{"id":38959,"date":"2021-04-09T11:16:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T17:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=38959"},"modified":"2024-07-29T17:14:18","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T23:14:18","slug":"plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/","title":{"rendered":"Plant-based eating, 3-mile daily walks help barbecue lover lose 150 pounds"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Brian
Brian Rodgers switched to plant-based eating in order to divert from chronic illnesses. And from that, he invented “Fool’s Gold,” his own plant-based barbecue products. Photo courtesy of Brian Rodgers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brian Rodgers, 48, has been transformed. He\u2019s lost 150 pounds, no longer has a half-dozen chronic illnesses and has waged a fight against childhood obesity.<\/p>\n

Ask him how he did it, and the man from Kansas City will tell you, it\u2019s all about the barbecue sauce.<\/p>\n

A passion for good barbecue<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Folks from Kansas City, as we Coloradans know, speak of barbecue sauce with the same reverence they speak about their Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City, after all, is the birthplace of dry-rubbed barbecue drizzled in tomato-molasses sauce. Since “Barbecue King” Henry Perry opened the first barbecue joint in the early 1900s, hundreds \u2013 maybe thousands more – have followed.<\/p>\n

As a kid, Rodgers couldn\u2019t get enough barbecue.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were a low-income family in Kansas City proper,\u201d Rodgers explained. \u201cNo one in particular (in his family) was a good cook, so we ate out a lot. I played baseball my whole life and grew up eating barbecue after every game.”<\/p>\n

\"Brian
Brian Rodgers was good at baseball and post-game barbecue with his family sparked his passion for flavorful barbecue. Now, he creates plant-based barbecue feasts. Photo courtesy of Brian Rodgers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His family\u2019s habits and enjoyment of fine barbecue eventually took a toll on their health. By the time Rodgers was 40 years old, he had hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, and he was so fatigued he had a hard time participating in activities with his kids.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always heavier as a child \u2014 a little overweight compared to everyone else around me, but I was good at sports so that helped a bit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Rodgers excelled at baseball. He traveled all over the country playing the sport and there was always a team chef in tow. He uses “chef” loosely, explaining that the team chef was just the man on the bus who cooked for the team. He often cooked barbecue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got very interested in barbecue at that time \u2014 we were like a traveling barbecue roadshow where we ended up not just feeding our team most of the time,\u201d Rodgers said.<\/p>\n

He went to college on a baseball scholarship, eventually ending up at Florida International University. Although he lost some weight during that time, it wasn\u2019t long after college that he began gaining weight again.<\/p>\n

\"Brian
As a child, Brian Rodgers was always a bit overweight. It wasn’t until adulthood that it started to affect his overall health. Photo courtesy of Brian Rodgers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His love of barbecue remained a constant in his life. Cooking barbecue became a \u201cside life\u201d and he spent weekends competing in barbecue competitions. Eventually, he began catering events and one event played a significant role in how he finally lost weight and struck out his chronic diseases.<\/p>\n

An introduction to plant-based eating<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rodgers lived in Kansas City until 2016, then moved to Colorado. In 2017, he was hired to cook barbecue for about 500 people.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could cook that much (barbecue) in my sleep,\u201d Rodgers said.<\/p>\n

Rodgers purchased his weight in meat \u2013 about 300 pounds at the time. Then, he got a call that set him on a new path.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout three days before the event, the organizer called me to tell me that half the people were plant-based, vegan or on a special diet\u2026 I was freaking out at that point,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Rodgers would learn very quickly about the state\u2019s plant-based and vegan communities. His barbecue friends recommended that he provide the vegan crowd with salad and side options since there was little time to prepare.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did research and found out what all this (vegan) stuff was, then I took my recipes and did half (meat) and half (plant-based foods),\u201d Rodgers said. \u201cI usually show up and drop off my food as I\u2019m 100% confident in my barbecue. But this time I stayed because I was curious to see what they would say.\u201d<\/p>\n

The response was fantastic.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople couldn\u2019t believe that it was plant-based,\u201d he said. \u201cMany hadn\u2019t ever had real barbecue because it\u2019s never been an option for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

A seed had been planted in Rodgers’ mind: Could plant-based barbecue work?<\/p>\n

Must I give up the food I love for plant-based eating?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fast-forward to 2018. Rodgers continued his career as a computer programmer \u2014 \u00a0working from his Colorado home, plumped down in a chair with the refrigerator just steps away. He continued to cook and cater barbecue on the side.<\/p>\n

\"Brian
Brian Rodgers at his graduation. Photo courtesy of Brian Rodgers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because of his move to Colorado, his medical insurance changed and he was forced to find a new primary care physician. He found Dr. Peter Smith<\/a> at UCHealth.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first met Brian in 2018 he was about 265 pounds,\u201d Smith said. \u201cHis BMI was over 40, he had several comorbidities including hypertension, high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, and he was fatigued and unable to participate in the activities he wanted to do. He was snoring \u2014 probably sleep apnea<\/a> \u2014 and he was frustrated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodgers had spent his life trying different diets \u2014 from appetite depressants and diet programs to intense exercise and calorie counting. Smith conducted a \u201cmotivational interview\u201d with Rodgers to understand his goals and create a plan to achieve them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many patients are aware of the health risks (of obesity), and they need to be knowledgeable about those risks, but I like to focus on the good things that can happen with weight loss. I\u2019ve found that fear \u2014 fear of things in the distant future \u2014 are not the best motivators,\u201d Smith said. \u201cFor Brian, he was starting to be limited in his ability to participate in sports with his family. He loves skiing, and he sees himself as an active person, but his size was becoming a real barrier. He was envisioning a long active and healthy life and those goals were at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

To meet his goals, a change in diet was necessary. Would he have to give up barbecue?<\/p>\n

Rodgers was referred to the UCHealth bariatrics program because of continued health risks and failed attempts to rectify them. He agreed to attend a three-hour informational session on weight-loss surgery.<\/p>\n

Is bariatric surgery the right solution?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Dr.
Dr. Peter Smith<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Candidates for bariatric surgery undergo a physiological evaluation and attend educational courses, a process that can take up to six months.<\/p>\n

“Patients who qualify need to demonstrate a certain amount of weight loss before they qualify and meet a physiological profile because surgery is no magic tool<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s one tool in a comprehensive approach,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

Rodgers attended the class and learned about portion sizes and nutrition. He also learned that his taste buds might change \u2014 he might no longer enjoy the foods he had always consumed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was told I might not like barbecue anymore and I was like, \u2018Wow, that\u2019s it for me.\u2019 It triggered a switch in my mind,\u201d Rodgers said. \u201cI left that session and went back to Dr. Smith and said \u2018this is not for me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith and Rodgers worked together to set up a weight-loss plan that didn\u2019t include surgery. Smith suggested a Mediterranean diet. Rodgers went all in, giving up oils, meat and dairy, in addition to processed foods. Rodgers agreed to monthly blood work to monitor his progress. His new lifestyle would also include walking, not the high-intensity exercise that would require more time or a gym membership. Rodgers knew it was a dramatic change.<\/p>\n

\"Brian
Photos of Brian Rodgers before and after he started plant-based eating and lost 150 pounds. Photo courtesy of Brian Rodgers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He got an Apple watch and started walking, the first day to the end of the block and back.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time I got to the end of the block, I couldn\u2019t breathe,\u201d he said. \u201cI was so disappointed in myself. But the next day I did it again and got up to where I walk 3 miles a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodgers said he focused on meals he already made, such as pizza, and figured out how to make them as low calorie and as healthy as he could.<\/p>\n

He tracked his calories. Based on what he learned at the bariatrics meeting he knew he needed to decrease his calorie intake.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first 30 days I thought I was going to die,\u201d he said. \u201cBut then it changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest thing I learned in the first 30 days is you\u2019re going to be hungry some of the time,\u201d he continued. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to get over these \u2018panic attacks\u2019 \u2026 I needed something besides exercise to do because that was already a part of my routine. These attacks are serious and losing 100 pounds and reversing my diseases, I needed to divert my attention from these attacks. So I started another side business \u2014 I wanted to reinvent barbecue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Transforming barbecue into a plant-based diet option<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Brian
Switching to plant-based eating and walking 3 miles a day, Brian Rodgers lost 150 pounds and eliminated the chronic diseases he was battling. Photo courtesy of Brian Rodgers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rodgers began researching and found that plant-based barbecue didn’t exist \u2014 at least not the world-class Kansas City barbecue he loved. He reread some of the testimonials from the large event comprised of many plant-based eaters and decided to revisit his plant-based recipes to see what made them so successful.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of elements to barbecue,\u201d Rodgers said. \u201cMany think, \u2018Isn\u2019t all barbecue (sauces\/rubs) plant-based.\u2019 But most are not and most are not very healthy. The honey and Worcestershire sauces disqualify it as plant-based and there are tons of sugar, salt and other preservatives that aren\u2019t natural.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodgers hasn\u2019t turned against the barbecue he enjoyed for so many years \u2014 he’s “neither here nor there when it comes to what others choose to eat,” but he wanted to make something for people who, like him, have committed to plant-based eating.<\/p>\n

Rodgers\u2019 said his kitchen became a scene out of \u201cDexter\u201d as he tested about 30 different barbecue sauces until he finally found a heavenly concoction. From that, he developed \u201cFools Gold<\/a>,\u201d a nonprofit company that creates plant-based barbecue sauces and rubs, using proceeds to battle childhood obesity.<\/p>\n

Along the way, a new CEO named Brian Rodgers emerged. He\u2019s lost 150 pounds \u2013 kept it off – and no longer has six life-threatening chronic illnesses. He has written a book about his experiences and again is traveling around the country. He has a blog and a podcast and tells stories about losing weight and the enjoyment of, you guessed it, plant-based barbecue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brian Rodgers, 48, has been transformed. He\u2019s lost 150 pounds, no longer has a half-dozen chronic illnesses and has waged a fight against childhood obesity. Ask him how he did it, and the man from Kansas City will tell you, it\u2019s all about the barbecue sauce. A passion for good barbecue Folks from Kansas City, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2164,"featured_media":38966,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[2923,743,227,457,276,351,551,4812],"class_list":["post-38959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-blood-pressure","tag-digestive-health-liver-and-pancreas-gastroenterology","tag-health-and-wellness","tag-mens-health","tag-nutrition-services","tag-primary-care","tag-weight-and-metabolism","tag-weight-loss-surgery"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPlant-based eating, walks help BBQ lover lose 150lbs. - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For health reasons, Brian Rodgers switched to plant-based eating and lost 150 pounds. And instead of giving up barbecue, he reinvented it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Plant-based eating, 3-mile daily walks help barbecue lover lose 150 pounds\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For health reasons, Brian Rodgers switched to plant-based eating and lost 150 pounds. And instead of giving up barbecue, he reinvented it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UCHealth Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-04-09T17:16:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-07-29T23:14:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/04\/07125103\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kati Blocker, UCHealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kati Blocker, UCHealth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kati Blocker, UCHealth\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2974962d9c19ae1bbcec3250ab830fbc\"},\"headline\":\"Plant-based eating, 3-mile daily walks help barbecue lover lose 150 pounds\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-04-09T17:16:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-29T23:14:18+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1829,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2021\\\/04\\\/07125103\\\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"blood pressure\",\"Digestive health\",\"Health and wellness\",\"Men's health\",\"Nutrition services\",\"Primary care\",\"Weight and metabolism\",\"Weight loss surgery\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/\",\"name\":\"Plant-based eating, walks help BBQ lover lose 150lbs. - UCHealth Today\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2021\\\/04\\\/07125103\\\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-04-09T17:16:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-29T23:14:18+00:00\",\"description\":\"For health reasons, Brian Rodgers switched to plant-based eating and lost 150 pounds. And instead of giving up barbecue, he reinvented it.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2021\\\/04\\\/07125103\\\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2021\\\/04\\\/07125103\\\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.webp\",\"width\":800,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Photo courtesy of Brian Rodgers.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Plant-based eating, 3-mile daily walks help barbecue lover lose 150 pounds\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/\",\"name\":\"UCHealth Today\",\"description\":\"UCHealth Today\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"UCHealth\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/24135149\\\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/24135149\\\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"UCHealth\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/uchealthorg\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/uchealth\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/uchealth\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/school\\\/14839\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/uchealthorg\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UC41SJI79yjZIe96OajzN22g\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2974962d9c19ae1bbcec3250ab830fbc\",\"name\":\"Kati Blocker, UCHealth\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/62cfc49002cce7d835ff120702e1e8cd4b871b3468a4fed7137fbfa60674c6b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/62cfc49002cce7d835ff120702e1e8cd4b871b3468a4fed7137fbfa60674c6b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/62cfc49002cce7d835ff120702e1e8cd4b871b3468a4fed7137fbfa60674c6b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kati Blocker, UCHealth\"},\"description\":\"Kati Blocker has always been driven to learn and explore the world around her. And every day, as a writer for UCHealth, Kati meets inspiring people, learns about life-saving technology, and gets to know the amazing people who are saving lives each day. Even better, she gets to share their stories with the world. As a journalism major at the University of Wyoming, Kati wrote for her college newspaper. She also studied abroad in Swansea, Wales, while simultaneously writing for a Colorado metaphysical newspaper. After college, Kati was a reporter for the Montrose Daily Press and the Telluride Watch, covering education and health care in rural Colorado, as well as city news and business. When she's not writing, Kati is creating her own stories with her husband Joel and their two children.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/author\\\/katieblocker\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Plant-based eating, walks help BBQ lover lose 150lbs. - UCHealth Today","description":"For health reasons, Brian Rodgers switched to plant-based eating and lost 150 pounds. And instead of giving up barbecue, he reinvented it.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Plant-based eating, 3-mile daily walks help barbecue lover lose 150 pounds","og_description":"For health reasons, Brian Rodgers switched to plant-based eating and lost 150 pounds. And instead of giving up barbecue, he reinvented it.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/","og_site_name":"UCHealth Today","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/","article_published_time":"2021-04-09T17:16:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-07-29T23:14:18+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/04\/07125103\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kati Blocker, UCHealth","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@uchealth","twitter_site":"@uchealth","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kati Blocker, UCHealth","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/"},"author":{"name":"Kati Blocker, UCHealth","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/2974962d9c19ae1bbcec3250ab830fbc"},"headline":"Plant-based eating, 3-mile daily walks help barbecue lover lose 150 pounds","datePublished":"2021-04-09T17:16:00+00:00","dateModified":"2024-07-29T23:14:18+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/"},"wordCount":1829,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/04\/07125103\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.webp","keywords":["blood pressure","Digestive health","Health and wellness","Men's health","Nutrition services","Primary care","Weight and metabolism","Weight loss surgery"],"articleSection":["Stories"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/","name":"Plant-based eating, walks help BBQ lover lose 150lbs. - UCHealth Today","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/04\/07125103\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.webp","datePublished":"2021-04-09T17:16:00+00:00","dateModified":"2024-07-29T23:14:18+00:00","description":"For health reasons, Brian Rodgers switched to plant-based eating and lost 150 pounds. And instead of giving up barbecue, he reinvented it.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/04\/07125103\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/04\/07125103\/BrianRodgers-chef1-tiny.webp","width":800,"height":800,"caption":"Photo courtesy of Brian Rodgers."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/plant-based-eating-daily-walks-help-barbecue-lover-lose-150-pounds\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Plant-based eating, 3-mile daily walks help barbecue lover lose 150 pounds"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/","name":"UCHealth Today","description":"UCHealth Today","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization","name":"UCHealth","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/04\/24135149\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/04\/24135149\/UCHealth-square-logo-1000x1000-1.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"caption":"UCHealth"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/","https:\/\/x.com\/uchealth","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/uchealth\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/school\/14839\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/uchealthorg\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC41SJI79yjZIe96OajzN22g"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/2974962d9c19ae1bbcec3250ab830fbc","name":"Kati Blocker, UCHealth","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/62cfc49002cce7d835ff120702e1e8cd4b871b3468a4fed7137fbfa60674c6b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/62cfc49002cce7d835ff120702e1e8cd4b871b3468a4fed7137fbfa60674c6b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/62cfc49002cce7d835ff120702e1e8cd4b871b3468a4fed7137fbfa60674c6b3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kati Blocker, UCHealth"},"description":"Kati Blocker has always been driven to learn and explore the world around her. And every day, as a writer for UCHealth, Kati meets inspiring people, learns about life-saving technology, and gets to know the amazing people who are saving lives each day. Even better, she gets to share their stories with the world. As a journalism major at the University of Wyoming, Kati wrote for her college newspaper. She also studied abroad in Swansea, Wales, while simultaneously writing for a Colorado metaphysical newspaper. After college, Kati was a reporter for the Montrose Daily Press and the Telluride Watch, covering education and health care in rural Colorado, as well as city news and business. When she's not writing, Kati is creating her own stories with her husband Joel and their two children.","url":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/author\/katieblocker\/"}]}},"coauthors":[{"id":2164,"name":"Kati Blocker","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/author\/katieblocker\/"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2164"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38959"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38959\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77379,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38959\/revisions\/77379"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38966"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}