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When Shweta Jain left her engineering job at Google, she wasn't just looking for a new career — she was looking for a new purpose.

After a diagnosis of Cushing's disease, an adrenal disorder that disrupted her health and her sense of what mattered, Jain spent a couple of years rebuilding. "The medical team at MGH were phenomenal," she says. "But it made me pause and reevaluate what was truly important to me."

What she landed on was a business that felt personal: a franchise called Project Lean Nation, a meal prep and nutrition coaching concept built around whole, clean food and real community connection. And this summer, she's bringing it to Burlington — the first New England location in the growing national brand.

More Than a Meal Prep Service

Project Lean Nation isn't a subscription box. It's a retail storefront where customers can walk in, sit down, and actually talk to someone about their health goals.

Every member gets a free InBody scan — a body composition analysis that measures muscle mass, body fat, and basal metabolic rate — paired with a free nutrition consultation to help build a personalized eating plan. Those consultations are always free for members, Jain said, and help form part of a complete program. "You won't achieve a transformation with just a box," she said. "This is necessary."

The menu rotates every 10 weeks and features around 30 prepared meals at any given time, in two formats: Lifestyle meals (roughly 450 calories, 30–35 grams of protein) and Athlete meals (675 calories, 50 grams of protein). Everything is made without preservatives, seed oils, hormones, or additives. The store will also feature a fresh shake bar with made-to-order protein shakes using whole ingredients such as oats, nut butters, fresh fruit, almond milk.

Most customers, Jain says, stop in once a week to pick up their week's box of meals. The basic plan is 12 meals — two a day, six days a week — starting at $165, or about $13.75 a meal. There's also a grab-and-go option for folks who want to come in without a subscription.

The Community Table

Inside the Burlington store, there will be a large community table — not for eating, but to serve as a gathering place.

"We want to invite people in to have a safe space where they can really share with us," Jain says. "Everyone's health journey is different. Everyone's nutrition journey is different, and very personal to them."

After the store closes at 6:00 PM, Jain plans to open the space for community events — guest speakers, wellness talks, local business pop-ups. She'd like to invite chiropractors, nutritionists, and women-owned businesses to use the space. She also wants to contribute to local community events such as teacher appreciation days and celebrations on the Town Common. "I want to make sure this is a name I can put on my kids' baseball jerseys," she said.

It's a philosophy that comes straight from Project Lean Nation's founding team, whom Jain describes as deeply committed to a mission of second chances and community benefit. The company was founded by a fitness trainer who started meal-prepping for his clients and grew from there. "Nobody has had a perfect path," Jain says. "That story really resonated with me."

Founding Member Offer

Ahead of opening, Jain is signing up Founding Members — the first 250 people to commit get $20 off their weekly box for life. There's no subscription fee and no upfront cost; the only ask is trying that first box when the store opens. Sign-ups are available now.

Project Lean Nation Burlington is projected to open June 20, 2026, at Burlington Square (the "Old Tower Records" plaza, 101 Middlesex Turnpike). Jain is currently hiring staff ahead of opening and appearing at various gatherings in the coming months – including this past weekend's Health Fair – to get residents excited about the business. For more information, or to sign up as a Founding Member, visit the Project Lean Nation Burlington website. Note: Burlington Buzz may receive a contribution from Project Lean Nation for Founding Member signups made through this link.

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