Getting Started – programs and sites

It is not unusual for people to try to change their diet and fail – in this 17 minute video, psychologist Dr Doug Lisle explains one common reason that we often eat food which is not good for us.

I would suggest the following steps to get you started:

1.  Make sure you are convinced that you need to change your diet and adopt a Whole Food Plant-based diet.  This includes having a reason (eg health, weight) and being convinced of the changes you need to make to your diet.  If you aren’t quite sure if you are ready to take the plunge, see this 1 minute preview of a great new series of ~ 15 minute videos called Prescription Nutrition (available free here).  Alternatively, calculate your life expectancy & see if you are happy with the prediction.
2. Assemble the necessary resources – here are some sites to help you:
   1. See this “Beginner’s Guide to a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet” from Forks over Knives.
   2. This page has a Vegan Starter Kit from PCRM.org which you can print or download.
   3. Another excellent guide is available here (to obtain the guide obtain scroll to the bottom of the screen and subscribe).
3. Having a friend making the changes with you will maximize your likelihood of success.  A support group which meets regularly can also be very useful.  See here for suggestions for how to get unsupportive family members ‘on board’.
4. Now that you are ready to make changes, here are some more key resources:
   1. A good place to start is this talk I gave on A Practical Approach to a Whole Food Plant-based diet in (50 min)(Youtube version here).
   2. A good introduction to the topic on the web is this Whole Food Plant-based Diet Guide.
   3. A more in-depth video (1 hr 15 min) from the True North Health Center is here.
5. If you’d like some help and suggestions about shopping see this information sheet (also this Plant-based Grocery Shopping Guide).  If you’d like to see a sample shopping list, see here.
6. Make steady progressive changes:
   1. Start with an easy meal like breakfast and/or lunch (see my examples here)
   2. Then start experimenting with a new plant-based main meal each week until you have a group of recipes that you like.
   3. Here are some concrete suggestions about finding time for meal preparation if you are busy (also see this article).  Here is a further article on using the weekend to prepare for meals the next week (also here).
   4. I came across a nice 4 week transition plan – see here
   5. Here are some tips from a pediatrician for those with kids as well as school lunch resources and ideas.
   6. A couple of basic skills you might like:
      1. How to cook with no oil (11 min video)
      2. How to make oil free hummus (3 min video) – alternative method here.
      3. How to use a chef’s knife (2 min video).
      4. How to read a Nutrition Label.
   7. Developing a weekly routine is also a key skill – see this 16 minute video for suggestions.
7. For those who like a more structured approach:
   1. The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine has a free 21 day course as part of their Power Plate that will send you ideas every day for your first three weeks.
   2. Alternatively, here is a free six part course you can take on the internet.
   3. Dr McDougall who was one of the pioneers of the Whole Food Plant-based movement has a free program on the web here.
   4. If you are wondering what you can and can’t eat see the Food Guide here.  A very nice, simple ‘traffic light’ approach (ie Green for ‘Go’, amber for ‘caution’ and red for ‘avoid) is available here.
8. Here is some more advice on first steps from the Integrative Medicine Program at UC Davis.
9. Here are a couple of books about making the switch:
   1. The Forks Over Knives Plan (reviews here)
   2. The Engine 2 Diet (reviews here)
10. See the links below for more specific help in getting started:
    1. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Vegetarian Starter Kit here.
    2. Ultimate resource guide (UC Davis Integrative Medicine)
    3. List of multiple resources at the Plantrician Project
    4. Even more resources on getting started here.
11. If you like specific guidance see these links:
    1. Four week meal planning guide (excerpt from The Forks Over Plan book).
    2. If weight loss is a priority, see this article by Dr McMacken who works in a bariatric program in New York.
    3. “Meal prep” refers to preparing meals in advance – it can mean anything from complete recipes to cleaning and cutting your veggie on the weekend. To learn more see here and also this fabulous guide by Denise Massie RHN. Also see here: Mason jar salads, five favorite meal prep recipes, lots more recipes.
12. And here are some Resources in Different Languages:
    1. Spanish
       1. T Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies
       2. PCRM 21 day Kickstart Guide
    2. Chinese
       1. PCRM 21 day Kickstart Guide
    3. India (Hindi)
       1. PCRM 21 day Kickstart Guide
    4. Japanese
       1. PCRM 21 day Kickstart Guide

Finally if you prefer videos, here is an excellent talk by Brenda Davis RD on what to eat: