Vedge Your Best, Vegan Ideas for Everyone At Any Age

If you’ve ever wondered why you don’t follow through on things you truly want — going vegan, strengthening your body, decluttering your home, writing your book, or simply showing up as the version of yourself you keep imagining — today’s episode is for you..Michele breaks down one of the most overlooked truths about personal growth:The hardest part of change isn’t doing the thing. The hardest part of change is remembering — TODAY — to DO the thing.Michele reveals why intention and action so often drift apart. Where she saw it in her own life, and why it’s not a character flaw.Inside this episode:Why your brain quietly renegotiates your plansHabit loops: why your new routines don’t feel automaticThe Doorway Effect: how walking from one room to another resets your memoryProspective memory failure: why we forget to remember, even with the best intentionsSpaced repetition: how learning — and change — need timeYou’ll learn how to work with your brain instead of against it, how to create simple cues that support the person you’re becoming, and how to release the shame around forgetting. Because forgetting isn’t failure.This week’s challenge: Choose one thing you meant to do today and create one cue you’ll see tomorrow — a note by the coffee maker, a reminder on your phone, a visible tool or ingredient — something that makes remembering easier and forgetting harder.Small cues + gentle repetition = meaningful change.Want support building the life you imagine? Coaching offers the structure, reminders, and accountability that help your brain learn new patterns. Because how you go vegan is how you do everything.Thanks for listening, and as always… Vedge Your Best.Subscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠veganatanyage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music, Production, and Editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Charlie Weinshank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For inquiries email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Virtual Support Services: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://proadminme.com/

Plant‑Powered Flavor Architect — Elevating Restaurants, Kitchens & Your Next Bite Aaward-winning plant-based chef Ed Harris joins Michele to share his journey from omni-chef to global plant-based innovator. Chef Ed breaks down the art of building flavor, why cutting and charring vegetables changes everything, and how simple techniques can transform everyday vegan cooking into unforgettable meals.Chef Ed Harris’s story begins in the Caribbean and travels through kitchens in New York and around the globe.  But the real turning point came at home—during a family documentary night watching What the Health. That single moment led his entire family to shift toward a vegan lifestyle, changing the trajectory of his cooking and his career.With warmth, clarity, and contagious enthusiasm, Chef Ed shares:How to Build Real Flavor in Vegan FoodWhy vegetables aren’t bland—our techniques areHow charring transforms broccoli, cauliflower, beans, and moreWhy the way you cut vegetables affects the tasteHow to layer flavor using herbs, smoke, bay leaves, and spicesThe biggest mistakes home cooks make (and how to fix them)Behind the Scenes of Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay & Iron ChefWhat a 1-hour episode actually takes to filmThe mental focus needed to cook under extreme pressureHow those experiences shaped his confidence and craftShifting to a Plant-Based LifeHow a documentary changed everything for his familyHis emotional reaction to learning about animal agricultureWhy chefs need to question the traditions they inheritedHelping Restaurants Modernize Plant-Forward MenusWhy many kitchens misunderstand vegan dinersHow he consults with hotels and restaurants to develop flavor-forward dishesThe falafel lesson every chef needs to knowWhy hospitality must improve for plant-based guestsChef Ed and his wife have created a vibrant online community where members learn plant-based cooking, explore global flavors, and share their stories. As he says, a “rich life” is about family, culture, and connection—not money.Connect with Chef Ed and Jane Harris at The Rich Life. Or on Instagram @ChefedharrisSubscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠veganatanyage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music, Production, and Editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Charlie Weinshank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For inquiries email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Virtual Support Services: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://proadminme.com/⁠

Your plant-based practice isn’t limited by your motivation, your recipes, or your compassion — it’s limited by its weakest link. In this episode, Michele explores the Theory of Constraints and how a single bottleneck can shape your vegan practice, your daily choices, and even your confidence.Using a classic car-factory example, Michele breaks down how systems stall when one step is overloaded — and how the same thing happens in our own lives. Whether you’re starting, restarting, or re-energizing your vegan journey, identifying the real constraint (the one you may be avoiding) can unlock ease, momentum, and clarity.Michele also shares one of her own constraints around visibility and asking listeners to share the show — modeling how naming a bottleneck creates a path forward.If you’ve been overthinking your vegan practice, trying to “fix” everything except the thing that truly needs attention, this episode will help you locate the actual sticking point and begin addressing it gently and effectively.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy your vegan practice is only as strong as its weakest linkWhat the Theory of Constraints (TOC) is, and how it applies to everyday lifeA simple, memorable manufacturing example that explains TOC in actionThe difference between optimizing what’s already working vs. addressing the real bottleneckHow micro-constraints like breakfast indecision, social discomfort, or evening exhaustion quietly limit your progressWhy perfectionism is often the real constraintHow to identify your personal bottleneck without overwhelmMichele’s own visibility constraint — and how naming it opens a path to growthWhy “how you go vegan is how you do everything” applies directly to constraint-breakingEpisode Highlights“A system is only as strong as its slowest step — and your vegan practice is no different.”“Fifty cookbooks won’t help if the real constraint is evening exhaustion.”“Knowledge isn’t the bottleneck if what you truly need is social courage.”“Perfectionism isn’t a strategy — it’s a constraint.”“You don’t need to fix everything. You only need to fix the part that’s actually stuck.”“How you go vegan is how you do everything.”Try This This WeekIdentify one bottleneck in your plant-based practice:What moment of the day creates friction?Where do you feel the most self-conscious or unsupported?Which small step are you avoiding?What emotion leads you to choose convenience over intention?Choose one constraint and gently place your attention there — not on all the other things that feel imperfect.Subscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠veganatanyage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music, Production, and Editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Charlie Weinshank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For inquiries email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Virtual Support Services: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://proadminme.com/⁠

It’s Thanksgiving week in the U.S.—maybe you’re driving to a family gathering, getting in a pre-pie walk, or just bracing yourself for the conversations ahead. Wherever you are, Michele invites you to pause and notice: are you a vegan voyeur? Someone who loves the idea of plant-based living, follows all the vegan doctors, and streams every documentary—but hasn’t quite stepped fully into the practice?In This EpisodeMichele unpacks the idea of the “vegan voyeur”—and why it’s not a failure but a natural stage in any behavior-change journey. Drawing on research from behavioral psychology, neuroscience, and habit science, she explains how our brains give us a little dopamine hit just for learning about change, even before we act. We all do it: reading about fitness instead of moving, watching decluttering videos instead of cleaning, or binge-listening to inspirational podcasts instead of starting that project. It’s called vicarious learning, part of the contemplation stage described by psychologist James Prochaska’s Transtheoretical Model of Change. Behavioral economists call the internal tug-of-war cognitive dissonance—the tension between comfort and growth. And as BJ Fogg reminds us, we often “celebrate the idea instead of the action.” The good news? Readiness doesn’t come before action—it’s built through it.Takeaway / ChallengeThis week—especially amid Thanksgiving travel, traditions, and turkey talk—notice where you might be a vegan voyeur, a researcher, or an eavesdropper. Then take one real-world step: make that saved recipe, order the vegan option, try a new non-leather belt, or plan a visit to an animal sanctuary. Action creates evidence, evidence builds identity, and identity sustains the habit.Learning about veganism can change your life. Living it changes the world.Subscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠veganatanyage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music, Production, and Editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Charlie Weinshank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For inquiries email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Virtual Support Services: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://proadminme.com/⁠

If facts were enough, everyone would already be vegan, right?We think the facts are on OUR side — but no one’s listening — what then?This week, Michele explores why information alone so often fails to change hearts or habits, and what behavioral science says to do instead. Drawing on the research of cognitive neuroscientist Gleb Tsipursky, whose EGRIP framework (Emotions, Goals, Rapport, Information, Positive Reinforcement) explains how minds actually shift, Michele shares practical tools for calmer, more compassionate conversations — especially around vegan and plant-based choices.Whether you’re navigating holiday dinners, family debates, or the classic “I could never give up steak” moment, you’ll learn the single “magic question” proven to open minds and lower defenses — and discover why curiosity always beats convincing.In this episode:Why facts backfire when they threaten identity or belongingGleb Tsipursky’s science-based EGRIP sequence for persuasionHow to use one powerful question to spark opennessWhat to say (and not say) when loved ones dismiss your choicesWhy humility and patience are your most persuasive toolsListen if you want to: …have kinder, calmer, more effective conversations about veganism, climate, or any polarizing topic — and stay connected to the people you care about most.KEY TAKEAWAYSFacts can backfire when they threaten identity, belonging, or self-image.Belonging > Being Right. People defend group identity before rational truth.Gleb Tsipursky’s EGRIP framework offers a step-by-step approach:Emotions – acknowledge feelings.Goals – find shared aims (health, family, planet).Rapport – connect before you correct.Information – share facts only once curiosity is open.Positive Reinforcement – thank and encourage openness.The magic question: “I was interested in what you’re saying. Can you tell me more about what YOU think?”Curiosity lowers threat; correction raises it.Effectiveness > Righteousness. Presenting information patiently models the values you want to share.Model the long game. Facts didn’t make most of US vegan overnight either.Subscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠veganatanyage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music, Production, and Editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Charlie Weinshank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For inquiries email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Virtual Support Services: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://proadminme.com/⁠