What if the real reason why we can't change our habits has nothing to do with willpower?

Leo Babauta, creator of Zen Habits and one of the original voices on mindfulness and simplicity on the Internet, joins the Plantwise Book Club crew for a conversation that goes deep. We talk about the emotions hiding underneath our food choices, why "should" never works, and what happens when we stop running from discomfort and just… sit with it.

Plus, Leo shares how he went from overweight, in debt, and smoking to running marathons, going vegan, and building a life aligned with his values. The real shift? Love.

This starts with "pick a tiny habit and go from there" and goes much deeper.

Recorded live as a fireside chat with the Plantwise Book Club during our deep dive into Leo's book Essential Zen Habits. 🔗 Leo's blog: http://zenhabits.net ✍️ Leo's new book-in-progress: http://zenofdoing.substack.com 📖 Leo's book Essential Zen Habits which was the Plantwise book of the month in February 2026: https://bookshop.org/a/114636/9781434105257

💚 Join the Plantwise Book Club: https://skool.com/plantwise/about/

Javant Benton's healthy journey started when a possibly lymphoma diagnosis shook him to his core. Pre-diabetes and high blood pressure ran in his family but he wasn't prepared for cancer. This health scare set him on a path of discovery that led to losing 80 pounds, reversing his chronic disease signs, and falling in love with whole food plant-based cooking.

His Instagram is super inspiring! https://instagram.com/healthyveganeating/ and you can also follow him here on YouTube: http://youtube.com/@healthyveganeating

Everything he does is oil free, refined-sugar free, and wheat free... and it all looks AMAZING!

Javant's first cookbook, Make Your Own, is just coming out on March 17th, 2026, and it's a MUST HAVE! I hardly ever endorse cookbooks but I love everything about how Javant creates delightful meals from whole plant foods, and I know my Plantwise people are going to love it too.

📚 Get Javant's first cookbook, Make Your Own, from Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/114636/9780306836695 Your purchase using this link will support the Plantwise Book Club, at no extra cost to you. Also available in all bookstores.

This podcast is brought to you by the Plantwise Book Club: a welcoming community of curious people who want to learn from the top sources about plant-based nutrition *and* put what they learn into practice in their everyday lives. Learn more and join us here: https://skool.com/plantwise/about/

Welcome to the first episode of the Plantwise Podcast! Host Brigitte Gemme sits down with legendary vegan advocate Victoria Moran, a 2024 Vegan Hall of Fame inductee, author of 14 books, and founder of Main Street Vegan Academy.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Victoria shares:

• Why she'd be vegan even if it wasn't good for her health
• What it's like to age publicly as a vegan at 75
• Her perspective on mortality ("We're all holograms passing through")
• The spiritual roots of veganism most people don't know about
• Her Ayurveda-inspired daily routine
• What's next for Main Street Vegan Academy
• The book she hopes to write next

Whether you've followed Victoria for years or you're just discovering her work, this episode is a masterclass in living with purpose, compassion, and good sense.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Plantwise Book Club https://brigittegemme.com/plantwise-book-club/
• Creating a Charmed Life by Victoria Moran https://bookshop.org/a/114636/9780062515803
• Main Street Vegan by Victoria Moran https://amzn.to/4r0yQsf
• Age Like a Yogi by Victoria Moran https://bookshop.org/a/114636/9781958972595
• Main Street Vegan Academy https://mainstreetvegan.com/
• Healthy Vegan Cooking Club https://veganfamilykitchen.com/cooking-club/
• The Compassion Consortium https://www.compassionconsortium.org/

Join the Plantwise Book Club to go deeper and go from knowledge to healthy habits! Learn more: https://brigittegemme.com/plantwise-book-club/