Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself

by Rich Roll

When I started my show over five years ago, nobody was listening. In fact, the vast majority of people had no idea what a podcast even was, let alone any idea how to access one. But I didn’t care. I adored doing it. I searched far and wide to find the best guests. I performed my research diligently. I worked hard to improve my conversational skills with each successive exchange. And every single Monday, without fail, I uploaded a new episode. I didn’t concern myself with results. I didn’t pay too much attention to metrics like downloads. I simply fell in love with the process,

We live in an instant gratification culture. We want what we want when we want it. But the best things in life are hard-wrought. They require extreme patience. Stop resisting this truth. Stop trying to rush results. And disengage from the overnight-success fantasy.

Do what you love; love those you care about; give service to others; and know that you’re on the right path.

So technically, our bodies require certain amino acids, not protein per se. But these nine essential amino acids are hardly the exclusive domain of the animal kingdom. In fact, they’re originally synthesized by plants and are found in meat and dairy products only because these animals have eaten plants.

When I do, I prefer organic hemp protein, one of the few plant-based foods that contains a complete amino acid profile.

sacha inchi, a seed native to the Amazon rainforest dubbed the “Incan Peanut.”

I’m talking about fruits and vegetables such as coconut, avocado, bell pepper, tomato, and lemon. Nuts and seeds, like pumpkin, sesame, and almonds, are also helpful, as are sprouted beans and whole grains, Celtic sea salt, coconut oil and milk, olive oil, and quinoa. They’re all great alkalyzers.

TIP: Squeezing fresh lemon juice or adding a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your water is a simple and effective way to immediately alkalize your system. And it’s very effective in combating the onset of head colds and the flu.

TIP: Love your coffee but can’t accept letting it go despite its acidic nature? Try cold press brewing—an alternative brewing method that not only reduces bitterness but also removes 60 to 70 percent of the acidity found in your favorite cup of joe. For more information, see Appendix V.

Ultra-marathon legend and vegan Scott Jurek claims that his body has become so adept at absorbing his nutrient-rich foods that he needs to eat less and operates at a higher efficiency. I can honestly say that I know what he’s talking about.

Many people have said to me, “I really want to go plant-based. But there’s just no way I can do it because of business lunches and dinners. What am I supposed to do when I have to meet a client at a steak house?” Here’s my answer. Blend a massive smoothie in the morning. Bring it in a large thermos to work, along with some other plant-friendly and easy-to-carry snacks like almonds and fruit.

And once established, this new ecology will in turn signal your brain to replace those powerful unhealthy urges with an equally powerful craving for the foods that nourish you. Before you know it, that yearning for ice cream or pepperoni pizza just might vanish, replaced with a longing for a kale and pineapple smoothie, a red lentil pilaf, or even, you might be amazed to discover, sprouted mung beans over brown rice. It happened to me. Once a cheeseburger fanatic, I’m now rarely tempted by McDonald’s. And if it worked for me, it can work for you.

Once I began to clean up my diet, I noticed that some technically vegan foods, in particular items containing refined flour—such as pasta, white bread, processed snacks, and pizza crust—left me feeling lethargic, congested, and even puffy-eyed.

Combine iron intake with vitamin C. Research has established that the absorption of non-heme (plant-based) iron is significantly enhanced when it’s ingested in conjunction with foods high in vitamin C—up to sixfold, in fact. Accordingly, I combine red pepper or citrus fruits such as oranges or grapefruit (all high in vitamin C) with dark leafy greens or pumpkin seeds (high in iron) in my daily blended smoothies.

And one final note: Get your butt to the gym or a yoga class. Put on the running shoes, play tennis, or tune up that bike collecting dust in the garage. The Plantpower Diet will get you to the twenty-yard line, but if you want to score, daily exercise you enjoy is a must.

And ditch that soy milk in your latte, replacing it with almond, hemp, or coconut milk instead.

There’s no need for long discourse on this subject. The general rule of thumb is that whenever possible, do your very best to eat organic. And strive to eat produce that is locally grown. Not only is it fresher, it’s more ecologically sustainable.

Becoming a locavore is an easy way to reduce your food’s carbon footprint, because locally grown produce doesn’t have to be shipped cross-country or internationally, which requires an absurd expenditure of fossil fuel.

But as previously explained, over the last few years my body has become incredibly efficient in bearing this exercise load. An aerobic bike ride of, say, forty to fifty miles, once daunting, now to me feels equivalent to a light jog to the mailbox.

AWAKEN. Next up, I brew a Chinese tea called Pu’erh—it’s leaves sustainably extracted from ancient trees, then fermented to produce an elixir high in healthy probiotics and antioxidant polyphenols. Setting an alert but contemplative mood, it sets the stage for my morning meditation and journaling.

Alternatively, cold quinoa with coconut milk and berries serves as a great high-protein breakfast cereal.

Using them more as a thumbnail, I simply pull out my blender. I mix up dark leafy greens, like kale, spinach, and spirulina, with some lemon or apple cider vinegar to quickly alkalize my system.

Nonetheless, at least once a week I cook a large amount of brown or basmati rice, black beans, and lentils and store them in the refrigerator.

HIGH-POWERED BLENDER: We prefer the Vitamix. Alternatively, there’s the Blendtec.

JUICER: I strongly suggest you invest in a home juicer. We prefer the masticating variety, which chews and grinds produce at low speeds to preserve the food’s enzymes and nutrients. Omega makes a great product line of these machines.

MUSHROOM HOT CACAO WITH CORDYCEPS: Technically another mushroom, cordyceps promote oxygen utilization and endurance. My favorite brand is Four Sigmatic because their products are sustainably sourced and processed via dual extraction to ensure optimal nutrient bioavailability.