The SmartyPlants Podcast

On Episode 14 of The SmartyPlants Podcast, we're talking about Food Cravings! You know the feeling that hits you out of nowhere and you can't think of anything else except…….chocolate.  90% of people experience food cravings! Judi and Phil talk about their own food cravings—Judi is a salty crunchy person and Phill's cravings really set in after dinner. They talk about their childhood favorites—buttered popcorn, Chex mix and a giant bin full of candy—and how those things all play a role in what they crave today. Did you know that humans are actually hard-wired to crave foods that are higher in calories and contain lots of sugar and oil? That's why you can't just eat one potato chip. When you're doing something pleasurable, your brain releases a large amount of dopamine. You feel good and you seek more of that feeling. Our brains want more, more, more! Do you know how much sugar is in soda? Get ready to have your mind blown!  They discuss other reasons we have cravings—hormones, habit, stress and emotional reasons and what to do to curb them.   So tune-in, and kick those cravings to the curb! Or, lean into them gently.  ​Links SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/    SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart    SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan    Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg

Episode 13 of The SmartyPlants Podcast—A Trip to The Grocery Store.   When you are new to eating plant-based, your first trip to the grocery can be daunting. We get it! So, in this episode, Judi and Phill take us on a trip to the grocery store!  First, they talk a little bit about farmer's markets and why they feel these are great places to pick up your produce—you'll be supporting your farmers, supporting your body, and supporting your planet. All great things! Then, they hit the grocery store. They break down the entire produce section and explain how we should spend most of our time here and why eating the rainbow is so important in keeping us healthy.  They explain packaging: Package buzzwords that scream out from the front of the package like: “Healthy”, “All-Natural”, and “Multi-Grain”, which are meant to draw us in and entice us to buy products.   Reading Labels—understanding the ingredients list and nutrition labels once and for all.   They also walk us through each section of the grocery store and give suggestions on all of the body nourishing plant food that we can be filling our carts with.   So, tune-in because after listening, you'll be all set to hit the grocery store and navigate it like a plant-based rockstar!   --Links-- Website: SmartyPlants: https://smartyplants.org/  SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart  SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan  Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg   

On Episode 12 of The SmartyPlants Podcast—Judi talks with Chef AJ!  A former comedian, Chef AJ is a plant-based chef, a culinary instructor, and a public speaker.  She is the author of the book Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight, which chronicles her journey from an obese junk-food vegan faced to learning how to create foods that nourish and heal the body.  She is also the author of the book The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss:  A Revolutionary Approach to Conquer Cravings, Overcome Food Addiction and Lose Weight Without Going Hungry, and co-author of the book Own Your Health-how to live long & avoid chronic disease. She was the host of the television series Healthy Living with CHEF AJ which airs on Foody TV.  She is also the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program, which has helped hundreds of people achieve the health and the body that they deserve, and is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol. On this episode of The SmartyPlants podcast, Chef AJ tells us how she became vegan for ethical reasons at the age of 17, 44 years ago, but struggled with obesity for decades, with food addictions to processed foods, and refined sugar, until she shifted her diet towards complex carbs and a whole-food, plant-based diet. This episode is a must if you struggle with food addiction. Chef AJ tells us how sugar, salt, flour, alcohol are all addictive. How do you know if you have a problem with a particular type of food or drink? Chef AJ reads 10 questions from her book that you can ask yourself—am I addicted? They dive deep into a discussion on alcohol and she actually has Judi questioning her own alcohol consumption.  She busts the myth that carbs make you fat! It's the company that they keep-butter, bacon bits, cheese–that makes them bad for us. What food is the most slimming food you can eat? Potatoes! Can you believe it? They talk about a caloric density approach to losing weight and how you can eat much more volume of foods that have low calorie density. People like high calorie foods because the more calorie dense they are, the more dopamine is released in our brains. And, we get a sneak peek into what a typical day of eating looks like for her. So, tune-in because this is another great episode! Where can you find Chef AJ? On her website: https://www.chefaj.com Chef AJ does a live show on YouTube everyday! Check out her show, Chef AJ LIVE: https://www.youtube.com/c/CHEFAJ You can find her 3 books here:  The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G1BL59Y Unprocessed https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006IBVXBU Own Your Health-How to live long and avoid chronic illness https://www.amazon.com/Own-Your-Health-Chronic-Illness Links: Website:  SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/  SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart    SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan  Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants  Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg    

On Episode 11 of The SmartyPlants Podcast—Here Comes Summer-Part 2, Judi and Phill are back with more of their summer update!   Judi tells us about her backyard and all of the planting that is going on this week. She talks about “sleepers, creepers and leapers”--and how things are starting to leap back there! She tells us about squirrels, chipmunks, blue bird houses and the bat show going on in her yard every night…yes, bats!  And, how to identify bird calls—there is an app for that!  Phill talks about his garden and how it's coming along, weeding, and actually enjoying nature. And, how to recognize plants with your iphone in just a few clicks! Who knew?!? He also talks about composting and how the cycles work–what to throw in and what not to. And, Judi talks a little bit about her August wedding plans—or lack of plans so far!  So, tune-in because this is another fun one!   Links: Link the merlin app (for bird calls): https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/   Link to how to identify plants with your iphone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llVIauIdWbg   Website:  SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/    SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart    SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan  Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg  

On Episode 10 of The SmartyPlants Podcast, Judi and Phill discuss Here Comes Summer-Part 1. Judi mentions a super special trip to Puerto Rico that she, her daughter and their friends have planned. She also mentions doing a plant-based travel log for us while she's there! They discuss how when you eat a plant-based diet, planning is key and they give us tips on how to make a plant-based diet work for you if you feel that when eating this way there is just “too much cooking”. If you're wondering how you're ever going to live without your favorite foods again, they break down what you're really craving— is it the actual beef and pork or is it the texture, saltiness and smokiness of the food? Phill compares it to giving up smoking—one day at a time. Judi tells us that after learning about the dairy industry, it sealed the deal for her. It was now about more than just her health. Judi talks about paddle boarding this summer and Phill tells some funny vacation stories - a paddle board rescue, a deep-end of the pool escape and a wave runner experience that got a little scary!  So, tune-in because this is a fun one!   Links Website:  SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/    SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart    SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan  Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg   

On Episode 9 of The SmartyPlants Podcast, Judi talks with her good friend Armando Alvarez about his inspiring health journey and how he reversed type 2 diabetes and heart disease by eating a whole food, plant-based diet!   As a young athlete who was focused on eating healthy, he was shocked to find out that he had become a full-blown diabetic with heart disease in his forties. One of his arteries was actually 100% blocked, and the “widow maker” artery was 70% blocked! His doctors told him that bypass surgery was in order and was even told he was a “ticking time bomb”.     Armando decided to focus on his lifestyle–predominately his diet–instead of surgery, and healed his body with a whole-food, plant-based diet.   He shares with us the 6 words his plant-based doctor told him that completely changed his life and wants us to remember that your diagnosis is not your prognosis!   He is now healthy, happy, and has run 5 half marathons so far and multiple 5K's!    He shares tips with us for people new to eating plant-based on how to give your body a winning chance.   His courageous journey is very inspiring, he's a wealth of information and fun to talk to.   So, tune-in because you won't want to miss it!    Links:   Follow Armando's continuing journey on Instagram: @allheart1959   Website:  SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/    SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart    SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan  Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg   

Episode 8 of The SmartyPlants Podcast, is Part 2 of Judi and Phill's discussion on Weight Loss.    This is an important conversation to have because weight is something that many people struggle with and in fact, obesity is epidemic in the US. And, this is not a good thing because it's linked to chronic disease including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.  They continue their conversation on oil and why it's not a great idea to be ingesting it.  They also talk about: Fiber—why getting enough of it helps with weight loss. Exercise—do something you enjoy to make it sustainable. Why they believe you shouldn't drink your calories if you're looking to lose weight—meaning juices and smoothies. And, lots more! So, tune-in because this episode is packed with great weight loss info!   --Links-- Products discussed on the show:  Oculus https://amzn.to/3lFL4r8 Website:  SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/  SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart  SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan  Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg  

On Episode 7 of The SmartyPlants Podcast, Judi and Phill discuss Weight Loss.  Weight is something that many people struggle with and in fact, obesity is epidemic in the US. And, this is not a good thing because it's linked to chronic disease including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.  They talk about: What it means to be overweight and obese Fad diets—how they are not sustainable and never lead to keeping the weight off BMI–a formula that calculates whether people are at a healthy weight or not Calorie Density  How to eat more and still lose weight!  Calories IN, calories OUT. How weight loss comes down to simple math!  They explain how to lose 10 pounds in 5 weeks! How snacking on even healthy fats (like nuts) can keep the pounds on. Why no oil? This is a question they are asked all the time so they dive deep into it. Healthy fats—nuts, seeds and avocados and how to incorporate them into a WFPB diet. They had so much to say on this topic, that they broke it into 2 episodes! So, tune-in because this episode is packed with great info and then come back next week for more!   ----Links----   Products discussed on the show:  Oculus:  https://amzn.to/3lFL4r8   BMI (Body Mass Index) calculator https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html Website:  SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/  SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart  SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan  Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg     

On Episode 6 of The SmartyPlants Podcast, Judi and Phill discuss Part 2 of Tips and Tricks on how to make a plant-based lifestyle (and cooking!) more enjoyable. When you eat this way, you have to cook because that is the only way to know exactly what's in your food. So, this means cooking your own components—things like cheese sauces, pasta sauces, and meaty tofu crumbles. Why not make cooking easier and fun? In Part 2 they discuss money saving tips, food waste tips, organizing your kitchen, must-have appliances and gadgets, oil-free cooking, the only knives you'll ever need and much, much more!  This episode is loaded with tips and tricks, a lot of fun and a big dose of inspiration. So tune-in, and get inspired to make cooking more enjoyable!    Links: Products discussed on the show:  Vitamix Blender: https://amzn.to/3Mqdnpb  Double Compost Tumbler: https://amzn.to/3sJWDRZ  Instant Pot: https://amzn.to/3MmK1bq  Food Processor: https://amzn.to/3FSKnDY Bench Scraper: https://amzn.to/3wjCN2g  Garlic Press: https://amzn.to/3NeVtpo    Website:  SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/  SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart  SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan    Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg  

On Episode 5 of The SmartyPlants Podcast, Judi and Phill discuss Tips and Tricks on how to make a plant-based lifestyle (and cooking!) more enjoyable.   When you eat this way, you have to cook because that is the only way to know exactly what's in your food. So, this means cooking your own components—things like cheese sauces, pasta sauces, and meaty tofu crumbles. Why not make cooking easier and fun? They discuss time saving tips like doubling up on recipes, prepping dressings for the week, and why this way of eating is actually less expensive than eating a SAD diet. They also talk about how having a plan is key to this way of eating, batch cooking ideas (even snacks!), repurposing components, using your freezer, spice cabinet tips, and why fun themes like Taco Tuesday are helpful. This episode is loaded with tips and tricks and a big dose of inspiration. So tune-in, and get inspired to make cooking more enjoyable!  Peace+Plants+Love Products discussed on the show:  Oculus:  https://amzn.to/3vWr8pP Vitamix Blender: https://amzn.to/3Mqdnpb  Double Compost Tumbler: https://amzn.to/3sJWDRZ  Instant Pot: https://amzn.to/3MmK1bq  Food Processor: https://amzn.to/3FSKnDY Bench Scraper: https://amzn.to/3wjCN2g  Garlic Press: https://amzn.to/3NeVtpo    Website:  SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/  SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart  SmartyPlants Weekly Meal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan    Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg  

On Episode 4 of The SmartyPlants Podcast, Judi and Phill discuss Navigating Social Events and Situations—dinner parties, cocktail parties, summer BBQ's, restaurants, weddings—you know, the fun stuff! And, all of the challenging and funny situations that come along with them when you eat a plant-based diet. They share personal stories, uncomfortable situations they've been in, how to handle questions from others–things like: Where do you get your protein? I could never give up bacon. I can't live without cheese! I would be so bored eating salad and tofu all day. My body needs meat. It's too expensive to eat that way. I don't have time. It's too extreme! Can't you have just one bite?   Judi talks about hiding her plant-based lifestyle at first and why this was probably not a good idea (it can lead to even more uncomfortable situations!) and how as her confidence grew, she realized why speaking up was important.  They talk about how they use humor to diffuse awkward situations, how to handle receiving gifts containing animal products (Judi learned the hard way!) And, Phill shares a whopper of a meltdown he had at a pizza place after his patience was repeatedly….and repeatedly tested. This is a fun one, so tune-in! More info about SmartyPlants: SmartyPlants.org - Main Website SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart - Get started on a Plant-Based diet!  SmartyPlants Weekly Meal Plan - New recipes each week, customizable meal planner, recipe box with 100's of recipes and much more!  

In this episode, Judi and Phill discuss The Standard American Diet, also known as the SAD, diet which means it's what most Americans typically eat every day: 63%—highly processed and refined foods 25%—animal-based foods 12%—plant-based foods They point out that chronic disease, obesity, heart disease and diabetes are now at epidemic levels in the US. Any why it's the food we are eating that is literally killing us. They break down what a typical day of eating looked like for them before going plant-based (lots of animal products!) what a typical day looks like for most Americans, how we are bombarded with food advertising everywhere we turn, how some of the worst foods are also the most inexpensive and the most convenient.  They also discuss how genes do not play the role we may think they do when it comes to being at risk for chronic disease (only 5%!), and how it's lifestyle choices that matter. And, how as we get older, our lifestyle choices start to add up.  And they share some great news with us! We not only have the power to prevent all of this from happening in the first place, we also have the power to turn all of this around and reverse chronic disease by eating a whole food, plant-based diet. This episode is packed with great info that will really make you think about what you are putting into your body. It may surprise you. Peace+Love+Plants More info about SmartyPlants: SmartyPlants.org SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart   SmartyPlants Weekly Meal Plan

In this episode, Judi and Phill talk about what exactly a whole food, plant-based diet is and why it is so important. They talk about how plants are nutrient-dense, and powerful and how you can help to heal the planet with the same food you eat to heal your body!  They discuss the differences between being vegan, plant-based and whole-food plant-based—which there seems to be some confusion about! They talk about whole grains vs refined grains, processed foods vs minimally processed foods (which they love!), animal products and why they avoid them, oil and why they skip it 90% of the time, but eat an occasional Impossible burger. They dive deep into WHY they are able to maintain this lifestyle (the food is delicious!), after being meat-eaters their whole lives. By the end of this episode, you'll know everything there is to know about a whole food, plant-based diet and why it is the most powerful thing you can do to help your health, the planet and the animals that live here with us. We are so happy that you're here. Thanks for listening! Peace+Plants+Love Links: SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/ SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart  SmartyPlants Weekly Mal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan    Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants  Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg

On today's show, Judi and Phill talk about their personal journeys into plant-based eating—their childhoods, how they grew up, what they ate, health issues, weight struggles, fears, successes and dreams for the future. Tune-in and get to know them!   If you have friends who you think could benefit from this podcast, who need to be inspired to take their health into their own hands so they can live the vibrant life you know they want, please let them know about this show and where to find us. And, please subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode! We are so happy that you're here. Thanks for listening! Peace+Plants+Love Links: SmartyPlants Website: https://smartyplants.org/ SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart Info: https://smartyplants.org/28-day-kickstart  SmartyPlants Weekly Mal plan Info: https://smartyplants.org/weekly-meal-plan    Follow us on social media SmartyPlants Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smartyplants.org  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartyplantsorg/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SmartyPlants  Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartyplantsorg

Judi & Phill discuss everything under the sun when it comes to living a plant-based lifestyle. We dive deep into a wide range of subjects that will inspire you to to take control of your health, heal the planet and to live a more compassionate lifestyle. Peace+Plants+Love For more info about SmartyPlants: SmartyPlants.org SmartyPlants 28 Day Kickstart SmartyPlants Weekly Meal Plan