If you have been into Paleo living for any notable amount of time then you have probably heard of Robb Wolf, and if you haven’t heard of him then you should definitely start doing your homework. A student of Dr. Loren Cordain, the world’s most respected paleo diet researcher, Robb Wolf is a former research biochemist and author of the New York Times Best Seller The Paleo Solution – The Original Human Diet. He is also the broadcaster of a top ranked iTunes paleo podcast, a leading paleo seminar instructor, and a somewhat of a paleo superstar having taken part in I-Caveman on the Discovery Channel and being featured on an ABC News diet feature.
Essentially, Robb is an ambassador for Paleolithic living, and in order to prove to people that the caveman diet is the most natural and most beneficial diet for humans to follow, he has authored the 30-Day Total Transformation guide that challenges people to turn their lives around in just 30-days of paleo living.
The book is available in PDF format as an eBook, and is embedded with further interactive learning media by way of audio and video. The guide covers three key areas of paleo living; firstly exploring the nuts and bolts of paleo and what is trying to be achieved with the diet, secondly looking at nutrition, “smart exercise” and what works best for weight loss, and thirdly covering shopping, meal planning and avoiding non-paleo foods.
Part 1 – Real Food and Real Life
The guide begins with cases studies of two of Robb’s students. Both are very impressive and certainly offer encouragement to anyone who doubts the power of the 30-day program, or paleo living for that matter. Anyone who follows Robb knows he isn’t about hype, and unlike so many “fast fat loss” testimonials, these are very realistic and wholly believable. No six pack in 30 days, just an impressive change in body shape and huge overall health improvement.
The most notable plus point of the guide is how practical it is. The book dives straight in, providing examples of how Jimmy and Amy, two paleo followers, work paleo into their daily lives. The chapter is complete with a typical day’s meal plan and how paleo is applied to modern living. The book then moves swiftly onto sleep, providing practical strategy for improving sleep, and historical information on the importance of sleep. A checklist allows the reader to identify whether or not they are suffering from systemic stress and subsequently high cortisol levels.
Part 2 – Nutrition
You won’t get far paleo living without the correct nutrition, and essentially nutrition is the basis for the paleo diet, as Robb explains, “The Paleo diet is an anti-inflammatory diet. Processed foods, trans fats, high carbohydrate intake and a skewing of our ancestral omega-3/omega-6 fat ratio cause systemic inflammation in the body.”
What follows is a series of quick fire tips and tricks to optimize nutrition. Robb advises that until you reach your desired leanness, fruit intake should be kept to 1-2 servings a day. Protein, however, is a different story, and a detailed overview of how much protein and the types of protein you should be eating is provided.
The nutrition section contains links to considerable extra reading, which isn’t entirely necessary to complete your 30-days, but all the same very helpful and wholly insightful. Part 2 then shifts onto contentious topics such as fat and fiber, with Robb poignantly noting, “Contrary to popular belief, fat will not make you fat. Eating fat, even saturated fat found in healthy foods like coconut oil, is fine.” Robb also points out that all the fiber we need is obtainable from vegetables.
Knowing what to buy, where to buy and when to buy are the issues that put many off following through with the paleo diet. Actually it’s pretty simple, you just need to know how, and this essentially is the mission of Total Transformation. Go seasonal, organic and taste the rainbow is the advice on offer in the latter part of this section, which explains the paleo stance on produce, seafood, meats and poultry, fats and spices.
Part 3 – Exercise
Don’t worry, you aren’t asked to cover 19km a day hunting like a caveman would have done. Instead, Robb eases you into exercise with advice for healthy increments for duration. And anyway, exercise on the paleo diet isn’t boring treadmills or endless sit-ups, no, this is working out caveman style; naturally designed for exhilaration and maximum feel-good factor. An awesome workout is detailed, covering cardio, lower body and upper body exercise, all complete with a demonstration video. The guide considers the ability level of the reader, and as such examples of how exercise can be staggered and increased as the 30-days progresses are provided.
Next up is to clean out the pantry… well, if you don’t ice-cream in the freezer you can’t eat it even if you’re tempted, right?
Cavemen didn’t face the issue of sugar-addiction like we do, and you can be sure this is one hard habit to kick. As Robb points out, one his clients once told him she had a harder time kicking sugar than she did crack! Robb tells you exactly how to cleanse your pantry and eliminate temptation, and then introduces the food matrix, a comprehensive table of paleo foods that challenges anyone to argue that eating paleo is boring or limited in choice. For further paleo cooking tips a link is provided to some bonus video footage.
Finally, it’s time to eat, and about time too. This is where the guide really proves it is worth every cent. Robb gives you paleo meals for the entire month, and a shopping list for every single day. With all the help you need, except for a driver to take you to the shops, there really is no excuse not to finish the 30-day challenge. There are also 10 links provided to practical paleo cooking recipes at noteworthy blog sites. The shopping list and the food matrix are also provided as separate printable files, making it easy to access on your smartphone or tablet, or to print out when you visit the shops.