Over the years I’ve heard many people curse their metabolism. They’re often in search for ways to “fix it” in order to lose or maintain weight. When we strip away the blame, shame, and wellness industry buzzwords, and instead view metablism through the lens of dynamic systems, homeostasis, and sustainable change, the workings of metabolism becomes less mysterious.
What Is Metabolism, and why should we care? Metabolism refers to the totality of chemical reactions that occur within the body to sustain life. It encompasses catabolism (breaking down molecules to release energy), and anabolism (building molecules to support cell growth and repair).
These processes convert food into energy, build tissues, and eliminate waste. It’s much more than just “burning calories.” Metabolism involves a highly coordinated network of enzyme-regulated pathways, hormonal signaling, and cellular responses that maintain internal balance. In simpler terms, metabolism is how your body turns food into the energy and materials it needs to live, grow, and adapt.
When someone says, “my metabolism is broken,” I feel compelled to challenge that narrative. Not out of judgment, but because it oversimplifies a deeply adaptive system and it doesn’t empower us to achieve our overall health goals. Metabolism isn’t a broken engine you can just flood with oil or fix with a new part. And it’s not a hopeless system, either. Rather than a broken machine, metabolism is more like a symphony — a collection of “instruments” (organs, hormones, enzymes, cells) that adjust their volume, tempo, and tone in response to one another, with you as the conductor.
If one instrument quiets down, another may compensate. If one section speeds up, others shift in response. For example, the hormonal section, including thyroid hormones, insulin, cortisol, and sex hormones, may slow or speed up with age, stress, or illness. The muscle and mitochondrial section adjusts based on physical activity as muscle tissue increases metabolic rate. The gut microbiome section modulates nutrient absorption, immune signaling, and inflammation. The nervous system section shifts between “rest and digest” and “fight or flight”, which influences digestion, recovery, and stress response. All of these systems constantly interact to defend homeostasis, which is the body’s internal equilibrium.
Because the systems are interconnected, when one “instrument” is strained due to chronic stress, poor sleep, or over-restriction, others shift in response. For example, if you suddenly reduce your caloric intake drastically, your body will respond via appetite, hormonal shifts, lower basal metabolic rate, etc. That does not mean the systems are “broken.” They’re just adapting. The trick is to guide the orchestra back toward harmony, instead of forcing one section to do all the work. After all, who wants to listen to just the brass section booming all day?
To reach our health goals, we should focus on adaptive, incremental change. Nudge the tempo, adjust instrument volume, give rest, and retrain sections over time. Metabolism is dynamic and highly individual, so it can’t be controlled with a single dietsupplement, or even medication. What you can do is prioritize behaviors that support flexibility and balance in the system so the symphony can re-tune itself.
So, how can you coax your orchestra to play in better harmony?
- Prioritize restorative sleep (7–9 hours, consistent schedule). Many hormonal and metabolic rhythms reset during sleep, so don’t skimp on it.
- Manage stress & support circadian rhythm. Chronic cortisol throws off tempo. Practice stress management techniques.
- Build strength and move regularly. Muscle is a metabolic organ and resistance training is valuable.
- Eat quality foods consistently and with time periodization. Focus on protein, fiber, adequate healthy fats. Avoid extreme restriction or ultra-low calorie diets that cause compensatory responses. Give your body adequate intervals with no food to allow for rest and repair.
- Support gut health(diverse fiber, fermented foods, limited added sugars. The gut interacts with metabolic signaling and inflammation.
- Monitor over the long run; adjust gradually. Small changes accumulated over weeks or months let your set point drift gently rather than shock it.
- Mind your hormonal context. For women in menopause, perimenopause, or hormonal transitions: talk with your clinician about hormone management, sleep, and nutrition strategies that support stability.
If you’d like help exploring your personal metabolic pathways, watching which “instruments” are out of harmony, and designing a roadmap to retune your symphony, reach out. We can dig into your sleep, hormones, gut, movement, nutrition, and craft a plan that respects your unique biology.
Carolyn Kontos, MS, ACC, offers Wellness & Nutrition Coaching at the JCC through her Eat Well Programs. For more information, contact Carolyn at [email protected]
