PLANTSTRONG Podcast Ep. 297: Jan Brown - From Toxic Diet Culture to Food Freedom
From a childhood steeped in toxic diet culture and years of yo-yo dieting, to finding peace and purpose through a plant-based lifestyle—today’s guest, Jan Brown, shares her powerful story of transformation.
It all started with a post in the PLANTSTRONG Community Facebook group. Jan wrote:
“I grew up with a mom who was always dieting. I ate everything diet and low calorie, and yet I was the biggest kid in my class. My weight kept climbing once I was out of school, and anxiety and depression took over. I was on a vicious cycle of binge eating and starvation. My last known weight was 320 pounds.”
That was more than 23 years ago.
Today, Jan is a thriving wife and mother who continues to embrace a plant-abundant lifestyle. In this episode, she opens up about the pivotal moments that changed everything—including a simple book and a heartfelt letter to Dr. McDougall—and how those signs led her to a life of strength, health, and freedom.
We dive into:
- Growing up in diet culture and breaking free from it
- The emotional toll of weight gain and disordered eating
- Finding freedom through whole food, plant-based eating
- Dealing with criticism and doubt from others
- Acceptance of her new body and celebrating accomplishments and finish lines
- What truly fuels Jan’s plant-strong life today - hint: it’s tattooed on her hand!
This is a story of healing, resilience, and what happens when you finally stop dieting—and start nourishing.
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