How many times have you taken a walk, ran an errand, or sat in the waiting room for an appointment and noticed that you have physical characteristics similar to those around you? It probably goes without saying that while you may run into others who have a similar appearance on the outside, you are a unique individual on the inside, psychologically and physiologically. Could there be similarities internally as well? Yes, of course, but we are all unique in one way or another. 

Think of how we all have our own set of fingerprints, perfectly and distinctly our own.  Our fingerprints set us apart from every other human, right? Now think of your metabolism as your internal fingerprint, sometimes referred to as your own personal “blueprint” here at Metabolic Living.  

When you implement an “off the shelf” dietary approach or follow a specific methodology such as Keto or Paleo, it may or may not be the ideal fit for you based on your own metabolic individuality. Your metabolic individuality dictates how you respond to any dietary protocol, and ultimately drives how to design a diet that will work for you day in and day out. 

When you find a dietary plan that is new to you, but also feels like a good fit, think of that as your structural foundation. If you are an individual who likes to follow meal plans and appreciate grocery shopping lists, chances are that along with that you’ve also felt some sort of restriction  Maybe dairy isn’t an option or peanuts are suggested to avoid, and soon you are feeling stressed out about following the plan perfectly and having to give up some of the foods you love.

Now consider the alternative approach that we encourage by adding in something called structured flexibility. While the basic structure of any plan is a fantastic way to provide some guidelines and direction, realize that you’ll need to be flexible enough to make this dietary plan part of your permanent lifestyle through making some adjustments and tweaks. That alone can eliminate some of the internal stress you may otherwise feel by following a particular protocol. You do know your body better than anyone else, and yet sometimes it takes experimenting with various dietary approaches to have you look, feel, and perform your best. At Metabolic Living, we have a formula designed to help you do just that. It is based on something called the 4 P’s, and the P’s stand for: 

  • Your Physiology
  • Your Psychology 
  • Your Preferences 
  • Your Practicals 

In this video, you’ll hear Dr. Jade explain how to use the 4 P’s to create a diet that is uniquely suited to you. You’ll learn how to begin to create a diet that you can comfortably live with designed by you based on the concept of structured flexibility while considering your metabolic individuality. By the end of the video, you’ll understand that you can turn any off the shelf dietary program into a nutrition plan that is uniquely your own.

After you’ve watched the video, I’d encourage you to start to experiment with designing your own diet.  Experiment with some new protocols and notice when you are feeling more than stretched in adhering to the guidelines.  For example, if you’ve been following the keto diet and you are feeling moody, try add in more carbohydrates in small doses throughout the day.  Or if you’ve been eating a plant-based diet and you are constantly hungry, try adding in a protein shake that is vegan or vegetarian friendly and see how that changes your level of hunger. I’m confident that as you consider your 4 P’s along the way, you’ll begin to learn what works for you so you can look, feel, and perform at your very best. Doesn’t this approach feel better already?