The Plant Paradox Diet Plan for Rapid Weight Loss and Optimal Health

Heart surgeon Steven Gundry, MD, took the world by storm and changed millions of lives in 2017 with his runaway bestseller, The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in “Healthy” Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain ($19, Amazon). Now he’s made a good thing even easier with The Plant Paradox Quick and Easy: The 30-Day Plan to Lose Weight, Feel Great, and Live Lectin-Free ($12.78, Amazon). “My approach eliminates key reasons your body stores belly fat in the first place,” he tells us of his anti-inflammatory diet. The result: Every seven days, folks whisk off up to 10 pounds and four belly inches — in such a healthy way that chronic illnesses often disappear!

Like many healthy diets, Dr. Steven Gundry’s Plant Paradox diet plan allows for high-quality protein, healthy fats, healthy starch, and plenty of produce. The big difference is that you avoid certain types of starch and produce that are high in lectins. What are lectins? “They’re natural toxins that help deter insects and animals from eating plants,” explains Gundry. “Lectins are highly concentrated in wheat, corn, soy, peanuts, tomatoes, and a number of other foods that dominate the modern diet.”

While humans tolerate lectins better than some species, we eat so many of them these days, Gundry wondered if cutting back might help his sickest patients. He experimented, and the results were dramatic. Heart disease began to improve and in some cases even disappear, and so did type 2 diabetes, IBS, and fibromyalgia. And then there was the weight loss: “Countless people tell me going lectin-free works when every other diet fails,” he says.

The Plant Paradox Diet: A New You in 30 Days

“This way of eating can change your life in a short time,” promises Gundry. Within 24 hours, bloat and GI woes vanish because lectins are highly inflammatory. Eliminating them soothes the whole body head to toe, starting with your digestive tract. Plant Paradox dieters report fast relief from GI troubles. A slimming bonus: Since we retain fluid to buffer irritated areas, when inflammation goes, you can lose up to seven pounds of bloat overnight!

After 1 Week: Belly fat — released!

Lectins block receptors that allow our muscles to burn blood sugar for fuel, according to University of California research. And that lack of fuel triggers cravings while loads of unused blood sugar wind up as belly fat, says Gundry. Luckily, eliminating lectins unblocks these receptors so our muscles get their fuel and cravings disappear. Plus, metabolism goes up and blood-sugar levels come down, which signals our bodies to burn belly fat! The effect is so powerful, you stand to lose significant inches from your waist in just seven days. Bonus: As blood sugar stabilizes, it slashes the risk for and severity of type 2 diabetes.

After 30 days: Serious health problems — cured!

Lectins not only inflame our insides, they sometimes break through the gut wall. This lets bacteria escape and can trigger an autoimmune response that causes the body to attack itself. Gundry notes that eliminating lectins allows a “leaky” gut to heal, almost always improving or curing autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, MS, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and more.

Plant Paradox Reviews: Katie Lost 90 Pounds!

“In a week, my constant pain was gone. And my belly was shrinking, too!” recalls Katie Denson, 38, now down 90 pounds. When Katie read about lectins, “I realized I’d been eating them at every meal,” says the Massachusetts shop owner. She switched to simple lectin-free options like scrambled eggs and pork chops with roasted veggies. Within a week, “I got up from the couch and for the first time in years my hips didn’t hurt.” Pounds poured off too. Now five sizes smaller, she raves: “It’s easy to follow — anyone can do this!”

Meanwhile, Julie Connor tried cooking lectin-free to improve her husband’s health. “I didn’t worry about calories, and we never stopped eating burgers or chocolate,” reveals the Kansas mom, 57. “My husband’s aches, pains, fatigue, and belly all disappeared. As for me, I’ve done every diet out there and nothing has ever worked like this — especially on my muffin top. I went from a size 16 to a 10 in 10 weeks, and I feel amazing!”

The Plant Paradox Diet Sample Menu

Check out what a day on the Plant Paradox diet looks like, including specially formulated Plant Paradox recipes! For a complete guide to the diet and a full Plant Paradox food list, be sure to check out Gundry’s book.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Breakfast: Start the day with a little protein, lots of low-lectin veggies (like asparagus, mushrooms, or cruciferous vegetables) and low-lectin fat like olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Lunch: Pesto Noodles: Prepare one bag shirataki noodles per package directions. Sauté noodles and one cup broccoli in two tablespoons olive oil. Toss with two tablespoons pesto. Serves two.

Snack: Grab a double-chocolate chunk Quest bar or make a lectin-free quesadilla using cassava tortillas (such as Siete brand), grass-fed cheese, and olive oil.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Dinner: Prepare a serving of salmon or grass-fed pork chop in olive oil. Add lots of low-lectin veggies (including any leafy green) with olive oil vinaigrette.

Flat-Belly Snack Cake Plant Paradox Recipe

This recipe from The Plant Paradox Quick and Easy is deliciously decadent — and guilt-free!

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour
2/3 cup erythritol or Swerve
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 pastured eggs
1/3 cup coconut cream
2 Tbsp. grated 70-percent dark chocolate
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Whisk first five ingredients. In separate bowl, whisk eggs and cream.
In microwave, melt chocolate with oil and vanilla, stirring frequently until smooth. Cool one minute; add to egg mixture. Gradually add to flour mixture, whisking two to three minutes until batter is fluffy.
Pour into a greased eight-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit 25 to 35 minutes until pick in center comes out clean. Cool before serving.

This article originally appeared in our print magazine.