The McDougall Program for Most Weight Loss

One of the Best Books on the Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet
At this point, I have read a fair amount of books on the whole foods plant-based diet, including John A. McDougall’s most famous book, The Starch Solution. I’ve also read books written by T. Colin Campbell, Chef AJ, High Carb Hannah, Rip Esselstyn, and Douglas N. Graham. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to learn a whole lot of new information from The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss, especially since The Starch Solution is typically heralded as McDougall’s best book. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was completely wrong—this book has a lot to offer, even for the most nutritionally-educated among us!
Starting out in the beginning of the book, McDougall makes it clear that this is not an all-or-nothing program. Obviously, the more strictly one adheres to the program’s advice, the more weight will be lost. But since change is a process and takes a considerable amount of time, he advises that we pat ourselves on our backs for every healthy choice we make, and use our lapses as learning experiences. I especially liked his dedication at the beginning of the book: “To those who suffer needlessly in order to look great.” I can definitely relate to that sentiment!
McDougall assures the reader that “The desire to appreciate your body and make it beautiful is one of the most natural and wonderful urges in life.” However, “even more fundamental is the urge to eat, which, after all, keeps us alive.” These natural instincts may seem to be at odds with one another, but McDougall asserts that they can work together to produce a beautiful-looking body at a healthy weight. In his opinion, the cultural view that they are in opposition with one another is simply a delusion that happens to also be self-destructive. Without the strong desire to eat, we might give up food for some other activity, which would result in malnourishment and possibly even death by starvation. The strength of our hunger drive is necessary for our survival as individuals as well as the survival of our species. Hunger has driven many people to perform great acts of courage as well as also ghastly acts of barbarism. In other words— the hungrier we become, the more likely we are to lose control of our actions. It’s time to stop blaming overweight and obese people for their hunger drives, because hunger is completely normal and necessary for survival.
Contrary to popular belief, our bodies mainly crave carbohydrates, not fat or protein. In fact, the secret to satiation is carbohydrate consumption. And that doesn’t apply just to full-grown adults—it includes children as well! McDougall states, “Even in childhood, the nutrient our bodies need more than any other is carbohydrate. Adults need approximately 35 times more carbohydrates for energy than we need protein for growth, and 800 times more carbohydrate than fat.” McDougall goes into great detail in Chapter Three about the benefits of carbohydrates on our health. The rest of the book covers several various topics, including how the fat you eat is the fat you wear, the importance of fiber (which is only found in plants) in the diet, the role that insulin plays in promoting obesity, what constitutes the “Maximum Weight Loss Program”, the physiological reasons that women lose weight slower than men, the (small) role that exercise plays in weight loss, the effects that alcohol and coffee have on weight (and overall health), how sleep deprivation can be beneficial, and shopping and food preparation. The book ends with a lot of tasty recipes for people who need some meal planning inspiration.
Overall, this is one of the best books on the whole foods plant-based diet that I have read, if not the absolute best. I would definitely recommend reading this over McDougall’s The Starch Solution, even though I would recommend reading that one as well. The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss goes into more detail and may be a better fit for people who are specifically looking for information to help them lose weight. I definitely recommend reading this one if you get a chance. It’s relatively old (originally published in 1994), so it may even be available at your local library for free!

It really, really works!
Being very skeptical, I decided to give this diet exactly a month to see if it really works. After a few days, I noticed that my food portions were becoming smaller and smaller because I was satisfied and full very quickly. One week into the plan and my energy was through the roof but I wasn’t jittery like that rush you get with caffeine or sugar. Two weeks into the program I no longer craved pizza, hotdogs, cookies or junk foods.
Three weeks into the program I noticed I had no more good morning bad breath. One month into the program I have lost 18 pounds! It’s not just water weight loss either. Even my double chin is shrinking. It is now five weeks into the program and my only regret is not finding this program before I wasted so much money trying to lose weight other ways.
I feel incredible and the plan is easy enough that I can see the finish line even though I have a ways to go.
This book also includes many outstanding recipes as well. To help you succeed by losing weight this way I also highly recommend the vegan cookbooks “Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure” by Lorna J. Sass (A vegan pressure cooking recipe book that gives you two hour taste in ten minutes! Saute with a little water or broth instead of oil and you can easily make all of these scruptuous recipes work.) and “How it all vegan” by Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer (this vegan cookbook does include a few recipes with very high fat vegetarian foods like nuts, avocado and tofu, but many of the recipes you can still have on the McDougall program are just incredible).
May you have good health.

This is a great read if you are interested in losing weight and becoming vegan. I am a vegetarian and I eat eggs as well as dairy. I follow the McDougall diet otherwise. It also works.

Wonderful program to lose Weight regaining Health. I would conseil it to everyone.
I lost lots lots lots of weight

Great recipes.