Today we’re here with Kaleigh Laventure, author of The Paleo Angel, and our old friend George of Civilized Caveman.
This show is fun, but it also gets real.
The quest for perfect health (and a perfect body) isn’t always butterflies and fairy tales. Kaleigh’s story is a poignant example of how you can take a Paleo success story into dangerous waters…
I grew to love Paleo eating even when my weight loss stopped. I slept amazing. My skin started to glow, my teeth were whiter, I was at peace and a happier person in general and I adopted a LOVE for Paleo cooking and discovering and creating great meals that were truly nutritious and delicious…
Suddenly instead of being focused on my health and fitness goals (which were to be healthy, feel great via high energy, quality sleep, mental clarity and to get stronger and be a part of a program that will help me live a longer quality life),
I was focused on my body image.
George originally brought Kaleigh’s story to the masses in this extremely popular guest post at his blog Civilized Caveman. For you in the same boat, this will be a must-listen.
In today’s show, Kaleigh, George, and I cover:
- The potentials dangers of intermittent fasting
- Why LeanGains is not necessarily a healthy approach to nutrition or lifestyle
- How to address body image issues and eating disorders for both women and men
- Why you should eat to optimize the way you feel, not the way you look
Cool. Onto the show.
Listen by pressing the PLAY BUTTON below on the right.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Subscribe to my PODCAST on iTunes (and please leave a review)!
(Click the “View in iTunes” link and then hit the “Subscribe” button.”)
Just a Few Days Left to Get $20 Off 200+ Paleo Recipes
When I first invited George on The Fat-Burning Man Show, he convinced me to give his crock pot pulled pork a whirl. So I hopped on down to the farmers’ market, grabbed a 4 pound pork shoulder, spiced it up, and threw it in the pot.
8 hours later, I had the best pulled pork of my life. Really.
I couldn’t keep this to myself.
Despite desperate pleas from his loyal listeners and fans, George’s schedule as a full-time Marine simply didn’t allow the time to write a book. But the world needs to taste George’s cooking, so I had to help. For the past few months, my team and I have compiled, designed, organized, and edited… And we’re stoked that these cream-of-the-kitchen recipes are finally ready for you.
As a special thanks to podcast listeners, you guys get $20 off and 4 eBook and video bonuses (including free books from me). Happy cooking!
Check out Caveman Feast below!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Thank you for introducing Kaleigh to me and for another great conversation with George. I really appreciated him telling his very intimate story, I’m sure it was uncomfortable but that it helped someone out there. I think the paleo community needs a good dose of self-love and compassion for ourselves, it’s part of a healthy lifestyle. It helped me to hear Kaleigh’s story because I’m trying to get stronger so I can enjoy more outdoor activities living in the Rockies (like being strong enough for overnight backpacking trips), and sometimes it feels like my progress is wayyyy too slow. Glad I’m not the only one! : )
Jenny, absolutely! Thanks for stopping by. You’re by no means the only one… Writing this from a coffee shop in Boulder – the Rockies are awesome. Lots of good paleo-ish options, too.
Please consider the vocal qualities of your guests before you invite them on…Kaleigh’s nasal tones are like fingernails dragging on a blackboard and I couldn’t get through it.
Hi Tim,
Kaleigh’s story is an important one; her experience has already positively impacted hundreds of people who have struggled with intermittent fasting and this lifestyle in general.
If you feel that any of my guests are not worth listening to, I invite you not to listen. I’m not perfect, my guests are not perfect, and I’m sure you’re not, either. Keep it in perspective.
Respectfully,
Abel
Hi,
There are is many conflicting information out there that I, for one am not sure which is authentic or not, example “fasting”. I recently bought an ebook, Eat Stop Eat and this guy gives all his theories and research into this subject, but now we hear about George and Kaleigh, so who do we believe?
I do believe in the Cave Man’s diet which I follow but also do the fasting thing 2 x a week. I also do weight training but have found that I am not building much muscle, could this be due to the fasting…or it could be with my age….maybe both?
Confused
Hi Brian,
I don’t blame you for being confused! I actually had Brad Pilon, the author of Eat Stop Eat, on my show a few weeks ago.
It’s not as much about who to believe as much as it is about what works for YOU. Fasting is NOT a good option for people with a history of eating disorders, people with certain medical conditions, or folks under a great deal of stress. If you feel that it works well for you, keep on rocking it. I certainly “fast” in various ways – skipping meals, not eating all day, etc. I follow how I feel and suggest you do the same.
It’s certainly easier to build muscle with a caloric excess and very difficult to build muscle if you’re underfeeding. Try upping your calories on training days or fasting a bit less. I find that one 24 hour fast a week max works best for me.
Let me know how it goes!
Cheers,
Abel
I’ve been IF’ing for around 3 years. It works for me. And I think that’s where we get lost in all the nutrition crap. You need to find what works for you. As for women and IF’ing. Dave Asprey has an excellent article on why women need to be more careful when doing it. On a side note, James you got a killer deep voice. You should do voice work.
Hi Jeremy, glad you dig the voice. Thanks for pointing us to Dave’s article – he’s the man!
I’m generally a fan and bought the Caveman cookbook to help support you guys but I thought you were a little unfair to the lean gains protocol. Martin Berkhan of lean gains recommends fourteen hour fasts for women, not sixteen hours which amounts to eating dinner at 6PM and breakfast at 8AM the following day. This doesn’t seem all that extreme to me. And it seems like semantics to me to say leans gains didn’t cause Kaleigh’s problem but doing lean gains did. Lean gains undertaken by someone with their head in the right place can be safe, heatlhy and effective. If your head is not in the right place you will have problems on any diet.
Hi Dave, you’re right – if someone does not have a history of disordered eating, Leangains can be effective and its protocols conducted safely. I even follow a similar approach myself. My head is *usually* in the right place.
Thanks for bringing Kaleigh to your show. It’s as important to hear how people go astray on paleo, then get back on track as it is to hear from role models. You can read about this daily, but hearing it has a higher impact. Hearing about George’s struggles was also powerful, as I tend to stereotype Marines as rock-solid, laser-focused martinets.
It sounds like Kayleigh did not fully understand the Leangains protocol. For women the fast is only 14 hours. It’s a shame that she should attack intermittent fasting and Leangains in particular when she wasn’t even following it as instructed. Her opinion really does not count for much as a result. In much the same way that she felt she could be Paleo and still eat Oreos. The guidelines are there for a reason. If you choose not to follow them, don’t expect much success.
Stuart, your point is well-taken. For some people, the Leangains protocol seems to be more damaging than positive (even if it is “effective”). It’s important to highlight the fact that there is no magic bullet, and one approach won’t work for absolutely everyone. Thanks for your input!
Great interview!! I have heard so much about intermittent fasting and for my own reasons I have chosen not to incorporate it into my life right now. I am going to be training for my first fitness competition (which is in April) and I am just curious if you have any resources you would suggest for someone living a paleo/primal lifestyle and getting lean in the healthiest way possible. the meal plan my trainer suggests is an “eat clean” approach and since I do not eat any grains or dairy (with the exception of ghee or grass fed butter) I am looking for something different. Curious if you have any suggestions?
These mutations somewhat diminish, but do not nearly completely inhibit, the normal function
of alpha-glucosidase. Furthermore eating very often holds the nitrogen balance of
the body high so the body doesn’t eat away on its own muscle reserves. How to build muscle fast for men is through training in the gym or field.