How much influence do you have on your metabolism?
In the wellness world, metabolism is frequently reduced to a buzzword for weight management or a calorie-burning equation. However, your metabolism is far more nuanced. It is a dynamic, real-time communication system between your nervous system, your endocrine (hormonal) glands and every single cell in your body.
And the most empowering truth I like to share with my clients is this:
Your metabolism is not a machine that breaks or slows, it’s a signal-processing system that adapts. While genetics provide the blueprint, your daily habits + environment dictate how efficiently that system runs.
The myth of the fixed speed:
We’ve been told that metabolism inevitably slows with age. While there are physiological shifts, much of what we attribute to age is actually a decrease in metabolic flexibility. This is the body's ability to seamlessly switch between fuel sources (like glucose and fat) based on demand.
The good news? We can all use these levers of influence to shape metabolic flexibility. Here’s what helps:
01 / Circadian alignment
Your metabolism is deeply rhythmic. Every cell in your body has a clock gene that coordinates energy production. When these clocks are out of sync, the metabolism becomes sluggish and reactive.
My tip: 10 minutes of morning light on your eyes before you look at a screen to control cortisol peaks. This tells your mitochondria to prioritise energy production for the day + not run off stress hormones.
02 / The muscle engine
We often think of exercise as a way to burn calories, but it’s true metabolic value lies in signaling. Muscle is our most metabolically active tissue… it’s essentially a glucose sponge.
My tip: Reduce high intensity cardio (which can spike cortisol and signal stress to the metabolism) and prioritise strength training. Building and maintaining lean muscle mass increases your basal metabolic rate (the energy you burn at rest) and improves insulin sensitivity. Strength training means lifting very heavy things, not something you can do beyond 12-15 reps.
03 / Protein quality + timing matters more than your total intake
The body spends significantly more energy digesting, absorbing and metabolising protein after a meal compared to carbs or fats. This process, known as thermogenesis, increases your metabolic rate and contributes to daily calorie burn. Protein also supports blood glucose control and satiety. BUT the devil is in the dose and more isn’t automatically better as very high protein diets that exceed your needs will tax metabolic pathways.
My tip: rather than tracking protein amounts, think about the quality of your protein source. If it comes from an animal or plant with minimal or any processing you will be far better off metabolically than a manufactured protein powder, bar, yoghurt, water, ball or other junky product marketed at fit people. Aim to include one source per main meal to ensure protein is spaced evenly throughout the day.
04 / The metabolic disruptors
Finally, metabolic health is also determined by things that cause friction in our system. In clinic, I look for these common disruptors that can mute metabolic signals:
Your inflammatory load: Certain foods act as noise in our internal communication. Highly refined seed oils, thickeners, gums, artificial flavours and excessive refined sugars trigger systemic inflammation, which clogs insulin receptors and makes it harder for your cells to access energy. It’s not about restriction; it’s about reducing the friction so your engine can run cleanly.
Circadian mismatch (hello blue light): Exposure to artificial light before bed tells your brain it’s midday, suppressing melatonin and disrupting the metabolic repair and fat oxidation that should happen overnight.
Chronic low-grade stress: High cortisol is the enemy of metabolic flexibility. It tells the body to hold onto energy and break down muscle tissue for quick fuel.
Environmental toxins: The invisible toxins in synthetic fragrances, cosmetics, plastics and pollution can mimic hormones and disrupt the very receptors your metabolism relies on to function
Piecing it all together:
This philosophy is the heartbeat of my online program, The Hormone Reset. In this program we move away from the wellness noise and focusing purely on the clinical relationship between hormones and metabolism.
It’s about understanding the internal dialogue: how appetite, blood sugar and hormonal symptoms speak to one another to create a baseline of true vitality.
Start anytime by joining here.
With love xx