The Outlier Health Podcast

In today's episode, we answer your questions about food and fitness. We talk soy, peanuts, gluten, endurance, and more.

Can you believe it? 100 Episodes! Things started off a little rough, but we've officially hit our stride and the 100th episode. In today's episode co-host Doug and I share some of the secrets behind this show, where we've struggled, and the lessons we've learned. We also look forward towards new ideas and changes coming in the next year.

Do vegans need to take supplements? In today's episode, it's all about the supplements. Which you need (if any) on a whole foods plant-based diet, and what you're already getting naturally. Plus you'll get the low-down on what we take ourselves and why.

Today it's all about the staples. For a new vegan, it's easy to find cookbooks and that guide you through dinners, but what about a simple bowl of cereal, toast, or cup of tea?  With an increasingly large number of vegan substitutes available, it can feel overwhelming choosing the right vegan substitutes. Never mind knowing if your favorite bread or pasta is actually 100% plant-based. Inspired by a listener question, co-host Doug and I dig deep into our pantries and refrigerators, and discuss the most common staples you'll find in our vegan kitchens.

When you wake up each morning, you're forced to take care of a number of "most-dos." You must take the kids to school, answer emails, and go to work, for example. Most of us get so caught up in the most-dos that we neglect the important habits that could really shape our day. Habits for physical and mental health. Habits for happiness and gratitude. Habits that only take a few minutes to do, but still get brushed aside. In today's episode, Doug and I discuss our most important daily habits, and why we fight so hard to keep them.

Over the past 95 episodes, we've talked a lot about the ideal diet, and ways Matt and I try to find it. Between the two of us, we've experimented with fruitarian, raw, juicing, no oil, and minimal processed foods. But while experimenting and talking about an ideal way of eating is fun and inspiring, it isn't always practical. And without the context, we've come to realize that it almost feels unattainable or too far out there for many of you, the listeners. So today Matt and I get real. We share exactly what we eat throughout a typical day. Not because it's perfect, but to give you a little context on where we're coming from. And hopefully to demonstrate that a whole foods plant-based diet isn't all kale and shots of wheatgrass.

It's no secret that local, organic, healthy food can get expensive. Add in fake meats and fancy spices or oils, and your new vegan diet is maxing out credit cards. But even when you shop at the hippest grocery stores, it doesn't have to be that pricy. You can eat on the cheap, and still get all the great whole foods your body is craving. In today's episode, we discuss our strategies for saving money on food, and which foods we avoid because of the price tag.

A few years ago Matt wrote a post called . It was a reflection on his first 2 years as a vegan, and all the things he wish someone had told him before he made that change. Now that I'm inching towards my 2-year anniversary, we revisit that topic together and compare lists. When you make a giant change, like switching to a vegan diet or training for your first marathon, there's nothing that can fully prepare you for the experience. But in our cases, there are a few things we wish someone had told us -- or advice we wish we would have actually taken in -- before making the switch to a plant-based diet. In today's episode, we discuss those lessons, how they've impacted our experience so far, and why some of Matt's have changed since his original post.

Most of us have no trouble losing weight on a whole foods plant-based diet, but is it possible to actually put weight and muscle on? Ever since college I've wanted to put on weight, and had success for awhile when I still ate meat. After going vegan, I immediately lost weight, and thought I could never bulk up again. Then I met guys like Robert Cheeke and others who were putting on muscle without the meat. So I set out to give it another try. In today's episode, co-host Doug and I discuss why someone might want to put on weight, whether or not it's healthy in the long run, and how to do it on a vegan diet.

After 3 years of this podcast, we finally answer the age old question we vegans know so well, "But where do you get your protein?"