Podcast Ep 2
C: Welcome back to episode 2! Today, we’ll cover why caloric restriction is doomed to fail AND you’ll get some great strategies for befriending your metabolism. I’m Cheryl Gordon, yoga therapist.
S: And I’m Sharlene Styles, certified holistic nutritionist, life coach and metabolism mechanic. Here are the answers no one is talking about because selling you a medication, diet product or a supplement generates big recurring profits. Healing yourself naturally doesn’t generate ongoing revenue.
C: Sharlene, let’s show the Total Daily Energy Expenditure pic. For me, it totally made it clear why calories in and calories out is just not helpful!
S: Yes, the expenditure of energy is a good fundamental concept to understand when it comes to metabolism and weight management.
Basically it’s the total amount of energy your body burns in a day. It’s made up of four parts:
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – This is the energy your body needs just to keep you alive—breathing, circulating blood, and even thinking! It makes up the largest chunk of your TDEE. about 70%
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) – This includes all the little movements we don’t think about—fidgeting, walking to the kitchen, even talking with our hands! Which makes up about 15% of the total
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) – This is the energy your body uses to digest and process food. Protein-rich foods actually burn more calories during digestion! This uses about 10% of TDEE
C: That’s why you suggested last episode to prioritize protein!
S: Exercise Activity (EA) – This is the energy burned during intentional movement, like workouts, yoga, or a dance class. 5%
C: Whoa, just 5%! So it’s not just about the gym?
S: Not at all! In fact, NEAT can make a bigger impact than you think. Small daily movements add up over time, and understanding your TDEE helps you make smart choices for sustainable energy balance.
C: So all the diets I’ve been on that calculate my Basic Metabolic Rate plus the calories I’m burning in exercise are bogus?
S: Not necessarily bogus, but definitely incomplete. Most diet plans focus only on BMR and workouts, ignoring NEAT and the Thermic Effect of Food.
C: So, I’ve been missing two key pieces of the puzzle?
S: Exactly! If you only focus on exercise, you’re overlooking the 10-15% of calories burned through daily movement. Plus, digestion itself burns calories—especially when you eat protein-rich foods. The problem is, most diet plans don’t factor in how your body uniquely uses energy.
C: That makes so much sense! So instead of obsessing over gym time, I should be looking at my whole daily energy picture?
S: Yes! Sustainable weight management isn’t just about burning calories in the gym—it’s about working with your metabolism all day long.
C: Can we just shout out to the rooftops that all that data on your smart device about calories burned is probably hurting your progress?!!!
S: It can really distracting from mindfulness, right?
C: When I’m teaching yoga, the smart watches are beeping and chirping. I find it affects my concentration so I can imagine how it interferes with the practice for the student. I’m so glad you’re clarifying why the obsession with tracking steps or calories is just not necessary. Let’s get into the experience of the activity… be mindful!
S: Hear! Hear!
We’ll take a deeper dive into why calories in and calories out is not an effective model in our dedicated four part course but let’s just outline here the reasons exercising to lose weight is a frustrating endeavour.
C: You know Sharlene, I still find myself labouring under these outdated beliefs! So to our listeners, you are not alone!
1. The body is a super efficient machine. For most of our existence as humans, starvation was a reality. For the first few minutes of an activity, the body might kick in extra energy but very quickly, it adapts and minimizes energy expenditure. So this phenomenon is not reflected in calorie counters on your smart device.
2. Even if you did burn 500 calories on the treadmill, eating one store bought muffin blows that away.
3. All that time pushing yourself into more and more km or calorie burn means you get pressed for time in other areas. This creates stress. Which inhibits weight loss. More on this in episode 4.
4. Long periods of steady state cardio exercise can actually reduce muscle mass.
S: Yikes! Losing muscle mass is not where we need to go.
Because muscle is like a metabolic engine—it keeps your body burning energy efficiently. But as we hit midlife, things start to shift.
- We naturally lose muscle mass—starting as early as our 30s. As women, we can lose up to 2% per year, and this loss speeds up in our 40s and 50s. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, which can lead to weight gain, less energy, and even a higher risk of injury.
- Hormonal changes—declining estrogen, progesterone, and even testosterone can make it harder to maintain muscle and easier to store fat. Remember our discussion of the Musculoskeletal Syndrome last episode.
- We often move less—life gets busy, stress increases, and we might not prioritize movement like we used to. Less movement = fewer calories burned daily.
C: So that’s why it feels like my metabolism is slowing down?
S: Exactly! But here’s the good news: You can fight back by focusing on muscle-building activities, staying active throughout the day, and fueling your body properly. Strength training, walking, and protein-rich foods can help counteract these changes and keep your metabolism strong!
C: Just to emphasize… it’s a combination of prioritizing muscle building in fitness, focusing on protein each meal and investing in meaningful self care that shifts the needle… NOT cutting out food groups, starving yourself or doing killer workouts!
S: Yes! It’s not about quick fixes—it’s about making small, sustainable shifts that work with your body. Let’s look at this again.
To naturally reset your metabolism, focus on these three areas:
Move More – Prioritize strength training and increase daily movement (NEAT) to preserve muscle and keep your metabolism active.
Fuel Smart – Eat protein at every meal to support muscle maintenance and boost the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF).
Recover Well – Stress management, quality sleep, and self-care all help regulate hormones that impact metabolism.
When you put these together, your body starts working for you instead of against you!
C: I still find myself a little panicky that I didn’t get my “k’s” in. And feeling guilty when I’m putting up my feet mid day. But I look at my scale with a big grin and know this is the secret sauce.
S: Right?! We’ve been fed this story for decades, and we’ve taken it as truth. But now, we know better—and we can do better!
If you found this helpful, share it with other women who could benefit from it, too. And if you want more resources, check out our websites: www.purenaturalhealth.ca or www.cherylgordonyt.com.
Don’t forget to subscribe to this YouTube channel and drop a comment below—tell us how this new perspective is shifting your approach to exercise or nutrition. We’d love to hear from you!
C: See you next week for an essential discussion about hormones, especially the one hormone that holds fat more than any other.
