Hunter Stoler: "I was 50 pounds heavier than I am right now. I always felt tired. I never exercised ever. Maybe I got a thousand steps a day and I never set foot in the gym."
Hunter Stoler: "I would place a delivery order for Monday morning and I would eat six or 12 cookies throughout the week."
Stephanie Sirota: "They're like diabetes bombs."
Hunter Stoler: "You need to maintain your muscle while you're on a GLP-1, because no one is over-muscled on a GLP-1."
Stephanie Sirota: "You can't outrun a bad diet."
Hunter Stoler: "Absolutely. I love that.
Hunter Stoler: "I would say change requires change... you are only one meal away from getting back on track."
Hunter Stoler: And you need to focus on making slow incremental changes to your life as time goes on.
Stephanie Sirota: Every year, Americans spend $1.4 trillion on food. If you want to know where that trillion and a half is moving, you talk to the people filling their carts. My guest today has a growing influence over about 1.67 million shopping carts sparking a dialogue about how to make healthier food choices through his account, Health with Hunter. Welcome to the RTW Podcast, where we aim to keep our audience healthy, wealthy, and wise. I'm your host, Stephanie Sirota, partner and chief business officer at RTW Investments. Today, we're speaking with an influencer, certified health coach with almost two million followers across social platforms, Hunter Stoler.
Stephanie Sirota: Hunter, thank you so much for joining us.
Hunter Stoler: That was an amazing intro. Thank you for having me.
Stephanie Sirota: So take me back to the before version of you at Michigan. What was the day or the moment that flipped the switch? Not the plan, but what was the feeling?
Hunter Stoler: Yeah. So I was always having stomach issues. I had cystic acne and I always felt fatigued and I didn't know what was wrong. I thought that was sort of my normal and the way that I was supposed to be living for the rest of my life. And it wasn't until one day over Thanksgiving in 2019 when I was home and my mom and sister quietly nudged me at the table with 15 of our family members and was like, "Hunter, look at your plate." Keep in mind I was 50 pounds heavier than I am right now. I always felt tired. I never exercised ever. Maybe I got a thousand steps a day and I never set foot in the gym. And I just had a wake up call one day, like a flip switched in my head and it made me realize that I really need to do something to take control of my health because change requires change and I realized that it was possible then.
Hunter Stoler: And it led into me falling in love with health and realizing that I really am in control of how I should feel every day.
Hunter Stoler: I majored in information science. Not really computer science, but where data and technology intersects with people and society and business. And that was my major. I had no knowledge on nutrition and we don't learn that in college unless we're going to school to become a registered dietician or a nutritionist. So that's what eventually led me to becoming a certified health coach through an online program. And that's where I learned so much along with my own weight loss journey as well. And that's what led me to create my accounts and start helping and inspiring others.
Stephanie Sirota: That's really great. So you lost 50 pounds, but what's even more important is you kept it off. What is the most boring and least sexy thing that made it stick?
Hunter Stoler: So I will say it's all about the boring, simple stuff. So many people think there's a weight loss hack. There's a trick that helps you melt the fat away. It's not. It's about sustainable and consistent change day after day. Eating simple, boring meals, having your workout routine, and also realizing that diet is responsible for 90% of weight loss. People think exercise is the key. What's the perfect exercise routine? My hot take is that any form of strength training where you're working on building muscle, forming tiny tears in your muscles, which helps you build more lean muscle mass, it's so important. But our diet controls our overall weight and how we feel.
Stephanie Sirota: You can't outrun a bad diet.
Hunter Stoler: Absolutely. I love that.
Stephanie Sirota: So through the process, how did your own consumer habits change? What did you spot in your own consumption behavior? Not just like, what was on your plate, but how did you shop for food and how did you avoid temptation when you were in college? What was your consumer behavior like and how did you change that?
Hunter Stoler: So that's a great question. Every single week I would drink alcohol on a Friday, sometimes even a Saturday. And then on Sunday morning I would Instacart Whole Foods or Target or any grocery store. And I would say, "This is the week I'm going to start fresh. I know what I should be eating." So I would pay 100 to $150 for a full fridge that I shared with five roommates at the time. And I would also be lazy and I didn't know how to cook. So I would be ordering Uber Eats and DoorDash, unhealthy food while I have my fresh food basically rotting away and expiring in the fridge. So not only was I paying pretty much double than what I should have been paying, but I didn't even know how to cook and I'm not the best chef right now, trust me, but I know how to cook the basics and I know how to build balanced meals on or off the stove. And something that's really important to me is I am spending so much less money because I know what I should be buying in order to succeed.
Hunter Stoler: When I was doing health coaching, that's what I helped inspire my clients and also my Instagram and TikTok and social media followers to learn how to shop because it is so important to have high quality nutrient dense foods in your fridge because when you compare that to going out to eat, whether it's at a Chick-fil-A or a McDonald's, which people love to say is cheap. However, the prices are not cheap because it could be up to $20 for a meal per person. And if you have a family of five, that could very easily add up. Or I help people dine out where they're not feeling like they are restricting and they're not overindulging. They have that healthy balance. So there is so much less stress and anxiety and fear around food and also shopping at the grocery store.
Hunter Stoler: For me, for everyone who I'm helping inspire, and also my family members, my friends, because it is so important, the fundamentals of food, making sure you have your proteins, your fibers, your healthy fats, and also your fiber-filled carbohydrates.
Stephanie Sirota: Is there anything that you are afraid of? I mean, there's a lot of people that say no carbs.
Hunter Stoler: No.
Stephanie Sirota: So it sounds like, you know, you say there's a place for everything.
Hunter Stoler: There is. I mean, I hate some foods. I hate mayo with a passion, so I will never eat it. I would never eat a hard boiled egg. I can't eat tuna or chicken salad. I also don't like any fish besides cooked shrimp. It sucks. I wish I did. People always ask me, is it a health reason or is it just a taste? I'm like, it's total preference because I hate the taste and the smell of most fish.
Stephanie Sirota: Not even smoked salmon?
Hunter Stoler: Oh my God, no.
Stephanie Sirota: On a bagel?
Hunter Stoler: No, I can't do it. I can't. My family's obsessed, but I can't. And I'm not fearful of any foods unless the foods that I truly do not like. I hate mustard. I have those weird aversions, but no food is off limits. But when you get into the chemicals and the additives and the dyes that are added to our foods, that's when I draw the line.
Stephanie Sirota: So someone with your academic background, information science is actually kind of the perfect discipline to apply to nutrition, even though you're right, people would have to go to a functional school to learn about nutrition and study that. But you married the two and now you're an influencer, a content creator, a brand ambassador. Why did you choose this path of influencing instead of maybe going down the traditional path of being a nutritionist?
Hunter Stoler: Absolutely. So I honestly didn't intend for this at all. I was in college in my apartment junior and senior year. I was in the same apartment. And a lot of my friends and also other people, friends of friends, were asking me how I lost my weight. And I thought the best way to do this would just be to have a private Instagram account where I could post pictures of my meals, my plates, my bowls, whatever I was eating, a smoothie.
Hunter Stoler: Then I took my account off private. I went public. It wasn't called Health with Hunter at the time. I don't even remember what it was called. And I started tagging the brands that I was using. Oh, I'm using this protein powder. Oh, I'm using this peanut butter. I'm using this almond milk, whatever it was. And those brands would slowly start to repost my content and that's where strangers started to follow me. And it was a little uncomfortable at first because I never was a very... I always used to be a very shy person, believe it or not. And it truly took away my fear and now I feel like I could speak in front of two trillion people. And that is another amazing side effect and benefit that has come from pretty much posting my life and health and wellness content online because now I have no fear or shame filming at a grocery store in public.
Hunter Stoler: Whereas six years ago, it's crazy to think that I've been posting for five years, but six years ago I never would have ever done that.
Stephanie Sirota: You were pretty early in that.
Hunter Stoler: I guess so. I mean, yeah. And it's been very consistent. And that's the other thing. I get asked a lot about social media tips and one of my biggest things is I am very authentic. I never lie and I only share products that I truly love and use or eat or drink, whatever the case is. And also I'm very consistent with my posting.
Stephanie Sirota: And you do your own posting?
Hunter Stoler: I do all my own posting on Instagram and TikTok, correct.
Stephanie Sirota: Okay. So over a third of Americans are fighting obesity. When you hear that number, it's a pretty big number. Do you think this is a willpower problem? Is this a societal problem? Is it an environment problem? Is it the food that we have access to problem? What is this?
Hunter Stoler: It's a great question. So I actually posted today and I posted my story with Crumbl cookies. You know Crumbl?
Stephanie Sirota: Of course.
Hunter Stoler: Who doesn't?
Stephanie Sirota: My sons are teenagers and they like Crumbl.
Hunter Stoler: Exactly. So my story with Crumbl, very long story short. I literally posted it and filmed it this morning for social media. I was so addicted to Crumbl. Every Sunday night I used to be in college. I would wait until they drop their weekly menu and I would place a delivery order for Monday morning and I would eat six or 12 cookies throughout the week. And these are cookies that have over a hundred grams of sugar and over a thousand calories per cookie.
Stephanie Sirota: They're like diabetes bombs.
Hunter Stoler: They are. It's pure refined sugar crap and artificial diets and all the junk. So I think there's a point where people could literally be addicted to sugar and they just want more sugar after more sugar like I was. And I didn't even realize it was a problem. I thought I was treating myself. I would buy healthy groceries Sunday morning and as a reward, even though I wasn't even using those groceries, I would be ordering Crumbl cookies for delivery. So talk about spending money. And I also think the environment that you're raised in, if your parents tend to be more overweight and not caring about health and wellness, it definitely could promote more obesity in their children because if your parents are buying fruit roll-ups and Oreos and sugary Coca-Cola for the house, what are the kids going to be consuming, eating, and drinking?
Hunter Stoler: If the parents aren't exercising, are the kids going to just randomly start walking around outside in their neighborhood? Absolutely not. You are a result of how your parents raise you when it comes to health and wellness. And I think that that is something I've realized with my own clients, my own followers who DM me and act like I am their best friend, which I appreciate. But I love giving them advice because I'm very honored that they rely on me for those types of questions where they might be in an uncomfortable situation with their roommates, their friends, or even their families and helping them learn how to eat if their parents aren't teaching them from day one, which a lot of parents unfortunately aren't.
Stephanie Sirota: Okay, you're a smart shopper. Let's talk about better choices. When a company starts using words like clean, natural or better for you, can you tell whether that comes from true product conviction or is it like a marketing ploy?
Hunter Stoler: So what I tell everyone is we need to not look at the front of the box or the label. We have to turn it around and look at the ingredients because that is what matters. People could put all natural, gluten-free, sugar-free, but what truly is in it? If it's sugar-free, does that mean that it has 10 grams of artificial sweeteners that are going to wreck our gut health and leave us feeling filled with stomach pains for the rest of the day and week probably? No. If a product says all natural, does that mean that it can't have crappy ingredients and fillers and additives? No. Which is why it is so important to look at the ingredients in every single product. And another thing I'll say, if there's a brand that's familiar to you, whether it's a cereal brand or a granola, for example, these brands could be tricky and they could change their ingredients from time to time, which is very upsetting.
Stephanie Sirota: So even if you trust something, trust a brand, always stay on top of what they're doing. So five years ago, "better for you" lived at Erewhon. Yeah. And now it's Target and Costco.
Hunter Stoler: So it's honestly amazing seeing so many traditional grocery stores or wholesale shops like a BJ's or a Costco or a Sam's Club have and start carrying better free products in all categories from chips and popcorn to chicken nuggets that are now seed oil free and made with awesome ingredients to things like grass-fed meats. And these, like you were saying, used to be very restrictive and they used to only exist at the luxury grocery stores like in Erewhon and sometimes Whole Foods. And yeah, Whole Foods might be accessible around the country, but some people didn't have the funds and don't have the funds to shop there along with Erewhon, of course. So if you have the option to shop at Erewhon, that's fantastic, but a lot of people don't. And that's where these Targets and Costcos and Aldi's are really making such an amazing play. I've spoken with some of the team at Target and they have such a big emphasis on becoming a healthier grocery store.
Hunter Stoler: In October of last year, 2025, I started a Instagram series randomly just because I was in a Target on Long Island and I was like, Target's becoming the new Whole Foods. And that's because I didn't realize how many better for you products from the fridge and freezer to the dry grocery section to even skincare that Target is carrying. And it's incredible because products that only used to be able to be bought online are now available in stores all around the country and on Target's website, which makes it very accessible. So when it comes to specific categories, I think that these companies and these category buyers are really waking up to what consumers want. And there's such a stronger demand now for better free products across every single aisle at the grocery store.
Stephanie Sirota: We met at a Target. We did. I thought you were doing a Target walkthrough in my local Target. So I was excited to see you. I was already a follower at that point and then I just accosted you. Now I'm sure you probably engage with a lot of your followers who may be on the GLPs. And do you think that the emergence and as GLPs get more widespread, what effect have you noticed that that has happened on people and their buying habits? And do you think that that has also kind of changed and woken up stores like Target or Aldi to say we should actually refine our shopping list and offer better for you products?
Hunter Stoler: So there's a lot that I could say on this category and topic and there's so many different ways that I could go about this. One thing relating to a Target, for example, in GLPs, I have seen recently, especially with frozen meals, so many at Target, at least like five to 10 now. And this did not exist five months ago. They say on the front, I always say don't read the front. It says GLP-1 friendly or GLP-1 meal or product.
Stephanie Sirota: And what does that mean?
Hunter Stoler: That's a fantastic question. There's no criteria. So you might think that. I believe it might mean that it has more protein because a lot of people don't know how to portion their meals and how to prioritize protein and fiber when it comes to mealtimes and grocery shopping when they're on a GLP-1 because you get full a lot quicker. And a lot of people think of that as an excuse to eat whatever they want. But if you're not strength training, you're not getting on cardio in whether it's walking or cycling or whatever you like to do. Swimming, you need to be strength training, resistance training in one way or another because you need to maintain your muscle while you're on a GLP-1 because no one is over muscle on a GLP-1.
Hunter Stoler: Everyone's overfat and they want to lose fat. But once you start losing muscle, your metabolism's going to get less efficient. It's going to get slower and it's going to lead to you, your body being in such a burnout and you're not going to be able to consume as many calories while maintaining your weight. And it's also very scary because as you get older, over age 30, every decade we lose a few pounds of muscle a year naturally. So we need to be working out in the gym or you could be doing pushups on your floor in your bathroom or bedroom.
Hunter Stoler: It could be free to build muscle or you could go to a gym, a workout class, whatever it is, whatever you like and whatever fits your budget.
Hunter Stoler: Those are the fundamentals to living a healthy life. I always say my motto is health made simple because those are my initials, HMS, but also it's not easy, but it's simple. And when you follow the fundamentals and the traditional aspects of a healthy lifestyle, again, it's simple. There's a formula, but it's definitely not easy to do.
Stephanie Sirota: That is so smart. And I am also on a GLP. I've been on one for 10 months. And for me, I was lucky I'm taking Eli Lilly's drug Zepbound. I have not had side effects.
Hunter Stoler: Amazing.
Stephanie Sirota: For me, it cut out the food noise. And so I realized, oh, if I'm only going to eat a certain amount of calories or certain things during the day, I'm going to make those choices and eat the healthier things for you.
Hunter Stoler: I love that. So what positive benefits have you seen?
Stephanie Sirota: I mean, I sleep better. I have a ton more energy and I'm not distracted. Here in the office, if I walked past and if there was a plate of donuts or something, I would take it whether I'm hungry or not. Grazing was no issue for me and now I just wouldn't do it.
Hunter Stoler: Wow.
Stephanie Sirota: I can walk away. I'm not hungry.
Hunter Stoler: I love that. And are you exercising?
Stephanie Sirota: I do. So I work out with a trainer twice a week and then I try to do other things. So I do like intense weight training.
Hunter Stoler: Awesome. It's very important. And you're eating protein at your meals?
Stephanie Sirota: Yes.
Hunter Stoler: A protein source?
Stephanie Sirota: I try to.
Hunter Stoler: Okay, great.
Stephanie Sirota: At every meal.
Hunter Stoler: Amazing.
Stephanie Sirota: I don't know that I get enough protein, but---
Hunter Stoler: Yeah but---
Stephanie Sirota: There's a lot of peer pressure to get a lot of protein these days.
Hunter Stoler: No, people over complicate it and they think they need to be getting 200 plus grams a day. But there are formulas that you could use, but as long as you're having some sort of protein in your meals and snacks, that's all that matters. So I think that's really important. But I mean, you look great, you look healthy. And I don't know what you looked like before the GLP-1, but you feel better inside and that's really important as well.
Stephanie Sirota: Well, we also, we're a biotech investment firm. So we have a whole team that studies metabolic and it's pretty... The evidence is there and it's pretty exciting that GLPs are really kind of the first breakthrough that we have. It is the closest thing that we have to longevity in a pill or a shot.
Hunter Stoler: I love it.
Stephanie Sirota: But it has multi-organ benefits and you hear a lot of positive and negative in the airwaves, but there's a lot of good. And next gen drugs will be even more exciting because they'll have fewer side effects and some will be more targeted as well.
Stephanie Sirota: Let's double click on the shopping. You're famous for your Target and Costco walkthroughs. Talk me through the psychology of this.
Hunter Stoler: So the psychology is I go in there, I look for products that are new or trending and I love helping people.
Hunter Stoler: And this is my way where I shifted from one-on-one coaching with maybe 10 to 15 clients two years ago to helping hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people every single day with grocery shopping. And to me, that's so much more fulfilling. And the testimonials that I get through my DMs and comments and emails, believe it or not, is so incredible and so motivating and inspiring that it makes me just want to keep on going.
Stephanie Sirota: That reminds me of when I met Rod Wong, the founder of RTW Investments. And in our first interview, he went to med school at Penn and Harvard Business School. And one of the things that we talked about, I said, "Did you not want to become a doctor? And what pulled you into the path of business and finance?" And what he said to me was that he could reach so many more potential patients and so many more people if he fueled this innovation boom.
Hunter Stoler: Yeah, I love that. And I love that I had the experience of one-on-one on coaching, but there also becomes a point where you almost feel like you're a therapist because health and wellness is not just about diet and fitness. There is so much more to it. And I definitely am not equipped to help with that aspect. But what I do feel very confident in and I'm much more capable of is helping people shop.
Stephanie Sirota: A few rapid fire questions. Name a healthy food that's basically candy in a costume.
Hunter Stoler: That's an amazing question. My first thing that I would go to is most gluten-free foods, like people think a gluten-free Oreo is healthy because it's gluten-free. That does not mean that it's healthy.
Stephanie Sirota: Okay. And then what about --- is there a reverse? Is there a junk food that's actually okay?
Hunter Stoler: Let's just say chocolate, I mean people, my parents and older generations, they think that chocolate automatically has to be unhealthy and that is definitely not the case. I mean, there's so many brands out there doing it right with grass fed milk and high quality, whether it even has organic unrefined coconut sugar or it has ---
Stephanie Sirota: Or dates sweetened---
Hunter Stoler: Yeah, exactly. And there's so many ways to make those foods healthier.
Stephanie Sirota: Do you have a cheat meal or have you kind of wired yourself in this new Hunter versus the old Hunter? Do you not think about meals in that way?
Hunter Stoler: So fantastic question. And my mindset, which I tell people all the time, which has remained true for over two to three years now, is when I'm in my apartment, everything is healthy. Everything has pretty much perfect ingredients. When I go out to dinner like I am tonight, I don't know what oil my food is going to be cooked in unless it's one of the restaurants that I know and I love. But this tonight I know that they don't use healthy oils and will I be splitting a burger and some fries and a salad with my friends? Yes. But am I going to go crazy about it? No, because that's my 80/20 balance.
Stephanie Sirota: Well, I think something that you said earlier about being exposed to the right kinds of foods in your family, I think as a country we need to also make sure that kids are getting the right nutritious and tasty meals in schools and starting that, not just in the house, but at school as well.
Hunter Stoler: And also maybe education at school.
Stephanie Sirota: 100%. Okay. So you've got 30 seconds and one sentence to change a habit for a stranger. What would you say?
Hunter Stoler: I would say change requires change and it's very important to realize that you're the only person who is going to motivate you to make any sort of change in your life, whether it's positive or negative. So you are only one meal away from getting back on track. You're only one exercise class or gym session away from getting back on track. And once you have that momentum, remember you can't rely on motivation because motivation comes and goes, but it's very important that you are working hard towards whatever aspect of your life, whether it's getting a promotion at work or to eat healthy, whatever that circumstance is to better your body, to get stronger and leaner, that you're not relying on the motivation because it's in those times when you're not motivated that really make the difference. And focusing on getting 1% better every day and not doing an overhaul of your pantry or going from zero to 100 with your diet, that's not sustainable and not possible for 100% of people.
Hunter Stoler: And you need to focus on making slow incremental changes to your life as time goes on.
Stephanie Sirota: And build that discipline.
Hunter Stoler: And build it up.
Stephanie Sirota: So you don't have to rely on motivation when it's not there.
Hunter Stoler: And no one else is going to make you make those changes. You have to truly be the one inside, I know from my own experience to make those changes. Hiring a coach when you don't even care is not going to automatically lead to positive change.
Stephanie Sirota: I love that. Change is change and we have to rely on discipline. I think that's really important in every aspect of life. Not just nutrition, but in work, in our daily routines. Because you need something when motivation is not there.
Hunter Stoler: Absolutely.
Stephanie Sirota: Thank you so much for joining us on the show.
Hunter Stoler: Thank you so much for having me. It was so fun.
This interview was given by Hunter Stoler and moderated by Stephanie Sirota, Partner and Chief Business Officer at RTW Investments.
Statements reflect RTW's views and opinions as of the date hereof and not as of any future date. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or results.
The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.
