Plant Fueled Podcast

Cass Warbeck

Welcome! I'm Cass Warbeck, a medical student, plant-based athlete, and passionate vegan advocate. I'll be sharing conversations with physicians, athletes, researchers, and leaders in the plant-based and lifestyle medicine communities. My goal is to inspire and empower you to optimize your health and elevate your performance.

  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    Wings of Survival: Cycling 30,000 km from Alaska to Patagonia | Leanna Carriere & Dr. Timm Döbert

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    This conversation is with Leanna Carriere and Dr. Timm Döbert, plant-based endurance athletes who are about to embark on a 30,000-km human-powered expedition known as Wings of Survival. Leanna is Canada’s first female decathlete turned ultra-endurance athlete, as well as a personal trainer and entrepreneur. Timm is a scientist with a PhD in Global Change Ecology and a postdoctoral research background in biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics. Together, they will cycle from Alaska to Patagonia, tracing the migratory path of the Hudsonian Whimbrel and drawing attention to the accelerating global biodiversity crisis.


    We Discuss 

    • The motivation behind Wings of Survival 
    • The world’s biodiversity crisis and bird extinction 
    • Introducing the Hudsonian Whimbrel 
    • Migratory birds are nature’s greatest athletes 
    • Challenges of the journey from Alaska to Patagonia 
    • Cycling across Canada in 30 days 
    • Maintaining energy balance on a plant-based diet 
    • We don’t know how birds fly for 8 days straight 
    • Plant-based diets are best for the environment 
    • Avoiding overtraining injuries 
    • Chasing your dreams 


    WingsofSurvival.com 


    Episode Show Notes 


    Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    26 February 2026, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 39 minutes
    Bill Killinger on radical self-honesty, consequences, and the pursuit of better in martial arts and life

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    This conversation with Bill Killinger explores martial arts as a framework for radical self-honesty, decision-making, and long-term personal growth. I met Bill through jiu jitsu and he’s one of the most influential people I’ve had the pleasure of training with. Bill began training in judo at the age of fourteen and has spent decades immersed in martial arts, including kung fu, Filipino Kali, Jeet Kun Do, kickboxing, karate, boxing, wrestling and jiu jitsu. He’s also the Canadian Director for ISR Matrix International.  

    We Discuss:  

    • Fear of conflict  
    • Make decisions out of acceptance of the consequences  
    • When violence is the answer  
    • Celebrating discomfort  
    • Radical honesty (about the stories we tell ourselves)  
    • “Collecting data” and “gathering evidence”  
    • Is this a problem and how do I know?  
    • Sustainable goal setting and pursuing better  
    • Is discipline greater than motivation?  
    • Recognizing when an identity no longer serves you  
    • Singularity of purpose  
    • Martial arts training for sport vs for life  
    • Storytelling is the true commodity of life  

    Connect with me: @casswarbeck   

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    26 January 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour
    Caffeine Masterclass with Dr. Lawrence Spriet: Physiology, Benefits, and Practical Strategies for Improving Performance

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    This conversation is a masterclass on the science of caffeine and how to use it to enhance athletic performance. My guest today is Dr. Lawrence Spriet, one of Canada’s leading exercise physiologists. He’s a professor and chair of the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, and his research has shaped much of what we know today about skeletal muscle metabolism, fuel utilization, and the ergogenic effects of caffeine and other performance-enhancing compounds. He’s chair of the Canadian Gatorade Sports Science Institute, where he’s been deeply involved in applied field research. And, in true scientist-athlete fashion, he’s a committed caffeine user and avid hockey player himself.

    We Discuss:

    • Sweat testing elite hockey players
    • Carbohydrates are the best performance enhancer 
    • How caffeine alters the CNS 
    • Individual differences in caffeine metabolism 
    • Caffeine dependence and “caffeine breaks”
    • Risks of high daily intakes 
    • Caffeine’s effect on fat metabolism 
    • The optimal dose of caffeine 
    • Differences between forms of caffeine 
    • If the extra ingredients in pre-workout and energy drinks are worth the money 
    • Safe sources of caffeine for drug tested athletes 

    Episode Show Notes 

    Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    2 December 2025, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    The Empowered Kitchen: how daily plant-forward choices shape your health and the planet with Dr. Colin Zhu

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    This conversation is with returning guest Dr. Colin Zhu, an osteopathic physician double board-certified in Family Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. Through his wellness platform The Chef Doc, Dr. Zhu combines his expertise as a physician, chef, and health coach to empower people to take charge of their well-being, one meal at a time. In this episode, we explore his newest project, The Empowered Kitchen — a plant-forward cookbook and movement built around the idea that small, consistent choices in the kitchen can create big results for our health, performance, and the planet.

    We Discuss:

    • Recognizing that life is dynamic (balance is not always possible) 
    • Approaching new fitness goals 
    • Empowering change through sharing healthy recipes  
    • The updated Eat Lancet report 
    • How plant-forward diets best support planet health 
    • Food waste contributes to emissions 
    • Microplastics and seafood 
    • Why cooking at home is so beneficial 
    • A quick way to assess diet quality 
    • Considerations for the athlete 

    Episode Show Notes: 

    Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    18 November 2025, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    Dr. Hussain Khimji on progress over perfection, leveraging GLP-1s as tools, and mastering behaviour change | Lifestyle Is Medicine: Part 2

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    This conversation is with Dr. Hussain Khimji, a family physician with focused practices in lifestyle and obesity medicine based at the Alberta Lifestyle Clinic in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. Dr. Khimji is passionate about helping people live happier, more fulfilling lives by empowering them to take control of their health through evidence-based lifestyle change. Drawing from his wide-ranging experience in inpatient, emergency, and primary care, he shares why prevention and mental wellbeing are essential to the future of medicine. 

    We Discuss:

    • Shifting from acute care to preventative lifestyle medicine 
    • The six pillars of lifestyle medicine 
    • Embracing progress as a recovering perfectionist 
    • Striving for a predominantly whole food, plant based diet 
    • Ketogenic and carnivore diets 
    • Motivational interviewing for practitioners 
    • Building awareness around current behaviours
    • Obesity medicine principles 
    • Using GLP-1 medications as a tool for change 
    • Building muscle is one of the best to do for your health 
    • Optimizing self worth 

    Episode Show Notes

    Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    7 November 2025, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    Dr. Ema Gye on treating the root causes of disease, alternatives to calorie counting, and the science of plant-based eating | Lifestyle Is Medicine: Part 1

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    This conversation is with Dr. Emmanuel Gye is a family physician, board-certified in lifestyle medicine, and the founder of the Alberta Bariatric and Lifestyle Clinic in Airdrie, Alberta. Through his work, he’s helping patients and organizations rethink their approach to wellness, longevity, and performance - using the six pillars of lifestyle medicine to address the root causes of disease. Dr. Gye also holds an academic position with the University of Calgary and plays an active role in community health leadership across Alberta and West Africa. Through his clinic, teaching, and leadership, he’s helping drive a movement toward truly preventative, patient-centered care.

    We Discuss:

    • The six pillars of lifestyle medicine
    • A whole food, plant-based diet is based on science 
    • Calorie counting isn’t the answer
    • Recognizing hunger and fullness cues 
    • Using GLP-1 medications as a tool for behaviour change 
    • How to leverage your own natural GLP-1 hormones 
    • Exercise is not useful for weight loss 
    • Our environment is designed to make us sick 

    Episode Show Notes

    Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    7 November 2025, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    Tendons Don’t Need Rest Days: Understanding Load, Recovery, and Tendinopathy with Dr. Jill Cook

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    This conversation is with Dr. Jill Cook — physiotherapist, researcher, and professor in musculoskeletal health at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. Jill is one of the world’s leading authorities on tendon health and pathology, and her work has fundamentally changed how clinicians and athletes understand, diagnose, and treat tendon pain. 

    We discuss: 

    • How patella tendinopathy in elite basketball players inspired her career in tendon research 
    • Proper terminology for tendon conditions 
    • How aberrant load is the underlying cause creates tendinopathy 
    • Why imaging findings of tendon pathology do not correlate with pain or risk of rupture
    • The classic presentations of tendon pain 
    • Whether being postmenopausal puts a woman at risk for tendinopathy 
    • How loading is integral to tendon rehab and muscle capacity can be a limiting factor 
    • How to use pain the following day to determine optimal loading protocol 
    • Competition season strategies for managing tendon pain 
    • Adjunct therapies (like injections) are not a standalone solution 

    Connect with Dr. Jill Cook on X: @ProfJillCook

    Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

    Resources:

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    20 October 2025, 7:00 am
  • 52 minutes 28 seconds
    The Relaunch: "Here All Day" Begins | featuring Blair Garneau

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    Welcome to the first episode of Here All Day! To kick off the relaunch, I’m joined by my partner, Blair Garneau - a jiu-jitsu athlete, artist, and illustrator. I’ve wanted to introduce Blair to my audience for a while now, and this felt like the perfect opportunity. This episode is more relaxed and unscripted than usual. We wanted to share a glimpse into where we’re both at in our lives - from career changes and identity shifts to how we’re thinking about goal setting and showing up moving forward. I hope you enjoy this episode and stay tuned for some great episodes to follow!

    Connect with me: @casswarbeck  

    Connect with Blair: @blairgarneau 

    Resources:


    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    6 August 2025, 2:00 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    Discipline, embracing discomfort, and Living Intentionally: Lessons from ultra endurance athlete Joe Gagnon

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    This conversation is with Joe Gagnon - endurance athlete, six-time CEO, and author of Living Intentionally. Joe has completed over 90 marathons and ultras, six Ironman triathlons, and recently finished the grueling Badwater 135. In this episode, we explore what it means to show up with purpose, the role of discomfort in growth, and how small, daily actions shape who we become. Joe shares lessons from his book, his extreme endurance challenges, and his mindset for building a life of grit, grace, and groundedness.

    We discuss: 

    • Joe’s experience running Badwater 135 
    • His wake up call to start living his life more intentionally 
    • Changing his life one small habit at a time 
    • Transitioning to a plant-based diet 
    • The importance of having a strong why 
    • The five pillars of health - do something for each one intentionally each day 
    • Embracing discomfort 
    • Potatoes as an endurance event superfood 
    • Grit, grace, and groundedness 
    • Why having a mindfulness practice is of value 
    • His approach to goal setting 

    Get the book - out now! Living Intentionally: How intentionality enables success, fulfillment, and growth

    Connect:

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    6 August 2025, 2:00 am
  • 59 minutes 49 seconds
    Mindset: Vegan MMA Fighter, Alex “The Finisher” Font | why he’s vegan for the animals, how he fuels for training, and the importance of discipline

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    This conversation is with Alex “Finisher” Font, a professional MMA fighter based out of Chalon sur Saone, France where he runs his own combat gym, Power Training Center. Alex has been vegan for almost a decade and throughout that time has amassed over 100 professional fights with a record of 98 wins, 11 loses, and 2 draws. He is also a special operations combat chief instructor and he has his own vegan friendly apparel brand, Power Fight Company.

    We discuss:

    • Discovering his passion for professional fighting 
    • Breaking the stereotype of a typical vegan 
    • Why he initially decided to go vegan 
    • Ethical reasons for not eating meat 
    • What he eats in a day 
    • Why he doesn’t count calories or track protein 
    • Weight cutting before fights  
    • The hours of training that go into a fight camp 
    • What people don’t understand about the life of a professional fighter 
    • The value of a yoga and mobility practice 

    Connect:

    Resources:

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    7 August 2024, 6:00 am
  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    Training: BJJ Strength Coach Kieren Lefevre | why you need to get strong for jiu jitsu and how to do it, improve your grappling gas tank, and reducing injury risk

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    This conversation is with Kieren Lefevre. Kieren is a BJJ Performance Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, Strength & Conditioning Coach, ISSN-Sports Nutrition Specialist and self-professed jiu jitsu nerd. Simply put, he helps grappling athletes get strong, mobile, and reduce their risk of injury on the mats. 

    We discuss: 

    • Common mistakes grapplers make when strength training 
    • Myth: you shouldn’t use your strength when rolling 
    • The optimal weekly frequency for strength training 
    • Best training splits and key exercises for grapplers 
    • Why you need to train grip strength and rotation 
    • Strength minimums before training power 
    • How to know if you need to improve your movement efficiency vs your cardio  
    • Should you be running to improve your gas tank? 
    • The best protocol for training VO2 max 
    • Whether you should be doing zone 2 training 

    Connect with Kieren: 

    BJJ Strong Online: https://www.bjjstrongonline.com/ 

    Resources: 

    Study: Aerobic interval training improves maximal oxygen uptake and reduces body fat in grapplers 

    Audio editing and processing by Wyatt Pavlik

    Theme music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay

     *Please appreciate that any information discussed is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the opinion of a physician or qualified healthcare provider.*

    3 July 2024, 6:00 am
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