#330: What Happens When Employers Prioritize Real Food Over Quick Fixes
What happens when a company decides to put real food at the center of employee wellness? In this powerful episode, Rip sits down with the team at Central Garden & Pet, a 7,000-employee organization that has taken a radically forward-thinking approach to improving the health of its people. Their partnership with PLANTSTRONG by Metabite has produced clinical-level outcomes — without drugs, deprivation, or pressure to “go vegan.”
Rip is joined by Dawn Hutchins, Central’s Director of Plant-Based Nutrition, who shares how the program was born, what she learned from a year of research and focus groups, and why this isn’t a “check-the-box” wellness initiative. She breaks down how the program works — from smart devices and at-home blood testing to weekly coaching, short video lessons, cooking demos, AI support, and a thriving alumni community.
You’ll also hear from two inspiring graduates, Vicky and Dan, who reveal what motivated them to join, the fears they had going in, and the surprising shifts they experienced as they added more plants to their plates. Their stories underscore a simple truth: when people feel supported, connected, and empowered with real tools, transformation follows.
And the results speak for themselves:
67% of employees complete all 12 weeks
72% of those with weight to lose see measurable results
Average weight loss: 4.4% in 12 weeks
Average LDL drop: 24%
Beyond the numbers, Rip and Dawn discuss how this program is reshaping culture inside Central Garden & Pet — from shared excitement around food to a noticeable boost in energy and morale.
If you’re a business leader, HR professional, or anyone curious about the future of Food as Medicine, this episode offers a clear and inspiring blueprint for what’s possible when nutrition becomes the foundation of workplace wellness.
Episode Resources
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QR2OeuvJgp0
Transform your workplace with PLANT STRONG by Metabite: https://liveplantstrong.com/corporate-wellness-solution/
We hope to see YOU at one of our 2026 Live Events! https://plantstrong.com/pages/events
To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products: https://plantstrong.com/
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Episode Transcript via AI Transcription Service
I'm Rip Esselstyn, and you're listening to the Plant Strong Podcast.
[0:05] What happens when a company decides to truly transform the health of its people? In this episode, I'm going to share how Central Garden and Pet, a mid-sized company of about 7,000 employees, partnered with Plant Strong by Metabite to deliver jaw-dropping, drug-free results, plus the inspiring stories of two employees who lived it right after these words from Plant Strong.
Today, I'm spotlighting a company that is rewriting the rules of corporate wellness. Central Garden and Pet, with more than 7,000 employees nationwide, made a bold decision to prioritize real, measurable health change. They partnered with us to launch the PlantStrong by Metabite program, and the results have been nothing short of extraordinary. I'm joined by Dawn Hutchins, Central's Director of Plant-Based Nutrition, along with two graduates of the program, Vicky and Dan, whose mental, emotional, and physical evolutions will show you what happens when you put food as medicine into action. Let's meet this group of inspiring people.
[1:24] Hello, everyone. Well, today...
[1:28] We're going to be diving into what I'm going to call a really strong story about what happens when a company decides to take a cutting-edge approach.
[1:43] And this really shouldn't be cutting-edge, but in the case of what's going on here, it is certainly very cutting-edge, but a cutting-edge approach when it
The Journey of Central Garden and Pet
[1:53] comes to the health of its team and its people. And we're going to be talking with a company called Central Garden and Pet. It's a midsize company, about 7000 employees located across the country. And we're going to talk about how they have partnered with us at Plant Strong by Metabite with that program and just to bring it to life. And joining me today is Dawn Hutchins. She is Central's Director of Plant-Based Nutrition, along with Vicky and Dan, two program graduates who have done a phenomenal job transforming their health. Super inspiring stories. And I can't wait to dive into all that. So let's start with Dawn. Dawn, before we get into the nuts and bolts of the program, I'd love to start with your story and how you came into this role with Central Garden and Pet.
[2:59] Okay. I have a background actually in corporate finance. So I kind of had that corporate understanding of how things work in a large company. And then when my dad passed away, I had been wanting to change careers a little bit. So I really started studying nutrition. I got my certificate in plant-based nutrition. I got a...
[3:28] A certificate in nutritional therapy with a focus in epigenetics. And I founded a company called Veggie Cooking, which teaches people plant-based cooking for vitality, weight loss, and long-term health. And then I also became a plant-based chef. So I got all these certifications and things were going really amazing with my company, Veggie Cooking, which is still running today, teaching plant-based cooking classes. But during COVID, I had to shut down all the classes. So I was looking for another opportunity. And I can get back to why my dad was kind of the trigger of me making a career change, but where I ended up was working with Central Garden and Pet as the consulting director for plant-based nutrition, kind of pulling all of my experience together. So, you know, the corporate background and the plant-based background and entrepreneurship. So that all kind of came together with Central. Yeah. What a perfect confluence of strengths on your part that made you the perfect director at Central. You mentioned your father. So how did your dad play a role in your passion for this work? So I had really started learning about plant-based nutrition in 2010.
[4:53] So I've been doing this for a long time and I read the China study and I kind of went plant-based overnight after that. Um, so three years later, I'd been talking to my dad about plant-based nutrition and he really didn't want to hear much about it. He, um, was ex-military Vietnam vet, really into continuing to work out every day. He would ride his bike up to the fitness center and he would swim laps and lift weights on his lunch break, even into his sixties. And so on the day he had decided to retire he rode his bike up to the pool and he got in the pool started swimming his laps and then he had a massive heart attack and we lost him in the pool, that day and it was it was literally the day he was going to retire so he never got to enjoy his retirement and when they did the autopsy they found one of his arteries was 95 percent blocked and another was 85% blocked. And essentially, he had died from what they call the widowmaker. And I know from studying plant-based nutrition how much our lifestyle can impact our heart health.
[6:09] So that was a massive contributing factor to losing him. And that kind of solidified that I was on the right path. So he passed away in May. And that August is when I left the company and I started kind of venturing out on my own to figure out how I could put my knowledge in plant-based nutrition to work.
[6:34] So that was May of what year? 2013. 2013. And did your father have any signs of heart disease before the massive heart attack? No. We had no idea whatsoever, especially with how much he worked out. He went to the doctor regularly. He worked from home, so it wasn't a super high stressful job. We had no idea. It was like he vanished. It was the craziest thing, especially with the shape he was on the outside. Yeah. Well, Dawn, I'm so sorry about that. You know, the data shows that right around 50% of...
[7:28] 50% of the time, the first sign of heart disease is sudden death. And it's a tragedy. And your father was way too young. I'm sure he had many more amazing good years in him. He was taken way too early. Sorry. So let's get back to Central Garden and Pet. So you were tasked by the chairman. What an amazing, you know, outside the box thinker to create something that
Dawn's Inspiring Background
[8:02] could truly move the needle around employee health. And so tell me, what were you looking for.
[8:11] That you were tasked with? And then what ultimately made you land on the Plan Strong by MetaByte program? So yes, Bill Browns, the chairman of Central Garden and Pet, very forward thinking. He actually spent decades working with your dad. So he worked with Essie and really wanted to have this dream of incorporating a plant-based wellness program at Central Garden Pet. And so when he hired me, I spent about a year looking either for something that already existed. I didn't know if I would have to, you know, work with dieticians and physicians to create something from scratch. I didn't know exactly what was out there because I've never heard of a plant-based wellness program for on a corporate level. So I spent the year searching, just, you know, different companies that do cooking and have recipe platforms and anything I could find.
[9:23] It was, it was quite a search. And then we narrowed it down to a few different options, but there were a lot of options that were missing pieces. So, um, there was one option that was really great with onboarding, but then I didn't really feel like content was there. And then, um, we had another one that was really more of a recipe planner than a wellness program. So when I came across the PlantStrong by Metabyte program, I knew this was something that was relatively new that we would be able to help shape and build. But that had been long tested because I know PlantStrong had done corporate wellness with Whole Foods. So I knew the content was there. But it was a whole different story taking it to a corporation that is spread across the country. So, you know, 95 locations across the country with all different styles that the different business units are running their companies.
[10:30] So, you know, I think that was the biggest challenge is how do you implement something in all these different time zones and people working in warehouse, people working in the office, sales reps out on the road. There's, you know, all these different types of people. So we actually did a focus group where I flew out to Walnut Creek three times and we had people to kind of try different things. And we just said, okay, it sounds like the fact that we can take this curriculum
Implementing the PlantStrong Program
[11:03] on a virtual platform is going to be the best option for Central Garden and Pet. So that's how we ended up picking the Plant Strong by Metabyte program. Yeah.
[11:14] And I know that you guys, you did three different pilot studies with us before you actually decided to pull the trigger and do this on a much broader kind of basis. And the results of the three different pilot programs, I guess, were a success.
[11:34] Yes, absolutely. We did a pilot program, and then we started changing things up and really focused on the fact that we were adding to our plate. So less about taking things off our plate, but really adding more health-promoting plant foods to our plate in a very simple and fun and sustainable way. So the program's changed over time really based on amazing feedback from participants. So Dan and Vicky were in our focus group. So each time we would end a program, we would have a focus group with the participants and get really honest feedback about what would make the program easier, what would make it better, what would make it more fun. And so each iteration has gotten better and better. And just the results everybody has gotten. And the fact that people are sticking with it now well over a year has been really a testament to the program and its success and just the benefits people have been seeing between weight loss, reducing blood pressure meds, statins.
[12:46] Type 2 diabetes meds. It's been incredible.
Results and Impact
[12:49] Yeah. Well, I definitely want to get into some of the results that you've seen. I think what would be helpful right now for the audience right now that's listening would be if we could help them conceptualize what this program looks like in action. So, like, tell me employees, they apply to join. Yep. And then I think availability or seats are awarded based upon those who could benefit the most. Um, and I suppose that's based upon people that are managing high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, insulin resistance, type two diabetes, um, probably a BMI over a certain level. Correct. Yes. Yes. So you kind of put in your challenges that you're having your health challenges. And once somebody is awarded a spot in that cohort, we have an orientation program. And then they get all of this equipment. So it's going to be a blood pressure cuff, a scale.
[13:53] They get a blood test kit because that really shows the efficacy of the program. So we're getting real data and real numbers around that.
[14:03] The progress people are seeing. And then now we've recently included, I believe Vicky was the one that suggested adding a tape measure because she had noticed losing inches. So that was another addition that we actually just made to this most recent cohort. So everybody gets their welcome kit. We have an orientation. And then each week, new curriculum opens up. So they see, okay, week one is about adding fruits. So the first three weeks is about focusing on adding fruits. The next three weeks is just focusing on adding vegetables, then whole grains, then legumes over a 12-week span. So each person is encouraged to set their own goal. So if you want to add one fruit a week or you want to add two fruits a day or whatever you want to do. Use that what is doable for you so that you're motivated each time you hit your goals. And participants will then take photos of what they're eating. And AI will say, okay, it looks like there's a fruit, a vegetable, a whole grain, whatever is in there. And that's how your goals are tracked. And then the final thing is a weekly live meeting with some really incredible registered dietitians.
[15:27] So the photo, like when you take the photo of your breakfast, lunch, dinner, are you awarded points? Is this being gamified at all to encourage that? So the benefit of the food journal is it's tracking your goals so you can see your progress on your goals. And then everybody else gets ideas. So it's kind of like a very focused version of social media. So everyone else in your group is seeing what you're posting. So there's accountability in posting. And then there's also encouragement from other participants.
[16:10] Your posting gives other participants ideas about what they could be eating. Everybody can share positive comments and likes. So that's kind of the encouraging part is everybody cheering each other on and everybody's on this same journey. So you can share different challenges and your struggles and your wins. And it's just a very positive, fun place. And I've never implemented a wellness program or participated in a wellness program where the number of people that have told me it was actually fun. At the end they're like wow this was so fun i would love to do this again so that's it well you know what i love is that the i think that the the foundation of all this to make it sticky yeah and to make it and to make it like stick which is what everybody is is i mean it's like the brass ring with any kind of a a diet change is what's the recidivism like how many people a year later are still doing it. And typically, you know, you're lucky if 2%.
Engaging with Participants
[17:21] Are still doing it. And my understanding is that the amount of stickiness that you've seen with people with Central Garden and Pet that are doing the program and doing it correctly is what, 67%? Is that correct? Yes. It's really high. And it is so cool to see people continuing on with their success. So we have an amazing wellness community. So when everybody graduates, they become an alumni And we have meetings every other week where I have guest speakers. I might do a cooking demo.
[17:56] We have just very casual let's chat. Let's talk about challenges. Let's talk about wins. And people have really mentioned it's been really cool to meet other people in the company that they didn't even know across the company. And then to be sharing recipe ideas and get to participate in these really cool guest speaking opportunities.
[18:21] And then we also have this really cool employee ambassador program where graduates can go back into new cohorts and share their experience. So they're supporting the people in the new cohort as a graduate saying, hey, I have these amazing results. So I don't have to tell them the amazing results they'll get. The people that graduated are telling them. And I think that probably is one of the most motivating things for the new cohorts is just hearing people that are sticking with it long term and continuing to see benefits even after the program ends has been amazing. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. That's really exciting. Let me ask, I'm going to come back to you in a sec, Dawn, but either Dan or Vicky, feel free to jump in here and answer this question. But you mentioned how every participant gets smart devices. So you get a blood pressure cuff, you get a scale where you can weigh yourselves, you get at-home blood testing. So you can measure, I would imagine, it's fasting blood glucose. Tell me, how often, Dan, Vicky, does Dawn want you guys taking these measurements?
[19:42] I'll jump in. I mean, I think the idea is that you do it as often as you can, right? So I think that it's just like many things in the program. You know, nothing is required, right? We, you know, we definitely suggest something at the beginning and at least weekly. But I think for those of us that saw the results, you know, immediately I saw weight loss. I continuously every single day wanted to jump on the scale. Right. So I wanted to continue to see the progress because your progress motivates you to continue. Right. So and then you track that in the app. Right. So then you actually can see your progress. So you actually see a graph. So if you started a certain weight and then you're declining, you see your your your graph going down. So that it continues to be motivating for you. Yeah. Yeah. Same thing with the blood pressure. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And my understanding is that a very high percentage of employees are and this is very, very I mean, it almost kind of I think mirrors what's going on in America.
[20:57] By large, and that is there's a fair amount of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. And so I would imagine that that fasting glucose blood kit can help tremendously as people see what happens. My God, I'm actually eating fat. Fruit and lots of it and whole grains and vegetables and all these carbohydrates and my insulin sensitivity is going up, I am actually starting to reverse my type 2 diabetes by doing something as drastic as eating whole fruits and vegetables.
[21:41] So Dawn, and I'm going to come back to you, Vicky, and Dan in a sec. So this program, it combines high tech with high touch. And I think that the really cool thing is that all the participants can use their phones to access the program, which is very, very convenient. There's an AI version of yours truly to answer to answer any questions that's been programmed in there. But my understanding, and I'd love to hear from you, Dawn or Dan and Vicky, you also receive Plant Strong products as rewards for your participation. And I'm just wondering how much that also helps with the stickiness factor to make it, you know, stick. Yeah. I'll let Dan and Vicky answer that. Yeah, it helps. I mean, if you get rewarded, it's always a good thing, right? If you get rewarded for something, then, you know, hey, you know, that's good. So if you follow the challenge and everything like that, or not the challenge, but the weekly goal, yeah, we received some products and it's always nice to try something new.
[23:01] And the PlantStrong products are good quality. So it works out really well. They taste good. yeah yeah yeah and i think the other thing rip is that what this program helps you build are your tools for your toolkit right in your toolkit for success and the success within the program and outside of the program uh so i just received probably my my uh fifth order of plant strong foods um so i've i've continued to use them as part of the tools in my toolkit right so as i I think about things that I need kind of quickly or more ready to eat or if I want to just take the granola with me on travel, that type of thing. Or I or I take the single serve popcorns with me because sometimes you can use those in a hotel. So it just becomes, it's a reward, but it's also then becomes a tool in your toolkit, which the more tools you have in your toolkit, the more successful you'll be not only within the program, but after you graduate from the program. Yeah. You know, we're starting to call kind of this PlanStrong bundle that goes out to people. We're referring to it as kind of halfway homemade. So you have all the foundational ingredients and then you can customize it wherever you like. And I think it's also important for everybody to understand that we are not calling this a vegan or a plant-based program.
[24:28] And Dawn, I think you alluded to this at the top of our conversation. We're just asking people to eat a lot more fruits and vegetables and whole grains. And then by doing this, you're just inherently crowding out more of the animal products, the dairy products that we really want to minimize as much as we can over the course of these 12 weeks. So Dawn, let's talk about the results. We talked about it a little bit, the recidivism, but my understanding is that across hundreds of central employees, we're seeing about, as I said, 67% are staying fully engaged through the three-month period. What are you seeing as weight loss?
[25:20] You know, it definitely is so significant for people, but it varies as to how much, how close they want to go to whole food plant-based. So we give them the information they need to make the decision of how close to whole food plant-based they want. And then the closer they go, the faster the weight loss happens. So, um, you know, I was actually talking with Lori Kordowich about this and it, the weight loss people are experiencing is similar to GLP one drugs. I mean, it's been amazing and people have also been keeping it off, which has been really cool. And, um, And also after they graduate from the program, continuing to keep it off afterwards.
[26:07] Yeah. Well, yeah. So I asked Lori to kind of compile for me some of the results. And what she told me was that among those with weight to lose that have joined the program, remember people join for a variety of reasons. You got high blood pressure, you got insulin resistance. maybe you've had a brush across the bow with heart disease, but with those that are actually trying to lose weight, 72% have seen measurable results. And with those people averaging 4.4% weight loss in 12 weeks. And to your point, which is kind of right on par with some of the GLP one drugs. And then the other big one is, you know, we know that one of the greatest indicators, that puts you at risk for heart disease is an elevated LDL cholesterol. And we've seen about an average drop of 24% in that LDL. So, I mean, these are really clinical level outcomes without any drugs or side effects, which is a big, big boom across the board. Yes. I mean, really...
[27:28] The side effects have only been positive things. So, you know, when you're adding more plant foods, it's, it's also those intangible things. So aside from, you know, like the 72% in weight loss and the 24% drop in LDL cholesterol, it's also better mood, better sleep, better energy. So we've also started tracking some of those intangible things as well.
Cultural Shifts at Central Garden
[27:56] You know, we, we didn't start doing that, but we realized as we got more reports of that, we've started really looking more into, you know, those things that we're not necessarily going to get those exact percentages on, but just that they're reporting these other beneficial side effects. Yeah. So beyond the numbers and the stats.
[28:24] And Dan, Vicky, feel free to jump in here as well. But what have you guys seen like culturally? Has there been a change in the energy or the conversation inside Central Garden and Pet at any kind of level? Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, a lot of this, because a lot of people in, I'm up in the Walnut Creek area in California. A lot of people are talking about it. So you end up just, uh, and I'm like, Hey, where are you at? And, and Hey, you're looking good. And what's going on? And Hey, I did the plant strong thing. I'm still going on it and stuff like that. And, and then, you know, I'm start talking about where they see or, you know, see what you're eating. You're like, Hey, what is that? And then all of a sudden you're giving out a recipe and all that sort of stuff. And then they ask you about your stats, you know, what we just talked about. And then I told them my, my stats. network. And Dan, we're living in a very, very peculiar era right now with social media and all the influencers that are out there. I'm wondering, how are you guys coping or handling with all the naysayers that tell you that you should be doing the carnivore or the keto and those fruits are going to absolutely kill you, all the sugar that's in fruit. Are you guys able to hold your own.
Personal Stories of Transformation
[29:48] Doesn't bother me at all i they end up usually i mean i don't i don't really hear any naysayers realistically to tell you the truth it's more along the lines of people are curious on what i'm eating you know instead of like and you know protein is the big thing right everybody's just like what the hell are you doing for protein right and then uh but it's just like there's more protein and stuff than than you think so um and so that's one of the big things and then they're just kind of like all of a sudden it's kind of like kind of clicking in their head you know like oh okay so i can do that without you know eating meats or you know jesus and things like that well dan since um since i'm already talking to you i'd love to dive into your story just a little bit so what was the thing that motivated you originally to join the program.
[30:34] Um well um i basically had the kind of like the metabolic syndrome thing going on for so i mean In 91, when I was in college, I ended up becoming vegetarian, and I did it for 20 years, but I became anemic because I wasn't reading up on it, and so I kind of really fell off the wagon, and I started eating kind of crappy and stuff. So at any rate, I did that for quite a few years, and then just seeing my stats as far as the medical stats, you know, put my back on the blood pressure, and I'm on a blood pressure med, and then they talked about doing the statin, and I was just like, everybody I talked to about taking a stat and it's just like, don't get on that. So, um, and so I actually put my doc off for about a year and I was just like, I gotta, I gotta really.
[31:19] Get my head in the game here and figure this out and then all of a sudden you know and in the uh in the fall of this of this of 2024 and you know this the plant strong uh thing became available at work and that particular time i was just like yeah i don't know about as of right now but i was thinking about it so i already started kind of like doing better over the course even you know even through the holidays and then um and then on january i kind of started kind of doing a little bit more of my own just more kind of going more uh plant-based but then the program just really kicked it off um in march i did the march uh through may uh thing uh the cohort and it made a big difference so i'm still i'm still doing that i'm cutting still cutting out stuff you know a little bit more and more as i said it's not doesn't have to you know you know nobody's like shunning you or anything like that or you know doing a frowny face if you're you know you have a chicken alfredo or something like that on your plate or something that you post everybody's super cool it's and there's no judgment and everybody's very it's it's it's it's nice um but yeah my yeah my stats came down really good so um as far as i lost like uh.
[32:28] From the beginning of the year until the end of September, I lost over 40 pounds. 40 pounds? You must have – did people notice that? Yeah, a little bit. And then the total cholesterol went down 40 points. LDL is down 41. Triglycerides are down 25. And my A1C is down to 5.5. So it's down like 0.4. So it's down in that area where you want it to be and stuff like that. So, so, so your A1C was at 5.9.
[33:02] Okay. Yeah. So that's kind of borderline. So getting it below that 5.7 is great. So 5.5 congratulations on, on those success successes. So was there a moment during the 12 weeks when all of a sudden everything just kind of clicked, uh, or not? It was fairly soon because, um, uh, just the way that the program's actually, uh, done is, is is very well well thought out in regards you're just kind of like crowding out your plate more you just get more used to it right and then they say that so you only take 60 days to become a habit right and then your mind just kind of doing this subliminally right um so um it just it's very well laid out and it and it works it works you just start crowding your plate out and you get used to that and you start pre-loading one of the things is pre-loading your meals like with vegetables and so if you eat the salad beforehand and a glass and have a glass of water all of a sudden you're not eating as much let's say if you were having chicken with it you're not eating as much chicken and or whatever right because you're you're already getting more full um and then when you go out to dinner a place if i go to a steakhouse i don't i'm not eating steak or anything like that i get a really nice salad and then i get some of the sides so i get like the mushrooms or like a asparagus risotto or something like that there's always something on the menu anywhere you go so it's not as if you're all of a sudden you're you're out of luck because, you know, somebody said, Hey, let's call it the heat. There's always something on the menu. Yeah.
[34:28] So, you know, it's a trait, it's a trait old saying, but you know, you get out of something what you put into it. And I'm wondering how, how active were you in engaging in these live group coaching, uh, calls?
[34:42] Oh, um, yeah, I'm active. So I'm a part of the alumni. I've come in as an ambassador. I did, uh, we just did a three week, uh, alumni, uh, uh, challenge type of a thing. We kind of, you know, uh, it was up to you of whether you wanted to join or not, but, um, I went ahead and joined and, um, they, you know, touched on some, you know, getting more of the exercise, you know, aspect in there and stuff and, um, tracking that. And, um, there's a kind of cool challenge on, uh, um, getting up to 30 plants, new 30, um, 30 plants for the week, which is kind of cool as kind of a neat little challenge. Um, and, you know, I got people going, Hey, I, you know, I added like six new plants for the week, uh, today. And it's like, geez, what the heck are they eating? You know, and, uh, so it's kind of cool. So, um, it's, it's, it's a nice program. Yeah. Well, and you, you know where that 30 comes from? If not, I'll tell you. So the American gut project was 10 years long, involved 30 countries trying to determine the optimal number of kind of whole plants, including herbs and spices, that would optimize gut health, you know, the microbiome. And the number that came back was 30. So, and you'd be surprised at the end of, you know, and that's over the course of a week, right? Yeah.
[36:02] And, and of course we know that, you know, the most important thing for, for really gut health to feed those microbiome is fiber, all the different types of fiber that are out there and fiber only comes from, from whole plants. So it's a, it's a great win-win there.
[36:19] Dan, tell me this. What would you say to somebody that's listening right now who feels stuck or skeptical about trying something new?
[36:32] I mean get i mean if you're on the fence get off the fence i mean dive in because i mean you never know i used to tell my daughter this i just like how do you know that you're not passing up your new favorite food right so like tabbouleh i never had it before and then it's just like i'm looking for something in the store and like wow what the heck is that so i'm good so i had that and it's just like holy crap where have you been all my life right and um and so it's so stuff like that So realistically, I mean, if you I mean, if you just even just listen to the stats I just did, that's just only over. What is that? Seven months, seven months.
[37:11] Basically, I'm I'm hedging going on a statin drug. I reduce my blood pressure meds. I'm having a little bit of complication because I was on him for so darn long. But that's not anything to do with the diet. It's just because of the medication is. But, you know, I try glycerides and everything like that. Um uh a1c if you have anything like metabolic syndrome or or any of the any of the things where you're like the doc is wanting to get you on a med i'd have to really push you and and say try this first because you're gonna it's gonna work out better for you um i read dr michael drecker's book how not the diet also um ultra processed people and now i'm reading dr ben lynch's book on dirty jeans. It just becomes part of a thing where you start thinking about it more and the more you know, the better off you are.
[38:04] Yeah. I'm going to be better. Yeah. Dan, are you single? You married? Divorced? Married? My wife's going along with it. She's a super, super lady, and she's lost weight. She says, if you're cooking at it, I'll eat it. So, like, okay, cool. So, yeah, she's lost weight, so it's nice. We're seeing the progress. I mean, you feel more energetic. I can definitely feel somewhere along the line there. I don't know what week it was. Maybe it was, I don't know, week nine or something like that. You could actually feel, um, more energetic where, you know, you had a list at home of, you know, honey do's and you're just kind of, yeah, I'll get to those someday. Right. Um, you actually kind of felt a little more like, yeah, I think I'll actually, you know, let's, let's knock out a couple of these things. You kind of feel a little more energized to get some stuff done. It's kind of like a, it's kind of like a snowball.
Vicky’s Journey from Keto
[39:02] Yeah. Yeah. All right. Hey, Dan, thank you for all that, uh, information. Hey, Vicky, you ready to take center stage? Sure. All right. So Vicky, you and your story is so relatable, right? So my understanding is that you followed the keto diet for years. You even, tell me if this is correct, you avoided all fruit for close to five years. Is that right? Over five years, yes. Over five years. I can't even imagine that. So what made you decide to take this leap of faith and try something absolutely on the 180 degree side of the equation here?
[39:49] Yeah, there was kind of two main reasons. So, you know, I thought I was doing all the right things by living a keto lifestyle. But I got my blood work back. And my blood work really wasn't where I thought it should be or anyone would think it should be, you know. So I thought, wow, it kind of gave me some pause. And right around that time, I saw an email come through regarding the PlantStrong program. And what I liked about the PlantStrong program is that there was actually tools, there was metrics, there was data that was going to tell me either it was going to work for me or not work for me. And so as I thought about this, I was like, well, what do I have to lose? Because I'm going to give it 12 weeks of my life. I was really scared because honestly, what I thought was going to happen, Rip, is I was going to gain a ton of weight, Right. I was going to start eating fruit. I was going to start eating whole grains. I hadn't also eaten whole grains in over five years. So I was going to completely change and do all the things that I wasn't doing. And I thought I was going to gain weight. And so that's that was really my fear. But at the same time, I also felt if I was going to try it, I was going to go all in. Right. I was going to jump in and it was either going to work for me or not.
[41:15] And, and I didn't have to question if it worked or not because I had the metrics, right? I had a scale, I had blood pressure, and then I had blood work. That's going to tell me, you know, before or after results. And as I mentioned to you earlier, um, being so scared of eating fruit, you know, that was our first, uh, three weeks section as we added fruit in, right? So that, you know, we would do a min chunks and I was sure I was going to gain weight. Right. And so within the first week, I lost six pounds. I was not going into this program to lose weight. Right. So I, and so it was really, um, you know, it was this idea about, I, I was becoming more aware of the relationship between food and inflammation and how it made me feel. So I felt like this was the time to try something different. And that's really why I jumped in. Give me an idea.
[42:20] So you're, you were doing keto for almost five years. Did that involve mostly just animal products and dairy products and no, no grains, no fruit, very, probably very little vegetables. Um, I mean, what, what, how is your energy? What were some of the worst side effects? I mean, did you, did you have constipation uh because because you weren't eating fiber what was that like no i mean i ate what i ate was i um i ate vegetables i ate dairy dairy products and i ate eggs right and so those were the kind of the three things because i actually haven't eaten kind of you know um meat in a very long time so i had kind of started as a vegetarian and then i kind of went uh you know i've been on a journey, you know, vegetarian, vegan, then I pescetarian, then I did like kind of this.
[43:16] Hybrid, um, you know, with, with keto, but no, I, I mean, I was, I was feeling great and I was, you know, um.
[43:24] Maintaining a good weight. But again, it was really this idea about all we just talked about Dawn's dad's journey, right? I exercise, I'm highly active. I mean, I'm, I'm running marathons, I'm, I'm, I'm, you know, spinning and stuff. So it wasn't outwardly, but it was when I saw the blood work, and I could see what was going on inside of me. I really, it gave me pause. And then when I did the program, then I really realized how the impact of what was going on, what I was putting inside my body was impacting what was going on inside my body. Can you share specifically, like, what were some of the tangible benefits that you saw numbers wise? Sure. Yeah, sure. So I've lost 10% of my body weight. Um and and Dawn knows this because we've talked about it is that i didn't think i had anything to lose um but what it tells me is that i actually really did because i'm doing what my body wants wants me to do um which helps me kind of with my activity level and continuing to live a really active lifestyle um my overall cholesterol reduced by 25 and my ldl reduced by 45 wow Wow. Can you, do you know specifically what your LDL was and what it came down to? I did. It was.
[44:52] 115 and it went down to 63. 115 to 63. Yeah, that's wonderful. Especially getting that LDL down below 80 is really a wonderful accomplishment. Congratulations there. Thanks. Tell me this. You haven't had it yet. Didn't have a fruit for five years. When you gave yourself permission to have a piece of fruit, what was the first fruit that you had and how did it taste? Can you remember?
[45:24] I remember distinctly trying grapefruit and we have a farmer's market here and I bought a grapefruit from one of the stands and it was so good. But probably what I even remember more was the first time I went to a grocery store and I went in the produce section and almost the vibrancy of the fruit like popping out at me. Because I think I actually hadn't looked at it in so long. And I had eaten vegetables, so I'd go to the vegetable section. But it was really transformational to start adding fruits back in. Yeah. Well, and now you're getting just that rainbow of colors that are indicative of all the different phytonutrients that are there in all of the fruits and the vegetables and everything.
[46:23] So interesting to me is that you're a, it sounds like a marathoner, you're a runner. I'm wondering, did you notice any noticeable changes in your performance, your energy while you were working out or no? Where I saw the big difference was in recovery. And just really overall, you know, how I felt, like how quickly I recovered. What I was finding is I was, I think I was holding a lot of inflammation in my body before. And so I couldn't, you know, I had some challenges, again, with recovery. And I just, and all of a sudden, so now I can, I don't have the length of recovery. I feel better doing it, but probably more importantly, I feel better after. And I can get back on it, you know, sooner.
[47:29] What, what has it been like? Uh, are you still eating any eggs or those kinds of things? No, I went cold Turkey. So I, I started on, um, you know, beginning of March, whatever the, the exact date of our program was. Um, but I just went cold Turkey. We like to say cold kale, cold kale.
[47:53] Exactly. So what, you know, I asked this to Dan, I want to ask this to you. So what advice would you give to people that are thinking they're on the fence and they're wondering if they should try something as radical as eating, you know, fruits and vegetables and whole grains and beans? Yeah, similar to Dan. I mean, I think the numbers don't lie. I mean, I think you, you owe it to yourself, um, to try it. Um, I truly believe that this program, uh, not only has changed my life, it's enhanced my life, but it's lengthened my life. Um, but that really only, um, I can really say that not only how I feel, but really the numbers, right? So if you're, if you're on the fence, why not try it, um, measure your progress and then you can decide, you know, if it works for you. Yeah. Yeah. Wonderful. Uh, would you, what would you say to anybody that is doing keto or the carnivore diet right now? Any, uh, anything you'd like to say to them?
Overcoming Fears of Food
[49:11] Oh, I don't think so. I mean, I think everybody does something for a reason in their life at that moment. And I think they're, I'm in a no judgment zone. Like we, the one thing that we've, we've, we talk about essential as being in a no judgment zone. And I think everyone that's living a particular lifestyle is doing it because I think it's the best thing for them at the time. But what I would say is that, you know, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, you know, they're not scary, right? And I think that that was the one thing that I was so scared off that I probably did myself some disservice for such a long time not eating them. Yeah. So not to beat a dead bunch of kale here, but, but, but let's, I, and then, and then I'm going to close this, this out, but I just would, who was it or how was it that you somehow got this fear instilled in you that fruits, maybe some vegetables and grains, and maybe potentially even beans were somehow not healthy. Can you remember where that started?
[50:31] So the reason I went on Kato in the first place was to lose weight, right? And so when you restrict yourself and then you lose weight and then you see positive results, then your fear, whether it was a self-made fear or came from somebody I don't know, is the fear is that those things that made you successful by taking them out, by putting them back in would then reverse your success. So that's really where that came from. Yeah. Well, I think an appropriate... Quote here would be, plants conquer fear. Plants can conquer fear, especially whole plants.
[51:14] Well, so Vicky and Dan, I want to thank you both so much for sharing your really inspirational stories and the results that you've had with the Plants Drawn
Celebrating Successes Together
[51:26] by Metabyte program. It's fantastic. I want to appreciate you guys for continuing to give back and be absolutely wonderful, full shining ambassadors for what's possible with this program with Central Garden and Pet. Dawn, I want to thank you for being the glue that is really, you know, holding this program together. And, you know, although I am not in there whatsoever day to day, the word on the street is that you have consistently gone above and beyond supporting all the participants. And so, So, you know, huge shout out to you. And as I said at the top of the hour, I am so excited to see you in Black Mountain for our six day PlanStrong retreat. It's going to be an absolute ball.
[52:17] I mean, Dawn, how proud of you are Dan and Vicky iand all the other participants that have leaned into this program? I, you know, I, it makes me so excited to get up every day. I mean, Dan and Vicky, you guys know, I am so grateful that you guys joined the program and you're open to sharing and that you had the courage to stick with it. I'm just so proud of everybody for doing this because this is not a cultural norm. This is going against what our current culture is. And you've stuck with it and had fun and seen the results. And now you are inspiring more people because nobody wants to listen to me or the registered dietitian coaches. It's you guys that are really inspiring everybody and you guys that have given us the honest feedback of this didn't work. This did work. so we could then implement that with future cohorts. And you guys still constantly are giving us amazing feedback. So I am so grateful to you guys because this is like a dream for me. It's so fun. I just look forward to getting up every day. I love it. It's amazing. So, you know, thanks to you too and to all the participants and to you, Rip. This whole thing has been just like a dream come true for me.
[53:39] Yeah, yeah. Well, it's a dream come true for us to see the implementation and the courage of Central Garden and Pet to implement this kind of a program.
[53:51] So to close it out, I just want to say to everybody that's listening, you know, this...
[53:57] This can be the future. This can be food as medicine, as we're seeing here with all the results. You know, together with our clinical research team, we've been collecting data for a long, long time, and we'll be publishing three peer-reviewed papers over the course, I think my understanding is by December. So by, by the beginning of 2026 and proving to me that when you put nutrition
A Vision for the Future
[54:30] at the heart of corporate wellness, everything has the potential to change. I want to just say to all the listeners right now, if you happen to be a business leader or an HR our executive that's listening, imagine your employees doing what Dan is doing, doing what Vicky is doing, which is reporting lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, more energy, better sleep, all through the power of food. And this is not a dream. This is what's happening right now. If you want more information, go to liveplanstrong.com. You can see the clinical research team that we have assembled and all the wonderful work we're doing.
[55:12] Um, so Dawn, Dan, Vicky, um, you guys are my plant strong sisters and brother, and you guys, you make us all look good. So thanks so much for, for representing the lifestyle. Um, can you guys give me a plant strong fist bump on the way out oh yeah all right plan strong go get them kale to the yeah.
[55:42] I want to give a huge shout out to Dawn, Vicky, and Dan for sharing their powerful stories and showing us what is possible when you take small steps towards a more plan-strong life. Central Garden and Pet is proving that when companies invest in real nutrition, everything changes. Energy, culture, and clinical outcomes. If you're a business leader or HR professional that's listening, imagine your workforce experiencing lower blood pressure lower cholesterol better sleep and more vitality all through food the future is here learn more at liveplantstrong.com and then click on corporate wellness and as always i'll put a direct link in today's show notes until next week always always remember to keep it Plant Strong.
