or you might loose your marbles. If you have not read Lights Out! Sleep, Sugar and Survival, now is the perfect time to get it going.
Sleep…
Robb Wolf is a former research biochemist and 2X New York Times/Wall Street Journal Best-selling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired To Eat. Along with Diana Rodgers, he co-authored the book, Sacred Cow, which explains why well-raised meat is good for us and good for the planet. Robb has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world via his top-ranked iTunes podcast, books, and seminars. He also co-founded the 1st and 4th CrossFit affiliate gyms in the world, The Healthy Rebellion community platform, and is the co-founder of DrinkLMNT Electrolytes.
Search Robbwolf.com
Hi Robb
Big thanks for the wealth of information you supply.
Im having some trouble seeing your last few posts. Problem wth my server maybe?
Kevin
Kevin-
Not sure on that…things look ok from my end.
Read it over the summer. Immediately bought new drapes, ditched the alarm clock in favor of using cell phones for an alarm, and within 2 days felt better; more focused at work, less edgy at home, and fewer occurances of waking in the night. I love my new cave!
Jen-
What type of drapes did you go with? We have blinds in our room but they suck…it may require an epic intervention to get to “cave” status for me 🙁
Robb,
For some reason, your webpage has not been loading correctly for me. When I try to read your recent posts (Feeding the Machine 3, Exercise: Effective for Fat gain), no text appears. I click the link, get the topic header but no text. This has not previously been the case, when viewing your site and nothing has changed regarding my computer or internet connection.
Any advice?
Thanks,
Don
HMMMM…Everything looks good for me. What browser are you using? I’m on firfox, latest version. I DID have problems loading that particular post…Craig, any thoughts if you are following this stuff?
Hey Robb,
I am starting to work on a 4 block prescription and have worked myself into a state of confusion. I think I found the answer in CFJ 21 but just want some clarification. A hand full of peanuts.. I know they fall under the fat block area (on the chart), what about the protein content? Do I need to count that towards my Protein block or do I strictly use them (or whatever food) for what category they fall under and ignore the protein/carbohydrates.
Thanks
Jason
Nuts and seeds are FAT ONLY!
My bad. I am on a 20 block prescription not a 4 block.
Hey Robb,
I searched your blog and didn’t see my question anywhere so here it is:
I was in a hurry this morning and missed some protein and fat blocks for breakfast. When this happens, do you try to make up those blocks throughout the day, or do you ignore what happened and eat the rest of your meals as normal?
Thank you in advance
Brandon-
In general you will make those up at a later meal, or by puffing up the content of your remaining meals.
Yeah man, I can’t navigate the site as well. Hope it fixes itself! Hope to see you up at OPT!
Robb – I just want to give you a heads up that your site has not been loading properly in Internet Explorer. Firefox and Chrome both work fine.
Thanks Bill…this seems to be troubling a few people, checking into this.
Hey Robb,
A little off topic, but how does zoning and hyperinsulinism affect acne?
Brody-
Acne appears to be caused by hyperinsulinism…control insulin, and we tend to not see acne. Cordain has published several papers and an ebook on this:
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/published_research/
hey Rob,
im having the same trouble loading the last three posts! exactly the same as the comment above, header but no text! my browser and settings have not changed.
my computer is a dinosaur though…
Still trying to figure this out…
Hey Robb,
I’m having the same problems viewing the website as the other guys.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to read the other posts at some point….I’ve become a little addicted to this site.
Thanks for all of the info and I’m looking forward to meeting you at the Nutrition Cert in Flagstaff in November.
Eric-
And other folks who can not see the page: What browser are you using (IE, firefox, etc) version, operating system, PC, MAC…
Robb,
I am using the latest IE.
I still only see the header and no actual info under the Sleep or Eating posts – weird!
Don
Ok, you are the third person who has said IE…what operating system are you using?
Robb,
After reading both “sleep” and “…effective for fat gain”, I can relate to Toby Shell and his frustrations, however, I’m not training endurance. I am a fire fighter who works mids (3 on, 3 off schedule) in the dispatch center, so I can finish school during the day. I have been doing this schedule since May of this year and I will graduate in May 09′. I have gotten weaker and fatter, despite my diet being pretty good. On my work days I average about 4 hours of sleep. I figure I will just have to deal with this until I finish, but is there anything I can to off set the effects even a little? I am 75”tall, 246lb reformed body builder type (body fat ? but I can see four whole abs). I do BJJ, swim and do yoga twice weekly (each). I zone as RX’ed, even leaving my fat blocks “normal” until I reach my desired weight. Thanks for any input and I copied my exact diet below. Feel free to heavily scrutinize. Thanks, nick
5 am-4 eggs, 3 turkey bacon -1 cup berries, 1 grapefruit – 2.5 teaspoons almond butter
9AM-½ cottage cheese, 1orange, 2 Mac nuts
12PM-2 oz mozzarella, 1 tomato, 6 almonds
3PM-(low carb) tortilla w/2oz mozz cheese, ½ cup salsa, 2 Mac nuts
8PM (post WOD meal) 5oz lean protein or 7.5oz scallops, veggies (4 cups), 1peach, ½ avocado
*12AM- 1 egg, broccoli single, 1 mac nut
*3am-1 oz deli, broccoli single, 3 almonds
* Only on nights I work mids
Nick-
Those 4 hour nights are killer…just try to get the best quality sleep you can, dark room, cold. Try to sneak in naps. You might consider 100mg of 5-HTP and a standard ZMA to help improve sleep quality. That’s a rough schedule…hang in there. Food looks pretty solid but keeping the fat too low may just lead to muscle wasting without leanness…the sleep deprivation may cock-block fat loss even in caloric deficit.
Keep me posted!
Hey Robb,
In response to your comment above “Nuts and seeds are FAT ONLY!” I bought unsalted almonds at Safeway tonight and the packaging says there is 7 grams of protein per serving, what’s going on there? Isn’t that basically an extra protein block?
No sir, it’s bound in the fiber and elicits no glucagon response. It’s a 3rd world protein.
Robb,
What are your thoughts regarding Chia seeds?
they are from Satan:
http://www.chiabritney.com/
Aside from their use as an odd decorative aid, they are fine. Use like any other nut or seed.
Hey Robb,
When it comes to sleep, I find that I am able to fall asleep faster AND sleep more soundly when I take a sleep “supplement” such as a melatonin pill or lately I’ve been using Unisom (which, if you are unfamiliar with is 25mg of diphenhydramine) tablets.
Does something such as this effect the quality of sleep and/or the amount of GH released during sleep?
Andrew-
I’ve used 5-HTP with good success. It’s been ages since using any kind of melatonin. Diphenhydramine however BLOCKS growth hormone production…hGH requires histamine production and diphenhydramine (AKA Benadryl) shuts that stuff down. I like the 5-htp/ZMA cocktail. Anthony Bainbridge added PharmaGaba to that mix and it was like a stun gun…possibly worth a shot.
Hey Robb,
I’m with Don. I can’t get the text to appear on either the Feeding the Machine 3 article or the sleep article. I’ve tried my work computer and my home one. Any ideas?
Zane-
It’s looking like a problem with Internet Explorer…try Firefox or another browser till we get this hammered out.l
Hey Robb,
I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to get a hold of you forever, I guess this will have to do!
What is your personal rule on protein shakes?
I eat 2×8 blocks a day, first 4 meals = Muscle Milk + blueberries + almonds, last 4 = ground beef/turkey + broccoli.
I really can’t think of anything else decent for protein shakes. I’m assuming they aren’t permitted on the paleo diet, but what is your take on them?
Thanks in advance,
J
J-
Shakes just do nto seem to stick with people well nor do they optimize body-comp. They are super easy to slug down and thus elicit a pretty large insulin response…even as a post WO aid I do nto find many people doing better on shakes vs real food. Experiment and see what works for you.
Hi Robb, I love the blog but I’m having similar troubles viewing some of the recent posts as I’m only seeing the intro.
On a side not I’m also curious about the hormonal response to whole milk as I have been adopting the zone and cutting sugars and grains but I just love milk! I know milk has a low GI but does that necessarily mean it has a low insulinaemic response? I love milk and whole milk does seem to fit into the zone easily but do you think it’s ideal for a young athlete on the zone compared to sticking to veggies and fruit carb sources?
Thanks, Joe.
Joe-
Unfortunately dairy has a pretty screaming insulin index:
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/articles/Cordain%20US%20Dermatology%20Reviews.pdf
I’m using some Goat’s milk for post WO meals while I’m gaining weight, but I’m not planning on making this a regular part of my diet beyond this project.
Hey Robb,
I have been experimenting with night-time snacks before bed. Is it a zone faut pas if I don’t eat a pre-bed time snack?
I have crew practice in the afternoon and eat a 6-8 carb and 4-5 protien block dinner right after practice. Do I need to get some fat in my system before bed to regulate my insulin? Also, is a snack that is just fat, i.e nuts o.k as a pre-bed snack?
Thanks for all of your help with my other questions. I am eating 16-18 blocks of protein a day, 6-10 blocks of carbs, and lots of fat everyday. I just had my body fat measured during my preseason check up and I was 7% bf. I am amazed by how great I feel and how well I have performed on such a small amount of carbs. Keep the Feeding the Machine posts coming. I love those posts.
Ben-
No worries with ratios..P/C post WO is perfect, nuts as pre-bed snack, fine. The zone is best utilized as an accounting method. Keep track of what your eating, keep the quality good, partition macros at smart times. Let performance and how you feel drive your decisons and you are set!
Keep me posted.
Hey Robb,
First off, thanks for providing such accessible and vital information about food in relation to my health. As a budding nutritionist, it is both educational and inspiring to read your posts. Thanks again.
Now let me get off my knees and ask you my real question. I’ve been going pretty strict Zone/Paleo for a couple years now, only I’ve always allowed myself a break day on the weekend. And when I do break, I break really fucking hard. I’m talking I’m talking about upwards of 600 g carbohydrates a day. Is this super bad for me? Am I ruining all the good I do in the week by eating so much crap on the weekend?
Thanks a lot,
Jonji
Jonji-
Thanks much for the kind words! I like all this stuff and it certainly feels good to be of help occasionally. As to your question…I really do not know. I think going off the rails weekly is fine…600g of carbs is some pretty impressive work. tinke rwith it. Cut what you have been doing in half…do you feel better the rest of the week? If so maybe it’s compelling to change, if not party on! I bet your monday workout are screamers! Plenty of glycogen then!!
Robb,
Long time no chat. The new box is doing well and clients are rolling in. I got a good question from one of my clients about coffee. I had mentioned that I drink Espresso and that i had a discussion with you about types of coffee. I promised i’d get back to her with the potential benefits of Espresso over regular coffee (if any).
Thoughts?
Jeremy (crossfit hampton roads)
Jeremy-
congrats on the success! Espresso has more antioxidants, more flavor and less caffeine…also drip coffee (or french press) extracts some organic acids that make for a wicked withdrawal headache and irritated prostate for some. Not so with the espresso.
Robb –
I have a great set of cellular blinds in my daughter’s room that knocks out the light. Put up some solid curtains around the edges that filters the rest of the light and you should have that cave. You want the blackout fabrics. There are 2 advantages to these. 1 they can keep out some of the heat during the day plus they will really darken a room. We did have to get them custom fit to the window. just a tiny bit of light comes in the side which is where the drapes comes in. They make 7 pm in Washington in July seem like 10 or 11 at night.
Dan-
That kicks ass! I’m on it!
Robb, just a quick update on our bedtime goodies.
I dropped the 5htp since the pharmaGABA + ZMA did more than enough to knock me out. It’s been a few weeks and there are no changes in tolerance (good) and no dependencies (also good).
Jodi is doing really well with 5htp + ZMA. The pharmaGABA didn’t do anything for her. Again, no change in tolerance or dependency.
We’ve also been limiting electronics an hour before bed (Jodi does better at this than I do).
Our room is fairly dark, but I definitely want to improve it. We’ve tried the blackout sheets, but they are a PAIN IN THE ASS to put up and take down every day. I’m thinking about framing the blackout sheet in wood so it slides in snug and then store it under the bed during the day. If anyone has a better idea, let us know!
Anthony-
Sounds good. I’ve done something similar to the framming using cork board cut to fit right in the window. I could take it up or down pretty easily. Unfortunately the new house is riddled with windows and the shape of the frames makes it neigh impossible to do this again.
Hey Robb,
I have been having a protein shake with 100% whey protein and almond milk for meals and snacks when I cannot get a favorable protein source. Is this eliciting too high an insulin response as opposed to protein in the form of solid food?
Thanks,
Ben
Ben-
If you are not as lean as you’d like to be possibly. I just found this today and liquid meals definitely pack a larger insulin response than solid:
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0899900798000148
Just something to tinker with
Hi Robb,
I love your site–your posts and the ensuing storm of comments are food for my brain everyday! Ever since I attended your cert in chilly San Francisco, I have been Paleo, and I definitely feel so much better. I had been Zoning previously, but I was addicted to oatmeal and yogurt, so getting rid of them helped me immensely.
However, it seems I have to get back to stricter zoning on Paleo to lean up again because I haven’t lost any weight or perceptible body fat just by going Paleo and rough Zone. I don’t feel like I am overeating, but perhaps I need to be more strict. I am just worried that if I cut carbs more, I will be taking a chunk out of the micronutrients I need to make Paleo healthy. Do you find it necessary to take a multivitamin while doing Paleo-Zone to keep everything in check? I know you mentioned absorption being increased when not dulled by grains, so maybe it works regardless…
Anyway, question number two: how many protein blocks do you suggest in the post WOD meal? Right now, I have been partitioning half of my carb blocks (a whooping 5 of them–yippee!), but since I commute 45min to Crossfit, I wait until I get home to have the 3 remaining protein blocks for the day–which is usually around 9-10 at night after the 7pm class. Is this mucking up my post WOD recovery?
Finally, I was wondering about herbal teas–why does the Paleo book say to have them in moderation and another source said to not have them at night? I enjoy a hot cup of tea (no milk or sugar–just straight) to flavor the water I drink. What is the science behind the restriction?
Thank you again for helping all of us lost souls with our dietary questions!
Best wishes,
Kristy
Kristy-
You might need to tighten up to a weighed/measured zone to get the leanness you desire. This is definitely the main benefit I get from weighing/measuring.
I just run with a standard block of protein…for example most of my meals are 4 blocks, so I use that for protein, about bouble that for carbs (if a large WO).
Herbal tea-Many contain phytoestrogens…just a good idea to mix that up and not go overboard.
Hey Rob,
Thanks for the info on liquid meals. I dropped the whey protein shakes, but can I still drink the almond milk with a solid food meal?
Eliminating dairy from my diet puts me at a bit of a calcium deficit and drinking almond milk allows me to get closer to my daily recommended amount of calcium. My doctor told me to get 150% of the daily recommended value of calcium because I am still growing. What should I do to meet my calcium needs?
Hey Ben-
Roll with the almond milk if you want but the whole calcium balance thing is a bit more complex than first blush. Check this out:
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/nutritional_tools/acid.shtml
Robb,
Wanted to check in with a question about nutrition as it relates to sleep and performance. Some preliminary info first.
I have recently switched to a paleo-esque diet as of July. I’m 5’10″/170lbs. Keeping track of my nutrients/calories with Fitday, on a macro level I’m about 2000-2500cal/day with no hunger cravings at the lower end of that scale. In fact, it’s a conscientious effort to bump it up to the higher side. Food composition breakdown is approx 45/35/20 fat/protein/carb. The vast majority of carbs are coming from fruits/vegetables (no grains or processed foods). Protein is in the form of fish, beef, pork, and chicken. Fats are coming from primarily oils and nuts. Since the switch, I have seen a noticeable change in body composition. Weight has stayed the same, but bf% has dropped.
Haven’t noticed any degradation in my crossfit performances either, in fact my energy is through the roof. Often I’ll workout 2x/day (WOD plus weights or run/row) to burn off the excess energy.
My problem is sleep. I have had trouble falling asleep at night and am averaging 5-6hrs since about the time I changed my diet. It will take me 1hr or longer to fall asleep at night whereas I had no previous problems. Though I don’t feel lethargic during my workouts I’m sure this must be affecting my performance or at least holding me back. Would appreciate your thoughts on any correlation between the diet change and stamina/sleep issues as well as any recommendations. Thanks.
hmmm…you may need a few more carbs throughout the day. An overly low carb diet cna really raise glucagon/epinephrine etc and it can be very stimulating. Try adding a chelated magnesium in the evneing also!
Hi Robb,
I purchased lights out after reading your blog and was whole heartedly smitten with the idea. I have been endeavouring to be paleo for a few months now and have had pretty good results, dropped 3kg in the first few weeks no extra exercise, feels good. Back to the book. As I said I was excited by the subject and quickly devoured the pages. However I was hit by a few facts as I read that I knew to be incorrect. I continued reading but was hit with another and then slowly started to doubt the authors accuracy. I have done a lot of research in my life and didn’t want to have to go deeply into sleep as a subject. Sadly now it looks like it is needed to get the real story. I found my way to wileywatch.org where I read things that confirmed my inital thoughts.
I was really just wondering if the whole book was something you subscribed to or just a stepping stone into an interesting topic? Have I wasted my time reading lights out or is there some reality In there hidden among the factual errors?
I hope I get a reply as I do listen to your opinion.
Thanks a lot.
Daniel
P.s animals in the wild do get cancer, it was the first false statement that I picked up. Thanks again.
what’s this about limiting electronics before going to bed?? and is it bad to sleep close to electrical outlets? i’ve heard some random things here and there about that
Dan-
Well…it seems to allow for better melatonin production, deeper sleep and all the fun that goes along with it. Not sure on the electrical stuff other than I notice I sleep like a dead man when we camp or back-pack…I think there is certainly something to it.
in the middle of reading lights out I am left with some questions. 1) the book mentions how a small light (such as an alarm) can mess up hormones during sleep. if this is true how the the paleolithic man avoid moonlight? It would be much brighter then an alarm clock and no matter the season it is always on. 2) I have tried to sleep longer (from 7 hours a day to 9.5 per day) and the only thing I have noticed is I am more lethargic throughout the day. Any thoughts? \
Robb (or anyone else with insight on this)-
After reading the post to Andrew above (9-15-08) I quit taking the sleep aid I was using that contains Diphenhydramine Hydrochl. + Sleep MD because the last thing I want to do is block any HGH production.
I switched to the cocktail you suggested, taking 2 PharmaGaba, 3 ZMA and one 100mg 5-HTP immediately prior to bed. It’s been three weeks, and the cocktail knocks me out thoroughly for about three hours, but then it’s over.
Now here’s why I need to take a sleep aid. I work graveyards four nights/week trying to sleep from 0800-1600 and then on the nights I’m off I try to sleep from 2200-0600ish.
I’m guessing I’m better off going back to my old combo in return for getting more sleep, right?
Thanks for your wisdom. It’s much appreciated!
Tough deal there Daniel. The diphenhydramine blocks hGH production, but like you said more sleep of any variety is likely better. Just experiment and get the mostest/bestest sleep you can!
hi robb i joined crossfit northern ireland 3 months ago things are great, gettin fitter but the thing is i want is to bulk up i’m 5″9 tall and 72 kg in weight and would like to be 80 kg and tight so any suggestions thanks mate
Chris-
Eat big, lift heavy! The CF Football program + 5,000cals per day will work miracles.
Would Ambien med be blocking the production of growth hormone as well? Or is it different
Jared-
A quick search indicated Ambien does not affect GH release. This was by no means a thorough search but what I could easily find looked ok.
Rob,
A little late on this post but I couldn’t get through the book. I googled T.S. Wiley and most of the stuff I found out about her is that she is a feminist quack with really splotty writing (apologies if you really love her). Is there some stuff I can read to dig a little deeper on sleep? Thanks!
J
Jay-
I kinda had that impression from the writing but still dig the overall message. If you just google “shift work” or “sleep deprivation cancer” you will find a ton of stuff.
Hello Rob. Love all the work you put into helping everyones health. I’ll give you a little back ground and then see if you have any helpful ideas. I suffered from ulcerative collitis from March to August. Prednisone finally got me back on track but I had to deal with some pretty serious mood swings, anemia and trouble sleeping. I have been crossfitting for about 2.5 years and have been doing shift work for 12 years (firefighter). During the last month of my flare up (UC) I had to deal with strictures in the large intestine. During that time meat would cripple me as it couldn’t pass and would create lots of gas. This forced me to go vegetarian for awhile and set me on a path looking for long term health. Being a crossfitter I had heard about Paleo but had only tried zoning. Starting in December I have been doing Paleo with about 4 cheat meals per week through the holidays and have cleaned up to around 3 cheats post holidays. I feel great with digestion have good workouts but I still have bags under my eyes and randomly get stressed out. I sleep 6-8 hrs depending on the shift or what the kids do at home but it just doesn’t seem to be enough. The only supplements i take are 1 kirkland fish oil, Asocol x 12, 1x Multivitamin. Is their something I’m missing that is creating these bags under my eyes and fatigue? Thanks, Matt. cya at the Jan. nutrition seminar I’m totally psyched.
Hey Robb,
Years ago I was prescribed Ambien 10mg for my insomnia. I’ve been taking it for a bout 5 years now (ugh). I’ve been crossfitting for about 3 months and have adopted a paleo diet and I want to eventually get off the ambien. I take drink magnesium in addition to the ambien and still have troubles getting to sleep. I try to get to bed early but I end up only sleeping 6 hrs or so if I take the ambien before 11pm. May be all mental, I dunno.
Also, I’m 108, 5’3″ and struggle with not having sugar on the paleo diet. I can totally feel when my body is pissed at me. And not sleeping really amplifies the sugar withdrawals.
I’m also on buproprion and neurontin (which i’m trying to get off as well. It’s not necessary for me to take them anymore. It’s hard to find a psychiatrist that will help you affectly get off these things. I feel stuck.)
Any suggestions on what to do help me sleep better so I can be at ease with gradually getting off these meds. Not sleeping tends to freak me out, which makes it hard not to take this stuff.
Sorry, this is a grocery list of stuff. Yikes.