Robb Wolf - The Paleo Solution Podcast - Paleo diet, nutrition, fitness, and health

Finally Matt Lalonde joins us for what will probably be the first of many visits.  Enjoy!!!

Show Topics:

  1. Re-address Blog Comment from Jon from Podcast 57
  2. Insulin Resistance / Cod Liver Oil / PWO Carbohydrate
  3. Hashimoto's Disease
  4. Best Diet to Gain Mass
  5. Matt's Daily Food Intake

Detailed Questions:

1. Re-address Blog Comment from Jon from Podcast 57:

I think a discussion on what the re-introduction of foods and the subsequent reactions to them means and why would be very interesting as a podcast topic. The paleo concept has expanded a lot from the original ‘cavemen did this so you should to’ logic of guys like cordain (another thing mentioned recently on the show, how robb has become more science orientated because of matt lalonde), but I still think at times robb reverts back to the ‘re- introduce it and see how you feel’ logical fallacy too often, because I bet almost any food completely eliminated for 30 days and then re-introduced would have negative effects and may take a few months to re-sensitive yourself to, so a talk on why this matters (scientifically preferable rather than anecdotally) would be important. It needs to be more than just ‘gluten makes my joints achy’. I’m very surprised that some of your clients eat gluten, robb seems to think 100% of people should avoid it 100% of the time. Another thing is the constant reference to autoimmunity. I get that anecdotally people with these problems see benefits from paleo, but what relevance is this to people without autoimmune conditions? If dairy aggravates autoimmune stuff, what does this mean? Sometimes it seems like robb is implying that because people with (chrohns, rheumatoid arthritis, coeliac, hashimoto etc) get messed up eating a certain food that the food is bad for everyone, but they are a special population, and that’s like comparing the carb needs of a type 2 diabetic to that of an athlete. Again, i recognise this is a problem of the very broad audience of the podcast, but I think some more clarity on the real underlying WHYs need to be answered. For example the ‘these foods have only been around for 10000 years’ line, this is assuming a linear evolution, which many experts suggest is not the case, so maybe Robb could discuss why we did or did not evolve more quickly after the invention of agriculture (http://the10000yearexplosion.com/).

2. Ben Wheeler says:

December 17, 2010 at 2:52 pm

Mat,

I’ve been looking forward to seeing you on the show for some time now! A few questions from a fellow Canadian:

1. Could you please explain the difference between physiological insulin resistance and pathological insulin resistance. I think this is something that gets very mixed up not only in the mainstream, but in the low-carb/paleo community.

2. Cod Liver Oil- WAPF says yes, Cordain says no, who do the lay people believe? Both have very good researcher on both sides. Could it be the problem lies with Cod Liver Oils that have been striped of natural A & D and replaces with the synthetic variety?

3. PWO carbohydrate- I know you wrote a stellar piece sometime ago on Low-carb and CrossFit. How has your viewpoint evolved from that experiment, and over time?

3. Debbie says: December 17, 2010 at 3:55 pm

Matt, 
I have really been working at being a Paleo health person. My only problem is I have Hashimoto disease. I work out five days a week. I watch what I eat. Perhaps more of a 85% paleo. What can I do to speed things along. I have been doing Paleo since May 2010 I have lost about 15 pounds, very, very slowing. Lots of tweaking with my thyroid meds and I continually tweak my food. Can you give me any suggestions? Thanks in advance – Debbie M.


Diane @ Balanced Bites says: December 17, 2010 at 5:28 pm I’m going to throw my .02 in here before Matt (or Robb) gets to this one… if you’re not 100% gluten free, you need to be- as of yesterday. Seriously. So that 85% paleo… it needs to be 100% gluten free at a minimum! Datis Kharrazian talks a lot about this topic (the gluten-autoimmune thyroid connection) and I’ll be hearing him speak more about it next month here in the Bay Area. I’ll report back if there’s more.


julianne says: December 19, 2010 at 9:07 pm Totally agree with Diane – I have Hashimotos. Get Dr K’s book and read it – it is useful, be super strict gluten free. Go 100% paleo. My anti-bodies are dropping since gluten free. Don’t go too low carb though, I’ve found so keep in a little good fruit like berries and good starches like sweet potato. Do the anti-autoimmune protocol in Robbs book, see if that helps. (Dairy and nightshade free). Make sure your vit D is around 45 – 50. Take omega 3. Be careful with iodine. It can cause a flare up.


4. Ben says:

December 17, 2010 at 5:11 pm

Short and sweet: what type of eating would he recommend to a lean 31 year old, strict paleo for 1.5 years, 164 lbs at 5 ft 11 inches who is looking to get body weight up to aprox 180-190 pounds on Ripp’s Starting Strength program. I am only 1.5 months in and slowly gaining weight, and progressing on Ripp’s linear path, while maintain strict paleo; i only ask if Lalonde thinks there is another way of eating that would be more beneficial given my goals. If not, cool ill keep up strict paleo – it is after all very tasty and effective. I just want to know if he thinks this is the best path. Thanks.
Deas: update yer blg dood.


5. David says:

December 17, 2010 at 5:27 pm

He mentioned in an interview that he only eats two meals a day. I am interested in how he get’s enough calories to support his performance efforts. When does he eat and what does it consist of – both workout days and rest days? Also, if this is an individual thing or if it is something he recommends for everyone?

References from Matt's interview:

•Impaired cellular insulin binding and insulin sensitivity induced by high-fructose feeding in normal subjects. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1980, 33, 273-278.

•Consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin resistance sensitivity in overweight/obese humans. J. Clin. Invest. 2009, 119, 1322-1334.

•Long-Term Effects of Moderate Fructose Feeding on Glucose Tolerance Parameters in Rats. J. Nutr. 1981, 111, 307-314.

•Alterations of the Intestinal Transport and Processing of Gliadin Peptides in Celiac Disease. Gastroenterology 2003, 125, 696-707.

•Gliadin Induces an Increase in Intestinal Permeability and Zonulin Release by Binding to the Chemokine Receptor CXR3. Lammers, K.M. et al. Gastroenterology 2008, 135, 194–204.

•Gliadin, Zonulin and Gut Permeability: Effects on Celiac and Non-Celiac Intestinal Mucosa and Intestinal Cell Lines. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology 2006, 41, 408-419.

•Surprises From Celiac Disease. Alessio Fasano, Scientific American 2009, August, 54–61.

•Effect of Short-Term Starvation versus high-fat diet on intramyocellular triglyceride accumulation and insulin resistance in physically fit men Exp. Physiol. 2006, 91(4), 693-703.

•Influence of dietary fat composition on development of insulin resistance in rats. Relationship to muscle triglycerides and omega-3 fatty acids in muscle phspholipid. DIabetes 1991, 40(2), 280-289

•Fish oil prevents insulin resistance induced by high-fat feeding in rats. Science, 1987, 237(4817), 885-888.

•Physiological Compartmental Analysis of Alpha-Linolenic Acid Metabolism in Adult Humans. Journal of lipid research 2001, 42, 1257-1265

•Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid as a Source of Eicosapentaenoic Acid in Vegetarians and Omnivores. Lipids 1997, 32, 342-345.

•Intake of a Diet High in Trans Monounsaturated Fatty Acids or Saturated Fatty Acids. Effects on Postprandial Insulinemia and Glycemia in Obese Patients with NIDDM. Christiansen, E.; Schnider, S.; Palmvig, B.; Tauber-Lassen, E.; Pederson, O. Diabetes Care 1997, 20, 881–887.

•Influence of Dietary Carbohydrate Intake on the Free Testosterone:Cortisol Ratio Responses to Short-Term Intensive Exercise Training. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-009-1220-5.

Show Notes - The Paleo Solution - Episode 68

Download Episode Here.

Direct download: The_Paleo_Solution_-_Episode_68.mp3
Category:Podcasts -- posted at: 2:00am EST

Here is episode 67.  One week until Matt Lalonde makes his first appearance on the podcast.  Be ready!!!

Show Topics:

  1. Ring Row Substitution
  2. Fatigue During Long Runs
  3. Natural Calm / Lean Out Nutrition / Super Supplements Store
  4. Zinc, Magnesium, & Migraines
  5. Cortisol Issues
  6. What Would End Long, Healthy Life
  7. Cholesterol Levels
  8. Tournament Nutrition
  9. Hemp Protein
  10. Lean Meats
  11. Cheat Meals
  12. Vitamin D & Strength

Detailed Questions:

1. Question from Antoinette:

Hi,
I just got your book a few days ago and I am reading the exercise section. I have got my six year old doing circuits with me and it was a great way for us to spend time together. Could you tell me a way to do body rows with something around the house? I don't have gym rings and live in a remote part of Australia.
By the way, love your book and I am on my way to better health. I liked the first chapters about vegetarianism and your personal experiences. I was a vego for almost ten years myself and i feel so much better now on a high protein diet of meat and eggs. I am having trouble giving up the coffee...
Keep up the good work.

2. Question from Loren:

Hi, First off I love your podcast, and since newly starting paleo about a month ago, your podcasts have helped me tremendously. I am a nurse practitioner, love evidenced based medicine, and love how you back up this diet with your understanding of it down to the molecular level.  Since starting, I've lost 10 lbs, I never have heartburn or IBS issues anymore, and I am finding that after I went through my 2 week lull, my mind is now sharper.

The question is, I run long distances, half marathons and marathons. Since starting this diet, when I run, I feel really weak, and my legs feel like lead. My typical diet is veggie omelet blueberries and coffee in the morning, salad with grilled chicken and evoo and balsamic vinegar with apple for lunch. I have afternoon snack of macadamia nuts and a banana, and dinner is beef or chicken with lots of veggies. Is it my diet? I tried adding back sweet potatoes, but I get instant stomachache whenever I veer from the diet. My next half marathon is in may and I am starting to train now. After 2 miles I just can't seem to run anymore. Any suggestions?

Thank you!

3. Question from Thomas:

Robb & Andy, can't wait until they do an SNL skit on your podcast. Andy's laugh and Robb's constant one-liners still won't be better than the original though!

Questions:
1.  Robb on your recent blog post about you're training at 39, you mentioned to go easy with the Natural Calm as it could cause the trots (and I'm not really into self-torture). How much do you take? And are there other factors that would make someone need to take less/more?

2.  Just like everyone else who asks questions here, I'm trying to lean out (last 5-10 lbs) but am also looking to put some lean mass on. I'm 6'-1", 190lbs. Cross-fitting 3x per week for 3 months now, Paleo for 3 months as well, and now I can see the top of my abs with just a little love-handle action...

I've recently calculated my protein intake and was surprised it was less than 100g per day (don't weigh or measure and just didn't have a clue). I have upped that to roughly 1g per lb. of body weight (which is a surprising amount of meat) am taking Natural Calm, Omega-Maine Fish Oil, and 5,000 IU's of Vit. D. In addition to protein, I accompany most of my meals with steamed veggies and cook my meat in olive oil (typically). Other than the meat and olive oil I don't get much fat... Should I try to get more fat in if I'm trying to lose those last few lbs? What is the best type of fat to try to include if so (avocados, coconut oil, etc.)?

Am I on the right track with this stuff and would I benefit from Super Enzymes?

3. (only if you "need" to fill time)  On that same blog post (39 and I look AMAZING!!) It seemed like you were taking an entire "Super Supplements" store worth of supplements. I thought going on Paleo was all about getting everything you need from whole foods. What gives?

4. Question from Sean:

Hey Robb,

Love your book, blog and podcast, you are really changing lives, mine included!

I am 32 yrs old, fit, live healthy and been training since 16. I have been having consistent migraines with aura all my life, (I am 32 yrs old) that seemed to be brought on by stress, lack of sleep working nights or some trigger foods.

They weren't frequent, about every couple months but brutal with all the full body symptoms when they came.

Ever since I started taking ZMA in Sept, 2010 for enhanced sleep, and workout recovery I haven't had ONE migraine! I haven't changed anything else but did some research and found a lot of stuff on magnesium supplementation reducing migraines for many sufferers...

This is a life saver for me and would appreciate your thoughts on migraines and magnesium, and maybe even the zinc?

Thanks Robb, keep doing what you do!!!

5. Question from Yak:

Hi Robb & Andy,

I stumbled across the podcast a couple of weeks ago and I'm having a great time listening to the backlog of episodes.

I have one goal and that is to look good naked.  This however is complicated by the fact that although I feel like I'm doing the right things I can't seem to shift the concentrated fat that's stored in my bum, love handles and waist.  I also have a bit of man-boob going on, otherwise I look great!  From what I've been hearing & reading this could be down to my Cortisol levels, insulin resistance, thyroid function or too much estrogen.  Or maybe all of the above.  Either way I'd love it if you could throw some ideas out there for what I could try to address these issues.  Would it be worth getting a BioSignature reading a la Poliquin?

A little about me:

Male, 6 foot, 170lbs.

I always had issues with eating sugar and refined carbs and my goal was to lose weight and just feel better.  I stumbled across the paleo diet from Mark Sisson's book The Primal Blueprint about a year ago and have been eating that way ever since and feeling great.  I eat plenty of protein, fat & veggies, no sugar or gluten.  My dairy intake is limited to cooking with butter from grass fed cows (Kerrygold) and my fruit consumption consists a couple of hand fulls of berries a week.  I don't weight or measure but I'm confident I'm getting close to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight a day.  I do gym work 2-3 times a week  and play football (soccer) a couple times a week.  I get 8 solid hours of sleep and take fish-oil and vitamin D supplements daily.

If you can help me find a solution to my quest I'll be eternally grateful!

Keep up the great infotainment!

Yak from the UK

P.S.  I don't recall which podcast I was listening to but you mentioned you wanted ideas for t-shirts.  Since one of your themes seems to be that you only have 6 listeners how about a shirt that says something like "The seventh listener" next to some Paleo Solution logo?Hi Robb & Andy,

6. Question from Nathan:

Robb,

Assuming you could get a population of people who followed the "paleo prescription" of diet and exercise with a longevity bias, and assuming these people avoided death by accident, what is you speculation on the processes that would ultimately kill them? (presumably in their 90s/early 100s)

7. Question from Sam:

Robb, you made some statements in your book about the cholesterol levels in paleo man.  The numbers were low.  I'm in strict compliance with your guidelines and have been for four months and my numbers aren't so low.  Without going into my numbers, I want to ask how you got the facts on the cholesterol levels of paleo man and to ask you why so many of us seem to not be replicating those lipid numbers.  I know enough to not ask you what the numbers mean, so I'll limit the question to what I've asked, which pertains to the contrast between what you wrote our blood should be when following the Paleo Solution and what many of ours are.  Thanks for your time.

8. Question from Louis:

Hey Robb and Andy,
First, thanks for the wonderful podcasts and work you do spreading the paleo word. Have been mostly paleo for the last 2 years or so, straying here and there to experiment with things like soaked grains (only non-glutenous grains such as quinoa and brown rice) and fermented dairy (home made kefir). Have definitely found I feel best when staying closer to pure paleo though.
I have read Cordain's The Paleo Diet for Athletes, but considering Robb's own experience with pursuing athletic performance, I wanted to see if he would be willing to comment a little about specific nutritional strategies he would recommend for the days leading up to and during multi-day tournaments. In my case it would be competitive ultimate frisbee, where tournaments typically last 2, 3, or 4 days with up to four 60 minute+ matches per day. I always prepare my own food for tournaments, as other people are typically eating lots of bread, pasta, candy, sports drinks etc. So if Robb himself was preparing for an event such as this, how would he approach pre-tournament, periods in between matches, evenings with matches the following day, etc.? Supplements included.

Apologies if something like this has already been covered, and thanks again for the great work you guys are doing.

9. Question from Scott:

Robb/Andy:

A better alternative for those that want some supplementation?

http://www.amazon.com/Nutiva-Organic-Protein-Serving-3-Pound/dp/B001OHX1ZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295549315&sr=8-1

10. Question from Future Amy:

Hi Robb!

Loved your book and really enjoy the podcasts. We recently started the Paleo diet and aside from my debilitating Nutella withdrawal, it’s been a pretty easy transition. There’s been some debate in the house about what constitutes “lean meat,” specifically grass fed beef. I’ve read in other Paleo guides that meat should be trimmed of all visible fat. Do you stick to this rule? I was wondering if there’s a particular cut of beef that’s better than others. And for ground beef, what do you recommend for the lean to fat ratio and why?

Thanks so much for your help! Look forward to hearing from you.

11. Question from Bennett:

Hey Mr. Wolf,
I just finished reading your book over 2 weeks ago, however i have been doing the paleo lifestyle since January 2nd. Its amazing, and i'm already feeling and seeing results!
I have a question, though. Whats your take on "cheat days" or "cheat meals"? I've heard several different things....also I'm wondering if they can be applied to the paleo lifestyle if kept in moderation (once a month) or would it ruin the whole experience?

12. Question from Jeremy:

Rob love the show and the book thanks for making the world a healthier place.

I recently read a blog from a Doctor on vitamin D and strength. The Doctor says that vitamin D may help with overall strength in athletes and 40 percent of America is Vitamin D deficient. I was under the impression that vitamin D was a fat soluble vitamin that helps with calcium absorption and can also be produced naturally by sun exposure? Do you know of any studies or evidence that vitamin D helps with our muscle strength? Thoughts and theories are appreciated. I just don’t like drinking the juice until I read the ingredients.

Kindest Regards,

Jeremy Jordan

P.S blog link is below-

http://drmikemerrill.typepad.com/vitamin_d/2011/01/vitamin-d-and-exercise.html

Detailed Questions - ThePaleoSolution-Episode67

Direct download: The_Paleo_Solution_-_Episode_67.mp3
Category:Podcasts -- posted at: 2:00am EST

Back with Episode 66.  I will include the show topics list and detailed questions for each future episode.

Show Topics:

  1. High Work Load
  2. Drop in Triglycerides and Increase in Total Cholesterol and HDL
  3. Endometriosis
  4. Craving Salt
  5. Hershel Walker
  6. Adrenal Fatigue
  7. Other Sources of MCFA
  8. Zero Calorie Energy Drinks
  9. Isometric Exercise
  10. Podcast Slogan
  11. Low Thyroid
  12. Low Energy Levels and Hungry at Night
  13. Leptin Resistance
  14. Look Awesome Naked

Detailed Questions:

1. Question from Diana:

Hi Robb and Andy
I am a 45 year old female personal trainer in Australia who has been Paleo now for about 4 weeks. Previously a vegetarian, I decided to try Paleo because I was run-down, gaining lots of abdominal fat and feeling bloated all the time. I chose to switch to Paleo over the Christmas holidays as I would have a three week break from my work and the associated exercise load from it.
I feel great and am loving it (although I only eat fish and chicken - not sure I could cope with beef after all these years!) Anyway, my question is this:

How do you recommend I sustain my training load from work (6 hours of classes - 3 x 1 hr Spin classes, 2 x 1 hr Bootcamp classes and 1 Body Pump class) without shooting my cortisol sky high and overtraining (which I think was the problem that brought me to Paleo originally.) In addition, to the above training, I also run 5-6 days a week (sorry!)generally in the 8-12km range though previously while training for marathons, much more.
My goal is to maintain Paleo and maintain my teaching/exercise load.
Sleep is good, consistently 7-8 hours a night in pitch black room. Height 5'6'' Wt 140 and dropping
Thanks for your help.

2. Question from Stephan:

Hi Robb and Andy. I've noticed this issue come up several times on your show. Someone starts out with a paleo diet and gets their bloodwork done. The results are often a big drop in triglycerides and an increase in total and LDL.
After first switching to a paleo diet, I had a total cholesterol of 247, triglycerides of 97, HDL of 53, and LDL of 175, in units of mg/dL. A month and a half after that, I had a total cholesterol of 200, triglycerides of 62, HDL of 47, and LDL of 141.
To my knowledge, I did nothing different during that time, except for one thing: I started taking 400 mg of magnesium daily as Mg glycinate. I'm wondering if my situation is not all that uncommon.

3. Question from Jesse:

Robb,
A friend of mine has been struggling to get pregnant for the past 5 years. Are there any resources or information highlighting the dietary/lifestyle effects of endometriosis?

4. Question from Sally:

Hi Rob and Andy, Your podcast’s not bad!! Yeah, you might have changed my life a bit, but whatever...
Moving on to the important bit – me! I have been overweight my whole life – near enough, apart from the last 5 years where I’ve stuck to around 8st (I’m a 5ft 1, 41 year old female). Up until beginning the paleo way, I kepts weight off using extended cardio, vegetarianism, masses of willpower and a lot of stressing about food. Since adding protein and cutting cardio for weights I have found it so so so much easier to maintain my weight. However, I still crave salt and I eat ENORMOUS amounts of it. I can’t seem to give it up or even really want to give it up. Can you give me some motivational reasons as to why I should get rid of this final unhealthy part of the jigsaw? I’d be grateful for any scare tactics you can come up with.
Thanks a ton – P.S. love your podcast really! Sally in the UK

5. Question from Tiki:

Saw this guy fight on strikeforce over the weekend. He is 48 and from what I've read and heard the announcers mention, he only eats one meal a day , at night, usually soup and salad. Any insight on how someone can do his workout routine and only eat one meal which is mostly vegan and be in the shape he is in at 48 no less? Is it the sprinting? Is it the fasting? Fucken sickass genetics?
Thanks for the amazing show guys. Link http://www.tryingfitness.com/herschel-walker-workout/

6. Question from Kass:

Hey Robb and Andy!
I'm trying to trouble shoot some possible imbalances I may have with my doc, who happens to think I'm a hypochondriac hippy because my blood work is freaking perfect from eating paleo for
almost 2 years now. Despite my doing everything you say (I'm serious), I still haven't been able to lean out and am narrowing down possible hormonal issues. I just wanted to see if you could shed some light on these tests so that I can get my research on before I see the doc.
1. Is it possible to still have Adrenal Fatigue after adopting a Paleo lifestyle, sleeping very well, and training smart for two years? (sidenote: training smart means strength bias, not working out when I'm tired, and generally not being an idiot).
2. For the cortisol test, do you like the results from the blood test or the urine test better? 3. Are there any other tests/conditions that I should study up on? Thanks for the guidance

7. Question from Mrs. F

Hello Robb and Andy,
I understand that coconut oil is a great way to get the benefits of usable Medium Chain Fatty Acids into our diets, but in the interest of keeping things more local because, like probably most of your listeners, I don't live in Thailand, what are some other sources of MCFA's that might be more available in a the U.S.? This is sort of an issue with all non-animal fat sources like olives, avocados, almonds, etc., but coconut just seems particularly outside the basic idea of eating local. Also, is coconut the new agave nectar? Meaning, once coconut becomes so in demand, the quality and subsequent alleged health benefit is shot to hell?
Love you- love your show!

8. Question from Ultimate Russell:

Hey Robb and Andy, hope you guys are well. Robb, I saw your blog post about fitness at almost 40 and I think you look great, man. And of course Andy, you're beautiful as ever... Anyway, Robb and Andy, how do you feel about Zero Calorie Energy drinks? I do enjoy one a couple times a week but am a little concerned about artificial sweeteners (I've read a lot of negative things but then I read totally conflicting statements) I figured if I want an answer that jives with my lifestyle you would be the guy to ask. Usually when I have one it's during a long drive home in place of a cup of coffee. I have paid attention to see if I notice any negative effects on myself and as of yet there have been none. So tell me, anything to worry about or is a couple of energy drinks a week okay?

9. Question from Keith Norris Wannabe:

Thoughts on isometric exercise? A worthwhile pursuit?
(general goals of all around strength development) Link to a study abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6706740 Thanks,
(Patrick) aka, Keith Norris Wantabe

10. Question from Future David:

It's not so much a question, rather, a general "podcast slogan" as I was contemplating T-shirt designs for you guys. Tell me what you think...
6 listeners 5 fries 4 grams of fish oil daily 3 things to avoid: grains, legumes, dairy 2 crazy dudes 1 gato
Keep up the great work, fellas!

11. Question from Deb:

Can eating paleo heal a borderline low functioning thyroid?

12. Question from Alex:

Hi Rob and Andy,
Firstly - fantastic things you are doing, the books, the podcast, the site all great sources of information and I am recommending your content to anyone who notices my new "paleo physique" (most people).
I have hit a bit of a stumbling block though and not sure how to proceed. 3 months ago I was an almost podgy, moderately sedate software developer with a fairly poor diet (by paleo standards at least). I also think I may have been heading for diabetes with an extremely volatile blood glucose levels all day long. The only thing holding me together I think was that I play an elite level of squash 2-3 times a week. I am 29 years old.
A career change in mid Oct 2010 allowed me to work from home and also gives me some more spare time. I started cooking for myself and my wife and research and reading soon led me to Paleo. My wife is not yet convinced but for me the results were astounding, within a few weeks I
had lost pounds of fat and gained pounds of muscle - on the squash court I was performing to a higher level. Generally feeling good and actually felt like training for the sport for the first time in a long time.
I have always wanted to play professional tournaments so in mid Dec 2010 I joined the Professional Squash Association World Tour and will be looking to achieve a significant world ranking this year and hopefully beyond. Where I am now in January 2011 is inconceivable to how I was performing just 3 months ago. I attribute most of these gains to the huge change in my eating habits since reading the The Paleo Solution, and since then, many other books on this fascinating topic.
However, just recently I feel like I have hit a significant road block.
I have trouble sleeping, wake up middle of the night extremely hungry and also needing to take a leak. Energy levels are a bit lower than before. I am tired a lot due to the lack of sleep. I am also for some reason trying to fight off a slight cold as I write this for the first time since going Paleo.
My theory for my road block is that I have reached the point where I can no longer just burn off my (until recently somewhat generous) fat reserves. I have not accompanied this with an increase in caloric intake (I guess I need to but I don't feel like eating that much more during meal times). Eat until satisfied right?
Just from looking I think my body fat is now in the 8-12% range but I have a test booked this week to get more of an idea.
My training looks like this: per week I am doing 2 weights sessions, 2 speed sessions (sprints or jumping rope) and 3 on court practice sessions or matches. A session lasts 30-60 minutes, with some matches or on court sessions lasting slightly longer. My adherence to Paleo is at least 90% (no grains, cereals or legumes but the occasional consumption of dairy in the form of cheese or milk).
Should I be eating more meals, bigger meals, different foods? Any other ideas as to why my energy levels would suddenly drop off? Any help or advice you can give me would be amazing. Please also blind me with science where possible :-)
Alex.
PS I am English so if you do choose to read this out on the podcast, try and use an English accent for amusement factor ;-)

13. Question from Mike:

Robb and Andy great show. My question today involves Leptin Resistance. I began Paleo just
before Thanksgiving. I know, not the best timing. Made it through the holidays and lost 20 lbs. Since the beginning of the New Year I seemed to have plateaud, only losing 3 lbs. I admit that I have minimally deviated with flour. On no more than 5 occaisions since I started Paleo I have had either bread, a kolache, or something similiar. If you don't know what a Kolache is let me know I'll send you a dozen. You'll be throwing rocks at the Ferris chocolate croissants. Also ala Tim Ferris I did have some beans (black beans or black eyed peas). I am concern that I have over the years of yo-yoing I have become leptin resistant. What do you think? Also how do you overcome leptin resistance. Thanks for your concern and please keep up the great show.

14. Question from Adam:

Hey Robb and Andy, love the book and podcast. Thank you for all you two do. I want to look awesome naked (think Brad Pitt in Fight Club, or a gymnast.) I have a lot of equiptment at home (pull up bars, kettle bells, dumbbells.) I like the idea of P90X for getting ripped, but I think I overtrained when I did it. What type of exercises/frequency would you recommend for someone at home to get jacked. I do care about having functional strength, but I prefer to look good. Sorry I never have had a six pack and I want to by the time I turn 30 in six months.
Thanks a ton guys. Adam
p.s. I got a sunlight for Christmas because the sun can be nowhere to be found in winter in Buffalo. What is your opinion on these?

Show Notes - The Paleo Solution - Episode 66

Direct download: The_Paleo_Solution_-_Episode_66.mp3
Category:Podcasts -- posted at: 1:30am EST

In today's episode we talk about why Robb looks so small next to Art Devany, John Welbourn stops by to give his insights on the recent incident at Iowa, and we answer your questions.  I am going to start including the questions from each episode in the blog post as well as in the show notes to make searching easier.

Oh and Happy Birthday to Robb!

In The News:

1. Question from Brandie:

Hi Robb,

We are a CrossFit Family, I do it and my 3 sons do CrossFit Kids.  My oldest son, who is 10 years old, has alapecia and I am trying find out if there is anything dietary that we can do to curb the onset.  I know it is a autoImmune disease similar to Crones, but that's about all the information we can get from the doctors since it is not a serious illness.  But it does affect his energy level and behavior when it comes on.  This is his second major outbreak he's had, but has had more frequent lighter episodes.

Any direction you could give us would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,

Brandi

2. Question from Joel:

This isn't a Paleo question, but I've noticed that you have mentioned spending time in Nicaragua on several occasions in the podcast. I am an experienced world traveler, fluent in Spanish, and I have an opportunity to travel to Nicaragua this summer but I would be taking my six year old son with me. I've spent quite a bit of time in high-crime areas such as Rio De Janeiro and though I never had any problems, I probably wouldn't risk bringing my son there at this time. My wife is very worried about the level of crime and infection in Nicaragua.  Is her fear of the unknown justified? What attracts you to Nicaragua? Is it kid-friendly?

3. Question from Gittit:

Robb, happy belated birthday and thanks for all the information you so generously put out there!

In your "My Training at 39" post you mentioned something about melatonin worsening sleep issues when they are GABA related. I was wondering if you could elaborate on that a bit. Here's my story in a nutshell and why this comment of yours struck a chord:

I'm a born night owl and have always had trouble keeping in sync with day and night. I've tried taking melatonin to help fix my sleep, 3-5 mg, but about half the times I take it the result is horribly fragmented sleep. I wake every 2 hours, or wake up after 5 hours and can't fall asleep again. Without melatonin my problem is falling asleep, but once I'm out I sleep deeply for 9 hours. I do keep basic sleep hygiene, sleep in a dark room and drink my last coffee no later than 4 PM.

Interestingly my 19-year old brother independently has the same reaction to melatonin and our doctor has never heard of this phenomenon in anyone else.

Thank you for any input you may have, and again thanks for all the information peppered with good old tough love. Always looking forward to more.

Take care,

Gittit from Israel (old student of Ido's, really looking forward to your new project together! Feel free not to broadcast the parentheses =))

4. Question from Courtnay:

Hello Robb and Andy,

I know your paths have diverged with our old friend Barry and all his weigh and measure nonsense, however, I still like to loosely structure my  paleo meals around the "blocks" system in order to have an understanding of how much of everything I'm eating.  I like the idea of knowing what to tweak based on how I look, perform and feel.  My question is about measuring protein.  My husband and I have been debating for years whether meat should be weighed before or after cooking.  I think that if you measure it before cooking you are measuring water weight because when you cook it, it weighs a lot less.  My husband thinks that that is wishful thinking.  As much as I realize the relative insignificance of this issue, I would love to settle this debate once and for all.  What do you think...measure before cooking, measure after cooking, or throw the scale out the window?

5. Question from Jaison:

Robb and Andy,
I am super confused by trying to program my strength training and workouts. There are just so many different programs to chose from. I would like to rotate in a new program in once a month; so one month I will focus on mass gain, then strength gain, fat loss, and athletic performance. It's not that i can't find a thousand different programs, but I know that you will be able to point me in the right direction to the most useful and well researched programming that fits in with eating paleo.

Some background: I am 5'9" male, 160lbs, have been 100% paleo for 1 year and have dropped from 224lbs (64lbs lost this year), from 36% bodyfat to 13% with embarrassingly little exercise, although I have been doing p90x for about 3 months now. Been doing Leangains IF for about 2 months now with good results. But it's time to step things up and be specific. my main goal right now is to gain muscle mass, and then get under 8% bodyfat.  I'm just confused as to, well pretty much everything to do with programming for these goals.

Love the podcast I have read the book TWICE, you have really changed my life.

6. Question from Kyle:

Hi guys, I am a new follower to the podcast, never knew it existed until a resent Hawaii visit.
The title is what was said to me by a Natropath recently. It was my 1st bout of Gout (NEVER want to experience again!)
'you eat way too much high purine foods, with the red meat- I suggest a vegetarian diet or eating meat at least 1 or 2 days per week to make it a moderate consumption'

I went to the Natropath in order to get some herbal anti-inflammatory medication as opposed to taking your usual NSAID's. After looking up what causes Gout I was fearful that my Paleo diet was a contributing factor.
I do eat Lamb, Beef, Kangaroo , not in massive quantities & mixed up throughout the week with wild Salmon & deep sea fish. But I definitely eat it more than 1 or 2 days per week when you consider the amount of meals one has throughout a day.
This has all happened within 2weeks.
In the week before going to Hawaii, I was eating food which according to 'the blood group diet' Are avoid foods for me eg prawns & chicken. Plus I had some sweetbread in Hawaii. So in a 2 week period I had eaten food that cause it & managed to get it. Also in that week @ Hawaii, if you don't mind the oversharing , my Kidney,s were acting strange... The amount of times I had to urgently pee was ridiculous & way too frequent.

So please tell me I can continue eating Paleo, that I don,t have to go vegetarian. Also is it true that I should listen to what the blood group diet suggests... Because with the elimination of chicken, pork, trout, seeds eg sesame, pumpkin I,m kind of left with only 'the meats that I should only have 1or 2 days / week.
Oh i am sending this before I have my blood tests as I want to know I can still eat as normal... Paleo style!
Thanks guys, looking forward to hearing the response

7. Question from Joshua:

Hey Robb and Andy
I love the podcast. I currently attend Palmer College of Chiropractic where time to do anything but study is a luxury as we take an average of 30 credit hours a trimester.  Crossfit is becoming an extremely popular thing here at school, which is in no way a bad thing.  I however hate being in the gym and am a big proponent of MovNat, and being out in nature.  I know Robb and Erwan have done lectures and such together which is how I found the website, podcast, ect.  Alot of my friends who are crossfitters are very hesitant to leave the gym and just go outside to play every once in a while.  I was wondering if you had any advice so I can convince these "crossfit cult-ers" as I call them outside and back to nature.  I have nothing against crossfit, I think its great. I just think getting outside has some definite benefits as well.  Oh, and Robb I just listened to the podcast where you talked about feeling more "Randy" and well to each there own but did you at least ask his permission first?  Thanks a ton!

8. Question from Emma:


Hi Robb and Andy,

I guess everyone begins these things with a spiel about how they've been listening to you from the very beginning, so I might as well follow suit: I've been listening to you from the very beginning.

My mom was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in October, and is currently undergoing chemo. I understand you believe this type of cancer to be in the family of auto-immune diseases that can really benefit from  a diligent no-gluten, low-carb policy. Where I'm not clear about is how she should handle the issue of  red meat. Many sources say to avoid the stuff as much as possible, but those are the same people that are also recommending vegetarianism and "healthy" whole grains. My family tries to eat mainly locally raised, grass-fed meat, and my gut feeling is that this should not be problematic to her recovery. However, I'd like something a little more solid than my intuition to make such a judgement in this case.

How do you feel about people eating grass-fed red meat, or for that matter any sort of red meat during cancer treatment? Should they limit their intake, or is it not much of a concern? If you could also please cite some sources I would appreciate it. I've tried searching pubmed and google, but to no avail. I mostly come across studies linking red meat consumption to increased risk of cancer, which I already know to be a shady manipulation of variables that doesn't properly represent the entire picture.

Thank you so much for your help and insight!

9. Question from Colby:
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/8-reasons-carbs-help-you-lose-weight-2442968/

Robb, saw this story on Yahoo front page this morning. I'm sure you've heard about it or will soon, but I just had to comment. Is this article a joke? It seems to make all kinds of wonderful claims, but then does nothing to back them up. How is it that studies and/or articles keep coming out that contradict Paleo, but they cite little to no research?

I fear that the ease in which someone can post groundbreaking new diet research, all for a buck, is the biggest opponent that Paleo faces. Especially b/c once these diets/fads are disproved, people then lump every other diet/lifestyle (i.e. Paleo) together and label them a fraud, fad, scam, etc.

Just my 2 cents

Show Notes - The_Paleo_Solution_Episode_65

Download episode here.

Direct download: The_Paleo_Solution_-_Episode_65_1.mp3
Category:Podcasts -- posted at: 2:00am EST

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