Over the past 95 episodes, we've talked a lot about the ideal diet, and ways Matt and I try to find it. Between the two of us, we've experimented with fruitarian, raw, juicing, no oil, and minimal processed foods.

But while experimenting and talking about an ideal way of eating is fun and inspiring, it isn't always practical. And without the context, we've come to realize that it almost feels unattainable or too far out there for many of you, the listeners.

So today Matt and I get real. We share exactly what we eat throughout a typical day.

Not because it's perfect, but to give you a little context on where we're coming from. And hopefully to demonstrate that a whole foods plant-based diet isn't all kale and shots of wheatgrass.

It's no secret that local, organic, healthy food can get expensive. Add in fake meats and fancy spices or oils, and your new vegan diet is maxing out credit cards.

But even when you shop at the hippest grocery stores, it doesn't have to be that pricy. You can eat on the cheap, and still get all the great whole foods your body is craving.

In today's episode, we discuss our strategies for saving money on food, and which foods we avoid because of the price tag.

A few years ago Matt wrote a post called 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Vegan. It was a reflection on his first 2 years as a vegan, and all the things he wish someone had told him before he made that change.

Now that I'm inching towards my 2-year anniversary, we revisit that topic together and compare lists.

When you make a giant change, like switching to a vegan diet or training for your first marathon, there's nothing that can fully prepare you for the experience. But in our cases, there are a few things we wish someone had told us -- or advice we wish we would have actually taken in -- before making the switch to a plant-based diet.

In today's episode, we discuss those lessons, how they've impacted our experience so far, and why some of Matt's have changed since his original post.

Most of us have no trouble losing weight on a whole foods plant-based diet, but is it possible to actually put weight and muscle on?

Ever since college I've wanted to put on weight, and had success for awhile when I still ate meat. After going vegan, I immediately lost weight, and thought I could never bulk up again. Then I met guys like Robert Cheeke and others who were putting on muscle without the meat. So I set out to give it another try.

In today's episode, co-host Doug and I discuss why someone might want to put on weight, whether or not it's healthy in the long run, and how to do it on a vegan diet.

After 3 years of this podcast, we finally answer the age old question we vegans know so well, "But where do you get your protein?"

My wife Erin and I are back stateside after a vegan tour of Italy. In today's episode, we talk about our favorite moments of the trip, what we thought of the food, and why we think it's alright to indulge a bit on vacation.

Note: Because we're still on the road, the sound quality of this episode isn't very good. Bare with us another week and things will be back to normal!

Have conventional habit change methods been wrong this whole time?

A few weeks ago I wrote about a major mistake I see person after person making as they try to start a new habit. They either go all in, dive head first into massive change, and burn out just as reality starts to set in.

Or they take the small steps approach. They follow a slow, arduous process of tiny steps. With no major breakthroughs or results, the motivation simply disappears.

My approach is different. I think you can do both. Instead of choosing massive action or small steps, you can bridge the gap between the two, and create a method that provides immediate results, and the structure to make it stick.

In today's episode we discuss that philosophy, how it's the only process that has worked for me, and the steps you should take for lasting habit change.

Our answer to the common question: "What should I eat before a race or long run?"

Right as this episode goes live, I'll be landing in Rome, Italy, where my wife Erin and I are taking part in a vegan tour. It's guaranteed to be a blast.

But this week also marks Week 2 of my official marathon training plan. So it begs the question:

Should I be running while on vacation?

If you’re a regular listener to the podcast, it should come as no surprise that NMA Radio co-host Doug and I approach this answer differently. He loves running, and would do it all the time. Including on vacation.

I, on the other hand, don't. And I prefer my vacations free of stresses like a running routine.

In today's episode, Doug and I argue our different point of views, and discuss the pros and cons of keeping up a running routine. Doug also shares his tips for planning a running vacation … the vacation he looks forward to most each summer.

As young children, chasing friends on the playground, screaming through sprinklers, and rushing down the first base line in tee-ball, we were runners. Runners much more concerned with having fun than running form.

At the time form didn't matter. Now that we're adults running harder and longer, small form adjustments can prevent injuries, make us faster, and burn less energy. The problem is, adjusting your form can be difficult. And confusing.

Cadence, arm swing, foot-strike -- We've all heard the terms, but what do they really mean?

In today's episode, NMA Radio co-host Doug and I break down proper running form in a way that's approachable to all runners. Even non-running-geeks like ourselves.

I run a blog, host a podcast, and am working on my second book, all based on habits most people find challenging.

I must be perfect at those habits, right? Wrong.

When you read someone's blog, or listen to them share stories on a podcast, it's easy to assume they don't struggle with the same issues you do. The truth is that none of those people are perfect, they just try to look flawless in order for you to take them seriously.

In today's episode, NMA Radio co-host Doug and I spill the beans. We admit that as much as we like to pretend we're flawless, we're not. We fight temptation and discipline just like you.

Trail running is intimidating. There's no way around it.

You could get lost or hurt. You have to deal with uneven footing and steep climbs. It's dirty, wet, and exposed.

But for co-host Doug, it's the only reason he's still running at all.

And all those factors I listed earlier? They're much less of an issue that most beginner's think.

Doug runs almost exclusively on mountain trails, is the author of the Trail Runner's System, and gets more pleasure from playing in the woods than anyone I know. When we decided to record an episode on trail running for beginners, it seemed like a no-brainer to follow his lead. In today's episode, I ask Doug to share the 6 most important rules new trail runners should follow to stay safe and easily transition from the roads to the trails.

One of the most frequently asked questions Jason and I get at Run Your BQ is our opinion of the Maffetone Method. You may have heard of Dr. Phil Maffetone and his unusual training philosophy, which put simply suggests that slow running will make you faster.

It sounds a little out there, but since first reading one of his books a few years ago, I've heard from complete beginners and elite runners who have all had success training with the Maffetone Method. Even Rich Roll used it while training for the Epic 5.

So in this most recent training cycle, which I hope will lead to a marathon comeback, that I've integrated many of these ideas into my own training.

Today I sit down with Phil Maffetone to discuss his approach to training, and learn more about why you need to run slow in order to run fast.

NMA Radio co-host Doug recently attended a bachelor party, where while discussing meals for the weekend, it became clear that one of the guys wasn’t comfortable with Doug’s being a vegan.     

"We’re all having meat. What are you going to eat, Doug? Carrots?"

We’ve all been in this situations like this. It’s that moment at a restaurant, party, or dinner when all of a sudden people realize you’re vegan or vegetarian, and don’t know how to react. Before you can even say a word, someone gets defensive or pokes fun of your diet. 

So what do you do? Usually, we react in one of two ways. Either:     

1) You use it as an opportunity to make a point, defend your diet choice, and maybe even convince a few people, or    

2)You brush it off and keep the mood light, in an attempt to make veganism appear as normal as possible. 

I’m not saying either of these better than the other; I respect both choices. But I know the one that I choose, almost every single time. 

In today’s episode, we discuss these two approaches, and how Doug and I handle the uncomfortable situations at parties, with family, and while out to dinner. We also share the rest of Doug’s story, and how by the end of the weekend, he got that same guy to take interest in the vegan diet.

The Old-Timer. The Selfie Runner. The Kicker.

We've all seen these runners and thought to ourselves, "I don't ever want to be that guy." I hate to break it to you, but you might be that guy. Or one of the nearly 20 other runner types we discuss in today's podcast.

It all started while flipping through Mark Remy's The Runner's Rule Book, where I came across his Types of Runners list. The funny, lighthearted list not only takes aim at the obviously obnoxious runners, but also takes a jab at just about every single one of us. Doug and I decided to share that list, plus a few of our own, in an attempt to laugh at ourselves, and have a little fun with a sport we usually take so seriously.

Doug admits that he's the "Ultra Guy," and as much as I wish it weren't true, I admit that I've been at least 5 types of runner over the past few years. 

Which type are you?

A few weeks ago I shared an interview with my wife Erin on her recent success with Chef AJ's weight loss program. That episode was the most downloaded release in No Meat Athlete Radio history, and the feedback and questions about the program have been pouring in.

So to help answer those questions, and dive deeper into the philosophies behind the program, I asked Chef AJ herself to join me for an interview.

During this episode you not only get to witness firsthand Chef AJ's fiery personality, but we discuss what it means to eat left of the red line, why eliminating oil isn't the extreme step most people think, and exactly how Erin lost all that baby weight.

Hanging on the wall in my office, so that I see it every time I start a workday, is a one-page essay by Seth Godin, titled "Pick Yourself."

This simple phrase, to me, represents the enormous opportunity offered to each of us by our hyper-connected world. There are almost no "gatekeepers" anymore: if you want to be a leader, an artist, a change-maker, you don't need to wait around and hope you get picked.

Instead, pick yourself. Start doing the thing you want to do and use the incredible tools -- blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, social media -- now at your disposal to amplify and deliver your message to the people who need to hear it.

This is exactly what Alex and Jeanette Ruiz have done as leaders of the successful NMA Miami group. At a time in their life when they were considering a move to another city for lack of plant-based culture in Miami, the opportunity to step up and lead their local movement came along.

Their success in connecting with like minds made them hungry for more change, and they've taken their role as leaders in this movement a step further with a new podcast, called Planted in Miami, which was featured in iTunes' "New and Notable" section last week.

In this episode of No Meat Athlete Radio, I talk with Alex and Jeanette about the success of NMA Miami and the steps they've taken to achieve early success with their podcast. This in hopes, of course, that it inspires you to find your voice in this movement, and to pick yourself.

"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.