In this special series, guest writer Dr Libby Weaver shares her health insights. This week she discusses our metabolism.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think my metabolism is broken.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n It\u2019s something I have heard countless times \u2013 usually from someone feeling exhausted, foggy or frustrated by clothes getting tighter, despite prioritising their nourishment
\n and exercising regularly. Or at least \u201cregularly enough\u201d. But what if that\u2019s not the whole story? What if your metabolism isn\u2019t broken at all \u2013 just misunderstood?\n <\/p>\n
We often speak about metabolism as if it\u2019s a static setting: fast, slow or somewhere in between. But metabolism is far more dynamic than that. It\u2019s the sum of all the biochemical and physiological processes that keep you alive \u2013 converting food into energy, building and repairing tissues, regulating temperature and hormones, clearing waste and so much more. <\/p>\n
When things aren\u2019t feeling right in your body, it\u2019s not because your metabolism has simply \u201cstopped working\u201d. It is responding to the information and conditions you give it through the way you eat, drink, move, sleep, breathe, think, believe and perceive.<\/p>\n
And these conditions are more influential than we might initially realise. Things like persistent stress, sleep quantity and quality, movement, hormone production, nutrient intake \u2013 and even how much muscle you have \u2013 can profoundly affect how efficiently your metabolism operates. Inflammation and chronic stress, for example, prompt the release of cortisol, a hormone that can interfere with the production of active thyroid hormones, and disrupt blood sugar management, both of which can result in your body receiving a signal to store fat. <\/p>\n
Poor or inadequate sleep disrupts the hormones that help regulate hunger and satiety, often leading to cravings, irregular appetite and sluggish energy. And not eating enough over the long term can also prompt your metabolism to slow down, as your body attempts to conserve energy in a perceived famine.<\/p>\n
One of the most overlooked yet essential nutrients for a well-functioning metabolism is iron. Iron is needed for oxygen transport, energy production and proper thyroid function \u2013 all critical to metabolic health. If your iron levels are depleted, your cells simply cannot produce energy efficiently. You might feel fatigued, cold, foggy, anxious or flat, even if everything else in your routine seems sound. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s, in part, because iron fuels your mitochondria \u2013 the tiny engines in your cells that generate energy \u2013 and helps convert the inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into its active form (T3), which directly influences how your metabolism behaves. So, if you\u2019re feeling sluggish and your iron stores are low, no amount of calorie counting or extra cardio will address the underlying issue. It\u2019s not about willpower \u2013 it\u2019s about biochemistry.<\/p>\n
Modern life also plays a significant role in the perception that our metabolism is \u201coff\u201d. Many of us live largely sedentary lives \u2013 even when we exercise, we may spend the rest of the day sitting at a desk or in the car. Add to that the increasing reliance on ultra-processed foods, high in additives, preservatives and low in nutrients, and you have a recipe for metabolic confusion. <\/p>\n
Our bodies are also dealing with perceived stressors from morning until night \u2013 constant notifications, unrelenting to-do lists, a string of meetings that didn\u2019t go as planned, and external noise that keeps our nervous systems in a state of mild overdrive. In this state, your body isn\u2019t broken \u2013 it\u2019s simply prioritising survival. And survival isn\u2019t about burning energy quickly. It\u2019s about conserving what you have.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a common misconception that a fast metabolism is always better. While a faster metabolic rate can mean more energy (measured as kilojoules or calories) burned at rest, it isn\u2019t necessarily healthier. Sometimes a fast metabolism is driven by an overactive thyroid which easily leads to anxiety, sleep disruptions, nutrient depletion or even muscle loss. <\/p>\n
Instead of chasing speed, aim for equilibrium \u2013 a metabolism that is steady, responsive and supported by whole, real food, consistent movement, restorative sleep and a sense of inner calm and resilience.<\/p>\n
So what can you do if your metabolism doesn\u2019t feel like it\u2019s working the way it once did? <\/p>\n
The answer isn\u2019t restriction or extremes \u2013 it\u2019s nourishment and care. Feed your body enough food \u2013 especially food that looks like it came from the earth. Prioritise vegetables, protein and nourishing fats. Build and maintain muscle through regular resistance training \u2013 weights, pilates, yoga, gardening, farm work \u2013 which supports insulin sensitivity and naturally elevates your resting metabolic rate. <\/p>\n
Make sleep a non-negotiable part of your health plan \u2013 not just because you feel better when you rest, but because your metabolism does too. And if you suspect iron may be an issue, don\u2019t ignore the signs. Symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, cold hands and feet, heavy periods or poor recovery from exercise can all point to suboptimal iron status.<\/p>\n
Stress is another piece worth exploring \u2013 not just the dramatic or acute stressors, but the quiet, constant hum of perceived pressure so many of us carry. <\/p>\n
Mental load, people-pleasing, perfectionism and a sense of never quite doing enough all add up. And when the body feels like it\u2019s under siege, metabolism tends to slow, not because it\u2019s failing, but because it\u2019s adapting. Gently shifting your daily rhythm to include pauses, presence and moments of joy can have meaningful impacts.<\/p>\n
The truth is, your metabolism isn\u2019t broken \u2013 it\u2019s doing exactly what it believes it needs to do to keep you alive. The good news? Small, consistent choices can shift the inputs and gradually recalibrate your body\u2019s response. You don\u2019t need to do everything at once. Often, the most profound changes begin with something small and simple that you can build on in a sustainable way.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve been feeling frustrated, tired or like your body isn\u2019t responding the way it used to, take a long, slow breath. You\u2019re not broken. You\u2019re adaptive \u2013 and that\u2019s powerful. Sometimes all your body needs is a change in rhythm, nourishment or support to start feeling like itself again. And when we stop pushing and start listening, that\u2019s when the body begins to thrive.<\/p>\n
More from Dr Libby<\/p>\n
Advice for your wellbeing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In this special series, guest writer Dr Libby Weaver shares her health insights. This week she discusses our…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26996,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[64,63,26181,26187,26177,26183,137,26186,1460,8117,26178,4389,26182,26179,532,20640,9672,5464,8124,19004,26185,14850,26184,26180],"class_list":["post-26995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-broken","tag-discusses","tag-dr","tag-guest","tag-health","tag-insights","tag-is","tag-just","tag-libby","tag-metabolism","tag-misunderstood","tag-myths","tag-nutrition","tag-or","tag-series","tag-shares","tag-special","tag-this","tag-weaver","tag-week","tag-writer","tag-yours"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26995\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}