Rebuilding My Body & Starting Over After Surgery

Rich Roll

Apr 9, 2026

Episode description

In this solo AMA, I answer your questions on diet, training, and rebuilding my body after spinal fusion surgery and share the salient lessons I've learned about patience, momentum, and approaching reinvention with a beginner's mind. READ MORE👉🏼 http://bit.ly/richroll980
✌🏼🌱 - Rich

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CHAPTERS:
00:00 Start
03:12 Back Issues Begin
05:36 Pain Progression
07:47 Sarno Book and Tobey Maguire
09:42 Ad Break
13:00 Decision for Surgery
14:13 Surgery and Aftermath
18:51 Turning Point
20:24 Diet and Weight Loss
22:31 Exercise Introduction
23:31 Ad Break
30:17 Mindset and Growth
36:14 Accountability
38:18 Failure and Setbacks
42:10 Knocks and Surrender
50:18 Celebration and Moving Forward
51:29 Final Thoughts

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Thanks To The Team: Jason Camiolo, Dan Drake, Morgan McRae, Blake Curtis, Desmond Loh

* * * * *

NEW TO RICH?
Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:
http://bit.ly/otillonyt
http://bit.ly/vegansglam

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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Begin with simplest exercises to build gym momentum

To break the inertia of inactivity, start with the easiest possible exercises, like basic PT movements, to make getting to the gym a low-stakes commitment that builds momentum.

#exercise

#routine

Follow simple rules to achieve 35-pound weight loss

The speaker lost over 35 pounds in about 100 days by following a few simple rules: no bread, no added sugar, no ultra-processed foods, and prioritizing plant-based protein.

#nutrition

#weight-loss

Incorporate Seed's DS-01 Daily Synbiotic for optimal gut health

The speaker considers Seed's DS-01 Daily Synbiotic, a 2-in-1 probiotic and prebiotic with a capsule-in-capsule delivery system, a non-negotiable part of his daily routine for gut health.

#gut

#probiotics

Reconsider emotional theories on back pain after Sarno's book

After listening to the popular book 'Healing Back Pain' by John Sarno, which posits back pain is emotional, the speaker's back seized up so badly he couldn't get out of bed the next morning.

#back-pain

#emotion

Practice discipline of doing less for recovery and longevity

For longevity and recovery, it takes a different kind of discipline to hold back and do less than you're capable of, which is crucial for allowing the body to heal and repair.

#longevity

#recovery

Balance your superpower and weakness to enjoy life fully

The speaker realized his superpower of always pushing hard was also his greatest weakness, as it robbed him of the ability to be present and enjoy the life he had built.

#awareness

#personal-growth

Lose weight before starting intense exercise

It's often easier to lose weight when you're not exercising vigorously because you don't have to battle the heightened appetite and cravings that intense training creates.

#exercise

#weight-loss

Embrace transformation to recover from setbacks

The key to recovering from a major setback is to shift your mindset from trying to get back to who you were, to embracing the opportunity to become someone new.