Episode 387: Nathan T. Jenkins on Metabolic Flexibility, Aerobic Base, and First Principles

About this episode

Dr. Mike T Nelson interviews Dr. Nathan Jenkins about improving performance and health through metabolic flexibility and aerobic development.

In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Nathan Jenkins to discuss how to improve performance, body composition, and long-term health through the lens of aerobic development and metabolic flexibility. Nathan shares his journey from exercise physiology and coaching CrossFit athletes to his new role teaching physiology at the University of Georgia School of Medicine. We discuss why metabolic flexibility is such a powerful framework for understanding everything from biochemistry and exercise performance to metabolic disease. We also dive into interpreting maximal exercise testing data, including VO₂ measurements, EKG analysis, and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), along with how different energy systems work together during training and competition. Nathan explains why building an aerobic base is critical for repeated high-intensity performance, how pacing impacts outcomes, and why the ability to "suffer" is actually a trainable skill. To wrap up, we cover practical strategies you can apply right away, including prioritizing protein and carbohydrates, improving sleep quality, and addressing common micronutrient deficiencies through blood work, such as…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Mike T Nelson

Guest: Dr. Nathan Jenkins

Topics covered

• metabolic flexibility
• aerobic development
• exercise physiology
• performance improvement
• body composition
• health strategies

Keywords

• metabolic flexibility
• aerobic base
• exercise performance
• VO₂ measurements
• EKG analysis
• micronutrient deficiencies
• high-intensity performance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Georgia School of Medicine

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