7. Josh LaJaunie - 400lbs to Ultramarathon Runner & the Power of a Plant Based Diet from a Bayou Boy

My guest today is Josh LaJaunie. Josh not only has an incredible story, but an incredible heart. There is no doubt in my mind you all will instantly connect and fall in love with the man Josh is. His authenticity and ability to express how he feels and where he is at, with his Bayou accent will have you listening to every word.  And that is great, because Josh has been through some INCREDIBLE changes and feats in his life, so you want to listen. He was born and raised in south louisiana. He grew up hunting, fishing, drinking, eating, playing football, and getting fat. Ultimately he found himself tipping the scales at over 400 lbs in early 2011.  He has since lost 200 lbs, developed a love for running-running over 10 ultra marathons & even placing first place, and is now exclusively a plant-based, plant-powered, aspiring athlete. He is now on a mission to share his journey to help us all take that next step to make healthier choices. This episode will have you crying with us and taking away SO many tools and shifts to help you anywhere you are on your journey. What you’ll hear in this episode: *The 1st 60 minutes are us doing REAL talk - just fair warning we didn’t take this out. -Josh shares so authentically where he is at right now.  It’s been a tough season for him, since Covid, and this past year.  He shares what’s been going on and how he is human through it all. -That no matter what we have accomplished in the past, that doesn't mean we don’t go through seasons that suck, that one thing after another brings us down. -I highly recommend starting HERE -listening to us do the REAL talk -and then taking some extra time to hear more of Josh’s story & tips from his journey of being 400+lbs to becoming an ultra runner, to turning to a plant based diet. *About an hour in we dive into his story - He’s been trying not to be fat his whole life. -He’s been a typical south Louisiana kid who grew up eating fried deer meat sandwiches, skinning hogs, drinking a 12 pack of Bud & some whiskey and maybe even some chemicals to stay up all night hunting or doing crazy stuff, before he shifted. *The Crescent City Classic 10k - the first race he did and how he got started running, ran that race at 320/330lbs in 1hr and 43minutes. *How his Dad’s struggling with mental health was an impetus for change. *That first month he started working out - scale said ‘Error’ - meaning over 400lbs -He started jogging around 380lbs, working out at the gym, ran the race after losing 50lbs *He had to convince his family with his ACTIONS - that this weight loss, running, and lifestyle was real. -Then they started to come over to his side and shift themselves.  Now all his family started to change and they all lost weight and have kept it off. -How giving up meat and dairy was the final 1-2 punch to not only lose the weight, but to keep it off!! (1hr 15 min) *Josh shares some great whole food plant based resources - the book Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition and Finding Ultra by Rich Roll *The Pleasure Trap - Josh shares an idea from Dr. Doug Lyles - it takes 20 days to adapt to new foods, like oreos to broccoli. (1hr 25min) *“Rather than think of it, I need to avoid these foods, understand their power, and RESPECT them.”  To help you get through cravings or food that has power over you. - A powerful idea from his friend David Clark  (1hr 30min) *And SO MUCH MORE Find Josh on IG @joshlajaunie or his website www.joshlajaunie.com to learn more about Josh and continue to follow along on his journey.