7 Metabolism Myths That Are Wrecking Your Progress

 

Today’s episode is all about one of the most misunderstood topics in women’s health and fitness: your metabolism. If you’ve ever felt like your body has “slowed down,” or you’ve wondered why your progress has stalled no matter how clean you eat or how hard you train, this conversation will bring so much clarity. Your metabolism isn’t broken. It’s adaptable, responsive, and directly shaped by how you fuel, train, move, and recover.

If you’ve been frustrated by plateaus, confused by mixed messages online, or stuck believing your best years are behind you, this episode walks you through the seven biggest metabolism myths holding women back. You’ll learn what actually influences your metabolism and the simple, sustainable habits that help it work with you instead of against you.

Here’s what you will learn:

• Why your metabolism isn’t “broken” even if you feel stuck
• What actually causes metabolic slowdowns
• How dieting and under-eating impact metabolic adaptation
• Why rest and recovery support a stronger metabolism
• The role muscle plays in daily energy burn
• What actually boosts your metabolism long-term
• How to build habits that support a responsive, efficient metabolism

This episode is your reminder that you’re not stuck and nothing is wrong with your body. When you lift consistently, fuel intentionally, rest when you need to, and support your stress, your metabolism becomes stronger and more resilient at any age.

If you loved this episode, you may also enjoy: Everyone’s Talking About Reverse Dieting — But Do You Actually Need One?
 

If you want more from me, be sure to check out… 

Transcript

(0:00) Hey there, beautiful human. You're listening to Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter, (0:05) a podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I dish you a dose of real talk and (0:12) actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving (0:17) your authentic self.

Stay tuned if you're ready to embrace your real. Let's get in. Let's go.

(0:28) Hello, and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace Real podcast, (0:33) where we talk all things fitness, nutrition, confidence, and how to truly embrace your life, (0:38) your body, your goals, no matter where you're at on your journey. Today, we're going to be diving (0:42) into a listener favorite, and that is your metabolism. I cannot tell you how many direct (0:47) messages I get on a regular basis saying, Julie, my metabolism isn't working.

It used to be fast in (0:53) my 20s, and now I'm just going downhill. To some effect, that is what I hear all of the time. (0:58) And so in today's episode, we're going to be cutting through all of the noise and really (1:01) uncovering the truth about your metabolism, what actually affects it, what doesn't and how you can (1:06) support it through smart training, nutrition and recovery.

We're going to be debunking the seven (1:11) biggest metabolism myths that are wrecking your progress. And by the end of this episode, (1:15) you will hopefully walk away knowing exactly what to focus on. So your metabolism starts working (1:20) for you and not against you.

But first, let me share this review. It comes from love and life (1:26) 702. She gave a five star review and said, Thank you for giving.

I love this podcast. It's such a (1:31) joy to hear health advice from a positive, loving spiritual voice and take it in with such (1:36) appreciation because of how it's delivered. Her love and compassion is felt in her uplifting words (1:41) give me the motivation I need to be a better, healthier, happen, happier human and I absolutely (1:45) love it.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to send in this review. It really does (1:49) mean the world to me and our team just kind of know either how the podcast in general is helping (1:54) you or maybe a specific episode. So if you could scooch over to Apple podcast and leave a rating (1:58) interview, that would mean the absolute world to me and our team.

Okay, let's just get right into (2:02) it. Here is the thing. Your metabolism is not some mysterious force that only works for certain (2:07) people.

It is not broken. It is not permanently damaged. And it's definitely not something that (2:12) you can reset overnight with a detox or a supplement.

Your metabolism is simply the (2:17) system in your body that uses to convert food into energy like every single thing that you do (2:22) from lifting weights to blinking to digesting runs through that system. So if you've been (2:27) feeling like your body has hit a wall, like no matter how clean you eat or how hard you work out, (2:32) but nothing is changing. It's not because your metabolism gave up.

It's because your body has (2:37) adapted to the signals that you're sending it. And that's actually good news because it means (2:41) that you can change those signals. Like you can teach your metabolism to become more efficient, (2:46) more responsive, and more supportive of your goals.

Let's get right into some of those myths. (2:51) Myth number one is that if you're not losing weight, your metabolism isn't working. This one (2:57) might be the most common and honestly the most discouraging myth that I hear.

But your metabolism (3:01) is not broken. It's adaptive, which is seriously so amazing. It's constantly adjusting to the (3:07) amount of energy that you give it and the amount that you demand from it.

So if your body isn't (3:11) responding the way that you want, it's not because it's malfunctioning. It's because it's protecting (3:16) Your metabolism slows down when it senses long-term restriction, stress, or overtraining. (3:21) It's really just trying to conserve energy.

And that's why I tell women all the time, (3:26) if you've been stuck in a plateau before you assume that something is wrong, I want you to (3:30) take a step back and ask, am I actually training effectively? Am I recovering enough? Am I fueling (3:35) my body or constantly underfeeding it? How is my sleep? How is my stress? How is my hormone health? (3:41) Because all of those factors, your thyroid function, your cortisol levels, your muscle (3:45) mass, your sleep quality, and even your alcohol intake, that directly impacts your metabolism. (3:51) When you are constantly stressed or you're under-recovered or you're underfed, your body (3:55) is going to hold on to energy rather than burn it, right? Inside my online academy, my Macro (4:00) Academy and Simple Online Academy, I teach you how to actually fuel your body instead of depriving (4:06) it. So when you give your body what it needs, enough calories, balanced macros, adequate protein, (4:11) your metabolism trusts you again.

It stops conserving and it starts burning efficiently. (4:16) So no, your metabolism in it of itself is not broken. Instead, it's waiting for you to work (4:22) with it, not against it.

Myth number two, you can't boost your metabolism after dieting. This (4:27) one really drives me crazy because it keeps so many women stuck in what I call maintenance fear. (4:33) The fear that if you eat more, you'll immediately gain weight.

The fear that your metabolism is (4:37) broken or slow forever. And honestly, I get why this fear exists because after years of dieting, (4:43) your body does learn to adapt. When you are constantly under eating, your metabolism simply (4:48) responds by becoming more efficient.

It burns fewer calories to protect you. It's your body's (4:54) way of trying to keep you alive, not trying to work against you. So if you've been eating (4:59) very little for a very long time and you always feel cold, inflamed, tired, like nothing is working (5:05) anymore, that's not failure.

That's physiology, right? Your body did exactly what it was designed (5:10) to do. But here's the part that most women never get told. You can absolutely bring your metabolism (5:15) back online.

You can teach your body that it's safe to burn again, and it does not require (5:21) extremes or starting over. It requires a slow intentional increase in food, which is also (5:27) called a reverse diet paired with strength training and real recovery. It looks like (5:31) gradually increasing calories so that your body doesn't panic.

It looks like prioritizing protein (5:36) so that your muscles have exactly what they need to grow. It looks like lifting in a way that (5:41) challenges you, not destroys you. And it looks like eating enough to actually fuel your life, (5:45) not just survive.

Think of it like rebuilding trust with your body. For a long time, (5:49) your body had to assume like, I might not get enough to eat. I need to conserve food.

And so (5:54) when you show it consistently, that nourishment is actually available, that energy is coming in, (6:00) you're not going to starve it again, it slowly begins to let go. Your thyroid wakes up, (6:05) your stress hormones calm down, your cortisol levels level out, your hunger cues regulate, (6:10) your energy rises, your metabolism really starts to move again. And this is not overnight though.

(6:15) It's not flashy. It's not dramatic. It's steady and it works.

So yes, you can absolutely boost (6:21) your metabolism after dieting. You're not stuck like this. Your body is not broken.

It just needs (6:26) to be supported with patience, enough food and a plan that doesn't rely on extremes. You didn't (6:31) slow your metabolism down overnight and you're not going to wake it up overnight either. But with (6:35) consistency, it will wake up.

And when it does, you will start to feel it everywhere. Myth number (6:40) three, rest days, slow your metabolism. If you've ever felt guilty for taking a rest day, trust me, (6:46) I've been there for a long time.

I personally believe that progress only happened when I was (6:51) pushing myself. I thought that if I stopped even for a day, everything I'd worked for us would (6:56) start to slip. But the truth is that I learned rest isn't the thing that slows progress down.

(7:01) It's actually one of the things that creates it. And when you exercise, you're creating these tiny, (7:06) tiny micro tears in your muscles. The repair of those muscles is what makes you stronger, (7:10) not the workout itself.

And that repair process requires energy. It also requires your nervous (7:16) system to settle your hormones to rebalance and your body to shift back into a state where it (7:21) to build. Rest days are where that happens.

Your metabolism doesn't go to sleep on those days. (7:27) It's actually doing some of its most important work. Growth hormones and testosterone rise (7:33) during recovery, both of which are key players in burning fat and building lean muscle.

(7:38) Your system resets, inflammation comes down and your body finds its rhythm again. But when we (7:44) don't rest, when we push and push and push, because we're afraid to slow down, the body (7:48) responds like it's under threat. Cortisol stays elevated, your sleep quality drops, (7:53) your cravings increase, your patience gets thin, and slowly your metabolism begins to downshift (7:58) as a protective mechanism, not because you're doing anything wrong, but because your body (8:02) thinks that it needs to hold on.

Remember, if I can just have you drill one thing into your mind (8:07) after today's episode, it's that our bodies are designed this way. God has created our bodies (8:12) to be like this, right? Our bodies are so incredibly smart and adaptive and that it's (8:18) really always just a protective mechanism. And one of the things though that has helped me in (8:23) this season, personally, just being postpartum myself, is really giving my body permission to (8:28) have both structure and softness.

Like some days I'm lifting really heavy and I'm feeling super (8:33) strong. Other days I'm walking, I'm stretching, I'm doing some mobility and that's enough. (8:37) And having that flexibility built into my routine, that's what allows me to stay consistent rather (8:42) than burning out.

And this is also why the weekly structure inside my Movement with Julie (8:47) community can be also so grounding. Like the rest days are intentional. They're not accidental.

(8:51) They're a part of the plan, not a sign that you're falling off. And when the plan already includes (8:56) space to recover, your brain doesn't have to battle that guilt. I just follow the rhythm.

(9:00) It really does let you stay connected to your goals while honoring the season that you're in. (9:04) So if you've been scared that taking a rest day is going to undo your progress, I really do hope (9:08) that this helps you breathe a little. Rest does not move you backwards.

It moves you forward in (9:13) a way that your body can actually sustain. Myth number four, you cannot change your metabolism. (9:18) It's genetic.

This one really wants to make me throw my hands up because yes, genetics can (9:23) absolutely play a role, but they are not your destiny. Your metabolism is not fixed and it's (9:29) not some fixed setting that you're stuck with forever and ever. It really does respond to how (9:34) you live, how you feel yourself, and how you take care of your body over time.

The biggest factor in (9:39) your metabolism is actually lean muscle mass. Muscle is active tissue. It requires energy to (9:45) maintain it.

So the more muscle that you are building, the more calories your body naturally (9:49) burns, even when you're resting. And this means strength truly does matter, not to look a certain (9:54) way, but to support how your body functions. Your daily movement also matters, not just the workouts, (9:59) but the small stuff, how much you walk, how much you're standing, how much you're chasing your kids, (10:03) you're cleaning the house, you're moving throughout the day.

Those seemingly tiny movements, (10:07) they do add up to a surprisingly big impact on how your body uses energy. And then there's food. If (10:12) your body is constantly underfed, it's going to learn how to conserve.

It's going to slow things (10:17) down to protect you. And when you start eating enough, especially enough protein and carbs to (10:21) support your muscle and energy, your metabolism has a reason to turn back on. And finally, sleep (10:26) and stress.

When your nervous system is overwhelmed and exhausted, your body switches into survival (10:31) mode. Again, the way that God designed it, it holds on to energy, it slows down. But when you (10:36) support your stress, you're resting more, you're breathing, you're giving yourself space, (10:41) your body begins to trust that it's safe to operate at full capacity again.

And none of these (10:46) things are dramatic overnight shifts, right? They're gradual, they're steady, they're lived (10:50) in changes. But that's the point. Your metabolism is not something that you fix.

It's something that (10:54) you actually support. Let me say that again. Your metabolism is not something that you just fix.

(10:58) It's something that you actually can support. Your genetics may set the starting line, (11:04) but your daily choices, your habits, your nourishment, your patience, those determine (11:08) the direction that you go. Your metabolism is adaptable.

It learns from how you treat it, (11:13) and it can change slowly, steadily, beautifully, right alongside you wherever you're at, (11:18) whatever chapter of life you're in. Myth number five, starving yourself helps you lose fat faster. (11:24) This one is a big one, and it's one that I personally believed for years.

And if I could (11:29) even extend that to a decade of my life, it's true. I used to think the smaller that my meals were, (11:35) the more discipline I had, the faster I'd see results. But what actually happened was when (11:39) I consistently underate, the opposite of what you're trying to achieve actually happens.

(11:43) Your metabolism actually slows down. Your body's always trying to protect you, right? When you (11:48) don't give it enough energy, it doesn't know you're doing it on purpose. It assumes that food (11:54) is scarce.

So it shifts into this conservation mode. It really, it burns fewer calories. It (12:00) lowers your energy throughout the day.

It tries to hold onto body fat. The hardest part is that (12:05) it starts breaking down muscle to use as fuel because muscle is expensive for the body to (12:10) maintain. And so when your muscle decreases, your metabolism naturally slows down because muscle (12:15) is what keeps your metabolism active.

More muscle, a faster burn rate, less muscle, a slower one. (12:21) So in trying to lose fat by eating less and less, you're actually making it hard, (12:25) you're making it harder for you to lose fat long-term. And this is why eating enough, (12:31) especially enough protein is so important because protein takes more energy to digest than fats and (12:37) carbs, which means that your body burns more calories breaking it down.

And that's why it's (12:43) called thermogenic, right? That's why protein is thermogenic. It also helps you to maintain and (12:49) build muscle. And muscle is your metabolism support system.

So when your muscle is nourished, (12:55) your metabolism stays higher, your energy feels steadier, and your body can actually respond to (12:59) your workouts the way that you intend. So instead of trying to cut, to shrink, to restrict your way (13:04) forward, the more supportive approach is to fuel your metabolism. Eat in a way that gives your (13:09) body what it needs to repair, build, and feel safe.

When your body feels safe, it lets go. (13:14) When it feels starved or stressed, it holds on. And I'll say this from experience, learning how (13:20) to do that made all the difference for me.

I didn't grow up knowing how to balance my meals (13:25) or how much protein my body needed, and I definitely didn't know how to fuel for my (13:29) workouts. I had to learn it in a way for me personally that felt doable with real life, (13:34) schedules, kids, cravings, travel, seasons, all of that where my capacity was low and my time (13:41) was very limited. But this is why my Macro Academy and Simple Online Academy has been (13:45) such a supportive tool for me and so many other women.

It doesn't ask you to track forever. It (13:50) doesn't ask you to obsess or eat perfectly. It will simply just teach you how to understand your (13:55) body's needs so that you can build meals that give you energy, that keep you full, that support your (14:00) hormones, and actually fit your lifestyle.

It really does take the guesswork out of eating (14:04) enough while still working towards your goals. It gives you the confidence to say, (14:08) I know what my body needs and I can give it that. No more starving, no more shrinking, (14:12) no more punishing.

Just fueling in a way that respects the woman that you are now and also (14:17) the one that you are becoming. Myth number six is my metabolism is slow because of my age. Yes, (14:22) aging can influence metabolism, but not in the dramatic way that most of us were taught to fear.

(14:27) The slowdown doesn't actually happen simply because we've hit a certain birthday. It happens (14:33) gradually when we move less and we begin to lose muscle over time. Because muscle is metabolically (14:38) active tissue, again, that means that it is burning energy even when we're resting.

So if (14:44) our muscle decreases, our daily energy burn decreases as well. And that change can feel (14:49) like, well, my body's just not responding the way that it used to. When in reality, (14:52) it can simply adapt to the input that it's been given.

And that's exactly what it's doing, right? (14:58) The empowering part to that is that this process is not permanent, right? Muscle can be built (15:03) or rebuilt at any age, and your body remains highly adaptable throughout your life. So when (15:09) you lift in a way that's actually challenging you and you consistently eat enough protein to (15:13) support that training, your body begins to repair and rebuild muscle. And that shift alone increases (15:18) your metabolic rate.

It improves your strength and supports better energy throughout the day. (15:23) Pair that with gentle activity outside of your workouts, such as walking more, stretching, (15:28) carrying groceries, playing with your kids, and you're giving your body the message that movement (15:32) is still a part of your life. And the cool thing about that is that your metabolism actually (15:37) responds to that, right? It becomes more efficient, not because you're younger, but (15:40) because you're using and nourishing your body in a way that supports it.

So it is not the age that (15:45) slows the metabolism. It is the habits that are often come with aging, less muscle, less movement, (15:50) more stress, less nourishment. But again, the encouraging part is that all of these habits (15:54) are changeable.

You do not need to go back in time. You do not need to be who you were at 25. (15:58) You can support the body that you have now, and it will respond.

Aging is not the end of progress. (16:04) It is simply an invitation to become more intentional about how you care for yourself. (16:09) And last but not least, myth number seven, women just have a slower metabolism than men.

(16:13) Okay, this one is half true, but not for the reason that most people think. Men typically (16:17) do have more lean muscle mass. And because muscle requires more energy to maintain, (16:23) they tend to have a higher metabolic rate.

And that doesn't mean that women are stuck with (16:26) slow metabolism. It just means that we have to create that muscle through how we train and how (16:30) we fuel. When women lift weights consistently, and they're eating enough protein to support that (16:35) muscle repair and allow for that proper recovery, their metabolic rate increases right alongside (16:40) their strength.

And this is why I'm so passionate about teaching women to lift using dumbbells (16:46) inside my movement with Julia. Right? Lifting is not just about aesthetics. It's about building (16:50) a body that functions well, and one that is metabolically strong and hormonally balanced.

(16:55) Muscle is active tissue. The more that you have, the more energy your body uses throughout the day, (17:00) even when you're sitting on that couch. And this is what I mean by metabolic freedom.

So (17:04) what actually supports a healthy, responsive metabolism long term, that's strength training, (17:10) that is going to provide that stimulus for muscle growth. When you keep lifting weights that (17:14) challenge you, you are telling your body that muscle is necessary and muscle in turn keeps your (17:19) metabolism active. Again, inside my movement with Julia app, every single workout is built around (17:25) this so that you are steadily improving rather than plateauing.

But fuel also matters. Your (17:30) metabolism runs on the energy that you give it, which is also why starving yourself never works (17:35) long term. But macro counting is such a useful tool here because it teaches you how to balance (17:40) your protein, your carbohydrates, your fats, so that you're nourishing your muscles rather than (17:45) breaking it down.

And this is again, exactly what I teach inside my macro academy and simple (17:49) online Academy, how to eat in a way that keeps your metabolism active instead of shutting it down (17:54) daily movement outside with your workouts. That makes a difference as well, your steps, (17:58) your daily chores, you're playing with your kids getting outside for fresh air. (18:01) All of those contribute to what we call neat and eit or non exercise activity thermogenesis.

(18:08) You don't need these long cardio sessions, you just need to avoid being still all day, (18:13) sleep and recovery though. That also matters because your hormones reset when you rest (18:18) without this good sleep, your cortisol will rise, your hunger hormones increase, (18:23) your metabolism slows down as a protective response. And stress management is a part of this (18:28) as well.

So when your nervous system is constantly overwhelmed, your body is going to hold energy (18:33) instead of using it. When you put all of these pieces together, your metabolism becomes more (18:37) efficient and adaptable. And this is again, exactly what we work on in both my macro (18:42) academy and simple online Academy, as well as my movement with Julie community.

(18:45) We make the science simple and we apply it to real life. You don't need a magic pill. (18:50) You don't need a cleanse.

You don't need to start over. You just need to create some consistency (18:54) and the direction of strength, nourishment, daily movement, rest, and emotional steadiness. (18:59) Your metabolism is not against you.

It is responding to how you are treating it. (19:04) When you stop overtraining under eating and stressing your body beyond its capacity and (19:10) really start to fuel and train in a way that supports it, everything will begin to shift. (19:15) Your energy will improve, your digestion studies out, your workouts feel better, (19:19) your body responds again.

And that is exactly what I hope that you can get from today's episode. (19:26) Because I really, again, just want to encourage you that your metabolism is not stuck. And here (19:33) are some things that can truly support your metabolism and a sustainable long-term way.

(19:37) Again, strength train regularly because muscle is what is going to keep your metabolism (19:42) active and resilient. I need you to eat enough food, especially protein. (19:46) So your body feels safe.

It feels nourished and is able to build rather than conserve. (19:51) I need you to move gently throughout the day, whether this is walking, housework, (19:55) getting up more often. So your energy system stays engaged outside of your workouts.

(20:00) I need you to prioritize rest and recovery because your hormones and your nervous (20:04) system need that downtime in order to function well. And last but not least, (20:08) I need you to support your stress level so that your body doesn't live in this (20:11) protective survival mode that is slowing everything down. These are not extremes.

(20:17) They're not quick fixes. They're simple habits practiced with patience and consistency. (20:22) And when you approach your metabolism from a place of partnership instead of pressure, (20:27) it will respond.

Your body wants to work with you. Again, when you approach your metabolism (20:33) from a place of partnership instead of pressure, it will respond because your body (20:39) wants to work with you. If you love today's episode, I know you will also love episode 549.

(20:45) Everyone's talking about reverse dieting, but do you actually need one? That is a very great (20:50) comprehensive episode about reverse dieting, which I mentioned in today's episode. And if you're (20:54) listening to today's episode and you're like, okay, I get it now, but actually like I need help (20:59) doing this. This is where my two programs come in.

My movement with Julie community is going to give (21:04) you structured dumbbell only workouts that are going to support your metabolism. They fit into (21:08) your real life, no overtraining, no guessing, just clear workouts with minimal equipment. (21:13) And you have, you know, your 30 minute, your 60 minute, depending on your time constraints, (21:17) all you need is a few pair of dumbbells in a small space.

So I have that program. And then (21:21) if you're ready to learn how to feel your body in a way that supports your energy and your goals, (21:25) this is exactly what we do inside my macro kind of mean simple online academy. It's going to (21:29) take the overwhelm out of eating, and it's going to show you how to nourish yourself and not restrict (21:33) it.

So if this episode encouraged you or gave you clarity in any way, shape, or form, I encourage (21:38) you to send it to a friend. And also, if you are in need of any of these programs, like you need (21:44) help actually doing this, check out both of those programs. The link will be in the show notes below.

(21:48) And also, if you haven't taken a moment to follow this show or leave a rating interview, (21:52) it does really help getting the message out to more women who need it until next time, (21:56) go out there embrace real. I love you so dang much. I mean it.

And I'll talk to you in the (22:00) next one. All right, sister, that's all I got for you today. But I have two things that I need you (22:16) to do.

First thing, if you're not already following me on the ground, be sure to do so (22:21) Julie a lead better. Yes, it's with an A in the middle for that daily post workout, real talk, (22:26) healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second (22:31) thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple podcast to never miss an episode.

Thank you so much for (22:38) joining me. It means the absolute world and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. (22:43) The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident (22:47) and secure in being authentically themselves.

Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than (22:54) the surface. So go out there and embrace your real because you're worth it.

 
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