Navigating Appetite, Diet Dogma, Electrolytes, and Practical Longevity Strategies

I recently sat down with Robb Wolf to unpack a messy, fascinating set of topics that intersect at the center of daily health: appetite regulation, the protein question, electrolytes and hydration, exercise strategy, and the thorny debate about animal agriculture and sustainability. In this post I’ll synthesize what we discussed, explain the actionable pieces I use with patients and the Healthy Rebellion community, and share pragmatic steps you can use today.

Why protein, meal timing, and satiety matter more than most of us realize

One of the clearest patterns I see clinically is that protein is the single most powerful lever for appetite control, body composition, and preserving muscle with age. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient we can eat, and when people finally hit adequate protein intake they routinely describe weight loss and easier hunger management as “magic.”

We also talked about timing. There are two extreme myths: eat constantly to “stoke your metabolism” versus eating one meal a day (OMAD) or very extended fasting. Evidence and a lot of clinical experience point to a middle path for most people:

• Two meals a day plus a snack (or two meals with enough protein each) is a practical, effective baseline.

• OMAD often makes it nearly impossible to get enough daily protein for anabolic signaling and muscle maintenance.

• Frequent grazing (8 meals/day) — even with calorie restriction — can blunt metabolic benefits like improved glucose, triglycerides and inflammation markers.

How much protein?

A useful rule of thumb: shoot for roughly 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight if you want to preserve or build muscle (yes — that is a non-trivial amount for many people). For women particularly, this usually means significantly more than the 50–60 g/day many are consuming. Older adults need more—not less—protein because anabolic signaling and digestive efficiency decline with age.

How to actually get enough protein — practical strategies

Counting and tracking briefly is helpful to establish a baseline. I ask people to log current intake for a few days so we can see where they really are. Usually the “protein in a day” resembles one meal — and we then layer two or three of those per day.

• Plan and prep five or six reliable protein sources so you always have options (eggs, beef, chicken, fish, Greek yogurt/fermented dairy if tolerated, canned fish, collagen + whole-food protein).

• If digestion is an issue: assess stomach acid and digestive enzyme function. Targeted support (betaine HCl, digestive enzymes) can improve protein digestion and nutrient absorption.

• Time higher-protein meals around resistance training days to maximize anabolic response.

Fasting, hormesis and the danger of “more is better”

Fasting and hormetic stressors (cold, heat, exercise) can be powerful tools — but they are not universally additive. Layering extreme dietary restriction with very high training volume, chronic stress, poor sleep and other stressors becomes multiplicative and can create harm: hair loss, libido loss, poor recovery, and accelerated muscle loss.

Use hormesis strategically. If your life is already high-stress, add fewer additional stressors. If your life is low-stress and you’re healthy and well-nourished, you can experiment more aggressively (understanding the risks and doing so cyclically).

Satiety in the modern food environment: it’s not just willpower

Satiety is regulated by neurobiology and gut signaling, not moral willpower. Ultra-processed foods are engineered to override our satiety systems. Robb used a perfect example — Dorito Roulette — to illustrate how novelty, unpredictability and palatability hook the brain. Food scientists understand satiety, appetite and behavioral triggers far better than most clinicians do.

Key points for better satiety:

• Start meals with a substantial portion of protein.

• Include fibrous vegetables and water (or sparkling water) to increase meal volume and slow intake.

• Aim to minimize highly engineered ultra-processed meals and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Strength training + Zone 2 cardio: the simplest, highest-return longevity combo

Physical activity remains one of the most powerful tools we have. Two pillars matter most:

• Strength training

  — Minimum ~2 sessions/week of full-body, progressive overload. Even very short, focused sessions (15–30 minutes) that push to near-failure on compound movements are enormously effective. The returns for muscle, bone, metabolic health and resilience are dramatic.

• Zone 2 cardio

  — Low-to-moderate intensity work that favors fat oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis. It’s pleasant, sustainable and confers cardiovascular and cognitive benefits (BDNF release, angiogenesis).

Combine both and you dramatically increase “health span”—the years you maintain robust function—rather than simply adding years in frailty.

Electrolytes: why sodium is often the most underappreciated piece

We dug into electrolytes in detail. A few takeaway points that surprised many in the audience:

• Sodium is foundational.

  When sodium is adequate, kidneys better manage potassium and magnesium balance. In low-insulin states (fasting, low-carb), people lose sodium rapidly (natriuresis) and need to replenish it.

• Potassium and magnesium

  are critical for cellular function and ATP-related processes, and most people do not get enough of them from processed diets. Potassium is abundant in whole foods (leafy greens, avocados, squash).

• Electrolytes are lifesaving in acute fluid loss scenarios

  (heat, endurance events, vomiting/diarrhea). Historically, rehydration solutions used sodium + glucose to facilitate uptake; mechanistically sodium facilitates glucose transport, and glucose (or amino acids/ketones) can facilitate sodium uptake via SGLT transporters.

• Decouple glucose from electrolytes

  when you need to customize: athletes or people with intermittent fasting needs often want to control glucose separately from electrolyte replenishment.

Common situations with high electrolyte loss

• High heat and humidity, vigorous exercise (sweat rates vary widely)

• Long COVID and some viral illnesses (chronic low sodium observed in cohorts)

• POTS / dysautonomia — higher sodium intake can be extremely helpful

• Breastfeeding/exclusive pumping — sodium supports osmotic gradients that influence milk volume

Practical symptom signals of low electrolytes include afternoon crashes, poor HRV, palpitations, muscle cramps, orthostatic intolerance and poor sleep. Small, deliberate increases in dietary salt (or targeted electrolyte drinks) often move those markers quickly.

Hydration tactics and the sparkling-water advantage

Sparkling water can be a hydration hack: it’s more palate-stimulating, so people drink more of it. More intake => better hydration. Carbonation also speeds ethanol absorption if you’re drinking alcohol (just an FYI).

For intense or prolonged sweating, replace both fluid and electrolytes; for lighter activity, plain water plus a salty snack can suffice. For fasted saunas or fasted high-heat exposure, be careful—electrolyte replacement is essential to avoid fainting.

Autoimmunity, sun exposure and the gut

Autoimmune conditions are complex and multifactorial, but three recurring themes we see are:

1. Photoperiod and vitamin D: lower UV exposure at higher latitudes correlates with higher autoimmune rates. Ensuring adequate sun exposure or, when necessary, sensible vitamin D/phototherapy can modulate immune function.

2. Gut barrier dysfunction (intestinal permeability): a “leaky gut” is a frequent precursor that allows immune activation and cross-reactivity; dysbiosis is a common contributor.

3. Environmental triggers and molecular mimicry: foods (gluten, some dairy types, nightshades for some people), infections, and other antigens can trigger cross-reactive autoimmune responses in predisposed individuals.

Clinical approach: identify and remove personal triggers (N-of-1 experimentation), support the gut (targeted antimicrobials when indicated, then rebuilding the microbiome), optimize sun/vitamin D exposure, and reduce chronic stress.

Animal agriculture, sustainability and nuance (high-level takeaways)

Robb and I also discussed his work on the book and documentary Sacred Cow. A few balanced points worth repeating:

• Not all animal agriculture is equal: CAFOs have real ethical/environmental problems, but regenerative grazing systems can sequester carbon, support biodiversity and recover degraded lands.

• Selling the public a simple “animals = climate disaster” story risks misallocating policy and public effort. Transportation and fossil fuel emissions are major contributors to greenhouse gases.

• Food systems are intertwined with social justice: in many parts of the world livestock ownership is the only pathway for women to gain economic autonomy.

We need nuanced, evidence-based policy and an informed public—preferably one that resists polarized, absolutist narratives.

Practical, evidence-informed takeaways you can start this week

• Make protein the centerpiece of at least two meals/day. Aim to move toward ~1 g protein per lb of ideal body weight (tailor this for your health status and activity level).

• Add a short, progressive strength routine 2x/week (compound movements: push, pull, squat/hinge). Keep workouts time-efficient and consistent.

• Incorporate Zone 2 sessions multiple times per week (easy walks, light jogs, bike) — they’re pleasant and high-value.

• Audit your electrolytes: if you’re low-carb/fasting or living/training in heat, add sodium strategically and get sufficient potassium and magnesium from whole foods or targeted supplements.

• Prioritize sun exposure and sleep (they modulate immune health, mood, recovery and vitamin D production).

• Reduce ultra-processed food and sugar-sweetened beverages; if you need to make gradual changes, start with replacing one meal or drink per day with a whole-food, protein-centered alternative.

• When you travel or face unusual stressors, track your HRV or sleep metrics for fast feedback on hydration and recovery needs.

For more information, watch this youtube video: