Show notes
Today, I am lucky to have here with me, a best-selling author, top 10 app developer, musician, radio show host, entrepreneur, and health crusader, Abel James. Abel’s work has been featured in WIRED Magazine, Paleo Living, and hundreds of media outlets in business, technology, psychology, and health.
Within its first year, Abel’s Fat-Burning Man Show rose to the #1 most popular health podcast in the United States and the United Kingdom and went on to top the charts in more than 7 countries across the world for the past 2 years.
A former strategic advisor to the food and beverage industry, Abel now acts as a consumer advocate who exposes the truth behind deceptive marketing practices, misleading corporate propaganda, and powerful special interests that have accelerated the worldwide obesity epidemic and health crisis.
Abel harnesses the techniques he developed for the Wild Diet to achieve extremely compelling results in fat loss and health for his clients and the community. Abel’s quick-start guide, Intro to Paleo and The Musical Brain are distinguished as #1 Amazon bestsellers in health and psychology. The Musical Brain explores evolutionary biology and how musical training and experience affects the brain.
Abel and his team developed Caveman Feast, the #1 App in Food and Drink across the world and #6 App overall in the Apple Store in 2013. Abel has advised Fortune 500 and federal government clients, including Microsoft, State Street Global Advisors, Lockheed Martin, the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, and the Library of Congress.
In this episode, Abel James starts by explaining the inspiration behind his brand, The Fat Burning Man. Abel speaks about the fundamentals – including why isolating exercises are not making you stronger. Plus, Abel dives deep into his book, The Wild Diet, and explains the best time to eat carbs and why you should try to exercise in a fasted state. Stay tuned as Abel reveals the terrifying carbon monoxide scare his family endured, and the many ways they recovered from the poisoning.
[00:20] About The Fat Burning Man
Abel was raised in alternative health. After getting health insurance, Abel found a traditional doctor. After taking his advice, he gained thirty pounds and suffered from high blood pressure.
Abel started researching physiology and bodybuilding. He began eating loads of fats and vegetables. No longer was Abel afraid of salt. After taking it seriously for 30 days, he had a different body composition. It made him mad because he had been trying so hard to eat “right.” People need to be educated about the fundamentals, which is why Abel started The Fat Burning Man.
Abel did almost precisely the opposite of what his medical doctor was telling him to do.
[09:30] The Fundamentals
If you want to be strong, you have to be balanced and focus on mobility. Do not isolate your biceps to get big biceps. For 99.9% of people, it will make no difference to do isolated exercises.
Strength training your big muscles group will work. Kettlebells, free weights, and using the correct form will assist with your fitness. It doesn’t need to get much more complicated than that.
Eat clean plant and animal foods. Ditch white sugars – it’s incredibly addictive and destroys our health. Find diversity and balance in your diet. Make sure you’re getting enough protein and fiber.
Do not get vegetables that are sprayed with chemicals.
Practice common sense with technology. Our cell phones can cause cancer and tumors. Yet, people still keep their phones in their pockets.
[16:30] About The Wild Diet
Abel wanted something that would be offline and lead people to the truth. Which is why he wrote this book back in 2015.
There is not a lot of things that are truly out there. Many authors and podcasters like to make things overly complicated – it works! You can sell a lot of stuff that way. Abel had been listening to the wrong people; it hurt him.
The Wild Diet is written simply and should be easy to read.
[20:15] When Should You Eat Carbs?
It depends on what you are doing with your life.
Eating carbs in the morning may drive you crazy. You will have cravings and be hungry for the rest of the day.
If you are going out and running a marathon, you could easily eat carbs in the morning.
Abel drinks tea, coffee, heavy cream, and coconut oil. He will also drink bone broth and powdered greens. Dinner will be his first and only meal of the day.
Eat fibers, proteins, and fats before you hit the carbs.
Slam down an orange juice and see how you feel in an hour. It takes a few weeks for your body to realize that you don’t even need orange juice in the morning.
[23:50] Exercising in a Fasted State
Abel runs in a fasted state. When you run out of sugar in your muscles, you are going to bonk out. Learn how to manage that, and your body will adapt.
Most people are carrying too much extra weight – so exercising while fasted will not be harmful.
Fasted cardio will help you get the weight off pretty fast. However, it can be brutal at first.
Depending on your goals, it can be helpful to eat before working out.
When you are training fasted, you are getting the advantage of not needing to fuel.
[29:55] What Does “Natural Flavor” Mean?
Natural flavors might mean the extractives of wood products or anal beaver glands.
Natural flavors are usually better than artificial flavors.
Flavor your food with actual fruit or honey instead of artificial things.
Do not be generous with your trust at the store. What is actually in the food you are buying?
[33:00] Weight Loss Tips
Focus on the foods that are your trigger foods. Try and go without this food for a few days and then for a few weeks. Go without that food until you don’t have those cravings anymore. It could be pizza, cookies, and cakes.
Sometimes it’s not about the food that you are eating, but about the state of mind you are in while you are eating.
If your attention isn’t with your food, then it’s harder to realize when you’re hungry.
It doesn’t take long to eat, so sit down and practice gratitude.
[38:35] Abel’s Gas Leak Scare
Carbon monoxide leaked in Abel’s rental while they slept.
Abel, his wife, and their dog were overcome with apathy. The effects of the gas make you dumber and less likely to make the right decisions. Abel and his wife were close to that state. The gas is odorless, so it’s almost difficult to detect. They almost died, and that is not an exaggeration. Abel was not able to work for months.
Carbon monoxide detectors could easily prevent something like this happening.
[44:45] Recovering From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Abel did long-term fasts for his body to heal.
Do not push your body too hard too soon.
You want to be active in your recovery. However, be honest with yourself and be conservative.
Vitamins in an IV drip brought Abel back to life – it’s an effective way to get nutrients into your blood stream. During the drips, their inflammation would immediately come down.
Eating clean and not drinking alcohol was also extremely helpful. Drinking will set you back.
[51:45] About Designer Babies Still Get Scabies
Abel trolls the trolls in this book and gets into health, spirit, and life.
The book has been a best seller in many countries.
The paperback version comes with a free copy of the audiobook.
AND MUCH MORE!
Resources from this episode:
Check out Abel’s Website
Follow Abel James Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
Get The Wild Diet: Go Beyond Paleo to Burn Fat, Beat Cravings, and Drop 20 Pounds in 40 days
Get Designer Babies Still Get Scabies
Join the Keto Kamp Academy
Watch Keto Kamp on YouTube
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