Alicia Silverstone, Padma Lakshmi, and Dr. Neal Barnard Lead Online 21-Day Vegan Kickstart; Consumers Get Meal Plan, Recipes, Expert Advice

Millions of people start diets on New Year’s Day, but many of those weight-loss plans won’t be healthy or sustainable. That’s why doctors and dietitians with the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine are teaming up with actress Alicia Silverstone, and NBA champ John Salley to guide the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart. The online nutrition program—which goes live August 1 at www.21DayKickstart.org will provide all the support dieters need to try a healthy plant-based diet. The program runs the first day of each month and there is no cost to join. The program launched on Jan. 1, 2010, and has guided more than 250,000 Kickstarters in the United States and throughout the world.

“Losing weight has never been easier,” says PCRM dietitian Susan Levin, M.S., R.D. “There is no need to count calories on a low-fat, vegan diet. Kickstarters can lose about a pound a week and many experience significant health benefits, including lower cholesterol and increased energy.” Kickstarters will receive daily e-mails with recipes and cooking tips, a 21-day meal plan, a free iPhone application, and an online health tracker, which enables participants to monitor their blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol. They’ll also get access to online videos and discussion boards featuring registered dietitians and physicians such as Neal Barnard, M.D., Dean Ornish, M.D., and John McDougall, M.D. [Read more…]