Metabolic flexibility – it sounds sexy, and it is. Metabolic flexibility is the capacity to switch between fuel sources like carbohydrates and fats and match that to what is needed to be burned in the body.
You know all of those people who can “eat whatever they want” most likely have excellent metabolic flexibility.
Outside of weight loss and maintenance, there are plenty of good reasons to want more metabolic flexibility. For instance, it allows us to safely and effectively utilize a wider variety of nutrients and tap into different fuel sources to power different activities.
Most importantly, the more metabolically flexible we are, the less we have to micromanage our macronutrients and calories.
It’s the realistic and yet healthy way to live – because it means we’re working with our body rather than against us providing flexibility in our lifestyle choices without a massive change in how we look or feel.
On this podcast, I interview Brian St. Pierre of Precision Nutrition on metabolic flexibility. I ask him about the adaptive nature of metabolism if we can damage our metabolism and what factors most influentially affect our metabolic flexibility.
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Is this you?
On the other side of metabolic flexibility comes metabolic inflexibility – which holds some real consequences. Here are some signs you are metabolically inflexible:
- You get sleepy after eating carbohydrates.
- You can’t go five hours between meals.
- The midday crash strikes every day after lunch.
- You must snack to maintain your energy levels.
- Fasting is too difficult, and the thought makes you uncomfortable.
- You can’t function without a steady stream of stimulants like coffee, tea or others.
If you said yes to three or more of the above symptoms you are metabolically inflexible. What is happening is your body has become too accustomed to burning on fuel source – most likely sugar – therefore making you live on the roller coaster of highs and lows.
The good news – you can regain all of that and more – which is the beauty of flexibility.
restore metabolic flexibility
How do you restore flexibility? Work with your body instead of against it is the best answer I can give you. But to make it more actionable here are some major points you can follow.
- Exercise – regular training both strength and aerobic directly counters metabolic inflexibility by counteracting against the two big offenders – insulin sensitivity and increase mitochondria production {energy}.
- Focus on nutrient dense foods – rather than worrying so much about calories focus on nutrients. Nutrients always trump energy.
- Break the sugar cycle – become fat adapted.
Become fat adapted
Questioning how you can become fat adapted? Well, it’s not as difficult as it seems. Fat is the preferred fuel source of the body and re-training your body to use it as fuel is the best way to become metabolically active.
As they say – you crave what you burn. So not only is becoming fat adapted a great way to fix your metabolism – it’s also a great way to end cravings.
If you’re looking to become fat-adapted, I would suggest you look The Craving Cure. It’s a quick fix – literally – for metabolic inflexibility by helping you to retrain your body to respond to the preferred fuel source. Inside this course, you get everything you need to become fat adapted.
The better news – it only takes 3-7 days to make it happen. Why? Because your body loves to be fat adapted. If you think you’re still burning sugar and struggling with inflexibility click here to get The Craving Cure and watch as your entire body changes.
metabolism series
If you liked what you learned in this podcast, make sure you check out all the other podcasts in this series.
- How You Actually Burn Calories
- Leptin: The One Hormone You Need to Know To Change Your Metabolism
- One Thing You Need to Know About Weight Loss
- The Black Hole of Fitness Doom
- Why You Don’t Binge on Broccoli
- 5 Tips to Crave Health Food
- Can Your Mindset Boost Your Metabolism?
- 5 Places You Should Never Eat
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