Introducing REAL30
30 Days. 30 Minutes. 30 Plants.
Real You Can Feel.
By Rip Esselstyn
January is when a lot of people decide it’s time to “get healthy.”
And too often, that means punishment.
Cut this.
Eliminate that.
White-knuckle your way through rules you don’t enjoy, can’t sustain, and abandon by mid-month.
At Plant Strong, we believe there’s a better way.
That’s why this January, we’re launching REAL30™ — a month-long challenge built on addition, not restriction. It’s about putting more of the right things on your plate and into your life, and letting the benefits take care of themselves.
Watch the official Real30 Challenge Webinar kickoff HERE.
REAL30 is real simple:
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30 days of consistent action
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30 minutes of movement each day
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30 different whole plants each week
That’s it.
No calorie counting.
No food elimination lists.
No gimmicks.
Just real food. Real movement. Real change you can feel.
Why 30 Plants? The Science of a Strong Gut
One of the most important breakthroughs in nutrition science over the last decade isn’t about carbs, fats, or protein ratios.
It’s about diversity.
Specifically, the diversity of plants we eat — and what that does to our gut microbiome.
The American Gut Project, one of the largest citizen-science microbiome studies ever conducted, analyzed the eating patterns of thousands of people and found something remarkable:
People who consumed 30 or more different plant foods per week had significantly more diverse and resilient gut microbiomes than those who ate fewer than 10.
Why does that matter?
Because a diverse microbiome is associated with:
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Better digestion
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Lower inflammation
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Stronger immune function
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Improved metabolic health
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Better mental health and mood regulation
In other words: when you feed your gut a wide variety of whole plants, your body works better.
Gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz has been one of the most effective voices translating this science into practical, real-world guidance. His message is clear and consistent:
fiber diversity matters more than fiber perfection.
Different plants feed different strains of beneficial gut bacteria. Beans feed one group. Greens feed another. Berries, grains, herbs, spices — each brings something unique to the table.
That’s why REAL30 doesn’t ask you to eat perfectly.
It asks you to eat variously.
And that’s a game-changer.
Why Movement Matters — and Why We Kept It Simple
We also know that food isn’t the only lever of health.
Movement matters — not as punishment for eating, but as a daily signal to your body that it’s meant to move, adapt, and stay strong.
The research is clear: about 30 minutes of moderate daily movement is enough to deliver meaningful benefits for:
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Cardiovascular health
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Blood sugar regulation
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Joint health
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Sleep quality
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Stress reduction
And here’s the key:
It doesn’t have to be intense to be effective.
Walking.
Stretching.
Strength training.
Dancing in your kitchen.
Taking the stairs.
Doing yard work.
It all counts.
REAL30 isn’t about becoming an athlete in January.
It’s about showing up for your body every day, in a way you can actually sustain.
Why REAL30 Is Core to Plant Strong
REAL30 isn’t a marketing campaign we dreamed up for January.
It’s a direct expression of who we are as a brand.
At Plant Strong, our mission is simple:
Change the American diet for good — using real food with simple ingredients and serious standards.
We don’t chase trends.
We don’t sell wellness theater.
We don’t believe health should feel complicated or inaccessible.
We believe:
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Real food works
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Small choices add up
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Progress beats perfection
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Consistency beats intensity
REAL30 brings those values to life.
It reflects our commitment to:
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Evidence-based nutrition, not fads
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Whole plants, not ultra-processed shortcuts
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Abundance, not restriction
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Habits that last, not quick fixes
When we say “Real You Can Feel,” this is what we mean.
What REAL30 Is — and What It’s Not
Let’s be clear.
REAL30 is not:
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A detox
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A cleanse
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A weight-loss challenge
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A rigid set of rules
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A test of willpower
REAL30 is:
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A reset built on real food
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A chance to rediscover variety
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A practical way to improve gut health
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A sustainable foundation for the rest of the year
If you miss a day, you don’t fail.
If you eat the same plant twice, you don’t lose points.
If your movement looks different from someone else’s, you’re doing it right.
This is real life — and REAL30 is built for it.
How We’ll Support You
We’re not just handing you a challenge and wishing you luck.
Throughout REAL30, Plant Strong will provide:
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Printable trackers for daily movement and plant counts
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Weekly plant diversity checklists
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Community prompts and inspiration
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Simple food ideas to increase variety
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Tools that make healthy choices easier, not harder
We’re also working to bring REAL30 into our broader ecosystem — including digital tools and coaching — so people can get the support they need, at whatever level they’re ready for.
Because no one should have to figure this out alone.
Why This Matters — Right Now
Chronic disease didn’t appear overnight, and it won’t disappear overnight either.
But health doesn’t require perfection.
It requires direction.
REAL30 gives you that direction — grounded in science, backed by experience, and built on food that actually tastes good.
You don’t need a new body in January.
You don’t need a new identity.
You don’t need to start over.
You just need to start adding in what works.
Join Us
This January, we invite you to join the REAL30.
Add more plants to your plate.
Move your body every day.
Build momentum you can feel.
Thirty days from now, you won’t just know more about nutrition.
You’ll feel stronger.
Clearer.
More energized.
More capable.
That’s not hype.
That’s what happens when you eat real food.
Eat strong. Live real.
— Rip
