{"podcast":{"title":"Flex Diet Podcast","slug":"flex-diet-podcast-880226","podcast_index_feed_id":880226,"rss_url":"https://feeds.simplecast.com/_12E74LS","website_url":"https://flex-diet-podcast.simplecast.com","image_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/c5f07d94-8550-4c17-8fe1-cfc923f86fac/01da7f8e-3b3d-422b-a85b-df41c58ece99/3000x3000/screen-shot-2020-03-30-at-10-10-19-am.jpg?aid=rss_feed","author":"Dr. Mike T Nelson","episode_count":399,"summary":"Dr. Mike T Nelson gets geeky with the latest research and scientific findings in the fitness world. Visit www.flexdiet.com to get Flex Diet Certified and www.miketnelson.com for more geeky goodness.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-07T04:19:04.275974+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/flex-diet-podcast-880226"},"episode":{"title":"Episode 387: Nathan T. Jenkins on Metabolic Flexibility, Aerobic Base, and First Principles","slug":"episode-387-nathan-t-jenkins-on-metabolic-flexibility-aerobic-base-and-first-principles","published_at":"2026-06-02T20:58:44+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/flex-diet-podcast-880226/episode-387-nathan-t-jenkins-on-metabolic-flexibility-aerobic-base-and-first-principles","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/flex-diet-podcast-880226","url":"https://flex-diet-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-387-nathan-t-jenkins-on-metabolic-flexibility-aerobic-base-and-first-principles-pZ4r0v_i","audio_url":"https://cdn.simplecast.com/media/audio/transcoded/53e3d261-c5f9-44f9-a22d-bab6ffed6551/2ea3e4d9-cc52-4227-aaaf-5243dca4406b/episodes/audio/group/65cfadbd-f525-49cf-9ec6-afc36c6fdd54/group-item/972e7650-4a92-4234-8c89-b6a0eb28420a/128_default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=_12E74LS","summary":"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 magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 status.","meta_description":"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…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":5622,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/flex-diet-podcast-880226/episodes/episode-387-nathan-t-jenkins-on-metabolic-flexibility-aerobic-base-and-first-principles/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/flex-diet-podcast-880226/episode-387-nathan-t-jenkins-on-metabolic-flexibility-aerobic-base-and-first-principles.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}