It is so hard to make the transition from a traditional diet to plant based diet, but this book provides a weekly shopping list and easy to follow menus. The program does take more prep time, however running to pick up fast food or going to lunch also takes time. Time preparing the plant based meal options is time well spent. I'm not a morning person, however within a day of making the change, I was able to get up an hour and a half earlier to add exercise to my morning routine. The uncomfortableness in my stomach disappeared and it feels good to be a little hungry and look forward to the next meal instead of eating mindlessly. 
 
 
 
 I am a Registered Nurse who previously worked on a cardiac floor at a hospital. I now work for a health and wellbeing company that supports plant based diets and disease prevention. I have seen firsthand how people lower blood pressure, improve heart health, lose weight, and lower A1c with lifestyle management including a plant based diet and exercise. As far as the cost of fresh fruits and vegetable, I see many people who pay $300-$700 a month for preventable diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. I'd rather pay a little more for real foods. 
 
 
 
 Yesterday my coworkers had a surprise birthday potluck for me at work. As Registered Nurses who work for a health and wellbeing company, I would think that some of the food would be healthy, however we had noodles, fried chicken, cake, and ice cream. Today I feel like I have a food hangover. It was hard to wake up, even 2 hours later than I have been getting up and my abdomen feels bloated. I want to remember this feeling, because when I doubt that I am making the right choice, I want to think about how good my body feels on a plant based diet and how I no longer have a feeling of fatigue throughout the day. I make the meals for myself and my husband, however he sometimes adds a chicken breast to the meal. I have seen that he is slowly transitioning away from the adding animal proteins and even takes plant based meals for lunch. 
 
 
 
 I’m so excited to find a very easy to follow plan that includes an introduction by Dr. Dean Ornish. Dr. Ornish is a name that I respect and I know that he know is committed to improving heart health. The book is so easy to read and Marco Borges provides real stories about people who have made the change, difficulties they faces, and how it changed their lives. 

 Two years after going vegan, Beyonce wows May 4 at the Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Beyonce describes how her trainer Marco Borges weaned her from fried chicken and fajitas in his new book, The 22-Day Revolution. (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Variety) 
 
 I lost 16 pounds in 22 days following the new vegan cookbook by Beyonce and Jay-Z's trainer. 
 
 The strict diet meant no sugar, flour, milk, meat, gluten, eggs, cheese, alcohol, coffee or soy products for at least three weeks, the time prescribed in The 22-Day Revolution by Marco Borges. 
 
 Instead, I sipped green smoothies, noshed on salads, learned how to make a mashed chickpea and smoked almond sandwich and spent hours in the kitchen preparing foods so I would not fail. 
 
 And the weight fell off. 
 
 As the Courier-Journal's food writer, I study eats for a living. And I care passionately about nutrition and exercise, with two marathon runs under my belt, two triathlons, a few 100-mile bike rides and a rabid cycling habit for Kroger, errands and to work downtown from Old Louisville. 
 
 But a recent marriage added three boys to my 14-year-old son and has left little time for exercise. The approach of 50 and menopause in recent years has resulted in a maddening weight creep. 
 
 By January 2013, I was so intent on dropping 16 pounds that I made it my workplace password "16poundsbyApril." I typed those words everyday into my computer and tried to monitor my eats and exercise via smartphone apps such as MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun. 
 
 For two years, nothing happened. 
 
 I used to run off excess weight and eat whatever I wanted. After a 20-mile run, there was no better reward — or faster way to fall asleep — than a greasy Smashburger with fries. The food coma was my friend. Packing my stomach with heavy foods was the way I grew up and an unhealthy habit to block out fatigue or emotional overwhelm. 
 
 As I have aged and my metabolism slows, I find exercise no longer takes off weight so quickly. 
 
 And there was the matter of time I no longer have. A serious endurance athlete schedule can consume 20 to 30 hours a week. Hours-long afternoon runs or Sundays cycling with friends was a great substitute for a social life when I was a lonely single mom. 
 
 So I started paying attention to the flood of healthy diet books that pour over the transom at the Courier-Journal. Author Marco Borges caught my eye with his story of exercise and diet in his new vegan book, The 22-Day Revolution. 
 
 When his Miami spinning clients ate vegan and worked out with him, Borges discovered they dropped weight fast instead of dropping out of class. That combination powered Borges' fame to spread among musicians, which led to a job as the personal trainer for Beyonce and Jay-Z 10 years ago. In late 2013, "B" was looking to shed weight after the birth of her daughter, Blue Ivy. Borges started with vegan breakfasts he prepared at their New York City home, beginning with hearty oatmeal for Jay with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and vanilla almond milk. Beyonce's breakfast was "avocado cherry tomato salad with a really cool seeded bread that was vegan and gluten free." 
 
 Both "B and Jay," as Borges calls them, eat vegan and are business partners with Borges in the 22 Days Nutrition Vegan Challenge Kit, a meal plan launched this year with the book. 
 
 As Beyonce said in the forward to the book, she reluctantly gave up her hometown Houston favorites of fried chicken, fajita tacos, BBQ ribs, fried shrimp and po'boy sandwiches. 
 
 "I thought I would feel deprived... that I would get headaches and be irritable. I was wrong about all that," Beyonce said. "What I discovered was increased energy, better sleep, weight loss, improved digestion... that I could still love food but this time it would love me back." 
 
 After completing The 22-Day Revolution last week, I don't have Beyonce's body but I agree with her on the other perks. Profound sleep is deep and uninterrupted. My eyes pop open at 6 a.m. Colleagues and my family report that my skin glows. Most important, I was able to pull those size 14 Lucky jeans from my closet last week for the first time since 2013 and they fit. 
 
 Borges' plan looks nothing like the pasta, bagels, pork roast or tacos I love. Light in calories but loaded with volumes of fruit and vegetables, menu plans from The 22-Day Revolution also pack protein-rich quinoa, almonds and cashews. Abundant fats come later in the day via avocados, almond butter, tahini, or coconut milk. 
 
 A typical day began with a tart vegetable smoothie of spinach, kale, cucumber, peeled lemon, ginger root, turmeric, carrots and Granny Smith apple. Some breakfasts took resolve. One half cup of chia seeds soaked overnight in two cups almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon real maple syrup looked like grey seafoam jelly but tasted amazing and held my body steadfast until lunch. My favorite breakfast was almond butter smeared on two pieces of gluten-free toast with a side of blueberries and banana. 
 
 Borges allows no snacks, coffee, or alcoholic beverages. My only cheat everyday was Earl Grey tea with some Stevia sweetener and nonfat half-and-half — a soothing hot drink that saw me through doughnuts and Hershey's kisses left around the newsroom. Bicycle treks around Louisville or long walks with our two golden retrievers were my only daily exercise. 
 
 Lunches might be a baked sweet potato with tossed kale, cranberries, sunflower seeds, balsamic vinegar and mustard or a salsa of tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and jalapeno peppers loaded onto slices of grilled eggplant. I learned how to make gluten free pizza crust topped with "cheese" made of cooked ground cashews and topped with tomatoes, fresh basil and other vegetables. Dinner could be peppers stuffed with quinoa and beans, a lentil soup, or hearty salads. 
 
 Norton Cancer Institute clinical nutritionist Anita McLaughlin, who has lived a vegan lifestyle she now supplements with cheese, analyzed the 22 Day Revolution menu and remarked that the regimen is light in calories but packed with plentiful proteins and vitamins. 
 
 "It did seem a little light. I can see where you would drop fast," McLaughlin said. 
 
 For those trying to eat healthier, but are not ready to go vegetarian or vegan, McLaughlin suggested loading half a plate at mealtime with fruits or vegetables, one quarter starch like brown rice or quinoa and one quarter protein. 
 
 Putting down the spoon or fork remains challenging. And Borges cautions that without portion control, little weight will come off. As a result, I ate just four slices of vegan pizza one night and left the table. Sure enough, I felt full after 20 minutes had passed and my stomach had time to register that it was indeed satisfied. 
 
 On day 23, I cycled to Comfy Cow with my husband and four sons to celebrate victory with a scoop of bourbon pecan caramel ice cream. The creamy mouth feel of ice cream felt comforting but I paid dearly for the excess by nearly falling asleep at my desk for two days. A grilled ham and cheese sandwich over the weekend also left with me bloat and sluggish digestion. 
 
 Among my Facebook acquaintances, Kentucky Rep. Joni Jenkins (D-Shively), was inspired. Jenkins claims to be the only vegetarian in the state legislature and started The 22-Day Revolution after seeing my posts. In her second week, Jenkins reports she is down 8 pounds and "could eat this way 90 percent of the time." 
 
 When my family ate pizza with pepperoni for Sunday dinner, I knew that cheesy load of refined carbohydrates could result in a sleepy week. For dinner instead, I blended a smoothie of spinach, almond milk, avocado, hemp seeds, mango and strawberry. I woke up rested Monday and those Lucky jeans still sag off my hips. 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1IivLg6 

 CLOSE Jere Downs tells Terry Meiners and Rachel Platt how she lost 16 pounds on the vegan diet. WHAS-11 TV 
 
 Two years after going vegan, Beyonce wows May 4 at the Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Beyonce describes how her trainer Marco Borges weaned her from fried chicken and fajitas in his new book, The 22-Day Revolution. (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Variety) 
 
 I lost 16 pounds in 22 days following the new vegan cookbook by Beyonce and Jay-Z's trainer. 
 
 The strict diet meant no sugar, flour, milk, meat, gluten, eggs, cheese, alcohol, coffee or soy products for at least three weeks, the time prescribed in The 22-Day Revolution by Marco Borges. 
 
 Instead, I sipped green smoothies, noshed on salads, learned how to make a mashed chickpea and smoked almond sandwich and spent hours in the kitchen preparing foods so I would not fail. 
 
 And the weight fell off. 
 
 As the Courier-Journal's food writer, I study eats for a living. And I care passionately about nutrition and exercise, with two marathon runs under my belt, two triathlons, a few 100-mile bike rides and a rabid cycling habit for Kroger, errands and to work downtown from Old Louisville. 
 
 But a recent marriage added three boys to my 14-year-old son and has left little time for exercise. The approach of 50 and menopause in recent years has resulted in a maddening weight creep. 
 
 Try some of the recipes 
 
 By January 2013, I was so intent on dropping 16 pounds that I made it my workplace password "16poundsbyApril." I typed those words everyday into my computer and tried to monitor my eats and exercise via smartphone apps such as MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun. 
 
 For two years, nothing happened. 
 
 I used to run off excess weight and eat whatever I wanted. After a 20-mile run, there was no better reward — or faster way to fall asleep — than a greasy Smashburger with fries. The food coma was my friend. Packing my stomach with heavy foods was the way I grew up and an unhealthy habit to block out fatigue or emotional overwhelm. 
 
 As I have aged and my metabolism slows, I find exercise no longer takes off weight so quickly. 
 
 Story continues below the video. 
 
 CLOSE C-J food writer Jere Downs discusses how she lost 16 pounds by switching to a vegan diet. 
 
 And there was the matter of time I no longer have. A serious endurance athlete schedule can consume 20 to 30 hours a week. Hours long afternoon runs or Sundays cycling with friends was a great substitute for a social life when I was a lonely single mom. 
 
 So I started paying attention to the flood of healthy diet books that pour over the transom at the Courier-Journal. Author Marco Borges caught my eye with his story of exercise and diet in his new vegan book, The 22-Day Revolution. 
 
 When his Miami spinning clients ate vegan and worked out with him, Borges discovered they dropped weight fast instead of dropping out of class. That combination powered Borges' fame to spread among musicians, which led to a job as the personal trainer for Beyonce and Jay-Z 10 years ago. In late 2013, "B" was looking to shed weight after the birth of her daughter, Blue Ivy. Borges started with vegan breakfasts he prepared at their New York City home, beginning with hearty oatmeal for Jay with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and vanilla almond milk. Beyonce's breakfast was "avocado cherry tomato salad with a really cool seeded bread that was vegan and gluten free." 
 
 Both "B and Jay," as Borges calls them, eat vegan and are business partners with Borges in the 22 Days Nutrition Vegan Challenge Kit, a meal plan launched this year with the book. 
 
 Story continues below the video 
 
 CLOSE Do you want a banging body like Beyonce? Well, now is your chance to get her super fit body. Queen Bee's teamed up with author Marco Borges for "The 22-Day Revolution." It's a 22-day plant-based guide to healthy eating. 
 
 As Beyonce said in the forward to the book, she reluctantly gave up her hometown Houston favorites of fried chicken, fajita tacos, BBQ ribs, fried shrimp and po'boy sandwiches. 
 
 "I thought I would feel deprived... that I would get headaches and be irritable. I was wrong about all that," Beyonce said. "What I discovered was increased energy, better sleep, weight loss, improved digestion... that I could still love food but this time it would love me back." 
 
 After completing "The 22-Day Revolution" last week, I don't have Beyonce's body but I agree with her on the other perks. Profound sleep is deep and uninterrupted. My eyes pop open at 6 a.m. Colleagues and my family report that my skin glows. Most important, I was able to pull those size 14 Lucky jeans from my closet last week for the first time since 2013 and they fit. 
 
 Borges' plan looks nothing like the pasta, bagels, pork roast or tacos I love. Light in calories but loaded with volumes of fruit and vegetables, menu plans from 'The 22-Day Revolution" also pack protein-rich quinoa, almonds and cashews. Abundant fats come later in the day via avocados, almond butter, tahini, or coconut milk. 
 
 A typical day began with a tart vegetable smoothie of spinach, kale, cucumber, peeled lemon, ginger root, turmeric, carrots and Granny Smith apple. Some breakfasts took resolve. One half cup of chia seeds soaked overnight in two cups almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon real maple syrup looked like grey seafoam jelly but tasted amazing and held my body steadfast until lunch. My favorite breakfast was almond butter smeared on two pieces of gluten-free toast with a side of blueberries and banana. 
 
 Borges allows no snacks, coffee, or alcoholic beverages. My only cheat everyday was Earl Grey tea with some Stevia sweetener and nonfat half-and-half — a soothing hot drink that saw me through doughnuts and Hershey's kisses left around the newsroom. Bicycle treks around Louisville or long walks with our two golden retrievers were my only daily exercise. 
 
 Lunches might be a baked sweet potato with tossed kale, cranberries, sunflower seeds, balsamic vinegar and mustard or a salsa of tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and jalapeno peppers loaded onto slices of grilled eggplant. I learned how to make gluten free pizza crust topped with "cheese" made of cooked ground cashews and topped with tomatoes, fresh basil and other vegetables. Dinner could be peppers stuffed with quinoa and beans, a lentil soup, or hearty salads. 
 
 Norton Cancer Institute clinical nutritionist Anita McLaughlin, who has lived a vegan lifestyle she now supplements with cheese, analyzed the 22 Day Revolution menu and remarked that the regimen is light in calories but packed with plentiful proteins and vitamins. 
 
 "It did seem a little light. I can see where you would drop fast," McLaughlin said. 
 
 For those trying to eat healthier, but are not ready to go vegetarian or vegan, McLaughlin suggested loading half a plate at mealtime with fruits or vegetables, one quarter starch like brown rice or quinoa and one quarter protein. 
 
 Putting down the spoon or fork remains challenging. And Borges cautions that without portion control, little weight will come off. As a result, I ate just four slices of vegan pizza one night and left the table. Sure enough, I felt full after 20 minutes had passed and my stomach had time to register that it was indeed satisfied. 
 
 On day 23, I cycled to Comfy Cow with my husband and four sons to celebrate victory with a scoop of bourbon pecan caramel ice cream. The creamy mouth feel of ice cream felt comforting but I paid dearly for the excess by nearly falling asleep at my desk for two days. A grilled ham and cheese sandwich over the weekend also left with me bloat and sluggish digestion. 
 
 Among my Facebook acquaintances, Kentucky Rep. Joni Jenkins (D-Shively), was inspired. Jenkins claims to be the only vegetarian in the state legislature and started "The 22-Day Revolution" after seeing my posts. In her second week, Jenkins reports she is down 8 pounds and "could eat this way 90 percent of the time." 
 
 When my family ate Spinelli's pizza with pepperoni for Sunday dinner, I knew that cheesy load of refined carbohydrates could result in a sleepy week. For dinner instead, I blended a smoothie of spinach, almond milk, avocado, hemp seeds, mango and strawberry. I woke up rested Monday and those Lucky jeans still sag off my hips. 
 
 Jere Downs can be reached at (502) 582-4669, @JereDowns on Twitter and Jere Downs on Facebook. 
 
 Beyonce's vegan walnut tacos 
 
 If you like spicy ingredients, you can add freshly-chopped cilantro and jalapeno peppers to the salsa on these vegan treats. The trick to losing weight on The 22-Day Revolution diet is to aim for feeling 80 percent full. Watching portions is the key to any kind of healthy eating, according to author Marco Borges. As a result, this recipe can serve two people, with two tacos each. 
 
 Taco "meat" ingredients 
 
 2 cups walnuts 
 
 2 heads of romaine lettuce 
 
 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin 
 
 1 tablespoon coriander 
 
 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
 
 1 tablespoon coconut aminos 
 
 dash paprika 
 
 dash garlic powder 
 
 dash black ground pepper 
 
 Garnish ingredients 
 
 2 Haas avocados 
 
 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, each cut in half 
 
 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes 
 
 pinch black ground pepper 
 
 pinch sea salt 
 
 1 fresh lime, squeezed 
 
 Wash and drain the lettuce and tomatoes and set aside. Combine all taco ingredients in a food processor. Pulse several times until crumbly, making sure not to over blend. Spread the walnut taco "meat" on the romaine leaves in 4 equal servings. Slice the avocados in half and remove the pits. Peel away the skin and dice into small, even pieces. Garnish the walnut taco meat with the vegetables, salt, pepper, and lime juice. 
 
 Vegan vegetable curry 
 
 Super foods abound in this aromatic curry. Broccoli provides protein, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Cauliflower adds folic acid, potassium, fiber and isothiocyanate, a compound that author Marco Borges says helps prevent disease. I liked the fresh ginger and coconut milks most of all. Mixed vegetables of your choice can be added in lieu of some of those below. 
 
 1 cup broccoli 
 
 1 cup kale 
 
 1 cup peppers 
 
 1/2 cup cauliflower 
 
 1/2 cup spinach 
 
 1 onion, finely chopped 
 
 2 garlic cloves, chopped 
 
 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated 
 
 2 teaspoons curry powder 
 
 dash salt 
 
 1 can coconut milk 
 
 canola oil 
 
 In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onions, garlic and ginger in a dime-sized dollop of canola oil for two minutes. Add in all the other ingredients. Bring to a simmer until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender. 
 
 Beluga lentil salad 
 
 Dark lentils like the Beluga lentils shown here are heavy in anthocyanins, compounds that prevent disease, according to 22-Day Revolution author Marco Borges. If you can't find these specialty lentils, seek out other tiny varieties like dark green French lentils available at five Rainbow Blossom markets around Louisville. 
 
 1 cup Beluga lentils 
 
 1 shallot 
 
 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
 
 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 
 
 1 teaspoon sea salt 
 
 1/2 tablespoon coriander 
 
 1/2 tablespoon cumin 
 
 1 tablespoon capers 
 
 2 tablespoons red pepper, diced 
 
 1 handful of fresh greens 
 
 Rinse the lentils and place them in a pot with two cups of water with sea salt, coriander and cumin. Bring to a boil and simmer until desired tenderness is reached, about 15 to 20 minutes. Combine the lentils in a mixing bowl with lemon, vinegar, capers, shallots and pepper. Arrange the lentils over a bed of greens and top with lemon juice and vinegar. 
 
 Read or Share this story: http://cjky.it/1M0JQfW
– Not convinced Beyonce and Jay Z's vegan experiment is for you? Well, the Courier-Journal's food writer tried the 22-day plan—as outlined in a book by the power couple's trainer—and says she lost 16 pounds doing so. Of course, during those 22 days, she not only went completely plant-based but also ingested no sugar, flour, gluten, alcohol, coffee, or soy (aside from one cheat: a cup of Earl Grey with fat-free half-and-half and Stevia). "I sipped green smoothies, noshed on salads, learned how to make a mashed chickpea and smoked almond sandwich ... and the weight fell off," writes Jere Downs. Marco Borges started off as a spin trainer before coming up with a plant-based diet plan and gaining popularity among celebrities, Downs writes. He became Bey and Jay's personal trainer right around the time Beyonce wanted to lose her Blue Ivy baby weight. With 50 approaching, Downs herself was frustrated by her own "weight creep" and decided to give The 22-Day Revolution a try. She's pretty complimentary. "I don't have Beyonce's body but I agree with her on the other perks. Profound sleep is deep and uninterrupted. ... Colleagues and my family report that my skin glows. Most important, I was able to pull those size 14 Lucky jeans from my closet last week for the first time since 2013 and they fit." Downs' full column explains how her own loss inspired a Kentucky lawmaker to try the diet.