Real Talk, Whole Life

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**Real Talk, Whole Life**

Welcome to Real Talk, Whole Life—part candid phone call with your nerdy best friends, part myth-busting, and entirely unfiltered. Wellness without the woo. Womanhood without the guilt. Wisdom from the fine folks who survived dial-up and low-fat lies.
Host Stacy Toth brings honest, heartfelt conversations about what it means to live fully—in your body, your brain, and your messy, magical life. From midlife mayhem and mental health to Botox alternatives and book recs, we’re covering it all—with a side of sarcasm and a whole lot of heart.
No shame. No pseudoscience. Just the kind of conversations you actually want to hear when you call a friend—especially if “wellness” has never quite felt like it was made for you.
Rooted in womanhood, open to anyone who’s ever been side-eyed in a yoga studio. Come for the hot takes, stay for the healing.
Real Talk, Whole Life is hosted by Stacy Toth, bestselling diet culture author turned anti-diet health at any size educator. Her goal is to create a safe space for all to explore their own version of wellness without the elitist self-focused woo woo. Previously The Whole View and The Paleo View, this evolution of the podcast is a reflection of the growth we all go through exploring being middle aged. Expect a wide variety of guests on an even greater variety of topics, but always inclusive ways for non-toxic living (mental and physical).

Latest Episodes:

Episode 185, ADHD & Life Update from Cole Mar 03, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (1:18)
Sarah is sick with a pneumonia and working hard to get better
Here to help with the show since Sarah is feeling sick, is Matt and Stacy's oldest son, Cole
For today's show, Cole is on to share an update on his ADHD symptoms and the lifestyle factors he is incorporating to help with his symptoms
The Paleo View episode that last featured Cole with update on ADHD can be found HERE
For more information, check out ADHD Impulse Control: from Frustration to Fantastic blog post HERE
Cole is 10, he is in 5th grade, has ADHD, and loves to play board games
As a recap, Cole incorporates his Paleo lifestyle at school by making his own lunch and bringing Tate's gluten-free cookies when there is a special occasion in class
Since Cole last joined us for a recording of The Paleo View:
They tried incorporating supplements into Cole's diet, which didn't work
And then try tried coffee for awhile, but then Cole found that he needed it less and less
Now Cole is riding his bike to school or walking, which definitely helps with his ADHD symptoms while at school
How Cole's teacher helps Cole develop his learning skills and how that impacts his ADHD
Cole has also joined a sport that he is loving and thriving in - wrestling
What Matt and Stacy saw in Cole once he started wrestling
How Cole is now able to play computer games in limited amounts of time when other elements are in check
Stacy has noticed that Cole responds differently to playing computer games versus console games on the TV
Stacy's reflection on how amazing Cole's progress has been
Sarah's thoughts on how positive and happy Cole sounds
How Stacy feels about seeing her son form strong friendships and finding happiness
The level of lifestyle experimentation that is happening and how impressive Sarah finds that level of tinkering and fine-tuning to be, and how she thinks this will positively impact Cole as an adult
All the 'yay mom' moments that Sarah sends to Stacy
Attachment parenting, and following intuition in the decisions Matt and Stacy are making for their children
How willing Cole has been to work with Matt and Stacy on this level of lifestyle testing
Thanks everyone for tuning in and for the ongoing support and encouragement we have received on this topic since first opening up about Cole and his ADHD
Stacy is so happy to hear how Cole's story has connected with others and is so grateful for the responses Matt, Stacy and Cole have received on this topic
Outro (37:37)

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Episode 184, The Misrepresentation of the Paleo Diet in the Media Feb 25, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (1:18)
- Sarah loves that the format of this podcast allows both her and Stacy to tackle current events as they are unfolding in the media
- And just this week there was a frenzy of negativity on the Paleo diet that was first shared in Australian media, and the stories then reached global media channels
- So for this week's show Stacy and Sarah want to discuss the current media that is misrepresenting a scientific article and where that all came from, but to also discuss how Paleo tends to be very attacked in the media and how often we typically see critiques of the Paleo diet that completely misrepresent what the Paleo diet even is
- Stacy is curious to see what the long-term buzz around this media will be
- The first article that Sarah saw was from a British journal titled, "The Paleo diet is dangerous and increases weight-gain, diabetes expert claims"
- So this prompted Sarah to look into the science behind this article that supported this claim and she found that there was no link to the original research, however, she found other media articles on the same topic that led her to the original study
  - Sarah shared the other sensationalized article titles
- Sarah was eventually able to dig through all the articles to find the original, and the title was 'A low carbohydrate, high-fat diet increases weight-gain and does not improve glucose tolerance, insulin secretion, or beta cell mass in New Zealand obese mice'
  - These mice were specifically developed in the last ten years to study diabetes
  - They are a highly susceptible mouse
- How the study was structured and what the researchers analyzed from the results
- What the study revealed
- The rebuttal to the study that Sarah shared on her site HERE
- The conclusions from the researches on their abstract essentially said, "a low carbohydrate, high-fat diet is unlikely to be of benefit for preventing the decline of beta cell function associated with hyperglycemia and type-2 diabetics"
  - Sarah's takeaway was, 'great - I too don't agree with a ketogenic diet'
  - However, the press release likened the structure of the diet that was used in the study to Paleo, by specifically calling out celebrities and stating that their recommendations have no basis in scientific literature
  - Sarah gets worked up about this kind of critique of the Paleo diet because the study in no way represents the merits of a Paleo diet
  - How shady Stacy found the quote on celebrities to be
    - "Mass media hype around these diets, particularly driven by celebrity chefs, celebrity weight-loss stories in the tabloid media and reality TV shows are leading to more people trying fad diets backed by little evidence. In people with pre-diabetes or those with diabetes, the low-carb, high-fat diet could be particularly risky. Low-Carbohydrate, high-fat diets are becoming more popular, but there is no scientific evidence that these diets work. In fact, if you put an inactive individual on this type of diet the chances are that person will gain weight." - this was said by the President of the Australian Diabetes Society
- Where there is merit in this authors points, and where he exaggerates the details
- The diet studied was structured around 81% calories from fat, 13% calories from protein, and 6% calories from carbohydrates
- This diet is a ketogenic diet to a T, and you can find more on Sarah's site here on the negative effects of a ketogenic diet
- So first point, a ketogenic diet does not equal a Paleo diet
- The other problems with the press release and where the details were exaggerated
- Nothing in the study looked at the quality aspect of the foods endorsed by a Paleo diet
  - There are two other episodes that discuss the difference between nutrient quality of a Paleo diet versus the nutrient quality of a ketogenic diet, which you can find HERE and HERE
  - The ingredients of the diet used in this specific study and the questions surrounding the ingredients that were selected
- Why is Paleo so consistently misrepresented in the media?
- The level of frustration it gives Sarah to see science so grossly misrepresented in the media
- The responses from the Paleo community that discredit the study because it is done in mice, and Sarah notes that this isn't a fair critique of the study
  - Animal studies are incredibly well validated strategies for understanding human health
  - It is a bad habit to dismiss evidence that may contrast with our views
  - Recognize that we don't have all the answers and be open to assimilating new information, even if it contrasts with previous studies
  - It is responsible of us to look at studies objectively
Sarah notes that it is important to think critically and that there is a way that we as a community can discourage such aggressive attacks by putting our support behind rebuttals, behind those who are being attacked, and commenting on these studies in a measured way
- The best response is measured and logical
- Definitely engage, but keep it mature and respectful - demonstrate just how much support this Paleo community really has
- And when you see media articles like this, try not to take them personally
- Stay true to what you know
Don't forget to tell your friends, comment on show notes and social media, and please leave those reviews
Stacy also wants to thank those who came out to the event at the Organic Butcher
Outro (1:02:31)

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Episode 183, Creating Consistency Feb 18, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:56)
Stacy is back from her Florida vacation feeling rested and well
Matt and Stacy got to visit Universal Studios, visit the Domestic Man's family, meet up with Summer from The Dirty Floor Diaries
Stacy was able to keep up with her handstand challenge while on the road
Consistency with commitments
This week Stacy and Sarah will discuss the importance of consistency and how we navigate consistency even when life presents challenges
Stacy's focus on not worrying over every little thing and how that supports her consistency
The fine line between maintaining a commitment and obsessing about it
Turning a commitment into something negative - an eating disorder is an example of this
Consistent health habits are very important, but if maintaining consistency is creating stress than you are not actually proactively working towards health
How can you be consistent in a sustainable way - how can I realign this plan to make it a lifestyle?
When you hit the wall with life - not just giving up and going off plan, but finding ways to adapt
How Sarah copes with high stress or feelings of fatigue so that she is able to maintain her health habits - it boils down to adapting to daily scenarios as needed
When you have a day and you don't necessarily adapt, but change plans all together - forgive yourself and move forward - form a new plan for the new day
Coming up with non food rewards when you accomplish goals with consistency
How to avoid being plagued by negativity when things don't always go according to plan
Science with Sarah (21:54)
Recent studies have shown that consistency in bedtime and waketwme are really important
A couple of different labs have looked at this in different ways
The more variability that we have in our bedtime and wake-time, and the more mismatch that we have between our schedule and our body's need for consistent bedtimes and wake-times, the worse the health outcomes
How Sarah has focused on consistency in bedtime and the sleep quality improvements she has seen as a result
When she needs flexibility in life she tries to get it from other areas, and keeps sleep as a top priority
Sleep doesn't come easy to Stacy, but how she still works to keep sleep a priority
Knowing your magic number for how many hours of sleep you need
Rejigging life for a focus on sleep to regulate hormones, regain focus, and increase efficiency
Stacy's research on "multitasking too much"
The power of sticking to one task or one top priority
The commitment to whatever your health philosophy/diet may be, it is interesting to recognize how we approach our diet and lifestyle choices is intertwined with how we approach life and how we find balance
A very special happy birthday to Matt!
Thank you everyone for tuning in!
Please don't forget to leave those reviews and to share this podcast with others
Outro (38:59)

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Episode 182, How to "Do it All" In a Healthy Way Feb 10, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:56)
- Stacy is feeling pulled in a million directions
  - Work is very hectic, she is fighting a cold, and is prepping to leave for a week-long vacation
- The whirlwind of a week Sarah has had, and canceling her scheduled plans for a nap instead
- Stacy's love for her job
- Finding the right path for you
- Honoring what is right for you - consistent evaluation and adjustments
- Coming up with ways to manage your life and your health that allow you to be successful
- Work life balance
Science with Sarah (19:32)
- Mindful meditation, incorporating 10 to 15 minutes of mediation a day significantly reduces stress
- Mindful mediation is a meditation strategy that helps raise awareness of our bodies, what is happening in our bodies, where we might have discomfort, and makes us aware of our thoughts and emotions - it encourages us to let these things go
- There is a variety of ways to practice mindful meditation
- Sarah's use of the meditation method 'equal breathing'
- What studies have shown on mindful meditation
- Functional connectivity was shown to increase with mindful meditation
- Studies also found a decrease in inflammation within the body
- And research shows is all it takes is 10 to 15 minutes a day
- Sarah notes how little you trade in your day to create time for mindful meditation, yet how much you gain
- If you are new to meditation, guided meditation may be a great place to start and there are a number of resources to help with that
Questions & Answers (29:21)
- Susan - how do you do it all and keep your health intact?
  - Stacy says she simply doesn't do it all
    - She learned that perfection is no longer something she strives for
    - She does the things she enjoys to do, but otherwise delegates to her team or relies on Matt for all that he does to help
    - She does what is important to her - and has a post on the blog here on her time management techniques
    - Her number one priority is spending time with the kids, and that is where she invests her time
    - The activities that help Stacy recharge, essentially her forms of mediation
  - Sarah has just now settled into a work life balance after years of working to strike a balance
    - She had to think of focusing on her physical and mental health as part of her job
    - This mental shift made it easier for her to adjust her priorities without having guilt associated with it
    - Her efficiency increased with this as well, especially since the incorporation of better sleep and exercise allows her to function better
    - Sarah also relies on her amazing team, a supportive husband, and kids that keep her laughing and happy
    - She also schedules out her day and focuses in on one task at a time as opposed to doing too much at once
    - Part of it is being ok with the give and take, asking for help, making sure to look after her own health so she can be efficient and productive
    - There is a constant balancing act, and practice to not overcommit
    - Learning how to fail and to dust yourself off and keep moving forward
  - Unitasking, and what a big benefit this strategy is for both Stacy and Sarah
  - The only times Sarah multitasks
- June - As a single mom, I am finding it hard to keep up with exercise and cooking Paleo meals - please help!
  - The props that Stacy gives to all who are a single parent who manage a healthy lifestyle for the family alone
  - Taking advantage of already prepared food is going to be your biggest help
    - Buying pre-chopped vegetables, the freezer section is going to have the most nutrient dense options
    - Plan ahead for breakfast and lunch with a big pot of soup or a frittata that you can save and serve
  - Stacy always takes leftovers or a salad for lunch with canned tuna or salmon
  - Everyone in the community eats hot dogs some times, they are just buying a different brand than a SAD and not putting it on a bun
  - Feel good about the progress you are making
  - Sarah only cooks three to four days a week, and cooks big meals and plans to have leftovers
  - Crockpot meals can be very helpful, also developing a repertoire of 10-15 minute meals to have on hand and utilize when needed
  - Perhaps also using a big cook up day on the weekend would be a good option
  - Part of the transition is finding your new convenience foods
  - Find way to combine focused time with your kids and other activities - getting them involved in the kitchen, working out outside with your kids, finding a gym with a great kid area
- Tammy - what tips do you have for families where both of the parents work outside the home and finding time for everything is a challenge?
  - Batch cooking and plan ahead
  - Prioritize and let go of the things you can't accomplish and reschedule the tasks you must
  - Experiment with new favorites with your kids
  - Let your kids search for some recipes on Pinterest, Instagram or blogs and help them search for Paleo options
  - Check out Paleo Parents e-book Paleo to Go and their print book Eat Like a Dinosaur
Stacy apologizes for sounding like a frog on this show - a sign that she was trying to do it all
Hopefully this show was a good reminder to prioritize yourself - don't ever take the advice to just push through the exhaustion
Please don't forget to review the podcast and to share with family and friends
Thanks everyone for listening!
Outro (58:13)

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Episode 181, Common Health Questions Feb 04, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:56)
- Stacy started aerial yoga, see the video here
  - And loved it so much she bought a system for home, the Aerial Essentials yoga fly kit
- All the love Sarah is sending to Stacy from the podcast licensers she met at her book signing events in Texas
- How loved Sarah felt during her Texas stops, and especially by those who brought her AIP friendly food to enjoy during her hectic travels
  - What else Sarah did during her trip
- When Sarah returned home, she had a busy Monday morning appearing on a local news station to help with the opening of a new Sprouts location
- How Matt and Stacy eliminated their weekly stops to multiple grocery stores
- For this week's show, we have a number of questions in the queue that are pretty general, but very common and will make for a great discussion for both those new to Paleo and those who have been following this template for a long time
Science with Sarah (15:57)
- An article published in the scientific journal Nature, Diet Induced Extinctions in the Gut Microbiota Compound Over Generations
- The study asked the simple question - what happens to the gut micro biome when we go on a low fiber diet?
  - The standard american diet is a low fiber diet
  - What happens over the long-term
  - Are the results reversible
  - What happens from one generation to the next since we inherit our parents micro biome
- The gut micro biome refers to the collection of microbes living in our digestive track
- We have as many cells in our gut as we have in our whole body, if not double
- We depend on this bacteria that lives in our gut - they help us digest our food, access nutrients from our food, create nutrients from our food, regulate the immune system, regulate our metabolism, they regulate our gut barrier, they regulate our neurotransmitters, they impact every system in our body
- Every chronic illness is linked back to something going wrong with the bacteria in the gut
- What makes for a healthy gut micro biome is one with a large variety of different types of species that live in our gut
- We achieve this by eating a fiber rich diet from veggies, fruit, nut and seeds - and focusing on big portions of non-starchy vegetables with as much variety as possible
- Too high of fat can mess with the type of bacteria that grows in our body
- What the study did to explore the questions surrounding a low fiber diet
- And what the study found when studying a low fiber diet in mice
- They then looked at what happened over the course of four generations of high-fiber diets vs. low-fiber diets, and switching on an off between the two
- The paper emphasized that if we don't fix the food system, we are not going to be able to recover human health because how linked our health is with this diversity of the gut micro biome
  - Essentially bacteria extinction is taking place
- Not just a SAD is to blame for these changes, low carb and ketogenic diets are also low fiber and they also happen to be high fat
- Why emphasis on getting more vegetables is critical
- The daily recommended allowance of fiber is 25 g
- Aim for 9 to 14 servings of vegetables with a mix of starchy or non
  - You can use an app like CRON-O-Meter to track your fiber intake
- The value that journaling for a couple of days can play in your overall health
- Eat more vegetables, look for great sources of probiotics, don't regret the things you have done in the past
Questions & Answers (34:54)
- Mary - can you overdo fiber?
  - Generally the answer is no, but there is a big but to the answer
  - Bacteria help us breakdown fiber - when we don't have the right types of bacteria to help us breakdown that fiber it can cause gastrointestinal symptoms
  - We can see these symptoms not only when fiber intake is too high, but when we are trying to increase our fiber intake, or reintroduce fiber after a SIBO approach where we are starving bad bacteria
  - Slowly increase fiber if you are experiencing trouble, as opposed to automatically focusing on the 25 g a day - monitor GI symptoms, and pull back if you experience uncomfortable side effects
- Glenda - what are the best numbers to pay attention to for general health? What questions should I be asking my doctor during my annual physical?
  - Stacy notes that it depends on your doctor - that it may work best for you to know ahead of time what you are looking to gain from your yearly physical and ask for tests relevant to those specific questions
  - Stacy shared on the numbers that were most important to her to explore, and why those numbers were specific to her health and what she was dealing with
  - Stacy's general recommendations on numbers is to look into triglycerides, HGL, LDL, and blood sugar
  - Sarah notes that all of the general tests that your doctor will run are excellent, but she recommends to be educated on the reference numbers
  - If you think you have a problem with a particular system, that is where requesting more detailed testing is useful, but if you are monitoring how things are going, the usual tests will suffice
- Kimberly - are there some general guidelines to Paleo to follow?
  - The general guidelines that Stacy follows:
    - She values nutrients and focuses on where she is going to get her nutrients for the day, and she does monitor both calories and macros
    - She thinks ahead through the day and how to achieve a balance that supports her health goals
    - She makes sure she is going to get organ meat a couple of times a week, which Stacy gets through EPIC's Liver Bites
    - She also makes sure that she is getting seafood and broth a few times a week
  - These guidelines may be a little overwhelming to someone who is fairly new to Paleo - a better way to look at it would be, is this the most healthy thing I can eat or does it simply taste good?
  - Also consider your core food groups - get in the habit of eating meat and vegetables
  - Your best approach is to practice moderation with your macro intake - 20/30% protein, 25/40% carbs, 30/55% fat
  - Going with 1/3, a 1/3, 1/3 and letting things fluctuate a bit here an there from one day to the next will ensure balance
  - 1/4 of your plate should be protein, with maybe 1 starchy vegetable and a couple of non-starchy vegetables
  - Keep a food journal, be mindful, and make sure your caloric intake isn't through the roof
  - How Stacy has calculated her macros and how she adjusted them to tackle her specific health goals
  - How Sarah gets her macros and the value she has found from journaling
  - How tracking has impacted both Stacy and Sarah's mental and physical health
The next Go to Bed group challenge starts this Sunday (learn more about this program on this podcast episode or visit the site HERE)
Stacy encourages everyone to get in on handstand month
Make sure you are signed up for both Stacy and Sarah's newsletters to not miss all the amazing posts and recipes that are going out!
Thank you everyone for submitting your votes for Paleo Magazine Best of 2015!!
And please don't forget to leave a review for The Paleo View
Thanks everyone!
Outro (1:12:17)

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Episode 180, Eyes on Your Own Plate, Please Jan 28, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:56)
- After 5 days of being stuck at home from Winter Storm Jonas, Stacy thoroughly enjoyed her first trip out and a visit to a coffee shop!
- In Stacy's area they got 30+ inches of snow
  - They had electricity the whole time and had a lot of fun because they were prepared
  - They also made a lot of recipes for the blog and played a lot of board games
  - The kids even went out in the hot tub during the thick of the blizzard
- Sarah received a little bit of snow and her kids went crazy for what they called "snow day"
- The issues the snow is causing in Stacy's area
- Stacy's handstand challenge her and Finn are doing together
- Sarah prepping for the CrossFit open, and her wall ball challenge
- Sarah's excitement for finally being able to talk the CrossFit lingo, and Stacy has inspired her to start a handstand challenge as well
- Why Stacy chose a handstand challenge
  - If you have been following along on Instagram and want more information, tune in to Stacy's Strong Woman Radio's co-host, Vivian's periscope where they share more on these challenges
- Stacy is so excited about all the recipes they will be sharing from their stretch of time home during the winter storm
- Be sure you are signed up for Sarah's and Stacy's newsletters so that you don't miss these special recipes, events, etc.
- If you are in Austin or Houston, reminder that Sarah is in town the weekend this show airs - get all the event details HERE
Science with Sarah (22:44)
- It is the season where people who went Paleo as a New Years resolution are starting to feel really good and want to keep going
- That three to four week marker with the implementation of a Paleo lifestyle is when the magic starts to happen and you can't imagine ever doing anything else
- Stacy and Sarah thought it would be great for this week's episode to focus on how we talk about Paleo - this is perfect for those who are new to the community and new to the excitement that comes with this transformation
- When Sarah was new to Paleo and seeing such amazing results she wanted to share the information with others, and she did with every random stranger she would encounter, which turned out to not be an appropriate channel for her enthusiasm, which is why she started a blog
- Starting a blog isn't necessarily an appropriate avenue for how to handle that enthusiasm for everyone, so understanding how to talk about your diet and lifestyle with others is a valuable understanding to have
- Stacy wants to make it very clear that she is not judging anyone, nor telling others what they should or should not eat - Stacy and Sarah discuss foods that are "Paleo approved" versus foods that are "treats" that are good for mental or social stability
- Stacy's feelings towards the question - is that Paleo?
- Sarah's thoughts on the 'what did cavemen' do argument
- Alcohol while on a Paleo diet
  - The current consensus within the Paleo community is that occasional to moderate consumption of non-gluten containing alcohol is ok
- We have to figure out how to implement Paleo and define the template within modern society and within the context of contemporary science
- There are certain 'is it Paleo' questions that have maybe answers to them - there is no yes and no answer to these questions
- In Sarah's opinion the 'is it Paleo' question is not the best question to ask, that we should instead make our decisions based on the answer to 'is this health promoting?'
- Within this framework there is a lot of room for individual experimentation and figuring out what works for us as individuals
Questions & Answers (35:02)
- Pam - how to handle someone who tells me that following a diet free of gluten is lacking in nutrients and will eventually lead to health problems?
  - When Stacy encounters someone with these beliefs, she reminds herself that these are the kind of people who are not interested in hearing about her lifestyle and to just move on
  - Is someone asking a question because they are genuinely trying to understand your choices, or is someone simply feeling defensive about their food choices
  - Food choices are really personal and sometimes people feel defensive about them
  - Sarah's post on 'Gluten-Free Diets Can Be Healthy for Kids' - this post has great information on nutrients as it relates to a gluten-free diet
  - When Sarah views an occasion as an opportunity to educate and when she doesn't
  - If someone is just trolling and you engage them in a conversation that will not go anywhere, you will just create stress for yourself
- Karen (46:27) how to handle a spouse who is not in support of your Paleo lifestyle?
  - Check out these two posts on Paleo Parents:
    - How to keep your Paleo family out of the poor house
    - Your Non-Cooperative Spouse (for your husband to read)
  - What happened with Matt and Stacy since she went Paleo before her husband and kids did
  - Real Life Paleo and Paleo to Go both have helpful tools to navigate eating out Paleo
  - Stacy shared details on what she eats when she goes out and how she orders her food to ensure she doesn't get served a food that she doesn't tolerate
  - Stacy has found that if she asks the waiter for a recommendation based on her limitations, that by far people are helpful and want to make sure she can have a meal she can fully enjoy
  - How Sarah and her family handled their transition since Sarah started before her husband and kids did as well
    - Sarah found that it was important to show her husband that food on Paleo was still delicious
    - Focus on the positives and frame your conversations accordingly - don't focus on what you don't eat
  - The importance of support in a relationship
- Jackie (55:45) why do friends encourage cheating and not take people's personal choices seriously?
  - Stacy thinks that either a) they are not thinking or b) they feel better if they have someone to indulge with
  - Stacy has had to ask people (her father and co-workers in particular) are you really encouraging me to do something that does not support my health?
    - "Please don't tell me that just this bite is ok"
  - Stacy tries to just be encouraging back at people, and makes it clear that they can still enjoy X even if she is making the choice to not have something
  - One of Sarah's phrases is "no judgement" because people often feel the need to justify their choices when with her
  - Sarah feels that it is not her business what someone else chooses to eat
  - Stacy and Sarah's thoughts on the enablers in your life
  - Think about what kind of relationships you have in your life and the roles that they play to support your goals, happiness, etc.
- Sue (1:07:29) - I find myself judging other's choices, and know that this is a bad habit. How can I fix this?
  - It is important to keep the mindset of no judgement and to be able to recognize when it is appropriate to share your opinions and beliefs with others
  - Work on reframing your brain, it will help you pull back on being judgmental
  - How Stacy handles expressing a concern regarding someone's health and their choices
  - People will not be motivated to make changes unless they are ready to do so, and the same applies to the readiness and willingness to accept criticism/feedback towards their food choices
  - You cannot impose your will on someone else
  - Be a role model through your actions and when someone is ready, than you can be a source of support and information
Thanks all for listening! We will be back again next week with another show!
Outro (1:19:45)

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Episode 179, Check In + A Big Thank You Jan 21, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:56)
Welcome back to the east coast Sarah!
Sarah adjusting from a busy weekend of travel from book signing events
Stacy was late to tonight's Paleo View recording because the family was in the middle of an epic board game
This week's show will be a check-in episode since Sarah is feeling so jet lagged from her travels
While in Vegas Sarah both visited her publisher Victory Belt, and went hiking in the Red Rocks
What else Sarah did while in Las Vegas
If you missed Sarah's Phoenix and Las Vegas signings, be sure to sign up for her newsletter so you don't miss future events
Sarah will be in Austin and Houston next, get all the details here
Sarah will announce her next book in the next two months, but know that it will be bigger than The Paleo Approach
Sarah's events from this past weekend were amazing - incredible attendees, great discussion, all around wonderful!
And a special congratulations to Alaena on the success of the book release, signings, and THIS!!
Memories from The Paleo View book tour
Sarah and Alaena were the first Paleo authors to ever host an event in Las Vegas
The event attendees meeting at signings and networking on Paleo resources in Las Vegas - cool to watch the connections forming
Thoughts on future book signing event locations
A big thank you to The Paleo View listeners for nominating the podcast in two categories, General Health/Wellness and Science - for Paleo Magazine's Best of 2015
What an honor it is to be nominated in BOTH of those categories and why
Submit your votes here, voting is open through January 31
When you vote you get a discount to subscribe to Paleo Magazine
And a huge thank you for nominating Paleo Parents as 'Best Blog, Family' - such a phenomenal surprise!
The feels towards the comments received from people on this nomination
Taking a step back from the blog in 2015 and focusing on health, specifically Cole's health
Cole possibly coming back on The Paleo View with an update on how he is doing (his original appearance can be heard here)
Sarah received nominations for The Healing Kitchen and Paleo Bites
Check out the pilot here and share with friends and family, leave comments
What else and who else Sarah and Stacy voted for
What falls on Stacy's and Sarah's #paleoyolo list
The treats that Stacy and Sarah's kid select when given the chance to
The candies that people find in Stacy's office and what they prefer
While sugar is a delicious thing, how quickly the palate can adjust if you are at a point where you need to incorporate treats with less sugar - Sarah reminds people how quickly your taste buds turn over
Stacy's favorite treat right now is sugar-less dried mango from Whole Foods
Stacy's love for mangos (Mango Sticky (not) Rice, Mango Strawberry Smoothie, Mango Blueberry Ice Cream Floats, Mango Citrus Jigglers)
Sarah is wrapping up the show to go meditate and go to bed
Stacy is back to working out, and kicking things off with handstand month - super exciting how well Stacy is feeling
Sarah just registered for the CrossFit open
We will be back next week with a great topic!
Thank you all for listening and please don't forget to vote for Paleo Magazine Best Of here
Outro (41:43)

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Episode 178, Missing the Point Jan 14, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:56)
- Stacy's back treatment was extremely successful and she is more mobile than she has been since summer
  - It was an inflammation issue
  - After a third treatment all discomfort should be gone
  - Stacy is still waiting to return to lifting, and will likely instead start yoga to work on mobility and strengthening her body
  - And then possibly incorporate personal training once a week to ease into things
- Sarah has been doing personal training since her kids went back to school and is seeing so many benefits from having someone who can both pace her and help her get strong, while not taking away from her health
  - Not reaching burnout and having consistency with her training has been phenomenal and paying off
- Unfortunately after Stacy's back felt better, she got hit with food poisoning and an infection
- Sarah killing the PR's at the gym lately
  - How Sarah's diet and lifestyle factors have allowed for these PR's to happen
  - And she has been doing all these things to manage her health so that she can write her next book
  - How phenomenal Sarah is feeling right now both mentally and physically, and how grateful she feels for reaching this point
- Making the smart choice over the fun choice
- This week's show topic comes from a place of wanting everyone to be healthy, and wanting the best for everybody
  - A reminder, Paleo is a personal approach diet and lifestyle that needs to be self-customized to meet your needs
- The kind of recipes that are readily availability to those new to Paleo, due to the popularity of these recreations that would have initially fallen in the 20% bracket when Paleo was still a fairly new diet
- The pressures of being a recipe developer in the Paleo community
- There are better approaches and not so health approaches to Paleo recipes, and we are getting quite the variety in the movement these days
- Throughout Stacy's years following a Paleo approach, she has made many choices where she has went with the fun option, as opposed to the one that has supported her health, and she learned quite a bit from these moments and how they impact her goals
- Making choices to feel your best as opposed to hoping on the snowball
- In light of the new year and new goals, this week's show will allow us all to take a step back and remember what the point of Paleo is
- How do we identify if a food is Paleo or not?
- How the 'what did hunter-gathers eat?' argument mucks up the water for the discussion on what is the healthiest approach to life now
- Evaluating whether or not a food is a health promoting food and why this is the ideal guiding point in our discussion
  - While this approach still has gray areas to it, you can better understand how food will effect the body
- Stacy's point on the need for rules and guiding points, and how confusing it can be when these aren't present
- Sarah's explanation for Paleo as a template that requires self experimentation to see what works best for you, which includes defining balance and sustainability that works for you
  - What makes your body thrive, versus what does your body tolerate
  - Finding that place in the middle where you can feel content with your choices
- Paleo is not something you do to achieve a short-term goal, Paleo choices are about long-term health to have a high quality life for as long as you can
How Sarah and Stacy Define Paleo (32:24)
- Sarah likes to emphasize that there is no macronutrient prescription within Paleo
  - Its a whole foods diet, not a high fat or low carb diet
- Paleo hones in on the most essential building blocks that our cells need, the raw materials that are needed for all the chemical reactions in every cell
- The word Paleo isn't used in Sarah's household - they instead think of their lifestyle as nutrient dense, anti-inflammatory, and one that promotes optimal gut health and hormone regulation
- Both a limitation and growth factor for this movement is the label, while it makes this approach searchable, it carries a stigma
- Stacy's mention of the new show 'My Diet is Better Than Yours'
The Ingredients (41:11)
- Why Matt and Stacy structured Real Life Paleo around the transitional foods
  - Getting to the healing, nutrient-dense foods in phase 3
- The recreation foods (ice cream, brownies, cookies, etc.) are so much more popular that the superfoods are not what we see on social media
- Old school Paleo baked good ingredients will never be a nutrient competitor for meat and vegetables
  - Baked goods containing these ingredients are very energy dense for the amount of nutrients in them
- There are so many people that come to Paleo to lose weight or find health, so promoting this idea of "clean, healthy Paleo treats" can be misleading and gets away from the point
  - These foods are great for transitioning away from conventional foods or for special occasions and celebrations, but should not be mistaken for a routine food to include
  - Using these foods as crutches as opposed to occasional treats
- Sarah doesn't feel that we need to give up treats or indulgent foods, but we each need to individually look at what is the right balance of treat foods verses health promoting foods
- People want a definition for moderation, but there isn't a one size fits all - that is part of the beauty of the Paleo lifestyle, that we move away from living by numbers and tracking
- When you choose foods within a Paleo framework, most people will naturally end up in a healthful caloric range for their bodies
- Changing your palette to not crave these "healthful treats" is key to managing cravings and finding a healthy balance with indulgences and treats
- It is missing the point to consistently have foods that are void of nutrients and do not promote health
- It is difficult for Stacy to get in the nutrients she needs to consume within the caloric range that is appropriate for her if she is eating really energy dense foods that are either nut based or cassava flour based, or even adding bananas to things
- Both Stacy and Sarah use these nutrient dense ingredients, but they each have to make themselves aware of where the balance falls for them, their health, and their goals
- Stacy hopes that people are mindful of what their goals are and what the point of this all is
- Ingredients that are a treat, but don't send Sarah "running for the hills"
  - Cassava flour
  - Tapioca flour
  - Arrowroot starch
  - Any ground nut and/or seed meal
  - Ground root or starch
  - Coconut flour
  - Rice flour (falls on Stacy's list, but not Sarah's)
  - Honey
  - Maple syrup
  - Cane sugar
  - Tapioca syrup
  - Date sugar
  - Black strap molasses
- The reintroduction foods that you play with to test how you respond to their incorporation into your lifestyle
  - High quality dairy
  - Rice
  - Potatoes
  - Alcohol
- The scientifically supported, not Paleo items
  - Any non-nutritive sweetener
  - Emulsifiers (you can find more information on these ingredients on Sarah's site here)
    - Guar gum
    - Carrageenan
    - Xanthan gum
    - Lecithin
    - Psyllium husk
  - Looking at an ingredient and thinking about what it is replacing and whether or not it is doing us any good
Why We Wanted to Talk about this Topic (1:11:51)
- Awareness of food choices is so phonemically important in order to be able to understand how food interacts with our bodies
- This is the time of year where so many new people come to Paleo to achieve their health goals, but when people come to Paleo and don't feel good because they are overdoing it on these questionable ingredients, we are missing the opportunity to help these people
- Being intentional with your food choices
- If we want the Paleo movement to continue to grow, we want to help people find health, and so we need to improve the awareness about where these lines are
  - That doesn't mean never crossing these lines, but instead understanding how these ingredients work for you
- We are not hoping to throw anyone under the bus or to guilt anyone out of their favorite treats, but to instead encourage awareness and intention with food choices so that we can continue to make this a movement about achieving health
Sarah is going to be in Phoenix the Saturday after this show airs and in Las Vegas on Sunday, get the details here on those events, and check out the information on additional signings at the end of the month in Houston and Austin as well
Thanks everyone for listening!
Outro (1:17:54)

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Episode 177, Go to Bed Jan 07, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:56)
- How Sarah and family spent the start of the new year - with loads of relaxation and spending time together at home
- Stacy and family's goal to welcome 2016 with nothing but pajama days
- Both Stacy and Sarah, and their families, are ready to get back into the routine
- An update from Stacy on her back - still very much in the diagnostic phase, didn't get an MRI, had x-rays done, which showed that there is a lot of inflammation in the joints, so Stacy is doing some treatment to help with that particular issue
  - At this point Stacy is focusing on rest and sleep to help with recovery
  - Stacy is also utilizing a low-inflamatory diet to help support her body's healing
- The road to Sarah's first autoimmune disease diagnosis and the flag that joint pain raised
- Stacy's approach in taking her recovery day by day, and the confirmation she received on her healing that has happened from her transition to Paleo that was seen in her her x-rays
Sarah's new program, Go to Bed (24:24)
- Which is a sleep rehab program and an epic e-book
- The book was inspired from the book tour and receiving the common question of - I am seeing improvements, but am not healing like I should be, what am I doing wrong?
- Sarah's response to this question is always, how is your sleep?
- Sarah wrote about the role that sleep plays on the immune system in The Paleo Approach, but wanted to delve into the topic even more to share on the profound impacts it has to other systems within the body
- After reading up more on sleep and sharing many more blog posts on the role that sleep plays in overall health, it became clear that this was a topic that would make for a great book and to tackle all that sleep impacts in far more detail
- Sarah created Go to Bed as an e-book so that she could update the content (and distribute updates to those who already purchased it) as the science around sleep and health continue to evolve
- Sleep quickly falls off our radar when he become overly focused on the role that diet and exercise play, which are important pieces, but sleep is still a critical component to healthy living
- Sarah wanted to create a resource that put sleep back on our to-do list and distill all the science into action items
- There is a 14-day sleep challenge built into the program, which is essentially a process on implementing 14 small changes over the course of those days
- The program will ease you into the best bang for your buck approach to improving your sleep, and you will see tremendous improvement in your sleep over those 14 days, giving you a taste of what adequate sleep feels like, motivating you to continue to work on making those habits stick
- The program is not designed to be a hard thing that you follow and then stop once you complete it - it is instead designed to ease you into lifelong habits that will improve your sleep quality and quantity
- The first challenge just started, but the group challenges will start the first Sunday of every month, except in January there will be two groups - with the second group starting on Sunday, January 17
- All it takes to join the group is to buy the program, sign up for the email series if you would like them, and then go to the Facebook and Instagram pages to collect group support and inspiration
- How quickly the research on sleep is evolving and the insights it is providing
- Sarah feels like this is an exciting time to stay in the know on what the scientific community is discovering in regards to sleep
- How sleep makes you more resilient to stress, and when you are stressed how difficult it is to get sleep - this e-book has tools for managing both stress and sleep since those things are interlinked
Stacy's goals in the new year as it pertains to healthy sleep habits
Find more information on the book Go to Bed HERE, and also review the full table of contents
There is a special launch discount available right now, simply use the code 'INEEDSLEEP' to get 30% off
- The program will never go on sale again after the sale expires in about a week
Thank you for tuning in everyone!
We will be back next week!
Outro (52:12)

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Episode 176, New Years Habits Jan 01, 2016

Show notes

Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:56)
- Sarah got to see Star Wars and it was awesome
- When we put out the 'Ask Us Anything' call for questions we received a lot of new years related questions, so are dedicating this week's show to that topic and those questions
- Sarah has been paleo for a little over four years and Stacy is in her 6th year of paleo, which is the longest either Sarah or Stacy have stuck to anything, maintained their weight-loss, continued to improve their health, etc.
- Stacy and Sarah are able to talk about habit formation from the other side
- There are still some things that both Stacy and Sarah continue to struggle with that require extra mindfulness
- When you are starting any kind of health change it can be very overwhelming, and it can feel hard and be discouraging that it feels hard - but it does get easier, and is worth the effort, and you get to the other side before you know it
- Stacy and Sarah have differing opinions on the subject of new years habits and challenges, and you will hear those differences throughout the show
  - For background on Stacy's feelings towards challenges see here and here
- It is important that you know who you are and what works for your body and your habits
- Stacy's feelings towards the short-term restriction habit and the cycle that it creates for her - she instead focuses on building out a focused approach on incorporating all that makes her feel her best, and making strong choices that support her health goals
  - If she wants a bite of something that is not within the perfect parameters of what Stacy has defined for herself, she has that and moves forward without guilt
  - This makes it easier for her to not binge on the backend
  - Or to find things along the way of a restriction diet that are "within the rules" but aren't adding value to her life
- Sarah comes from the side of not liking any healthy living habit that defines an endpoint, she instead feels like the priorities of a paleo diet are about sustained lifelong health
- If you have an end point, then you have permission to stop doing whatever it is you are doing to achieve that health goal you set out to accomplish
- Ending worse than where you started
- Spending the length of your challenge with a rebellion mentality, trying to stretch the rules, and the mental game this creates
- Sarah wants to talk about habit formation, taking action to form those habits, and thinking about sustainability and creating an action that promote health and becomes a natural thing to do
- Not defining an end point when identifying your goals and creating habits around those goals
- For Christmas Stacy got a lifestyle thing that is like a FitBit, but for your brain - Spire
  - Tracks your breathing and gives you goals
  - Stacy has learned that she is really bad at being calm
- The health challenges that Stacy and Sarah continue to work through along their journey
- Sarah does not wait for a date, she identifies when things are sliding and reigns it in immediately - which is one of the biggest things she has learned in her health journey, don't wait to pick yourself up
- The continued work on habit formation, but knowing that you are human and quickly recognizing when you are going down a road that you shouldn't be
Questions & Answers (21:12)
- Gale - I want to start Paleo, but every time I try something new I end up right back with my old ways of eating. What tips do you have for sticking to Paleo past January?
  - Define what you are doing Paleo for and make sure it is something that really matters to you and is not just an aesthetic thing
  - Identifying the little things - being aware of the cause and effect between food and your health (i.e. if I eat this I will break out)
  - The only way to identify those cause and effects is to stick with it and to remind yourself that you are making the choice to do this change and that you want to follow a Paleo diet
  - Create a positive mindset around the choices you are making
  - 30 days is not a magic number for everyone
  - If at the end of a timeframe determined by you, you would like to reintroduce certain foods, do it mindfully and with observations to see how those foods make you feel
  - Honor what style of change works best to you, and look at what makes you successful when adopting change
  - The cold turkey approach does not work for everyone - and 30 days does not work for habit formation (see here for more details on that)
  - Creating steps in your transition and listening to yourself to figure out how Paleo fits best within your life
  - Keep sustainability in mind and remember that you are working to identify the balance that will be needed to maintain this for the rest of your life
  - We set ourselves up to feel deprived when we define Paleo by what we cannot eat
  - Celebrate all the amazing foods you get to eat instead of mourning the foods that you do not get to eat
  - Real Life Paleo has tips, details and recipes on how to transition into paleo as opposed to being a 21 or 30 day challenge thing
- Meg - I am just starting Paleo, what are some guidelines for portion control? (30:59)
  - Both Stacy and Sarah still struggle with over-eating, and this is common for many people and it is easy to overeat Paleo foods
  - You could weigh or measure food for 3 to 5 days to get a feel for what servings look like and how you feel when you consume certain servings
  - You could also look up tricks online (50% of your dinner plate being vegetables, palm of your hand is a serving of protein, etc.)
  - Using smaller plates can also help with overeating
  - Staying well hydrated, managing stress, and getting adequate sleep can also all help with calorie consumption regulation
  - Calories do matter, even if you are eating nutrient dense foods
  - There are many tools that you can use to track your intake
    - Sarah uses CRON-O-Meter
    - Stacy uses MyFitnessPal
  - How Stacy and Sarah incorporate tracking
  - Toying with your macros can be very tricky, and the research Stacy has done to identify what works best for her
- Kristina - how do you prepare for a successful week with a busy schedule? (41:57)
  - This is going to take some trial and error to find what works best for you
  - Every four or five days Sarah will cook a huge dinner, which includes several meals worth of meat and three or four different vegetables
  - Sarah's family is able to incorporate leftovers most of the time, with slight variations to the sides - she does a lot of freezing for back up options as well
  - Melissa from Well Fed does a huge weekly cook up
  - There are services like Once a Month Meal to help you plan out freezer batch cooking for the length of the month
  - For Matt and Stacy they have go to meals for the week, and then buy meat in bulk that they have in their freezer ready to go
  - Matt and Stacy have also been incorporating weekly meal planning, which you can read all about and see the menus here
  - Planning in eating out meals and the restaurants that will support your health goals
  - Maybe you take a combination approach - ultimately there are a lot of different options
- Kristina - I want to try CrossFit, but I am terrified. How do you pick a gym and get pass the fear? (48:53)
  - Stacy wrote two posts on this that you can find here and here
  - Make sure you find a place with one-on-one intro training to help you onboard with the coaching, style of movements, etc.
  - What to look for in the atmosphere, coaches, stance on form, and fellow class members
  - Listen to your body and don't push yourself to hard
  - Make sure you are getting proper nutrition and rest to support your workouts
  - Its ok to leave a gym if you don't find what you are looking for
- Debbie - What are your thoughts on nutritional challenges? (56:08)
  - Stacy thinks they are ridiculous and an abomination to our community that we so strongly encourage them within the context of a Paleo diet
  - Sarah doesn't feel like any of them are properly designed - they all focus on what you don't do, and all of them have a low carb bias
  - If Sarah saw a challenge that had a focus on nutrient density and was more real life, she would be in support of them
  - It is not a sustainable approach to work on health from a place of deprivation
  - Be aware and thoughtful about how you approach this lifestyle - have goals and self-respect and self-love through this time, and make it about making the best choices possible
  - Don't miss the point of paleo - focus on nutrient dense and low-inflammatory foods, sleep, stand walk, get exercise, work on stress management
- Jen - what kitchen tools do you find most helpful for those new to Paleo? (1:00:37)
  - Good knife to chop vegetables
  - Food processor
  - Instant Pot
  - Roasting pan
  - Rimmed baking sheets
  - Good frying pan
    - How to season cast iron
  - Vegetable steamer
  - Garlic press
  - Micro zester
  - Dutch oven
- Erika - Are there Paleo protein shakes I can incorporate to my post workout regimen? (1:05:44)
  - M&H Naturals makes a protein powder that Stacy uses and loves
  - Stacy also includes Vital Proteins collagen into her shakes
- Crunchy Mama - How do you stay excited about Paleo? (1:07:08)
  - Stacy stays excited about Paleo because it is something they do together as a family and feel healthier and happier because of it
  - Matt and Stacy have also built a community around them that inspires them to try new recipes, meet new people living the same life, etc.
  - Sarah doesn't think about it, this is just the way she lives and eats now
  - Sarah's excitement comes from the reality that she is healthy in a way she has never been able to maintain before
Sarah has a brand new e-book, Go to Bed, a complete program with 14 easy steps to healthier sleep, be sure to check it out as you tackle your health goals in the new year
- Will be available for 30% off in January only with the code 'INEEDSLEEP'
Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year!
Thank you for tuning in!
Outro (1:15:23)

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