The PlantWhys Podcast

By Ali EssigHealth & Fitness Nutrition

The PlantWhys Podcast episodes

October 10 The Most Underrated Habit of Highly Successful People
FREE GUIDES:
Fridge and Pantry Guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/Fridge-and-Pantry-Guide
How Not to Die Cliff Notes: https://www.plantwhys.com/signup-cliffnotes
Free one week meal guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/free-1-week-meal-guide-sign-up-1
Free Guide: How to Ease into Eating More Plants: https://www.plantwhys.com/plantwhys-2-0
MINI COURSES:
Ten Minute Tank Top Arms: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/2KjPzp87/checkout
How to Lose Two Pounds in One Week Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/how-to-lose-2-pounds-in-one-week-1
Strong Core, Happy Gut Mini Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/V4bwWus5/checkout
Plant-Based Pathway Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/9THuNFBP/checkout
FREE TRIALS:
One Month Free inside our PlantWhys Membership: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/jYZNxfAq/checkout
One Month Free to our Meal Plan Subscription: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/oDm6uR2J/checkout
Ali shares what she calls the most underrated habit for success: becoming a cheerleader for others and yourself to shift from scarcity to joy and get better results without trying harder. Drawing from experiences at Funnel Hacking Live, she describes Ben Kare (featured in the Amazon Prime documentary “Stand Out”), whose confidence and constant compliments uplift everyone, and her friend Sarah, who prayed for the speaker right before presenting, prompting a powerful impression that unseen supporters and angels are cheering for us. She explains how to interrupt negative, comparative “crab in a bucket” thoughts by choosing a supportive secondary thought, gives an example of reframing jealousy toward another plant-based creator, and shares abundance practices including hope journaling, visualization, and praying as if desired outcomes are already accomplished. She closes with a marathon metaphor emphasizing encouragement over self-criticism. 00:00 One Habit Changes Everything 01:13 Conference Lessons and Ben Kare 03:59 Ben Kare Superpower 06:47 Sarah Prayer Moment 08:53 Unseen Supporters 10:21 Be the Cheerleader 11:29 Scarcity and Crab Mentality 13:01 Rewriting the Second Thought 14:14 Broccoli Mum Comparison Trap 15:39 Where Scarcity Comes From 17:07 Abundance Practice with Misty 18:56 Hope Journaling and Prayer 21:19 Three Step Habit Recap 23:55 Marathon Cheerleader Finale 25:31 Final Encouragement
27 min
October 03 Do I Love My Body? Dropping the Fig Leaves and Learning Embodied Stewardship
FREE GUIDES:
Fridge and Pantry Guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/Fridge-and-Pantry-Guide
How Not to Die Cliff Notes: https://www.plantwhys.com/signup-cliffnotes
Free one week meal guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/free-1-week-meal-guide-sign-up-1
Free Guide: How to Ease into Eating More Plants: https://www.plantwhys.com/plantwhys-2-0
MINI COURSES:
Ten Minute Tank Top Arms: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/2KjPzp87/checkout
How to Lose Two Pounds in One Week Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/how-to-lose-2-pounds-in-one-week-1
Strong Core, Happy Gut Mini Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/V4bwWus5/checkout
Plant-Based Pathway Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/9THuNFBP/checkout
FREE TRIALS:
One Month Free inside our PlantWhys Membership: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/jYZNxfAq/checkout
One Month Free to our Meal Plan Subscription: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/oDm6uR2J/checkout

Host Ali Essig shares a recording of her Faith Matters Restore Conference talk, “Do I Love My Body?,” inviting listeners to set an intention for embodied stewardship and examine lifelong stories that fuel body dissatisfaction. She connects shame about the body to Adam and Eve’s “fig leaves” and identifies three archetypes—body criticizer, body worshiper, and body neglector—rooted in body objectification, or viewing the body as an object rather than a lived experience. She explains how self-objectification can steal cognitive resources (citing the “swimsuit study”) and recommends calling it out, focusing on how the body feels, what it can do, and internal health markers. She recounts her husband’s stroke and health improvements after emphasizing plant-forward eating and the Word of Wisdom. Using car/temple metaphors and affirmations, she encourages healthier self-talk, curating social media, and ends with a guided gratitude and mental-subtraction meditation.
00:00 Podcast Intro and Talk Setup 01:03 Opening Grounding Exercise 01:58 Body Stories and Shame 04:20 Adam and Eve Fig Leaves 05:30 Three Body Archetypes 07:36 Objectification and Its Cost 11:29 Embodiment Over Appearance 14:18 Health Markers and Stroke Story 17:27 Stewardship Car and Temple 21:03 Affirmations and Identity Shift 24:55 Guided Gratitude Meditation 36:36 Closing and Resources
37 min
September 26 What Everyone Gets Wrong About Plant-Based Eating
Host Ali Essig introduces the PlantWhys Podcast and busts common plant-based myths, explaining that “complete proteins” don’t need to be combined at each meal, protein needs for muscle gain are often overstated, and muscle can be built without meat through adequate total protein and progressive overload training. She shares practical ways to reach ~100g protein/day with smoothies, soy milk, protein powder, edamame puffs, and beans, and warns against relying on processed meats like turkey bacon/sausage due to colon cancer risk. She addresses soy and hormones, citing long use, population data, and moderate intake guidelines, and notes soy’s potential benefits for hot flashes, cholesterol, and bone health. She argues fiber-rich whole-food carbs improve blood sugar, discusses cost-saving strategies like frozen produce, summarizes longevity estimates from plant-forward eating, and gives steps to reduce body objectification through naming the habit, gratitude, interoception, and curating social media inputs.
FREE GUIDES:
Fridge and Pantry Guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/Fridge-and-Pantry-Guide
How Not to Die Cliff Notes: https://www.plantwhys.com/signup-cliffnotes
Free one week meal guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/free-1-week-meal-guide-sign-up-1
Free Guide: How to Ease into Eating More Plants: https://www.plantwhys.com/plantwhys-2-0
MINI COURSES:
Ten Minute Tank Top Arms: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/2KjPzp87/checkout
How to Lose Two Pounds in One Week Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/how-to-lose-2-pounds-in-one-week-1
Strong Core, Happy Gut Mini Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/V4bwWus5/checkout
Plant-Based Pathway Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/9THuNFBP/checkout
FREE TRIALS: One Month Free inside our PlantWhys Membership: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/jYZNxfAq/checkout
One Month Free to our Meal Plan Subscription: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/oDm6uR2J/checkout

00:00 Plant Based Myths Intro 01:06 Complete Protein Myth 03:53 Protein Targets and Training 06:38 High Protein Breakfast Hacks 09:20 Soy Hormone Scare 14:07 Dairy Versus Soy Reality 15:52 Muscle Without Meat 17:31 Carbs and Fiber Truth 20:24 Fiber Makes Carbs Safe 21:10 Refined Carbs Are The Issue 21:40 Healthy Eating On A Budget 23:32 Frozen Produce Money Hacks 24:20 Longevity Gains From Plant Forward 26:09 Why Processed Meat Matters 26:46 How Much Longer Can You Live 30:40 Avoiding Body Objectification 32:50 Gratitude Over Appearance 35:16 Interoception And Curating Inputs 37:40 Wrap Up And Next Steps
39 min
September 19 Vince Rountree: How a Plant-Based Diet Can Transform Your Health
Ali interviews plant-based coach Vince Rountree, whom she met at the IC&M conference, about his journey into whole-food, plant-based nutrition and coaching. Vince explains that after a 2011 physical showed high cholesterol and blood pressure and he was told he’d need pills for life, he researched heart disease prevention, found Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s work, and went all-in; in six weeks his total cholesterol dropped from 240 to 132, LDL from 170 to 78, blood pressure improved, and he lost 20 pounds. He describes building a coaching business after feeling “called” to leave corporate marketing in 2015, primarily serving women in their 50s–70s while trying to reach more men. He shares gaining 20 pounds of muscle in his 60s without protein powder, his client-motivation approach of finding a “why that makes you cry,” advice for plant-based households with non-plant-based spouses, and a client story of Annie in Alaska who improved dramatically from stage five chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.
FREE GUIDES:
Fridge and Pantry Guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/Fridge-and-Pantry-Guide
How Not to Die Cliff Notes: https://www.plantwhys.com/signup-cliffnotes
Free one week meal guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/free-1-week-meal-guide-sign-up-1
Free Guide: How to Ease into Eating More Plants: https://www.plantwhys.com/plantwhys-2-0
MINI COURSES:
Ten Minute Tank Top Arms: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/2KjPzp87/checkout
How to Lose Two Pounds in One Week Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/how-to-lose-2-pounds-in-one-week-1
Strong Core, Happy Gut Mini Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/V4bwWus5/checkout
Plant-Based Pathway Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/9THuNFBP/checkout
FREE TRIALS:
One Month Free inside our PlantWhys Membership: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/jYZNxfAq/checkout
One Month Free to our Meal Plan Subscription: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/oDm6uR2J/checkout
Link to Vince's Challenge: https://www.theredlinechallenge.com/go
00:00 Meet Vince Rountree 01:06 Health Scare Sparks Change 02:38 Finding Esselstyn’s Research 03:54 Six Weeks to Results 04:46 From Curiosity to Coaching 06:13 A Calling to Serve 07:53 Who He Helps Most 08:59 Building Muscle Plant Based 12:11 Motivation and The Why 14:21 Staying On Track While Traveling 15:16 Family as the Anchor 17:19 Household Support and Community 18:07 Spouse Support Strategy 19:07 Documentaries To Watch 20:32 Annie Kidney Comeback 24:31 Food Fixes Healthcare 25:33 How To Find Vince 28:02 Imposter Syndrome Talk 30:51 Community For Change 32:42 Final Thanks And Wrap
34 min
September 12 Hormones, Protein, and Stress: The PlantWhys Framework to Feel Like Yourself Again
Ali hosts a webinar on regaining energy and feeling like yourself in midlife by focusing on diet, protein, and stress rather than extremes, expensive supplements, or automatic hormone therapy.
Join the PlantWhys membership with this amazing offer Before Monday by going to: https://www.plantwhys.com/40
00:00 Hormones Protein Stress Intro 00:56 Free Pantry Guide Giveaway 02:25 Pop Quiz Mindset Myths 04:57 Find Your Deeper Why 07:09 Meet Ali And PlantWhys 08:06 Husband Stroke Turning Point 11:01 Mr T Telomeres Explained 13:04 New Rules Uno To Monopoly 14:56 Biggest Threats And Antioxidants 19:30 Secret Two Protein Truths 25:13 PlantWhys Plate Framework 27:28 Fruit Veg Fiber Magic 31:03 Simple Meal Example 31:35 Fiber First Framework 32:02 Build a PlantWhys Plate 32:23 Flexible Whole Grains 32:45 Satiation and Sweet Cravings 33:22 Progress Not Perfection 34:17 Secret Three Stress 35:46 Change One Meal 36:56 Stress Spikes Glucose 38:29 Connection Calms Body 43:22 PlantWhys Membership Pitch 44:57 40 Day Jumpstart Details 47:08 Pilates Core and Gut 48:22 Personalized Numbers Results 50:19 Emotional Eating Reset 52:07 Strength Training Program 58:26 Community Coaching Support 59:54 Pricing Deadline Offer 01:02:29 Free Meal Plan Gift 01:03:23 Live Q and A 01:03:53 Upgrade Before Monday 01:04:46 Annual Option Explained 01:05:24 Quick Q&A Wins 01:06:00 Pilates Schedule Details 01:06:29 Portal Walkthrough 01:08:05 Community Calls Calendar 01:11:04 First Assignments Prep Week 01:12:27 Jump Start Recipe Book 01:14:41 Trial Length Pricing 01:17:21 Meal Plan Vs Membership 01:19:58 Consult Add On Clarified 01:22:46 Kajabi App Setup 01:24:17 Final Wrap Up
1 hr 26 min
September 05 Stop Treating Your Body Like an Object to Fix
The speaker announces she will present at Faith Matters’ Restore Connect in Orem, Utah (last weekend in September at UVU) on the topic “Do I love my body?” reflecting on her experience in the weight-loss space and the need to shift language from appearance-based selling to health, nervous system regulation, emotional eating, strength, and internal indicators. She shares her 1990s body image struggles, her dad’s fen-phen weight loss and later death from a heart attack, and cites research showing 86.9% of women and about 77% of men report body dissatisfaction. Using Adam and Eve’s “Who told thee that thou wast naked?” she explores three archetypes—body criticizer, worshiper, and neglector—rooted in body objectification, and contrasts this with a God-centered stewardship model: the body as an instrument, not an ornament, focusing on how you feel, what you can do, and internal health markers. She recommends awe, sensory awareness, nature, creativity/flow, and caring for body and brain (including a largely plant-based diet) to better hear an internal “navigation system,” and offers a 10% discount code “plantwhys.” 00:00 Restore Connect Announcement 00:33 Why Body Love Matters 01:29 Weight Loss Marketing Tension 03:02 90s Diet Culture Story 06:27 Who Told You 08:38 Three Body Archetypes 12:29 What Is Objectification 14:21 Jeep Stewardship Analogy 15:51 Awe Over Appearance 18:31 Better Health Metrics 20:14 Hear Inner Navigation 24:13 Temple Stewardship Mindset 27:48 Instrument Not Ornament 29:45 Swimsuit Brainpower Study 32:07 Closing And Event Details
34 min
August 29 Chuck Carroll’s Health Journey: Weight Loss, Plant-Based Eating, and a Major Setback
The host interviews Chuck Carroll of PCRM’s The Exam Room Podcast, which has about 100 million downloads across platforms. Carroll recounts weighing 420 pounds, eating around 10,000 fast-food calories daily, having dangerously high blood pressure in middle school, and getting Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery on Sept. 1, 2009; he later eliminated all fast food. About 5–7 years later he went plant-based after exposure through PCRM, an NFL connection, and a WWE wrestler’s recommendation of What the Health, eventually launching The Exam Room around 2017. In 2023 he developed severe bloating, heartburn, and “drunk/stoned” neurological symptoms, dropped to 114 pounds, then rapidly regained about 100 pounds when eating resumed; he also faced fat-shaming. Mayo Clinic surgeons reversed his bypass due to scar tissue and removed a diseased section, leaving 19 feet of bowel; he still has milder symptoms and has reached about 264 pounds. Carroll emphasizes health isn’t linear, credits plant-based eating with supporting him, and says his biggest takeaways are setting boundaries, reducing stress, building a morning routine (sunlight walk and Dr. Will Bulsiewicz’s supplement), and encouraging others to “keep going.” 00:00 Meet Chuck Carroll 00:11 Exam Room Podcast Milestone 00:51 Weight Loss Champion Origins 01:33 Fast Food Addiction Fallout 02:26 Surgery Before Plant Based 02:56 Athletes Spark the Switch 04:12 What the Health Moment 04:56 Launching The Exam Room 05:59 Post Surgery Fast Food Breakup 06:52 Mysterious Symptoms Begin 08:02 Neurological Spiral and Fear 10:11 Rapid Weight Gain and Backlash 12:19 Mayo Clinic Answers 13:03 Reversal Weight Reality Check 13:56 Plant Based Kept Me Alive 14:36 Surgery Reversal Recovery 15:37 Full Stomach New Limits 16:28 Boundaries Beat Stress 17:45 Morning Routine Reset 18:44 Empathy For Mystery Illness 21:16 Keep Going Through Hell 23:22 Social Media Burnout 24:57 Imperfect Plant Based Balance 26:01 Where To Follow Chuck 27:03 Final Thanks And Goodbye
26 min
August 22 The Truth About Protein, Fitness & Behavior Change | Maxime Sigouin
PlantWhys Podcast host Ali Essig interviews plant-based coach Maxime Sigouin of Mavy Wellness, author of Forever Fit, who has helped nearly 1,300 clients through coaching and about 5,000 with his book and content. They discuss why successful change requires strong commitment, starting imperfectly, and avoiding perfectionism and “all-or-nothing” thinking. Maxime emphasizes sustainable training by meeting people at their level, progressing workouts to avoid plateaus, and building identity-based habits. For body recomposition and weight loss, he simplifies nutrition to calories and protein, prioritizing higher-protein plant foods (tofu, tempeh, legumes, grains) and using practical meal structures and tracking options (meal plans, guidelines, or food tracking). They address emotional eating, flexibility (“win the next meal/workout”), over-exercising, menopause patience, and Maxim’s journey to veganism, including caregiving for a partner with cancer and how it shaped his business.
FREE GUIDES:
Fridge and Pantry Guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/Fridge-and-Pantry-Guide
How Not to Die Cliff Notes: https://www.plantwhys.com/signup-cliffnotes
Free one week meal guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/free-1-week-meal-guide-sign-up-1
Free Guide: How to Ease into Eating More Plants: https://www.plantwhys.com/plantwhys-2-0
MINI COURSES:
Ten Minute Tank Top Arms: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/2KjPzp87/checkout
How to Lose Two Pounds in One Week Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/how-to-lose-2-pounds-in-one-week-1
Strong Core, Happy Gut Mini Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/V4bwWus5/checkout
Plant-Based Pathway Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/9THuNFBP/checkout
FREE TRIALS:
One Month Free inside our PlantWhys Membership: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/jYZNxfAq/checkout
One Month Free to our Meal Plan Subscription: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/oDm6uR2J/checkout

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:35 Maxime Background and Clients 01:53 Commitment Drives Success 03:37 Perfectionism and Starting Small 05:08 Weight Loss Strategy Basics 06:47 Protein Priorities Plant Based 09:24 Processed Proteins and Smoothies 10:40 Beginner Strength Training Plan 12:44 Emotional Eating and Flexibility 15:32 Tracking Calories Without Obsession 18:29 Owning Your Results 18:53 Menopause Weight Loss Reality 20:05 Patience Over Perfection 20:22 Timelines As Motivation 22:50 Fit Identity Habits 24:20 Simple Food Choices 25:50 Wellness Without Obsession 27:39 How Much Training Is Enough 30:34 Plant Based Origin Story 32:31 Caregiving Loss And Purpose 34:17 Gratitude And Closing
36 min
August 16 Dr. Christopher Gardner on Dietary Guidelines Politics, Fiber, Fermented Foods, and Protein Myths
Podcast host interviews nutrition scientist Dr. Christopher Gardner about the U.S. Dietary Guidelines process and how a 20-member volunteer advisory committee’s two years of work was dismissed, citing conflicts of interest and objections to using a health equity lens, then replaced by a nine-member group with ties to meat and dairy that promoted meat and whole-fat dairy. Gardner discusses why guidelines matter for school lunch and other safety-net programs, and critiques rhetoric around removing ultra-processed foods without added funding and industry changes. He shares microbiome research emphasizing higher fiber intake (beans, peas, lentils, fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and fermented foods, including a pregnancy study following children to age five. He addresses protein concerns, noting protein isn’t a U.S. nutrient of concern, plants contain all amino acids, and resistance training matters more than extra protein. He promotes his upcoming book, “Food Sense,” and mentions Netflix’s “You Are What You Eat.” 00:00 Meet Dr Gardner 01:04 How Guidelines Are Made 02:55 Politics And Pushback 04:49 Conflicts And Committee Swap 06:25 Health Equity Controversy 11:44 Dairy In The Guidelines 14:24 School Lunch And Ultra Processed 16:42 Michelle Obama Era Reforms 17:06 Fixing School Lunches 18:45 Microbiome Fiber Basics 20:04 Fermented Foods Study 22:03 Legumes Explained 23:56 Legumes and Soil Health 24:42 Protein Myths and Muscle 25:02 Nutrients of Concern 29:36 Calcium Vitamin D Debate 31:05 Book and Documentary Wrap
34 min
August 08 What the Heck Is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Anyway?
FREE GUIDES:
Fridge and Pantry Guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/Fridge-and-Pantry-Guide
How Not to Die Cliff Notes: https://www.plantwhys.com/signup-cliffnotes
Free one week meal guide: https://www.plantwhys.com/free-1-week-meal-guide-sign-up-1
Free Guide: How to Ease into Eating More Plants: https://www.plantwhys.com/plantwhys-2-0
MINI COURSES:
Ten Minute Tank Top Arms: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/2KjPzp87/checkout
How to Lose Two Pounds in One Week Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/how-to-lose-2-pounds-in-one-week-1
Strong Core, Happy Gut Mini Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/V4bwWus5/checkout
Plant-Based Pathway Mini-Course: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/9THuNFBP/checkout
FREE TRIALS:
One Month Free inside our PlantWhys Membership: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/jYZNxfAq/checkout
One Month Free to our Meal Plan Subscription: https://www.plantwhys.com/offers/oDm6uR2J/checkout

00:00 Welcome and Topic Setup 01:06 JAMA Study Overview 02:18 Key Findings and Why It Matters 03:09 How Anti Inflammatory Eating Works 05:13 Defining the Eating Pattern 06:28 Water vs Gasoline Foods 09:13 Build Your Plate Basics 09:54 Beans Whole Grains Nuts Seeds 12:16 Meat Fish and Mediterranean Clarified 15:06 High Impact Swaps to Start 19:13 Fiber Gut Brain and Lifestyle Keys 22:14 Processed Food Spectrum Rule 23:14 Personal Note and Saturated Fat 24:38 Wrap Up Resources and Next Episode 25:31 Final Outro and Where to Follow
27 min

About The PlantWhys Podcast

From the publisher's feed

As a mother of six children, including twin baby boys, Ali found herself rushing to the emergency room with her 37 year old husband who had just suffered a stroke. After multiple tests, doctors found no clear answers and encouraged their family to eat a heart healthy diet by avoiding saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol and to eat more fiber.