Robb Wolf is a co-founder of LMNT, a former research biochemist and the author of The Paleo Solution and Wired to Eat. In this conversation, we talk about sodium, electrolytes and the questions that come up when you train hard while eating a low-carb diet. I ask him about my own experience with HYROX, the tension between feeling healthy and performing well, and how an ancestral approach to food fits the demands of modern sport. We also get into blood pressure, the paleo movement and how Robb eats today.
We then talk about building LMNT, why the company shares its electrolyte recipe, and Robb’s account of the maltodextrin controversy. From there, we get into online criticism, his changing views on fasting and what being fired from CrossFit’s nutrition-certification teaching role taught him about friendship and community. We finish with training, recovery, family and work, including how LMNT builds periods of rest into its schedule and why Robb thinks a few hours of focused work can be enough.
If this one's got you thinking about goals, I built something for exactly that.
The Chapter System: https://bit.ly/4gw6m6x
Chapters:
00:00:00 Opening: LMNT and the sodium question
00:00:36 Robb’s current chapter and the growth of LMNT
00:04:25 POTS and Robb’s account of sodium’s role
00:06:36 Low-carb training and the origins of LMNT
00:11:13 Carbohydrates, heat and electrolyte needs
00:12:54 Sodium, retail pushback and who LMNT is for
00:17:09 Blood pressure, blood tests and individual context
00:22:38 Ancestral diets and modern athletic demands
00:27:37 What remains of the paleo movement
00:30:42 How Robb eats today
00:35:24 HYROX, low-carb diets and performance
00:43:17 The trade-off between health and competition
00:45:08 LMNT’s electrolyte ratio and DIY recipe
00:48:16 How LMNT became a business
00:53:11 Mid-roll
00:53:38 Robb’s account of the maltodextrin controversy
01:00:20 Transparency, criticism and online incentives
01:07:05 Why Robb changed his mind about fasting
01:13:45 Being fired by CrossFit and losing a community
01:17:51 Training, periodisation and recovery
01:21:52 Technique under fatigue
01:23:30 Work, health and family
01:29:56 LMNT’s work-and-recovery cycle
01:33:58 Deep work and judging output
01:36:49 Where to find Robb
01:37:32 Closing message
🎙️ MY STUFF
The Chapter System (the PDF):
https://bit.ly/4gw6m6x
All my other stuff: https://awakenoutofcontext.com
Robb Wolf:
Substack: https://robbwolf.substack.com/
Website and books: https://robbwolf.com/
LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/
The Healthy Rebellion: https://join.thehealthyrebellion.com/
Mentioned in this episode:
LMNT’s DIY electrolyte recipe:
https://science.drinklmnt.com/electrolytes/best-homemade-electrolyte-drink-for-dehydration
LMNT’s Toxicology in Context series, including links to the other articles:
https://science.drinklmnt.com/did-you-know/toxins-vs-toxicology-why-dose-matters
