Assessment

Before you begin your journey to optimize your fat metabolism it is vitally important to make a metabolic assessment of where you are on the spectrum of metabolic fitness. One can be an athlete and seem ‘fit’ on the outside but can be a metabolic mess on the inside.

Here are some things you should ask yourself:

Do I need to eat something every 2-3 hours?
Are my energy levels stable during exercise and during my normal day?
Do I need to take on calories before, during or after physical activity?
Do I believe I need concentrated carbohydrates as part of my diet & fueling to maintain glucose levels, i.e. prevent Bonking?
Honestly, what exactly is my dietary food intake? How do I best describe it?
Do I habitually snack or ‘graze’?
Do I bonk during an endurance event or need calories immediately following a gym session?
For how many days am I sore, tired, compromised after a competition or tackle an extended session of physical activity?

Other considerations include:

What health challenges do I have that I know about?
Do I have food or other allergies?
Do I have GI issues?
How much chronic stress do I have in my life?
How much exposure to natural sunlight do I get?

This requires brutal honesty and objectivity. The better you can be honest and objective with yourself at this point the easier it becomes to develop an individualized roadmap towards optimizing your fat metabolism.

Other items we commonly observe in most people which prevent optimal fat adaptation:

Sub-optimal Vitamin D status
Sub-optimal Magnesium
Low-grade infection and/or Mercury/Fluoride heavy metal exposure due to periodontal health issues most people are unaware they have.
Circadian Rhythm Disruption
Chronic exposure to EMF

These are generally easy to address once identified but may take time. These issues generally did not happen overnight so, generally speaking, don't expect to see them resolved overnight either. This is a process and journey and not a click away from being resolved in the way our modern world has us accustomed to.

Now, if you have the time, access and resources available, one of the best ways to expedite and quantify where you are on the spectrum is via Baseline Testing. Baseline Testing not only can give you an idea of where you are but provides data to reference to corroborate your progress when used in conjunction with periodic testing. Testing can also help identify potential Undiagnosed Conditions which should be addressed prior to or when initiating OFM.

Some recommended testing for athletes:

General/Standard Bloodwork Panel for an athlete (whether you are one or not!)
Additional basic testing:
- Vitamin D (25, Hydroxy Vitamin D)
- Fasting Insulin
- Cortisol
- Additional tests based upon profile and resources etc.
Metabolic Testing; VO2 Max, RMR, RER, Crossover
Body Composition: DEXA is the gold standard but other methods can be used. Bear in mind to use the same body comp method and equipment for consistent trend monitoring of body comp.

For most people who are athletic Baseline testing is not an absolute requirement so don’t feel like a critical piece is missing if you are not doing Baseline and Progress Testing. Testing confirms and corroborates the experience. It does not drive it.

Taking the time to assess where you are is the key. This will give you the awareness of what needs to be addressed to get you where you are going. OFM will help you achieve your goals by providing the tools, information and guidance you need to get there.

Related Links:

Perfection Paralysis, Engineering & Chasing the Numbers

You Are An Individual

Your Metabolic Assessment

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Welcome and Overview

Week 1: Preparation

Module 1: Introduction

Module 2 : Assessment

Module 3: Cleaning up the Diet

Module 4: Identifying and Mitigating Stressors

Module 5: Supplemental Reading

Week 2 : Initiation

Module 1: Pre-Flight Checklist

Module 2: MR Takeoff Time!

Module 3: Eating and Hydrating

Module 4: Nutrition and Supplementation

Module 5: Using Vespa During the MR

Module 6: Lifestyle and Training During MR

Week 3: Stabilization

Module 1: Stabilization Overview

Module 2: Diet and Supplementation Review and Tweaking

Module 3: Training

Module 4: Lifestyle Review

Module 5: Identifying Underlying Issues

Module 6: Training - Supplemental Material

Module 7: Identifying Underlying Issues - Supplemental Material

Module 8: Lifestyle Supplemental Material

Week 4: Transition to Adaptation Phase

Module 1: Stabilization, Review & Transition to Adaptation Phase

Module 2: Training

Module 3: Nutrition and Supplements

2026 Live Calls and Replays

2025 Live Call Replays