2: Robb Wolf – Tells Andy He’s Good Looking and Funny, Too!

In this episode, I interview Robb Wolf, the New York Times best-selling author of The Paleo Solution, about his thoughts on the Whole Life Challenge’s nutrition component. Here are some of the highlights:

• Sugar is sugar. Robb says that coconut sugar is no better than table sugar. So steer clear of all the fads, like “leprechaun four-leaf clover” sugar. If you insist on eating sugar, Robb says you should just have regular old table sugar. (Of course, this isn’t an endorsement of sugar, but an acknowledgment that “healthy” sugar isn’t actually healthy.)

• Robb’s advice with dairy is this: eliminate it for thirty days. Do you feel better? Okay, now add regular cow’s milk back into your diet. Do you still feel okay? Great! If not, eliminate regular cow’s milk and try grass-fed raw cow’s milk instead. Still don’t feel better? How about goat’s milk? And if you still don’t feel better, then go dairy free.

• Robb says seasonings are often to blame for making us over-eat. His evidence is this: if you eat an unsalted tortilla chip, you probably won’t want another one. If you add salt, you’ll be willing to shove an entire bag of chips in your mouth. Minimize salt and sugar, and you’ll be much less likely to crave a lot of the food that entices you to overeat.

I interviewed Robb as part of the Whole Life Challenge interview series. This series represents our continued commitment to addressing health and fitness in the context of a person’s Whole Life. We’ve specifically chosen subject-matter experts who have mastered areas of their lives related to the health and wellness habits we introduce in the Whole Life Challenge. I’ve known Robb for over ten years, and he is the best person I know to ask for insight on the Whole Life Challenge’s nutritional component.

Andy Petranek

Andy is what you’d call a modern day Renaissance Man: a former professional trumpeter who attended the Eastman School of Music; a snowboarder, mountain biker, surfer, kayaker, outrigger paddler, mountaineer, and former Marine (Gulf War veteran); a professionally sponsored adventure racer; and the oldest participant to qualify for and participate in the CrossFit Games at the age of 43.

Andy is a certified CHEK Practitioner and holistic lifestyle coach. He holds a spectrum of certifications from CrossFit and is also a Vivobarefoot certified running coach. He has trained as a Zen buddhist and graduated with a Master’s degree in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica.

Andy founded CrossFit LA one of the first and most successful CrossFit training centers in the world and the first to be featured in national media. He is the co-founder of the Whole Life Challenge, Inc, currently its president, and is also a consultant and life/business coach. Andy lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Julia, and son, Dashel.