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Flex Diet Podcast

Flex Diet Podcast

By: Dr. Mike T Nelson
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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.2020 - 2022 Extreme Human Performance, LLC Biological Sciences Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living Science
Episodes
  • What Vinegar & Lifting Really Do To Your Gut — Dr. Emily Dow — #388

    What Vinegar & Lifting Really Do To Your Gut — Dr. Emily Dow — #388
    Jun 8 2026

    Dr. Emily Dow, PhD, RD, is a researcher and registered dietitian working at the intersection of nutrition, resistance training, and gut health.

    Does vinegar actually do anything for your gut or your blood sugar? Can you trust a $200 mail-in microbiome test? Emily built her dissertation around questions like these, and her honest answers are a lot more useful than the marketing.

    Expect to learn what a 12-week resistance-training-plus-vinegar protocol did (and didn't do) to gut permeability, why a null result in a healthy population is still worth your attention, what the research really says about vinegar and glucose control, why the peptide boom warrants a hard dose of skepticism, what direct-to-consumer gut testing genuinely can and can't tell you, the underrated role stress plays in GI symptoms, and why the best practitioners do both research and hands-on coaching — and much more.

    —

    Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter

    Connect with Dr. Dow: Website: https://www.dremilydow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dremilydow

    Episodes you'll enjoy next: #127 — The Effect of Antibiotics on Muscle Mass & Cardiovascular Performance with Dr. Sara Campbell: https://flex-diet-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-127-the-effect-of-antibiotics-on-muscle-mass-aerobic-cardiovascular-performance-and-more-an-interview-with-dr-sara-campbell
    #222 — Nutrition, Supplements & Training with RD Sean Casey https://flex-diet-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-222-expert-insights-on-nutrition-supplements-and-training-with-registered-dietician-sean-casey

    Enjoying the show? Follow the Flex Diet Podcast in your podcast app so new episodes land automatically — it's the single best way to help others find it.

    Timeline
    0:00 Intro
    02:29 Vinegar Research Origins
    04:12 Study Design & Training Protocol
    07:42 Biodex Explained: Strength Testing
    11:49 Research Tradeoffs & Null Results
    14:49 Possible Mechanisms: Acetate
    19:55 Glycemic Control & CGM Findings
    22:21 Peptides: Hype and Risks
    28:54 Microbiome & Performance Research
    30:47 Gut Testing Skepticism
    36:23 Stress and GI Symptoms
    39:22 PhD to RD Fast Track
    41:04 RD Exam Reality Check
    44:25 Scope of Practice Basics
    45:56 Referral Networks That Work
    49:29 Research vs. Coaching Gap
    58:51 Clients Drive Better Questions
    01:05:26 Why She Started Instagram
    01:09:58 Social Media for Academia
    01:13:18 Training Goals and Tattoos
    01:15:45 Where to Follow & Wrap Up

    Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Episode 387: Nathan T. Jenkins on Metabolic Flexibility, Aerobic Base, and First Principles

    Episode 387: Nathan T. Jenkins on Metabolic Flexibility, Aerobic Base, and First Principles
    Jun 2 2026
    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. Sponsors: Daily Fitness Insider Newsletter: https://flex-diet.kit.com/bfa1510fa8 Available now: Grab a copy of the Triphasic Training II book I co-wrote with Cal Deitz here. Episode chapters: 02:47 Meet Dr Nathan Jenkins04:38 CrossFit Nutrition Reality Check07:09 Leaving Tenure for Family09:21 Back to Academia and Med Ed11:29 Why Exercise Physiology Matters14:36 Stress Tests Reveal Pathology18:19 Max Testing and NIRS Setup22:42 Raw Data Over Machine Outputs24:18 Bohr Effect and Oxygen Delivery28:09 Energy Systems in the Real World33:05 Coaching Basics That Matter35:40 Teaching Cardio From First Principles36:36 Aerobic Base Reality Check37:19 Cardio for Meatheads Pitch39:13 CrossFit Endurance Breakthroughs41:49 Fixing Time Domain Weakness45:46 Pacing Like Froning Fraser48:42 RAAM Gamesmanship Story51:45 Pain Management Truths53:23 VO2 Max Feels the Same55:54 Suffering as a Skill59:09 Cold Plunge Mindset Study01:00:52 Caffeine Placebo and Belief01:03:22 Heat Acclimation and 10K Prep01:04:36 Metabolic Flexibility Lens01:08:16 Teaching Diabetes Integration01:10:56 Bloodwork Meets Flexibility01:12:37 Where Fat Goes Wrong01:15:07 Sustainable Deficit Strategy01:16:34 Four Priorities Blueprint01:17:21 Protein and Carb Targets01:21:08 Sleep and Micronutrients01:27:06 Omega-3 Testing Nuance01:29:36 Wrap Up and Next Steps01:31:52 Newsletter and Flex Diet Cert01:33:20 Final Thanks and Subscribe Flex Diet Podcasts you may enjoy: Episode 344: Metabolic Adaptations, Lactate, and Training Smarter with Dr. Phil Batterson YouTube: https://youtu.be/PPZyO1nxSPAEpisode 383: Body Composition, Strength Training, and Sustainable Habits with Martin Silva YouTube: https://youtu.be/p8oM0gW488U Connect with Dr. Jenkins: Website: https://www.drnathanjenkins.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnathanjenkins Get In Touch with Dr Mike: Instagram: DrmiketnelsonYouTube: @flexdietcertEmail: Miketnelson.com/contact-us Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter
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    1 hr and 34 mins
  • Episode 386: Nervous System Regulation, Somatics, and Stress Resilience with Tracy Holemeyer

    Episode 386: Nervous System Regulation, Somatics, and Stress Resilience with Tracy Holemeyer
    May 27 2026
    In this episode of the Flex Diet Podcast, I sit down with my friend Tracy Holemeyer (Uncontrollably Me, host of the Other Way to See It podcast) to talk about healing and performance through nervous system flexibility, somatics, and self-awareness, especially with how much stress people are carrying right now. We dig into practical tools like orienting, grounding, the “starfish” drill, pendulation, and Tracy’s “core four” (soft eyes, relaxing the tongue, breath pacing for coherence, and soft knees), plus how posture and unconscious habits can shape mood and behavior. We also explore the value of community and coaching, how movement and sound (including humming, voo breath, and growling) can help regulate, and we finish with a thoughtful discussion on psychedelics, integration, and why support and discernment matter. Sponsors: Daily Fitness Insider Newsletter: https://flex-diet.kit.com/bfa1510fa8 Available now: Grab a copy of the Triphasic Training II book I co-wrote with Cal Deitz here. Episode Chapters: 02:59 Meet Tracy and Catch Up04:46 Micro Breaks and Orienting08:46 Starfish and Body Awareness10:44 Joints Posture and Anxiety17:37 Strategies Become Identity21:00 Awareness Coaching in Practice26:02 Coaching Community and Support32:44 Social Media Validation Trap36:13 Integrity and Business Alignment39:39 Trauma Weight and Safety41:57 Referrals Over Scarcity43:07 Abundance Through Uncertainty47:09 Money Purpose and Access52:57 Capacity and Ongoing Stress57:15 Pendulation and Core Four01:03:00 Movement Urgency and Sound01:08:55 Growling Music and Release01:15:23 Healing as Defiance01:16:59 Flow States and Community01:18:23 Recreation With Real Stakes01:20:13 Choosing Controlled Hardship01:21:09 Healthy Stress Builds Capacity01:23:34 Rewriting Trauma Responses01:25:28 Psychedelics And Integration01:34:07 Avoiding The Healing Shortcut01:37:10 Where Memories Live01:42:45 Four Tools For Stress01:46:19 Finding Tracy And Closing01:49:45 Podcast Wrap And Disclaimer Flex Diet Podcasts you may enjoy: Episode 354: How Shiftwave Reboots Your Nervous System w/ Dr. Jeff Rouse YouTube: https://youtu.be/XTPwIb3ZMxQEpisode 345: Sleep Like a Beast: Lessons from Jay Wiles and Jeffrey Durmer YouTube: https://youtu.be/8mVvceWn-Yw Connect with Tracy: Website: https://www.uncontrollablyme.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embodiedsomatics Get In Touch with Dr Mike: Instagram: DrmiketnelsonYouTube: @flexdietcertEmail: Miketnelson.com/contact-us Get the Daily Fitness Insider newsletter (free): https://www.miketnelson.com/newsletter
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    1 hr and 53 mins
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