Grappling With GMOs: Daryl Wein & Zoe Lister-Jones On ‘Consumed’ — Making A Thriller Out of The Politics of Food

THE BEAST RETURNS! Once again, I'm switching gears. The interviewer becomes the interviewee. Part II. Mishka was a super popular guest on the podcast about a month ago. If you listened to the interview, you know we went deep — exhaustingly deep perhaps. Despite the fact that I had never previously met Mishka face-to-face, I had a knowing sense that we would hit it off given our many points in common – writing, running, alcoholism & sobriety. There was an immediate short hand, and we just went straight to the core until we both felt like we were drowning in molten lava when the interview was over. So when my publisher raised the issue of having someone interview me to coincide with the release of the paperback version of Finding Ultra* — hitting bookshelves and online retailers 5/21! — I knew Mishka more than fit the bill. Osher Günsberg hit the nail on the head with Part I of this self-involved and shameless self-promotional podcast double, and Mishka picks right up with Part II right where Osher left off — repaying the favor of my unrepentant deep dive with him by hitting me hard with some tough questions as we peel back the layers and get behind the scenes on my book, my story and what drives both of us. OK. NOW FOR THE (HOPEFULLY NOT TOO) HARD SELL….. I feel weird asking people to buy the paperback. I'm sure the majority of you listeners out there have already read my book – you have, right? RIGHT?? But then again, who knows? Maybe you haven't. Maybe you just stumbled upon this blog and podcast out of the blue. So here is an opportunity to learn a bit more about me, why I wrote the book and what I hoped to express. Oh yeah, there's also this little matter of admitting that I would like to move some units. Maybe even make the NY Times Bestseller List for Non-Fiction Paperbacks – a list I narrowly missed with the hardcover release. OK, busted. Call me shameless. Call me competitive. Or, just shoot me. I am formally apologizing right here and right now. But hey, wouldn't you do the same if you had spent a couple years writing a book? So cut me some slack. I will say that if I do make the list — an admitted (huge?) longshot, it will be entirely due to YOU — the audience of this podcast and blog. And hey, if my book and this podcast stand for anything, it's that we should all dream big. Making that list is definitely a big dream of mine. Moreover, the truth is, I ain't got no publicist out there shilling for me. Plus, Random House basically told me they don't have the resources to market and promote the release — basically no press to get the word out. So I'm on my own. But I'm not — I've got all of you, who have been beyond supportive. So if you've enjoyed the content I've been freely sharing — content that takes an obscene amount of my time to create — and feel inclined to support the message I so passionately believe in, then this is the time I am REALLY ASKING FOR YOUR HELP. Forget donating, just pull the trigger on the paperback. Already read the book? Then get it as a gift for someone — after all, Father's Day is coming up and you gotta get dear old dad something anyway. Plus, it's darn cheap – just $13.50 on Amazon. What the heck, right? That's like a one cold pressed juice at Whole Foods; and will hopefully be even a bit more nourishing. Then tell a friend. Thanks! Rich

19 Maj 20131h 55min

Today we switch gears a bit. How? This time the interviewer becomes the interviewee. Why?  In just a few days (May 21st to be exact), the paperback version of Finding Ultra* hits bookstores — front table placement at Barnes & Noble! — or so I've been told….I'll believe it when I see it — and online retailers. It's quite an honor that I am even getting a paperback release at all, and I want to make the most of the rare opportunity. On that note, my publisher thought it might be fun to have someone interview me for a change. Not to ask the same old questions I'm always asked, but to kind of go beyond the typical “Where do you get your protein?” line of inquiry and delve deeper. I must admit I wasn't to keen on the idea initially. This podcast isn't really about me, it's about my guests; I'm just the host. Then again, if I could find the right person to do it — somebody who knows me quite well and has something to really bring to the equation — then maybe it could be cool. Who? Well I found the right guy. Not only is Osher Günsberg a good friend, fellow plant-eater, marathon runner / aspiring ultra-runner and all-around cool dude, he's also a professional host. Those Down Under likely know this swarthy, handome and dynamic gentleman as ” Andrew G. ” — host of Australian Idol (Australia's version of American Idol) and from an array of other radio and television programs in both Australia and here in the U.S., including the CBS show Live To Dance, which he co-hosted with Paula Abdul. In addition, he is a proud supporter of the Indigenous Marathon Project, which provides an opportunity for Indigenous men and women of Autralia to run the New York Marathon, which is not only inspiring but helps encourage healthy, active lifestyles. A long way of saying he is total pro. And in this interview, it shows. Then there is this little matter of how — in the right light — we can appear to look somewhat similar. Don't believe me? Check the Instagram I posted the other day — it's over the top; although he is admittedly far more handsome and charming than I. Dopplegänger Günsberg. Forgive the phrase — I know it sounds like everyone's favorite hair band. I guess I just wanted to write two words in a row with a diaeresis. I think you will really enjoy my conversation with Osher. He’s the man. THANK YOU! Rich

17 Maj 20132h 18min

Today Julie Piatt and I sit down with our friend, the gorgeous, multi-talented multi-hyphenate Lisa Fallon Mindel. International fashion model, accomplished (aka very fast) age-group triathlete, mother & wife, Certified Health Coach, and fellow (plant-based) holistic wellness advocate and sometimes Kauai dweller, Lisa is a fount of great information and insight with a refreshing and inspiring holistic mind-body-spirit approach to wellness under her banner WholeBodyBeautiful program and website. Julie and I hope you enjoy the conversation! Thanks for listening! Rich

7 Maj 20131h 46min

Today on the show I welcome nutritionist and dietitian Andy Bellatti MS, RD. Sure we talk plant-based and other issues related to optimal nutrition (hint: eat REAL FOOD!). But what makes Andy unique amongst his peers isn't so much his pro-plant bias as it is his passion for calling out the inextricable link between giant food corporations and how we innately come to think and feel about the foods we (often unconsciously choose to) eat. From congressional legislation to school lunch policy, the food pyramid and what we are actually led to believe we need to live and thrive is in more ways than you would imagine completely dictated by these corporations, their lobbying efforts and Madison Avenue advertising agencies. What makes Andy different is his courage to take a stand on this issue and his tireless push for positive changes, both systemic and individual. Enjoy! Rich

2 Maj 20131h 36min

Today on the podcast we GO DEEP. In the short lifespan of this show, I've had the honor of interviewing a wide variety of incredible guests — paradigm busting thought leaders pushing the boundaries of conventional wisdom on a myriad of health & fitness related subject matters. But there is an elephant in the room. I've been waiting for the right guest to get into the issue closest to my heart — addiction & recovery. If you read my book you know my story. But I have been reluctant to use the podcast to discuss in depth the most integral part of my life & struggle. I suppose I was waiting for the right guest for the job. Someone equipped to handle this kind of discussion. Somebody who understands. Well, I found him. And when I say we go deep, I mean it's intense. Big love to Mishka for the willingness to be vulnerable; open and considered in his responses. It takes courage to be so transparent, and he's got it in spades. In many ways, our stories are vastly different. And yet they are exactly the same. Alcoholism, struggle, recovery, writing, ultrarunning, redemption. My long lost brother. My peer. My comrade in arms in the battle against the demon that wants both of us — and untold millions — drunk, imprisoned, institutionalized, and eventually dead. Disclaimer: If you are stumbling onto this episode merely looking for training/nutrition tips, this interview might not be your cup of tea. And if so, that's fine. But I also know for a fact that there are a lot of people out there that will glean insight and inspiration from Mishka's redemptive journey. All I can say is that I'm really proud of this interview. And I hope you enjoy it. NOTE: there are a few moments of explicit language in case you are language sensitive. ANOTHER NOTE: The song used to bridge the intro to the interview? “The Only One Drinking Tonight,” by Mishka Shubaly from “How To Make A Bad Situation Worse” Enjoy! Rich

20 Apr 20132h 7min

Today on the podcast I am very pleased to host ultra-running legend Michael Arnstein, aka “The Fruitarian”. Why the nickname? because this guy is killing it on foot at distances from 26.2 all the way to 100 miles and beyond, powered almost entirely by raw fruit. How is that even possible? I thought I was extreme. Tune in and find out. Beyond his amazing accomplishments on foot, Michael was also on-site at the Bostin marathon finish line. His first-hand account of this unspeakable horror is reason enough to give the show a listen during this melancholy and difficult time. Thanks for listening! Rich

17 Apr 20131h 14min

Today on the show, my friend — & brother in arms when it comes to swim / bike / run — Jonathan Schwartz. In certain respects Jonathan is an “everyman athlete”, but he is far from ordinary. Early morning it's up to train. By day he's a business manager to A-list Hollywood clientele & professional athletes — NBA players and major rock stars like Alanis Morissette & Linkin Park — as well as a dedicated father and husband. But his passion his health. Particularly heart health. I'll let him tell the story, but in a nutshell a health scare led him to a plant-based diet, and he's never looked back; sound familiar? Jonathan took his passion for addressing our nation's heart disease crisis to the next level when he founded HeartView Global, a foundation devoted to two primary goals: * To identify heart disease in its latent “clinically silent” phase, thereby allowing asymptomatic but vulnerable individuals to undertake the necessary prophylactic lifestyle modifications and medications to arrest atherosclerosis – and for clinically unrecognized high risk individuals to undergo the necessary coronary interventions that will help prevent the development of heart attacks, stroke, or premature sudden cardiac death; and * To encourage a plant-based nutrition diet founded in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, along with some nuts and seeds. Jonathan is a great guy. His message is powerful. Tune in. And thank me later. Thanks for listening! Rich

11 Apr 20131h 38min

I cannot tell you how excited I am to share today's guest — a man who needs no introduction — triathlon legend Chris “Macca” McCormack. This interview is PURE GOLD! In case you've been living under a rock and have never heard of Macca, he is one of the winningest triathletes of all time, dominant at all distances from sprint to Ironman. He is a two-time Ironman World Champion and victor in over 200 triathlon races, including 12 Ironman titles, the 1997 ITU World Cup Series and the 1997 Triathlon World Championships, to name just a few. If you are a fan of Macca, then you've probably heard more than a few of his more outspoken — but always entertaining — interviews. I didn't want to reap an over-plowed field, so I chose to instead focus on aspects of his life less well-known — how he handles the balance of training and family life; how turning 40 has impacted his always evolving perspective on training and racing; and how he is learning to leverage social media as a service tool to help better communicate with and educate his amateur athlete fan base. case in point – check out his MX12 Training Videos. I am super proud of this episode — Chris could not have been more candid, engaging and fun. I hope you enjoy the show as much as I enjoyed doing it! Speaking of enjoying the show — if you are, and inclined to help support what we are doing, then make sure you subscribe on iTunes and leave a comment on the iTunes page for the show. Thanks for listening! Rich

9 Apr 20131h 56min