll never feel deprived" -- true of every vegan book I've ever read
*foolish authors still believe fat makes you fat
*permission to snack constantly to stay full and to gorge yourself on fruit
*of course we should eat more plants, but no culture exists solely on them
* "your new lifestyle is about freedom" -- except that it's not, it eliminates everything!
*this book is brainwashing!!!! -- "find others who eat this way; they will never question you or make you feel bad"
September 18, 2017
I'm not sure what to think of the Forks Over Knives plan. The book touts a high carb, low fat vegan diet. The low fat aspect seems to be the most extreme part because it involves cutting out oils completely. I know some oils are worse for you than others but I find it a tough pill to swallow that ALL oils would be off limits. A diet without olive oil doesn't seem like a life worth living.
After reading this book I have more questions about healthy eating than answers. It seems like every book on healthy eating has a different spin on what's right and wrong and it's very difficult to know what to believe.
After reading this book I have more questions about healthy eating than answers. It seems like every book on healthy eating has a different spin on what's right and wrong and it's very difficult to know what to believe.
March 11, 2019
I actually watched the DVD of the book. Many pointers regarding plants more for food were very interesting. It gave me a greater appreciation of the high usage of vegetables I have on my diet. Now I just need more recipes. Any comments from fellow GR readers would be appreciated.
February 5, 2017
This book is a companion to the documentary Forks Over Knives which discusses a plant-based diet and its effects on a person's health. The authors posit that a diet rich in whole grains and whole plant based foods can reverse what ails you, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Studies are cited that back the claims and first person testimonials are also included. The bulk of the book lays out a four week plan to transition to this new way of life with 100 recipes to get you started.
I have to be honest and say that I have not yet watched the documentary. I've done enough research on my own to know that a diet in whole foods is a much healthier option to a high processed lifestyle. It should come as no surprise to anyone, these days, that processed foods have tons of chemicals that just are not healthy for anyone. I don't necessarily agree with the authors that a completely plant-based diet is the right diet for everyone. There are people who cannot handle soy based products or who need added animal protein. I've done a bit of homework to read the "other side" to find that some of the claims and studies cited are not the whole story. It is always best to do your own homework and consult your own physician before starting any diet. I was also not charmed with the way the authors start out saying "this is not a diet but a lifestyle", yet continuously refer to this way of life as a diet. The authors also say that all oil, including olive oil, avocado oil, etc. are bad for you; however, use maple syrup when you need a sweetener, and oh, if you need some sugar for your sweets, that's alright from time to time. It just seems like they are very strict on a couple of points, but lax on others.
This book has not convinced me to move to a vegan diet. I honestly have tried some recipes that turned out to taste like dirty socks. There are some that work very well, though. The book did reinforce / remind me how it is best to keep moving away from processed foods and cook healthy whole foods at home whenever possible.
I have to be honest and say that I have not yet watched the documentary. I've done enough research on my own to know that a diet in whole foods is a much healthier option to a high processed lifestyle. It should come as no surprise to anyone, these days, that processed foods have tons of chemicals that just are not healthy for anyone. I don't necessarily agree with the authors that a completely plant-based diet is the right diet for everyone. There are people who cannot handle soy based products or who need added animal protein. I've done a bit of homework to read the "other side" to find that some of the claims and studies cited are not the whole story. It is always best to do your own homework and consult your own physician before starting any diet. I was also not charmed with the way the authors start out saying "this is not a diet but a lifestyle", yet continuously refer to this way of life as a diet. The authors also say that all oil, including olive oil, avocado oil, etc. are bad for you; however, use maple syrup when you need a sweetener, and oh, if you need some sugar for your sweets, that's alright from time to time. It just seems like they are very strict on a couple of points, but lax on others.
This book has not convinced me to move to a vegan diet. I honestly have tried some recipes that turned out to taste like dirty socks. There are some that work very well, though. The book did reinforce / remind me how it is best to keep moving away from processed foods and cook healthy whole foods at home whenever possible.
March 7, 2020
I am constantly looking for vegan and wheat free recipes for my family and I picked this one up at the library to see what they were like.
I ended up reading the whole book out of a current interest in switching to a more plant based diet myself.
I would say that this is a rather extreme lifestyle change. Especially if you are transitioning from a typical North American food experience. I have seen it done successfully, as I have family who did it and are still going strong 5 years later.
As I get older and start paying more attention to where my food comes from and learn how our food mono culture is not healthy, realize just how terrible processed foods are, and just how much advertising and lobbyists have shaped my food views.....I think I need to make some changes. While I do not feel the need to be quite this restrictive, I do like the premise and I will start making changes to more whole foods and more veggies.
I would also recommend How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease as a book with a more scientific bent and not quite the same agenda.
And I found the recipes in this book to be lackluster. I realize they were aiming for simple and easy but I was not inclined to try any of them.
I ended up reading the whole book out of a current interest in switching to a more plant based diet myself.
I would say that this is a rather extreme lifestyle change. Especially if you are transitioning from a typical North American food experience. I have seen it done successfully, as I have family who did it and are still going strong 5 years later.
As I get older and start paying more attention to where my food comes from and learn how our food mono culture is not healthy, realize just how terrible processed foods are, and just how much advertising and lobbyists have shaped my food views.....I think I need to make some changes. While I do not feel the need to be quite this restrictive, I do like the premise and I will start making changes to more whole foods and more veggies.
I would also recommend How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease as a book with a more scientific bent and not quite the same agenda.
And I found the recipes in this book to be lackluster. I realize they were aiming for simple and easy but I was not inclined to try any of them.
November 15, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The Forks Over Knives Plan is user-friendly, flexible, and a fairly easy transition into better health and diet plan. It covers four weeks, starting with changing breakfasts, then lunches, then dinners, and then a comprehensive review of the change. The focus is fully on plants and this diet differs from others in that all oils are removed (even for cooking) and fish is also off the plate. It is a bit different than a lot of the health plans out there, eschewing any kind of nutritional supplement (e.g., calcium or fish oil) and not putting a limit or portion size on meals.
The book breaks down as follows: Part 1 Eating the forks over knives way: What is the forks over knives plan, Let food by thy medicine; The forks over knives lifestyle. Part II Welcome to your four week transition; Week one Breakfast, Week two Lunch, Week three dinner, Week four fine tuning your lifestyle; conclusion you are on your way. Part III The recipes: Breakfast; Wraps, burgers; Side dishes and salads; soups and stews; casseroles; Pasta and noodles; Amazing grains; Sauces, dressings; Desserts. Acknowledgement, Resources, Notes Index.
I've read quite a few of the latest health/nutrition/diet books and this does take a few stances that others don't. For one, any kind of oil, including olive or flaxseed, is not used. Meals are sauteed using a water method rather than the oils and salads don't use oil as an ingredient in dressings. Fish is also off the menu as it is an animals and this is pretty much a vegan diet. That means chicken stock will also not be used as a soup base. Plant milk is pretty much the standard in a lot of recipes as well.
The book is pleasantly laid out using color and fonts to differentiate recipe parts/callouts/tips/testimonials. There are several call outs for important points the authors wish to make and quite a few different 'testimonial' type stories for inspiration. Recipes have a large bold faced title, serving size info, a quick introduction in italics, list of ingredients in bold on the left and numbered steps on the right. The font size is large for easy reading while cooking. Admittedly, I found a lot of the recipes to be quite ingredient intensive - even when they call for frozen vegetables so you don't have to do the chopping.
Tackling the first section takes roughly an hour or so - it's not too onerous but really is required reading since the authors do have a more unique viewpoint on healthy eating right now. While they do explain calorie density, protein issues, calcium and supplements, etc., they take a firm stance that a plant based diet can provide all the nutrients and health needed - with no extra supplements (including fiber, protein, calcium, Omega 3/6, etc.). They also discuss how to deal with the questions that will be raised socially about the new eating patterns undertaken. So you won't be running to health food stores for weird nature supplements.
The diet is very flexible and forgiving. And it's not about limiting intake at all - it's about eating to satiety but doing so with foods that are not calorie dense and empty. In that regard, I think a lot of people will like what they find in the book. Since the recipes are heavy on beans and greens, kids may have to be dragged in kicking and screaming. Of course, a lifetime of better eating habits developed when young more than make up for some fits and rebellion.
I really liked the conversational tone of the book and the flexibility of the diet. Giving up fish and olive oil on salad was a bit more difficult, though, perhaps even more so than cake or candy. But this is a four week plan that transitions slowly, week by week, for a smoother integration into better eating and living.
Reviewed from an ARC.
January 24, 2015
The book is a clever 4 week program for completely changing to a whole-food, plant-based diet. When I decided to go vegan a year ago I pretty much made all the changes at once. I wish I had this book then because the slowly-move-towards-it strategy makes so much sense. In week 1 you change your breakfasts, week 2 your lunches, week 3 your dinners and week 4 you tweak and adjust the foods and amounts to your personal needs. All the while you are keeping a 'food and mood' journal and studying the science behind the health and nutrition of a plant-based diet.
I picked up several time-saving tricks and tips for food preparation. It was also good to be reminded of the arguments for lots of nutrient-dense calories and against calorie-dense nutrition and why oil (all oil even the so called 'healthy' ones), and processed foods do not satiate us but actually make us eat more. It's a good book to read and read often for both those considering this lifestyle and those who have been embracing it for years.
This book takes a little bit of a different approach than similar ones I've read on the topic (The China Study and Eat to Live) because the Forks Over Knives plan is made up mostly of carbohydrates in the forms of whole grains, starchy vegetables, all fruits, legumes, and potatoes. The other plans I mentioned as well as other popular diets like paleo limit or eliminate these foods. I'm game but it will take some cajoling to convince my husband to eat more starch (he'll have to read the book).
The recipe section in the back of the book has a lot of interesting sounding dishes. I made the sweet potato-black bean-spinach enchiladas and they were a delicious hit with the entire family. I have several other recipes marked 'to try'. I've heard great things about the Forks Over Knives documentary and will watch it next.
I picked up several time-saving tricks and tips for food preparation. It was also good to be reminded of the arguments for lots of nutrient-dense calories and against calorie-dense nutrition and why oil (all oil even the so called 'healthy' ones), and processed foods do not satiate us but actually make us eat more. It's a good book to read and read often for both those considering this lifestyle and those who have been embracing it for years.
This book takes a little bit of a different approach than similar ones I've read on the topic (The China Study and Eat to Live) because the Forks Over Knives plan is made up mostly of carbohydrates in the forms of whole grains, starchy vegetables, all fruits, legumes, and potatoes. The other plans I mentioned as well as other popular diets like paleo limit or eliminate these foods. I'm game but it will take some cajoling to convince my husband to eat more starch (he'll have to read the book).
The recipe section in the back of the book has a lot of interesting sounding dishes. I made the sweet potato-black bean-spinach enchiladas and they were a delicious hit with the entire family. I have several other recipes marked 'to try'. I've heard great things about the Forks Over Knives documentary and will watch it next.
April 24, 2016
I'm still reading health books. I've read too many health books. They are all blending together. No grain? No animal products? Low carb/high protein or high carb/low protein or eating SAD or just not eating at all? I'm sure it really was awesome. The book I mean. Like I said I'm just getting topped off. But I have found my answers. I just need to stop reading these books. Read something else. Maybe some Dickens or Austen again.
July 14, 2015
This book takes the valuable lessons learned in the Forks Over Knives documentary and expands on the importance and how-to's of following a plant-based diet. The only information I found questionable was the lack of healthy fats in the lifestyle plan. It also includes recipes, many of which I cannot wait to try out.
March 11, 2019
This book, accompanying the viewing of the documentary with the same title turned my husband’s lifestyle into a 15 pound weight loss to date and the goal is to eat clean for the rest of our lives while also getting him off meds. I lost ten pounds, even though I was mostly eating this way from the start. The food planner on the web site/app is amazing. We love it. He sleeps better, has more energy, exercises daily now and seasonal allergies are gone so far this year - he’d be two months into allergy mess already. Highly recommended. It’s the lifestyle that keeps on giving.
September 19, 2019
We will move towards more vegetables, but my husband is very much a meat guy. So far I have only gotten away with one meatless meal, Nacho's. I like the way they say that it is a process that might take a while to get there. So far we enjoy breakfast smoothies that include spinach and even green peppers! We are upping our veggies at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have requested the Forks Over Knives Cookbook so that we may incorporate more Whole Food, Plant Based Foods. Some change is better than none I guess.
September 11, 2016
If the FoK movie answered "Why?", this book answers "How?". Great detail about what our bodies need and how a whole food, plant based diet meets those needs. I was skeptical at first that this book would not add anything to the conversation of whole food, plant based eating, since I had already read the 21 Day Kickstart and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition. However, the book proved to add a lot! Glad I own it!
January 10, 2015
We recently embraced the whole food, plant based way of eating, so I've been reading a lot. This is one of the best books on the subject. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in making this change. I like that it helps people transition gradually (on the other hand, I had already jumped in with both feet)... And the included recipes are great.
May 21, 2019
Changed my life! I also watched the Netflix documentary, Forks Over Knives. I'm a convert, well, 90% anyway. After the first few days, I woke up and thought to myself, "wow, I don't feel bad this morning. Huh...I actually feel pretty good." It was a concrete wake up call and I'm grateful that I picked up this book at a time in my life that I was ready to receive the message.
September 26, 2017
Obsessively zealous in their promotion, repetive and somewhat condescending; preaching to the lowest common denominator of understanding. Some fascinating combinations, tasty and nutritous, loved many of the recipes.
January 7, 2018
Good info. A four week intro. Changing breakfast one week, then lunch, etc. recipes were simple but I don’t think anything special. You could easily find some variation on Pinterest. A good source of info for those exploring a plant based diet lifestyle
October 22, 2017
This approach emphasizes unprocessed, plant-based food. We're about a month into it and feel better. We've enjoyed most of the recipes from the books, website, and app.
January 17, 2018
I thought this was an excellent help for anyone beginning a wfpb lifestyle. Although it does assume that you've already read FOK or seen the documentary, it does give basic reasoning and explanation for the eating choices. What I loved most were the tips for planning. Deciding the eat differently can be overwhelming, but this gave a step-by-step guide for doing it at your own pace. Since this was a planner, I gave it 4 stars for the planning half of the book.
Unfortunately I was not as excited by the recipes. The tips were great but the recipes used a lot of unfamiliar ingredients and or steps for a beginner. I have found tastier, simpler recipes in other sources. Honesty the tips in the first half gave enough suggestions to get anyone started, but I don't highly recommend it as a cookbook.
Unfortunately I was not as excited by the recipes. The tips were great but the recipes used a lot of unfamiliar ingredients and or steps for a beginner. I have found tastier, simpler recipes in other sources. Honesty the tips in the first half gave enough suggestions to get anyone started, but I don't highly recommend it as a cookbook.
October 8, 2020
The Forks Over Knives Plan: How to Transition to the Life-Saving, Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet by Matthew Lederman and Alona Pulde is a guide to a healthy lifestyle rather than a diet book. Both authors are medical doctors and have personal biographies at the beginning of the book.
The Forks Over Knives Plan is the practical application of the lifestyle put forth in the documentary movie of the same name. The authors make several things very clear in the book. First and foremost this is about a lifestyle and not simply a diet. Second, medical science has come a long way, and doctors can provide pharmaceuticals to get a person's blood pressure and cholesterol numbers to a safe level. The problem here is that the symptoms are being treated and not the cause. Much like taking Nyquil when you have a cold. It doesn’t cure the cold, but masks the symptoms; you are still sick, but don’t feel as bad. Third, is the misrepresentation of foods. For example, calcium and healthy bones are often a reason to consume dairy products. America has one of the highest rates of dairy consumption and one of the highest rates of fractures.
The Forks Over Knives Plan helps the reader gradually shift over to a plant based diet by starting with breakfast the first week, adding lunch a week later, and finally dinner. Many issues on the conversion are answered and common problems are discussed. Emphasis is put on whole foods and eliminating processed foods and oil from the one’s diet. The authors explain the problems of processed foods and animal products in a very clear way. For example, meat and dairy are cited by most as great sources for calcium. Where did that calcium from? Answer: Plants. Meat and dairy calcium came from plants and are used and stored in animals. Obviously, meat and dairy are not a necessary source of calcium.
The second half of the book contains recipes for meals. They all use common ingredients available in most grocery stores. The most uncommon item I recall seeing was nutritional yeast. Recipe sections usually don’t interest me. I have been a strict vegetarian for almost a decade now, and have my diet pretty well sorted out. I eat simple. Starch, beans, and produce make up general diet with produce and spices providing the variety. Not everyone can eat like this and that is why there is a recipe section. I did however find a few recipes I am going to try. The Sloppy Joe Pitas, made with bulgur wheat, instead of meat, sound really good. The recipes range from common replacements like stews and breakfast burritos to the rather unique like Twice Baked Breakfast Sweet Potatoes.
The Forks Over Knives Plan is a very user friendly guide to using food as medicine and living a healthy lifestyle. The guidance and recipes will help the reader make a smooth transition to a plant based diet and remove many of the misconceptions. There is variety and taste in a plant based diet and its not like many people think. I often hear “I couldn’t be a vegetarian. I don't like Tofu.” Tofu is only an ingredient in two of the recipes. There is more to a plant based diet than tofu. The Forks Over Knives Plan is an excellent start to a better life.
The Forks Over Knives Plan is the practical application of the lifestyle put forth in the documentary movie of the same name. The authors make several things very clear in the book. First and foremost this is about a lifestyle and not simply a diet. Second, medical science has come a long way, and doctors can provide pharmaceuticals to get a person's blood pressure and cholesterol numbers to a safe level. The problem here is that the symptoms are being treated and not the cause. Much like taking Nyquil when you have a cold. It doesn’t cure the cold, but masks the symptoms; you are still sick, but don’t feel as bad. Third, is the misrepresentation of foods. For example, calcium and healthy bones are often a reason to consume dairy products. America has one of the highest rates of dairy consumption and one of the highest rates of fractures.
The Forks Over Knives Plan helps the reader gradually shift over to a plant based diet by starting with breakfast the first week, adding lunch a week later, and finally dinner. Many issues on the conversion are answered and common problems are discussed. Emphasis is put on whole foods and eliminating processed foods and oil from the one’s diet. The authors explain the problems of processed foods and animal products in a very clear way. For example, meat and dairy are cited by most as great sources for calcium. Where did that calcium from? Answer: Plants. Meat and dairy calcium came from plants and are used and stored in animals. Obviously, meat and dairy are not a necessary source of calcium.
The second half of the book contains recipes for meals. They all use common ingredients available in most grocery stores. The most uncommon item I recall seeing was nutritional yeast. Recipe sections usually don’t interest me. I have been a strict vegetarian for almost a decade now, and have my diet pretty well sorted out. I eat simple. Starch, beans, and produce make up general diet with produce and spices providing the variety. Not everyone can eat like this and that is why there is a recipe section. I did however find a few recipes I am going to try. The Sloppy Joe Pitas, made with bulgur wheat, instead of meat, sound really good. The recipes range from common replacements like stews and breakfast burritos to the rather unique like Twice Baked Breakfast Sweet Potatoes.
The Forks Over Knives Plan is a very user friendly guide to using food as medicine and living a healthy lifestyle. The guidance and recipes will help the reader make a smooth transition to a plant based diet and remove many of the misconceptions. There is variety and taste in a plant based diet and its not like many people think. I often hear “I couldn’t be a vegetarian. I don't like Tofu.” Tofu is only an ingredient in two of the recipes. There is more to a plant based diet than tofu. The Forks Over Knives Plan is an excellent start to a better life.
August 23, 2019
I only pulled a handful of recipes from this one, but what I like about it, even though it's reiterating a lot of the info I've gotten in the books I've already finished, is the encouraging tone. The authors are like personal cheerleaders. They realize what a huge lifestyle change this is for a lot of Americans and they keep reminding you that it's okay if you fail and to focus on how you feel about the changes each step of the way. I'm not going to keep a mood and food journal like they suggest, but after finishing The End of Overeating, I think it would be folly not to take the connection between high fat/salt/sugar foods and our emotional state seriously. I know that I've often self-medicated with food and clearing out the kitchen and getting rid of the common trigger foods has gone a long way for me personally in eliminating binges. Also, the authors remind readers that these dietary changes may necessitate eating more food, which is so counter-intuitive to America's diet culture. I struggled so long with Weight Watchers plans of portion/calorie restricted foods that never satisfied my hunger and low carb diets that made me feel deprived and more likely to binge later. I eat a lot more fruit which has, in many situations (not all), reduced my craving for sugary sweets. I'm not 100% sure I can go totally oil free, but reading this book has got me thinking about how I consume those fatty oil calories and how I can cut back.
July 5, 2018
Excellent, inspiring, and well-written. I don't believe in fad diets (Atkins, South Beach, Paleo, Keto -- ugh...especially Keto - no thanks!), but my ears perk up when something is backed by hard science. Reading a whole bunch of this-and-that over a period of months about the whole foods plant-based diet revolution triggered my attention. Forks Over Knives explains the science behind the plan without confusing medical jargon, outlines a plan for your transition to a WFPB diet, provides a list of pantry staples for your new lifestyle, and has an entire section devoted to recipes from breakfast to dessert. It is encouraging and inspiring. You'll see that you won't be crying into a bowl of kale every night when your health dictates that you change your eating habits. I don't have a lot of weight to lose, but the threat of cholesterol medication has me running for cover. Members of my family suffer from heart and autoimmune disease. Years of reading about all of these issues and trying different ways to eradicate illness, malaise and suffering point to one thing that seems to work - and work quickly and well: eliminating processed foods and everything animal. Bye-bye, birdie, moo moo, and oink oink!
March 3, 2016
I thought this was really great. The writing is friendly and easy to understand/follow and it's arranged not only in an easy to read format but also an easy to transit format, with their 4-week transition plan. They have you overhaul one meal a day each week, so it's not overwhelming. What I really love is how they address all the potential criticisms you might hear from family and friends, potential nutrition issues, and, best of all, the issues you will face with yourself as you transition (cravings, willpower issues, setbacks, etc.) The recipes are sound incredibly good and they offer a lot of healthy versions of comfort foods. I was really pleased with this sort of "how-to" companion to the Forks Over Knives books/documentary. Very practical and easy to undertake, and it's from the doctors the FOK people used in the documentary. Overall very good!
February 8, 2019
Firstly, I don't know how I feel about this way of eating. I watched the movie on netflix, and bought the book to look into it a bit more.
The transition plan they present looks like a sound way to go about a lifestyle change, regardless of what the change is. The recipes and content are mostly available on the website.
I feel the writing style is repetitive, with concepts sometimes oversimplified and overexplained. This was particularly true of the sections on protein, oils/fats and calcium.
If you're interested in this concept and you prefer reading on the web, use the website, and if you prefer reading a book, buy the book.
The transition plan they present looks like a sound way to go about a lifestyle change, regardless of what the change is. The recipes and content are mostly available on the website.
I feel the writing style is repetitive, with concepts sometimes oversimplified and overexplained. This was particularly true of the sections on protein, oils/fats and calcium.
If you're interested in this concept and you prefer reading on the web, use the website, and if you prefer reading a book, buy the book.
August 11, 2018
This book gives me mixed feelings.
I love everything about this lifestyle except their push against oil. Also, the cookbooks (this included) a have a limited number of photos, none of which are paired with the recipe, which is a personal pet peeve.
That aside, I feel that for the benefit of those who are transitioning to this lifestyle a, a more concise, bulleted version of the 4-week transition should be pulled together in the early parts of the book, and leave all of the educational material until later for those who need it. Sprinkling it throughout makes the book exhausting to read and could be detrimental to those trying to follow the plan through.
I love everything about this lifestyle except their push against oil. Also, the cookbooks (this included) a have a limited number of photos, none of which are paired with the recipe, which is a personal pet peeve.
That aside, I feel that for the benefit of those who are transitioning to this lifestyle a, a more concise, bulleted version of the 4-week transition should be pulled together in the early parts of the book, and leave all of the educational material until later for those who need it. Sprinkling it throughout makes the book exhausting to read and could be detrimental to those trying to follow the plan through.
November 14, 2019
Fantastic read! Taylor and I have been vegetarian for over two years and have been transitioning to a Whole Foods Plant Based diet, but there have been some hiccups. This book gave me so many tips and tricks to help make that transition possible and sustainable. I wish I found this book two years ago! There are also some incredible recipes included - two of which we ate for dinner the last two nights. I’d recommend this book to anyone and everyone who is looking to create a healthier, more sustainable plant based diet. So great.
February 17, 2021
I’m not a vegan, but I read this book because I do want to incorporate more plant-based foods in my diet. I think they should retitle this book “Joyless Eating, 90s-Style,” because it resembles the nonfat, high-carb foods people thought were healthy in the nineties. I used to eat like this, e.g.,
cooking without oil or butter, eating huge plates of pasta or rice on a near-daily basis, thinking eating twelve tons of fruit as a snack would keep me full...if you were around back then, you know whereof I speak. I have plenty of nostalgia for the nineties, but I can’t say I miss the food.
cooking without oil or butter, eating huge plates of pasta or rice on a near-daily basis, thinking eating twelve tons of fruit as a snack would keep me full...if you were around back then, you know whereof I speak. I have plenty of nostalgia for the nineties, but I can’t say I miss the food.
August 7, 2021
I am committed to eating more plant-based foods, less animal products, for the good of the planet and my health. But as a way of life, Forks Over Knives is impossible to sustain. I gained some useful information from this book and plan to do what I always do—incorporate the best lessons into my daily meals and strive for moderation.
February 4, 2020
Ok, so I know I am outnumbered but I just couldn't get into this....It felt dry and too rigid in the plan for me....I was just bored...People have raved about the documentary so I bought this book...haven't been able to do anything with it since purchasing.
April 17, 2015
Very interesting concept and I would like to try it however, not sure if the hubby could go along and give up meat. He is a meat & potato guy and I'm a " I'm only cooking one damn meal" gal.
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