No Meat Athlete Radio

"How have you been?""Good! Very busy."That common answer to what is most likely the most common question, makes me sad. As a society, we seem to idealize being busy. If we're busy, we must have a purpose. I've never been good at being busy, which is probably why I'm not cut out for the corporate world. I like to have time -- lots of time -- to do the things I like doing, not the stuff I feel like I have to do. That's what I talk about in today's podcast. How to build a lifestyle that creates both more time and energy to enjoy that time. Many traditional time management systems don't work for me, but the approach I take, and share in this episode, allows me have the time to do what I want. And yes, avoid feeling busy just to feel busy.

Have you ever thought to yourself that your running habit would finally stick if it were just a little easier? As a husband, business owner, and father of two with little time and plenty of obligations, I'll do anything I can to make running easier. That doesn't mean I cheat my way out of the difficult days (I believe that's impossible with running), but it does mean I take advantage of easy tricks that make a difference. It turns out Doug's the same way. In today's episode Doug and I pulled together our favorite hacks, genius ones if you ask me, in hopes that they'll remove a few obstacles from your running routine. Because if you were given the opportunity to make something inherently difficult a little simpler, why wouldn't you?

After this year's vegan cruise, my wife Erin set a goal. By the next cruise she would get back to her pre-baby weight and rock a bikini. Over the past few months Erin has not only lost 18 pounds, but reclaimed her passion for fitness in the process.

Here at No Meat Athlete, we aren't fans of following strict diet rules. We believe in a little flexibility when it comes to eating. But if there was an official No Meat Athlete diet, these 10 guidelines would be it. Guidelines for how to eat healthy on a daily basis, with enough wiggle room to make it sustainable for the long term. In today's episode, Doug and I discuss those healthy eating guidelines, and exactly why building in that flexibility is important.

What if I told you that by limiting yourself with a strong commitment, you're actually freeing yourself up to be more creative. You'd think I'm crazy, right? But it's true! Constraints on what you can do actually help artists, writers, and even runners. Which is why I recently posted a set of new commitments on the blog. A shiny new running commitment, and a somewhat scary commitment to you listeners. In today's episode, Doug and I talk about the power of commitment, and how to actually succeed once that commitment has been made. Which was all good for me to hear, because the last thing I want to do is fail in front of you guys.

Hold up...Doug WINS a 24 hour ultramarathon? Last weekend he not only kept his NMA Radio guarantee by reaching 100 miles under the cut-off, but did us one better by actually winning the race. In today's episode we hear a few battle stories from the race, what he learned, and how he managed the monotony of a loop course. And as summer approaches in the northern hemisphere, so does the heat. After the race discussion Doug and I dive into strategies and tips for training and racing on those hottest of summer days. 

We answer 8 common questions from No Meat Athlete readers and listeners.

How we're training for two very different races.

On personal development, growth, and facing our fears.

Rich Roll on training for endurance events, meditation, and life hacking.

Rich Roll on nutrition and his new book, The Plantpower Way.

Making time for a healthy lifestyle with Jeff Sanders and Heather Crosby.

Working towards your optimal diet with advice from Mike Arnstein and Sid Garza-Hillman.

Why even runners need to worry about the effects of sitting throughout the day.

Lessons learned from Doug's 100k ultramarathon.

Lifestyle changes to live a happier, healthier, and longer life.

Interview with Gene Baur on his new book, Living the Farm Sanctuary Life

A recap of what I learned during the vegan cruise.

David Clark on becoming your own here.

Matt and Doug discuss their tips and advice for traveling on a vegan diet.