Identifying Underlying Conditions & Lifestyle / Environmental Challenges

This article outlines some of the potential issues which can prevent or hinder attaining a state of optimal fat adaptation.

During weeks 3 & 4 of the Metabolic Reset (MR) and throughout the Adaptation Phase of OFM both the Client & Coach need to be vigilant about identifying potential underlying conditions and/or lifestyle/environmental challenges which create a chronic physiological stressor or disease state.

If you or your client is failing to progress in fat adaptation and you or they are pretty in compliance with the guidelines and still struggling to find stable energy, sleep, control hunger & carb cravings and are limited in physical activity then it is necessary to do a little sleuthing to see if you might have any underlying conditions which could be holding you back.

If you are struggling to make the fundamental physiological shift back to using 'fat as fuel' then it is time to re-evaluate whether you have an underlying/undiagnosed condition(s) which could be preventing you from achieving your goal.

The first step is to review the personal assessment article, questionnaire and Intake Questionnaire to see if there are any clues.
Second, review how you reacted to the MR during the second week. In many cases something(s) need to be dialed in before we start to examine potential underlying condition which needs special intervention to correct. Use the Tiers of the OFM Pyramid as a guide.

“Fat Adapted” Metabolic State:
1. Do I feel like I have made a significant shift in my fat adaptation?
2. If so, in which areas? : appetite control, energy stability , mental focus
3. Where can I improve?

Nutrition NOT Calories:
1. Is my appetite control/management significantly improved?
2. Do I have my supplement protocols dialed in for my needs?
3. Am I enjoying the food I am eating & feeling satiated?

Stomach & Gut Health:
1. Is my Stomach & Gut health continually improving?
2. Are my bowel movements the same or even improved?
3. Do I have any excess gas, bloating, etc.?

Training:
1. Am I able to resume or start training & physical activities? (Note: in many cases when making the MR from an High Carbohydrate Diet for an athlete you will be able to resume training but not at the same level as prior to the MR . . . not yet! This is what the Adaptation Phase is all about!)
2. Is the stability of my energy levels significantly improved?
3. Do I notice a lack of soreness & quick recovery from my training sessions?

Lifestyle:
1. Do I feel less stressed or more stressed in daily life?
2. What potential environmental factors can I identify as stressors?: i.e. EMF, unnatural light or lack of light, work environment, etc.)
3. What potential psychological & emotional factors can I identify as stressors? (dysfunctional/toxic relationships, work related stress, keeping track of food, perfectionism, lack of interaction with other, lack or time)

Hydration:
1. Am I hydrating adequately during the day?
2. Am I hydrating adequately during exercise/training?
3. Am I getting the right balance of electrolytes, especially sodium?

VESPA:
1. Is my Vespa use down to harder/longer training, competitions, when I want to be ‘on my game’ or to accelerate weight loss?
2. Is Vespa working for me?
3. Do I have a lot of muscle soreness post exercise even though I am using Vespa?
Strategic Carbohydrates:
1. During the MR, am I identifying & keeping concentrated sources of carbohydrates/sugars out of my diet?
2. During adaptation:

Have I found my carbohydrate tolerance levels?

As I increase my training volume & intensity, am I getting enough carbohydrate?

Which carbohydrates & sugars work best for me in my diet and during training/competition?

Integration:

Am I making the use of “Strategic Carbohydrates” an intuitive habit (i.e. I know when & how to use carbs/sugars in diet & training without thinking about it and without stress)

Have my carbohydrate tolerance levels increased since starting OFM?

Do I notice any issues crop up with my longer term use of “Strategic Carbohydrates” I should pay attention to (i.e. occasional flare ups of Stomach & Gut issues) which need identifying?

If a review of the OFM Pyramid has not solved your lethargy, hunger triggers, mental fog, irritability etc. most likely an underlying issue(s) needs to be addressed (but in conjunction with the principles outlined in the OFM Pyramid).

Prior to ordering Lab work (Blood, urine, stool, cheek/nasal swabs etc.) take a moment to identify how what is holding you back manifests itself.

Is it overall energy levels suggesting potential Thyroid or other Hormonal issues?
Psychological and/or emotional issues or outbreaks?
Breathing including nasal & bronchial airways, or asthma etc.?
Static or worsening immune system function?
GI issues?
Lack of improvement in overall health & well being
Lack of an ability to train up

This process is important for identifying which testing is appropriate. Many standard tests fail to identify nuanced & complex underlying issues so by zeroing in on the real world manifestations the appropriate tests can be ordered to identify a potential underlying issue, and, subsequently, correct it.

Here are a list of common underlying issues we see in athletes:

Thyroid issues, generally Hypothyroid
Stomach & Gut / GI issues including the biome
Autoimmune issues which are almost always also tied to GI/Biome issues
Chronic Stress (hormonal imbalance due to excess & chronic cortisol secretion)
Over secretion of insulin due to dietary/fueling, resulting in insulin resistance and/or hormonal imbalances due to excess insulin & cortisol.
Impaired periodontal health especially underlying periodontal infections and/or Mercury or Fluoride exposure (which, again, affects & impairs GI/Biome health/function).

Identifying Underlying Conditions

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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