The Paleo Diet - Robb Wolf on Paleolithic nutrition, intermittent fasting, and fitness

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The Paleolithic Solution – Episode 14

This is the episode after Robb’s first ever Paleolithic Solution Seminar.  Here is a review of the seminar from the Whole 9.  We had some bad weather the day we recorded which caused some audio issues for about the first 15 minutes which includes the part where Robb discusses leaky gut.  We will cover that topic again in our Intro to Paleo episode.  Here is the link to the Jimmy Moore interview with Dr. Kurt Harris that we mention during the show.

Download a transcript of Episode 14

Also, if anyone else remembers the glory that is “Prayer of the Rollerboys” please make a comment in the blog.  Robb swears I’m the only one that has seen this movie!

Show Notes – The_Paleolithic_Solution_Episode_14

Download Episode 14

Comments

  1. Hey Rob & Andy,

    Loving the info you guys are providing. I must admit to Rob that your explainations are a little to technical for my simple mind and it puts me into a confused zombie like state. It’s really cool! I do have a question about post workout nutrition. In a previous podcast (if I remember correctly) Rob suggested protien/yams to improve body comp. or protien/fruit if you’re not concerned about body comp. My question is how would protien and a low glyciemic fruit (grapes) compare to the protien/yams. I my mind i would like to think that a low glyciemic carb would be better for body comp. Could you shed some light on my confusion?

    Reply

  2. I remember Prayer of the rollerboys! It was half of the coreys (ie…just Haim) riveting performance that scared me straight and kept me away from trench coated facist drug dealing roller blade gangs when I was a kid.

    Reply

  3. Great podcast again! I will say I do remember “Gleaming the Cube” but I think Andy is on his own with the movie posted above.

    When you mentioned the lectins & leptin on topic 4, it reminded me of this paper where they suggest that lectins could posibly bind to leptin receptors which could in turn contribute to leptin resistance.
    http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6823/5/10
    Not sure if you have seen any other info on that but it’s also an interesting concept. Even before I had ever heard of paleo, I always found that grains made me gain fat pretty quickly, while other carbs definitely did not.

    I think a 2 day nutrition seminar with both you and Matt presenting different topics would be a great idea! Just some food for thought as you plan things out.

    Reply

  5. Hey guys, just started listening to you a few weeks ago. (8 listeners now)

    Were lucky in Vermont, we usually see one day of sun every 17 months (slight exaggeration) but this winter we’ve had almost 3 weeks straight of sun.

    And I can’t say I’ve seen Prayer of the Rollerboys, but it’s definitely only my list after that trailer haha.

    Reply

  6. Hi Robb

    Are you familiar with Gedgaudas’ book Primal Body Primal Mind – is it worth purchasing?
    I’ve got Primal Blueprint and Vegetarian Myth on order, looking forward to reading yr book too.

    Reply

  7. Partially off topic but it seems that you are always talking about cortisol…

    I just listened to this great podcast about depression: The Biology of Depression: How Stress Affects the Brain and the Body. It is part of the mini-med school for the public series, which includes the Bitter Truth video. You can find it here (http://www.uctv.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=17621), youtube and iTunes U.

    Not too much on diet specifically, but some some good stuff on exercise mostly in the last third. Gives the gory details about the “feel” in the “look good, feel good, perform better” litmus test you often talk about.

    Reply

  9. hey robb.
    another great podcast.

    quick one again…
    do you count the calories/fat in fish oil towards your daily consumption if you’re WAMing?

    thanks in advance

    Reply

  10. Awesome flick. One of the Coreys. Some futuristic gang whose members rollerskate. I think there may be some super addictive drug involved, also. Its been a while.

    Reply

  11. Yay, can’t wait to listen. I’d do it now but professor might notice. That trailer looked funny, never heard of that movie.

    Reply

  12. Robb,
    Could you go into some further detail in a future podcast or on the board here and define “insulin resistance”?

    I have picked up a lot of peripheral information in what you have presented in the podcasts so far as well as some research I have been doing on my own but would like to get your flesh out on it.

    On another note do you believe you will still be coming to VA in July? I saw in one of your posts that it was a possiblity. Fingers crossed it is not planned for the last weekend of the month! lol 🙂

    Thanks.

    Respectfully,
    Steven

    Reply

  16. Andy,

    I never, ever, EVER forget anything to do with movies. That’s why I was rubbish in school. All I had was movie quotes rattling around in this tiny pin head of mine.

    When I saw the words “Prayer of the Rollerboys” I remembered them in those big silly trenchcoats all formation skating in a V. I have never seen it, but I remember the advert for it in the UK. It was advertised on a VHS from my local video store that I watched with monotonous regularity. I instantly thought it was Lost Boys, but the timings don’t match. I’m going to be racking my brains for months now.

    Another ad I always saw was 8 Million Ways to Die with Jeff Bridges. Never saw that either, but I’m pretty sure Patricia’s mom Rosanna Arquette was in it.

    Ridiculous.

    Reply

  17. Another great cast! I’m addicted to listening to these things…and I am turning some of the guys in my jits classes onto your website so instead of 15 listeners you may have 18 or 19!

    I have a fast question about post workout. I had posted before that I have been eating 3 meals a day, LCP with all carbs coming from veggies such as broccoli, spinach, red cabbage, asparagus, etc and I was not eating a PWO. I started feeling lethargic so I added a PWO per your recommendation. I also, according to your reply and earlier podcast, switched my Jits S&C from CFSB to 2 times a week of ring based warmup, Squat, Shoulder Press, BW Pull (Pull-ups) and BW Press (Pushup) one day and the other being ring based warm-up, DL, Bench or Clean, BW Pull (Muscle Ups or Chin Ups) and BW Press (HSPU or Dips). I have been using the following post workout. On Strength days I eat an organic sweet potato with cinn. on top, can of salmon (140 cal 22p) and 2 eggs and on jits nights I eat the salmon, eggs, and then a very small shake of 1 cup frozen spinach, 1 spoon cocoa, splash of lite coconut milk, and then between a quarter cup and full cup natural blueberries depending on intensity and time spent rolling. The lethargic feeling has gone away, as well as lasting soreness, and energy in class seems to be going well. My question is if this looks solid or if maybe I should be eating more carbs PWO Jits and no PWO carbs post strength. Maybe I am splitting hairs but you have helped so many people so far and considering you have done jits, which is awesome btw, your the perfect guy to ask this stuff too. Concerns are staying strong, and eventually trying to get DL and Squat up to 2x BW (at 325 max now at 180bw) and staying below 10% BF. Not all about vanity here either, I perform better being lean and generally feel better about life.

    Thanks again for the help! I reference anyone who asks directly here, and so far a few people have asked about my eating and conditioning at Jits because I never gas on the mats or when I am banging out muscle ups at the gym and people ask….they get sent here!

    Thanks again!

    Reply

  19. Hey Robb and Andy. Great show as always. I’m actually a listener who has no athletic background – I don’t ever go to the gym, and my main exercise consists of hiking and long walks – even so, I find your podcast to jive with my intuition about nutrition, and I find it extraordinarily informative.

    I have a question about gum disease: I’ve had a hunch for a while now that inflamed gums are caused by the same sorts of things that cause inflammation elsewhere in the body. In Gary Taubes’ book, he mentions briefly one experiment where researchers eating low-carb for a year wound up curing their gum disease. After eliminating grains, gluten, legumes, and dairy, is there anything else that you think might cause irritated gums/inflammation? Can mildly inflamed gums be a symptom of something larger? I feel great otherwise.

    Reply

  20. Haha. Thanks for answering some of my questions, Robb. Thanks, Andy, as well.

    So fructose. Everyday? I eat blueberries, strawberries, blackberries apples, grapes, mangos, quite a lot. The diet on http://www.freeacnebook.com (not my website, I promise) looks exactly Paleo, but says to eat only fruits and no vegetables.

    And chocolate. Great fat source. Not everyday?

    The whole idea that people closer to the Equator are more carbohydrate tolerant feels like another product of evolution. It reminds me of how people from northern latitudes develop light skin in order to absorb more vitamin d during the summer whereas people from equatorial latitudes develop dark skin in or order to absorb less vitamin d. Robb, these things may be true, but genes can be expressed. Take male pattern baldness. Sure, everything is genetic to some degree. But diet and lifestyle (sun, exercise) can express the way genes act, notably in male pattern baldness.

    Reply

  21. Hi Robb,
    Do you know of any supplements that might help stop teeth clenching / grinding at night?
    Female, no stress issues, sleeps well, lean, otherwise healthy. Minimal alcohol, none close to sleeping.
    ?magnesium, something else?

    Reply

  22. Hey robb,

    Just finding myself intrigued by wheatgrass at the moment. Is there anything to it, and is it worth taking a shot a day?

    Reply

  24. Rob, whats been the top end(capsules needed) you’ve seen when suggest someone starts the Super Enzymes from Now Foods ??

    Also, would love to hear your thoughts on oatmeal, I remember reading your Feeding The Machine posts, and saw it in a few meal plans, maybe OPT’s??

    Reply

  28. Never heard of Rollerboys but the fact that you admit to watching it means that you are a much stronger man than I.

    I had a question on some of the older podcasts. Cheat meals seems to have come up a few times and your take has been that there might be some benefit, there might not, use it if it works for you. My question is, though, if you have a cheat meal once a week are you stopping yourself from ever healing your gut? I’m thinking of the military guys you mentioned keeping crap in their diet every now and then so that they can eat the MRE’s when deployed without significant issues.

    It seems like one cheat meal a week wouldn’t throw off insulin sensitivity if you were good the rest of the time but are is there enough of an irritant to keep your gut chronically inflammed?

    Reply

  29. Robb,

    I recently had a large increase in my training volume. PT with my ROTC detachment twice a week, Nor Cal S&C on ramp program roughly 4 or 5 days a week, as well as 2-3 strength training sessions per week. I’m an 18 year old male. Weight: about 135lbs. I was very lean (well below 10%BF). I eat strict low carb Paleo (all carbs coming from spinach, broccoli, etc). About 3 weeks ago, I started gaining BF like nobody’s business! I dropped my caloric intake, but continued to gain BF. I realized that I probably had some overtraining related cortisol issues. I’ve been taking it easy the last two weeks. I’ve only been doing the mandatory, twice weekly PT sessions which are not demanding at all. I assumed that the cutting back on my training would fix the cortisol problem and return my BF to normal. No dice. I dropped my calories and did about a week of WAMing and was getting about 1600 cals (less than 30g of carb). Still no dice. Realizing I may have been under-eating, I have been gradually increasing my caloric intake over the past 5 or 6 days. Still seeing very little progress. I get 8-10 hours of sleep/night. Any idea how long I may need to restrict my training before cortisol is back to normal? Any suggestions on how to get back to single digit BF in a timely manner? In the past, eye balling a low carb Paleo diet was money, but now I can’t seem to budge from around 12% BF. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply

  31. Robb-
    Thanks so much for answering my question! Since you responded to me via the blog a couple of weeks ago I have made several changes per your suggestions.
    First, I realized that I am one of that 10% outlier that overeats on paleo (I can’t remember if it was Cordain/Eades/Robb Wolf who mentioned that stat). If given the opportunity, I go crazy and eat WAY too much. So, I weighed and measured for one week, keeping my carbs under 50g, protein over 125g and fats as high as I could without my calories being too high (over 2000). After one week of that, I knew what my meals should look like and went back to unweighed/unmeasured. HUGE difference! 4-Pack visible again in the am…getting leaner.
    Second, I cut back on my conditioning and now keep my interval workouts to under 15 minutes. Also, more olympic lifts (have hit PRs every max workout), some long distance hiking, but less overall workouts.
    Third, working on alleviating stress and lowering my cortisol levels…
    All your advice has really helped and I guess I kind of anticipated your advice on the podcast, that sometimes people do need to think about calories and other factors that effect weight gain.
    I appreciate all the help!

    L.A.

    PS- On the menstruation front, I agree with you completely about the misconceptions that women should necessarily have a period every month. Mine has never been regular and my GYN doc told me not to fret, that ideally a woman should have very short or no periods if she was on the BC correct for her body. Going paleo hasn’t changed my irregular period, but all the typical symptoms associated with menstruation (cramps, cravings, bloating, etc) are gone. Joy!

    Reply

  32. So, if starchy tubers are possibly okay what does that say about rice? I never hear rice mentioned as a container of nasties like gluten. Otherwise, starch is starch, right? It might also explain why Asians seem to be healthier, leaner, and longer lived in spite of a carb heavy diet.

    I do have a vested interest in the answer. My Chinese wife was pretty offended when I told her I wouldn’t be eating rice anymore. If it’s deemed okay that would help in the marital relations dept. 🙂

    Reply

  33. Robb,
    What is your take on the anabolic diet/refeeds for relatively lean mass gain (I understand that is somewhat paradoxical in nature). Could this be a viable option if the week was spent eating strict paleo foods (plus maybe dairy) and then on the weekends (or at least for one day) carb loading. Would it be optimal to do this carb loading with non-gluten containing foods?

    Reply

  34. Robb, did you get a grown up microphone. The audio quality seemed improved this episode. Andy, the headset you bought sounds great. There were some transmission issues but when the connection was good, the podcast sounded great.

    And regarding the LSD training, Miko Salo does moderate 5 and 6 mile runs some mornings and claims it’s his secret weapon. He eats pasta too. But I love your point about laying on the couch 23 hours a day, then doing fran, then laying on the couch, then doing helen. Mark Sisson is big on the low level activity quality between hard workouts too. Great show!

    Reply

  35. Robb,

    Thanks for all that you do, between this blog and the podcast. I have a followup question to dhani’s of the “do you really mean it?” variety. Working from your high-end recommendation of 1.0 g / 10 lbs fish oil, at 200 lbs, I am consuming 20 g of DHA/EPA in the form of 25 five ml servings of liquid fish oil. This amounts to 1000 calories / day! I’m not currently “WAMing,” but I would think that the oil would make up a considerable contribution to my day’s energy needs. Or do we assume that the body uses all of the precious omega-3s to correct its “metabolic derrangement”? I hope that that is the case, as 1000 calories of oil doesn’t leave a lot of room for other foods. 🙂

    Reply

  36. @ Ran,

    The biggest difference between a protein + yams PWO meal and a protein + fruit PWO meal is in the area of glycogen replenishment. Fructose from the fruit will replenish liver glycogen, whereas yams will replenish muscle glycogen.

    While replacing muscle glycogen is important, if you go back and read this (http://robbwolf.com/2009/10/08/crossfit-on-a-low-carb-paleo-diet-mat-lalonde-reporting/) you will see that we may not need a huge PWO meal to accomplish it.

    Reply

  38. In regards to how much Vit D to be taking. I recently had some blood work done. Below are my numbers. From poking around the interwebs, Ive kind of determined that the numbers I am seeing arent off base for someone eating paleo. I am, I would say 90-95% paleo. I eat clean all week and MAYBE ill have a beer on the weekend, or I might have a couple pancakes with my kids on a rare occasion. I do drink raw milk and eat raw dairy, but only after pulling it out for a month. I also do short CF style WODS in addition to oly lifting, power lifting etc. I have been seeing consistent improvements in how I look, feel, perform since starting paleo 2 months ago and I have no desire to quit (Thank you so much!!).

    I did get a call from my Dr and they said that my cholesterol was high but that I could fix it with diet (no shit) so, Im wondering, is it really off base, would vitamin D help and how much should I be taking?

    I eat 6 eggs every morning with veggies. My lunches are almost always chicken 85% free range, I would guess about 8 oz at a time and either veggies or berries of some sort. I eat coconut like it was going out of style and I probably chug 1 can of light coconut milk every other day or so. Dinner is usually more chicken but I try to mix it up with pork and beef when I can. Lately Ive not been able to eat enough meat to keep me full, so Ive been trying to up my protein intake. Like I said, I drink milk and eat cheese but only Raw grass fed. I indulge in either wine or tequila exclusively now and maybe only once or twice per week and never in excess (1-2 glasses at a time). Im 6-2, 187, pretty lean, dont know the % but I can see my abs. Strength and power is my focus, not being ripped, but if I get it as a side effect, score!. I get between 5 and 8 hours of sleep every night, with it lately being closer to the 7 mark. I supplement only with carlsons fish oil @ 2-3 tblspoons per day. And my lipid panel came out as follows….

    CHOLESTEROL 229
    HDL 97
    LDL 109
    TRIGLYCERIDE, NONFASTING 98

    Thanks for looking and, as always, thank you for all you do.

    Reply

    • Nick-
      I’d like to see that triglyceride lower. Fewer carbs, more sleep. I’d also like to see the LDL particle size in the next go-around.

      WAIT!! That was a non-fasting test? It’s worthless. It must be fasting levels.

      Reply

  39. OH! And by the way. I bought a bootlegged DVD of RAD at a comic book swap meet down here in Southern California. As you you may or may not be aware, Rad was never released to DVD. I feel like such a goober admitting to the world how utterly excited I was to finally find it! I would be MORE than happy to grab you a copy if you want. Even comes in a nicely made case. Its WELL worth another watch or 7!!

    Nick

    Reply

  41. Btw Robb, you guys need to make a Paleo meal planner app for the iPhone/Touch. I’ve been using my iPod Touch a lot lately for keeping track of my CF WOD’s and it would be nice to have a Paleo based app to go along with that.

    Reply

  42. Robb,

    Post that video of you lifting!

    Also, just wanted to say: 1 more for yams vs fruit for the leaning out bit. I am seeing some good results with minimal effort + yams pw/o (went with poliquins recommendation for the amount in grams).

    Another side note: I live in the same state, approximately 15 min away, from PPC. Have you ever been there? He is in one of the most awkward, backwater areas in RI. Had a real hard time trying to find the actual building. (still looking honestly) Just thought this was ironic is all.

    Reply

  43. Hi Robb,

    Great show, as usual. I had a comment re: Carlos’ question in episode 14 about what women can eat during their menstrual cycle to help with cravings. I have had some luck with a recommendation I found in Julia Ross’s books The Mood Cure and The Diet Cure. For ‘urgent’ sugar or carb cravings, break apart a 500 mg capsule of l-glutamine and dissolve it under your tongue, or for less urgent situations, just swallow it. It’s saved me in a few situations from going on a carb binge.

    I don’t know how this works biochemically (I’m sure you do) but it may be worth mentioning on the next show if you feel the information is sound. I know a lot of women deal with this problem!

    Reply

  44. Nick,

    Really needs to be a fasting number. Vitamin D can help, but get a test to see where you are at currently first. If not in the 50-75 range then supplement.

    Reply

  45. First off prayer of the roller boys was an awesome movie. Inline skating at its high point. It spawned movies like Airborne. But the skating movie that really got this kicked off for our generation was “Solarbabies” which starred some future movie stars, done in the late 80s. Anyways, I have some clients who have been following the strict Paleo diet since January and they had seen marginal gains (really loses), so we took out alot of the nuts and fruit and starting this February. Should we wait and see how that has worked come the end of February, or should we start some mild doses of IF. They are in it for the body comp not the performance aspect, so a did in workout performance they do not fear. I know their cortisol levels are good because I am now forcing them to take more days off (and i really man OFF), and they are getting good sleep. Lastly, love the podcasts I myself have dropped 30 pounds since Christmas by just doing the Paleo diet, the whole zone thing for me and my schedule was a waste of time and failed to do anything but make me lose sleep trying to weigh and measure stuff. Keep it up and do a seminar in the DC area sometime soon.

    Reply

  46. I remember Prayer of the Rollerboys filling a lot of off-peak time slots on one of the cable channels back in the day…don’t think I ever caught it, though.

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  47. Two fish oil questions:
    1)When WAMing, why shouldn’t I count the fat/calories in fish oil?
    2)When you say .5g EPA and DHA/10lb of bodyweight, do you mean .5g EPA and .5g DHA? Or is the .5g just any combination of EPA and DHA?

    P.S. Love the podcasts!

    Reply

  48. I have definitely seen “Prayer of the Rollerboys” it used to be my favorite movie as a kid.I would watch it again! You are even cooler now Robb…

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  49. A similar movie to “the Rollerboys” is “Gleaming the Cube” with Christian Slater where he is a skateboarder, GREAT movie (from what i remember as a kid). Seen that one Robb?

    Reply

  50. Hey Robb,
    I had commented previously on the seminar post before I knew about comments not working on those posts. So, sorry if you’re reading this for the second time 🙂

    I was wondering if you will be in Boston soon or should I jump for the NJ site? I know you’re working on the schedule but I thought I’d ask before NJ sells out. Thanks Robb, happy you’re on the road again.

    Reply

    • Mark-
      It;s tough to tell. We need to orchestrate all this around the book release as I will be on the road for like 3 weeks straight when that hits. We WILL hit Boston, not sure when.

      Reply

  51. Re: Tiramisu’s question on seeing results – I read Dan John’s “Never Let Go” and really liked it, including his idea of how to experiment with tweaks while doing his baseline workouts but I never had much luck with it. You addressed my question in a podcast about how to tinker well but it didn’t really hit home for me until I experienced it. I ate Paleo for more than a year and felt great. Then came the podcast that said nuts can be problematic. I stopped munching on almonds and pecans throughout the day and suddenly felt even better than I had before. I introduced walnuts in moderation without any trouble. Then I re-introduced pecans in moderation without trouble. I tried re-introducing almonds in moderation but felt lousy. This was the first time that a small tweak made a big difference for me. That really drove home for me the idea that some changes may not have any impact on results while some small changes can make big results.

    (By the way, I later had a second example when I switched from magnesium pills to Natural Calm, felt absolutely awful, switched back to magnesium pills, and now feel better than great again.)

    Completely unrelated question: Any thoughts on quinoa?

    Thanks, as always, for all the great info!

    Reply

  52. I got a new lipid panel scheduled as suggested. Also, I got a friend to start trying Paleo and she is having a problem with energy. She says that she has been doing it pretty well for the past two week except “I have pretty much cut dairy out completely aside from a tiny bit of cheese here and there and sugar also except in my coffee (which I am going to go buy agave nectar this weekend) and dressing. ” She is in a new town and hasnt found a gym to get to yet, but she’s wondering she is exhausted all the time. She falls asleep at 8pm most nights. Any comments, suggestions?

    Reply

  54. Rob,
    Jesus only had 12 listeners and look at the influence in peoples lives that he had?

    Except he fed people with loaves of bread……

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  55. Hi Robb,

    I’ve been talking to a co-worker and trying to get him to clean up his routine, both diet and exercise, with one point being to drop grains from his diet. He tends to agree that dropping grains would be good but he started eating more grains based on his doctor telling him to because he suffers from what he says is low blood sugar. My response to him was no grains, more fruit if you need the extra sugar. Just curious as to what your thoughts are Robb.

    Thanks

    Reply

  56. Hey Rob and Andy, good stuff as always.
    Im hoping I could get your input regarding setting up a training program around BJJ. I was following Rips Texas Method, but recently started BJJ and my metabolic conditioning is definitely lacking.
    You mentioned interval rower training in one of your pod casts, I have no rower experience but my condo has one, so Id like to throw that in. Can you give a simple example of that, google comes back with all sorts of protocols. Im thinking this:
    (Four minutes on, one minute off, x 4) x 2 series.
    Rates: 24-26
    Rest: Five minutes between sessions

    My program would be
    sun: high vol/high intensity – 5×5 squat/5×5 press/1×5 deadlift
    mon: rest
    tues: bjj
    wed: metcon
    thurs: rest –> eventually adding bjj here
    fri: low vol/high int squats + 5×3 pwr clean + 3×3 pwr snatch
    sat: bjj
    sun: rest

    Some useless stats: 6′ – 185lb. Sleep is 8 hours a day, food is still being tweaked, but full paleo, bout 3700 cals a day 47% fat, 30% protein, 23% carbs.

    Am I on the right track? Sorry for the long post, appreciate any input, keep up the good work.

    Luke

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  57. Now Robb, please don’t tease us Aussies with talk of bringing your pseudo science mumbo jumbo down under. Many pop stars & rock bands can’t be bothered heading south of the equator, don’t lower yourself to their level.

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  58. Hey Robb, have you or any of your clients ever had problems with bloating while on paleo? I feel like I look like a completely different person by bedtime. I eat a lot of vegetables, but I don’t think its too much. In a typical day I’ll eat an avocado, 2 cups green beans, 2 cups baby carrots, 1 cup guacamole, and either 2 cups of broccoli w/ dinner or a salad.

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  59. Actually never mind that last question. I did some playing around on the internet and it seems high doses of fish oil tend to bloat people so that is probably it. Have you ever had that problem?

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  60. Robb, I’ve been putting on weight (mostly fat) while eating paleo recently. doing MEBB 3 times/week. calories are at about 2700, protein at 180 g, carbs under 50 and the rest fat. Most of the online calculators I see say I should be eating like 3200 cals. I feel like I gain fat at anything more than 2400. Sleep is solid at 8 hours/night, getting 9 g EPA/DHA/day. Just wondering (your educated opinion) if my metabolism is messed up and I should be around 3200 to maintain or if that number is just ridiculously high.

    thanks for any input….

    Reply

  61. RE bloating and veggies – some veggies are known to cause bloating more than others especially broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
    I can eat anything, except cauliflower, even well cooked I bloat and get uncomfortable wind.

    I will try the enzymes – it will be interesting to see if they make a difference

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  62. Hey guys, just discovered the podcast here and burned through a handful of episodes already. Great stuff. Just a quick question/recommendation for you. Is there any reason you attach the show notes as a PDF? I’d prefer to have the notes inline in the blog post (as HTML).

    Anyway, keep up the good work.

    Reply

  63. Trying to increase strength not size and lean out. Can one increase strength on a low cal diet? I know fat loss will come w/ a low carb paleo diet very quickly.

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  64. Hey Robb, love the podcasts. In one of them you mentioned that eating Paleo will reduce the amount of calories you need due to all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients gained through eating this way. I’ve been Paleo since October 2007, but have not really plugged a day of eating into fitday until this past fall, when I was trying to gain weight (did SS with it).

    For the past two weeks I’ve been plugging what I eat into fitday and found that I’ve been eating around 1,600 max per day, sometimes lower, and this just seems like a low amount of calories for me. I’m 20 years old 5’10 150-152lbs and I workout 3-4x/week, a mix of CF + upper body strength stuff while my right hamstring heals from straining it. I also walk a fair amount due to being on a college campus, no less than 3 miles a day. I have not had the chance to weigh myself in around 3 weeks due to my class schedule, but I will be able to this weekend. Any thoughts as to why this is happening? When I lift heavy I am hungry, and I can turn the switch on to eat 3,000 per day (which I averaged during my SS cycle) when I do SS, but doing CF stuff I just don’t get as hungry. Regardless of exercise, shouldn’t my BMR be higher than what I am eating? I feel like it is, but do not know, and I don’t trust online calculators. Any advice is appreciated.

    Reply

  67. I was interested in the question about the female menstrual cycle…. I find it hard to believe that starting a Paleo diet could cause ammenorhea… but if so I have a question…. I know that you were saying that maybe it is okay for the cycle to not always be .. ‘normal’ and you stressed that you were not talking about the female triad… but…. over 3 years ago I started to train very intensely and increased my hours but did not adjust my intake. I lost a significant amount of weight and also lost my period. I have been of proper weight and body fay for over a year now and still have not regained my menstrual cycle…. I have been eating Paleo for a little over 6 months now. I try to make sure that I get enough fat in my diet in the forms of lean meat… chicken, bison, pork tenderloin… and eat walnuts, flaxseed, and other healthy fat nuts…. is there anything that you can recommend?

    Reply

    • Stef-
      it is RARE that a paleo diet takes a woman out of normal cycle paramaters, usually the exact opposite. Thsi si a really complex topic that needs some more looking into.

      For you I would want to know sleep, stress levels, a food log, age, training load…lots of potential variables.

      Reply

  68. Hi Robb.
    I’m 20.. lost my period at 17. Was doing around 2 hours of endurance a day plus playing hockey and school sports… I was being crazy and now I have settled down and am being smarter about my training.

    I’m at university and am doing okay school wise but do not enjoy my time away from school. I am 2 and a half years post brain injury and although it is not noticeable I still face some problems cognitively. So I suppose my stress levels are relatively high at times.

    I’m training with a Crossfit coach and he is carefully monitoring my training. I usually train 3 or 4 days on, one day recovery. Usually one of the days is a double.

    As for sleep… I usually get 7 and a half hours of sleep a night. I like to get up early. I know I should probably be getting more sleep.

    For the food log.. I do not have one but today for example:
    banana before going to gym (just rest day)
    chicken breast, apple sauce with flax seed and orange for breakfast… some dehydrated fruit

    fruit snack

    shrimp – tomato – cucumber – celery salad
    low sodium vege juice
    apple

    can of low sodium tuna

    and for dinner i will have a sole fillet with broccoli and other veges with almond milk

    I do not measure quantities so I am not sure it that will help much

    I will be seeing a gyncologist (I think that is the right doctor?) next week and have had ultra sounds in the past but do not want to be put on the birth control pill so I was wondering if there was anything I could do nutritionally?

    Reply

    • Stef-
      the main things I’d tinker:
      1-more fat in general. Soem coconut, olive oil etc.
      2-fish oil. 3-4g/day of EPA/DHA.
      3-Sleep. As much as possible.

      integrate all of those and see if it helps. You might also consider adding in 150mcg/day of iodine. Keep em posted.

      Reply

  70. Hey Robb, forgot to include some stuff in my original post that may or may not help. I take 4.5g of fish oil and 5,000 IUs of vitamin D everyday. My macronutrient breakdown is around 50-60% fat, 30-40% protein, and 10-15% carbs. I used to have a cheat meal or two every week up until this past October, since then I’ve been strict Paleo and haven’t felt the need to eat any kind of junk food. I am also generally not hungry in the morning. Either my energy levels suck from not eating enough, or when I do eat around 2,000-2,500 I feel bloated and heavy, like I ate way too much food, when in reality I should be eating around that amount normally.

    Reply

  71. I have a question. Sorry if its already been asked. You mentioned the higher amounts of lysozymes in egg whites and how an excess can be potentially harmful. Why wouldn’t the HCl in the stomach denature it enough to be handled like almost every other protein?
    Two parter, sorry. I have a client who is hypoglycemic and wanted to see if you could mention the condition and your recommendations on nutrition to that crowd. My client claims a need for carbs, which I can understand. I’m working on getting her off gluten and rice products, and on to yams potatoes and squashes? any other advice would be appreciated! Thank you. –Your Biggest fan in Texas!

    Reply

  72. Robb, a non-fasting triglyceride is certainly not the standard, but it’s not ‘worthless’.

    E.g., “Two new studies, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, provide evidence that postprandial (after eating) triglycerides may deserve more attention in the assessment of risk of heart disease. These studies suggest that a blood sample taken a few hours after your last meal may identify a risk for heart attack and other serious cardiovascular problems that are not identified from the traditional fasting triglyceride test after a 12-hour fast (today?s preferred test).”
    http://www.labtestsonline.org/news/triglycerides070819.html

    or say, this one from the well-known Paul Ridker:

    Clinical Chemistry. 2008

    Fasting versus Nonfasting Triglycerides and the Prediction of Cardiovascular Risk: Do We Need to Revisit the Oral Triglyceride Tolerance Test?

    “postprandial triglycerides may be a more potent predictor of risk suggests that the concordance for individuals is only modest and that the variability in postprandial concentrations captures relevant information about an individual’s metabolism”
    http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/54/1/11

    Reply

    • Ken-
      good stuff, thanks. When we have so many moving parts in all this it makes me nervous to give much weight to this. Control as many variable as possible in the data collection so we have an accurate picture. Unless we have a uniform feeding this seems fraught with error. It’s good food for thought though, perhaps Mat will weigh in on this.

      Reply

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robb

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.

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