Part One AMPK Dominance & PNOĒ Metabolism Clues — Are You Stuck in Burn Mode?

Are you great at burning fat—but struggling with recovery, muscle, energy, or stubborn body composition? In this Part 1 episode, Coach Debbie Potts takes you down a deep-dive rabbit hole into AMPK dominance, the "burn mode" many high performers and endurance athletes unknowingly live in. You'll learn how chronic stress, under-fueling, fasting, and excessive endurance training can shift your body into energy conservation instead of rebuilding—and why this becomes even more important in midlife. Debbie breaks down the difference between being a fat burner vs. metabolically flexible, and how PNOĒ metabolism testing reveals key clues at rest (RMR) and during exercise (AMR), including: • Low resting metabolic rate (RMR) and what it really means • Fat-burning dominance vs true metabolic flexibility • Poor high-intensity capacity and "flat" performance • Limited carbohydrate access when you need it most • Signs of chronic AMPK activation and reduced mTOR signaling This episode will help you understand why your body may feel stuck—even when you're doing everything "right"—and why the solution isn't more discipline, but better metabolic signaling and strategy. This is where you stop guessing… and start connecting the clues. 👉 Ready to understand your metabolism and create your personalized FutureYou Blueprint? Schedule your Discovery Call at: www.debbiepotts.net

Deep Dive Rabbit Hole Series The Coach Debbie Potts Show This episode is part of my Deep Dive Rabbit Hole series, where we explore the science behind metabolism, hormones, gut health, mitochondria, and longevity. These episodes go beyond surface-level wellness advice to help you understand the root causes, mechanisms, and connections between systems in the body — so you can take ownership of your health as you age. We discuss how factors like: • metabolism and mitochondrial function • hormone signaling • insulin sensitivity • gut microbiome health • nervous system regulation • inflammation and metabolic flexibility all influence how your body performs and adapts in midlife. My goal is to help you move from Metabolic Chaos → Metabolic Harmony by understanding the signals your body is sending. Want to Personalize Your Health Strategy? Learn more about advanced testing and personalized coaching including: • PNOĒ Metabolic Testing • Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis • GI-MAP Gut Testing • Genetics & Metabolic Blueprint Analysis Visit: 👉 www.debbiepotts.net You can schedule a Discovery Call to begin creating your personalized FutureYou Blueprint™. If you enjoy these Deep Dive Rabbit Hole episodes, please: • Subscribe to the podcast • Leave a review • Share with a friend who wants to optimize their health from the inside out

What if your metabolism isn't broken—but your body's communication system is? In this multi-part deep dive, Debbie Potts—Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, Metabolic Health Coach, and host of The Coach Debbie Potts Show—explores why so many high-performing individuals feel stuck despite doing everything "right." This series goes beyond calories, workouts, and surface-level hormone advice. Instead, it uncovers the deeper physiology of metabolic health by focusing on how the body functions as an integrated system of signals. Your metabolism is not just about food or exercise. It is about communication between your cells, hormones, gut, brain, and nervous system. When that communication becomes disrupted, the body adapts in ways that feel like dysfunction—fatigue, weight gain, hormone imbalance, and poor recovery. Debbie calls this state "Metabolic Chaos." In this series, you will learn how to shift from metabolic chaos to metabolic harmony by understanding and restoring the key signals that drive energy, fat metabolism, and resilience as you age. In this series, you will learn: What metabolic dysfunction really is—and why it often shows up in midlife How hormones, mitochondria, muscle, and the nervous system are interconnected Why cell membrane health and receptor sensitivity determine whether your body responds to signals The role of gut health in fat metabolism, inflammation, and energy production How chronic stress, overtraining, and under-recovery disrupt metabolic signaling Why traditional approaches stop working after 40 This series also introduces Debbie's "test, not guess" approach to health optimization. Rather than relying on generic protocols, she uses functional lab testing and metabolic analysis to identify where your system is breaking down. You will learn how tools such as functional blood chemistry, DUTCH hormone testing, GI-MAP stool analysis, 3x4 genetics, PNOĒ metabolic testing, and mitochondrial markers can provide insight into your body's internal communication system. At the core of this series are the nine key signals that restore metabolic harmony, including blood sugar stability, cell membrane health, mitochondrial function, hormone signaling, gut microbiome communication, oxygen utilization, inflammation control, detoxification pathways, and recovery. After age 40, the body becomes more sensitive to disruptions in these systems. When signals are out of alignment, fat loss becomes more difficult, muscle is harder to maintain, energy becomes inconsistent, and hormones feel imbalanced. The goal is not to fight your body, but to understand how it works. Debbie's core message is simple: you do not fix metabolism by working harder—you fix it by improving how your body communicates. If you are listening and recognizing that something feels off despite your best efforts, the next step is not more guessing. It is gaining clarity. To learn more or schedule a FutureYou Blueprint Discovery Call, visit: www.debbiepotts.net Your body is not broken. It is adapting to the signals it is receiving. When you change the signals, you change your future.

Deep Dive Rabbit Hole Series The Coach Debbie Potts Show This episode is part of my Deep Dive Rabbit Hole series, where we explore the science behind metabolism, hormones, gut health, mitochondria, and longevity. These episodes go beyond surface-level wellness advice to help you understand the root causes, mechanisms, and connections between systems in the body — so you can take ownership of your health as you age. We discuss how factors like: • metabolism and mitochondrial function • hormone signaling • insulin sensitivity • gut microbiome health • nervous system regulation • inflammation and metabolic flexibility all influence how your body performs and adapts in midlife. My goal is to help you move from Metabolic Chaos → Metabolic Harmony by understanding the signals your body is sending. Want to Personalize Your Health Strategy? Learn more about advanced testing and personalized coaching including: • PNOĒ Metabolic Testing • Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis • GI-MAP Gut Testing • Genetics & Metabolic Blueprint Analysis Visit: 👉 www.debbiepotts.net You can schedule a Discovery Call to begin creating your personalized FutureYou Blueprint™. If you enjoy these Deep Dive Rabbit Hole episodes, please: • Subscribe to the podcast • Leave a review • Share with a friend who wants to optimize their health from the inside out

What if your endurance journey didn't start in your teens… but in your late 40s? In this episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, I sit down with Hilary Topper, who began endurance training at 48, started training for triathlons at 53, and built her "why" around one simple mission: to become the best version of herself. Hilary shares the real behind-the-scenes of starting "later," learning new skills from scratch, and building the discipline to show up—especially when it means a 4:00 AM alarm and doing hard things before most people are awake. We also celebrate Hilary's newest project: her recently launched fourth book, Unlocking the Triathlon: The Beginner's Guide to Competing in a Triathlon—Anyone Can Tri, published by Meyer & Meyer Sport. In this episode, you'll hear: Why Hilary started endurance training later in life—and what changed everything for her Whether she was an athlete earlier in life (and how that shaped her comeback story) How hard it was to learn how to swim (and what helped her finally "get it") How 4:00 AM became a habit—without relying on motivation What it really takes to build consistency, confidence, and identity as a triathlete—at any age Connect with Hilary Instagram: @hilarytopper Website: ATriathletesDiary.com

If you're over 40 and doing "everything right" — eating clean, lifting weights, prioritizing sleep — but your metabolism feels slower, hunger feels stronger, and fat loss feels harder… This episode explains why. In this deep-dive rabbit hole, Coach Debbie Potts uncovers the powerful (and often overlooked) connection between bile flow, mitochondrial efficiency, GLP-1 signaling, hormones, and midlife metabolism. Bile acids are not just digestive fluids. They are metabolic signaling molecules that regulate: • GLP-1 and PYY (satiety hormones) • Insulin sensitivity • Fat oxidation • Thyroid receptor expression • Estrogen clearance (the estrobolome) • Microbiome balance • Inflammatory tone • Toxin elimination You'll learn how midlife hormonal shifts — including declining estrogen and testosterone — affect mitochondrial ATP production, bile synthesis, and receptor signaling. When bile signaling weakens, GLP-1 drops, hunger rises, insulin resistance increases, fat oxidation declines, inflammation builds, and metabolism adapts downward. This isn't a willpower problem. It's a signaling problem. High performers often feel this shift first because chronic stress suppresses digestion, weakens vagal tone, reduces stomach acid, impairs gallbladder contraction, and disrupts bile release. In this episode, Debbie connects the dots and explains the midlife cascade: Hormone shift → Mitochondrial decline → Bile signaling weakens → GLP-1 drops → Insulin resistance rises → Fat oxidation slows → Inflammation increases → Thyroid sensitivity declines → Metabolic rate adapts downward. You'll also learn why GLP-1 medications are exploding in popularity — and why restoring upstream physiology may be the more sustainable path. Instead of pushing harder, we sequence smarter. When flow restores, metabolism follows. 👉 Learn more at www.debbiepotts.net Aging is inevitable. Struggling is optional. Educational only. Partner with a qualified practitioner—especially if you're on medications, have gallbladder disease, significant anemia, active IBD, are pregnant, or have complex conditions.  

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "2c036105-b278-47cc-93ab-5734ed376450" data-testid= "conversation-turn-6" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> In this episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, Debbie is joined by Shivani Gupta—Ayurvedic practitioner, turmeric researcher, and author of The Inflammation Code. We explore how Ayurveda can be used as a preventive, modern lifestyle tool to calm chronic inflammation, balance hormones, and restore energy—without restrictive dieting. Dr. Shivani shares what led her to Ayurveda, why turmeric became central to her work, and the key pillars from her new book, including Mental Inflammation™, gut and estrobolome support, and simple daily rituals that actually stick. This conversation is especially powerful for midlife, high-performing women dealing with brain fog, bloat, fatigue, poor sleep, and hormone chaos—who want root-cause solutions that work in real life. 🔗 Learn more: www.theinflammationcode.com www.shivanigupta.com Website 🌐 https://www.shivanigupta.com Book 📘 The Inflammation Code: https://www.theinflammationcode.com Free Resources 🔥 7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge: https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/optin1641313075014 🥗 Anti-Inflammatory E-Cookbook: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ItNJ1DV3XsOn5MwBbSpeTFH8o3KFu2qk/view Social Media 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/dr.shivanigupta 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshivanigupta ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.shivanigupta 📌 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/theshivanigupta    

In this deep dive rabbit hole episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, we unpack the science behind cardiovascular health- and why it matters for high performers, endurance athletes, and driven midlife men and women who want to age strong — not slower. This isn't surface-level wellness advice. You'll learn how Cardiovascular health impacts: ✔ Metabolism ✔ Hormones ✔ Muscle & Mitochondria ✔ Brain & Nervous System ✔ Gut Health ✔ Insulin Sensitivity ✔ Inflammation & Longevity And most importantly — how to connect this to your own FutureYou Blueprint™ using a "Test, Not Guess" approach. If you've been doing all the "right" things but still feel stuck with fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, muscle loss, or metabolic chaos — this episode is for you. This is about understanding your terrain. This is about building resilience. This is about restoring metabolic harmony from the inside out. 🔬 In This Episode We Discuss: • What is really happening under the surface • Clues and correlations to watch for • Upstream vs downstream dysfunction • Why middle age physiology changes the game • Practical strategies to course-correct 📊 Ready to Personalize Your Plan? Learn more about: • PNOĒ Metabolic Testing • Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis • 3x4 Genetics • GI-MAP Gut Testing • The FutureYou Blueprint™ Coaching Visit: www.debbiepotts.net If this episode helped you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Because life is not a race… It's about building your strongest, most resilient Future You.

What if inflammation isn't something to "fight"… but a signal your nervous system can't turn off? In this powerful conversation, I'm joined by Kevin J. Tracey, MD — President and CEO of The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and a global leader in neuroimmunology and bioelectronic medicine. Dr. Tracey is best known for discovering the inflammatory reflex — the neural circuit through which the vagus nerve actively regulates the immune system. His work changed how we understand inflammation, chronic disease, recovery, and healing itself. And for high-performing, driven, midlife athletes and professionals… this science explains why so many people are stuck. In this episode, we connect Dr. Tracey's groundbreaking research directly into my FLOW Foundation™ framework: 🧠 Free the Nervous System → Lymph & Fascia → Oxygen & Mitochondria → Waste, Bile & Hormone Clearance Because healing doesn't start with supplements, hormones, or harder training. It starts with safety. In this episode, we explore: Why chronic stress keeps the immune system switched "ON" How the vagus nerve senses inflammation — and tells the body when to shut it down Why sympathetic dominance blocks digestion, bile flow, blood sugar stability, and hormone signaling How inflammation becomes chronic when neural regulation is impaired The link between vagal tone, lymphatic flow, oxygen delivery, and waste removal Why many high performers feel wired-and-tired, inflamed, reactive, and stuck despite "doing everything right" How modern medicine is using bioelectronic signals — not drugs — to restore immune balance Kevin J. Tracey, MD President and CEO, The Feinstein (Fine-steen) Institutes for Medical Research (Manhasset, NY) Neurosurgeon | Neuroimmunologist | Pioneer of Bioelectronic Medicine Author of the bestselling book: 📘 The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness Its Healing Reflexes Dr. Tracey's discoveries revealed that the nervous system directly controls immune function through neural circuits — reshaping medicine's understanding of inflammation and opening the door to bioelectronic therapies that regulate disease at its source. Relevant Links The Great Nerve (Amazon): https://a.co/d/7UbRR6C Feinstein Institutes Website: https://feinstein.northwell.edu/ Dr. Tracey's Research Profile: https://feinstein.northwell.edu/institutes-researchers/our-researchers/kevin-j-tracey-md Center for Bioelectronic Medicine: https://www.northwell.edu/center-for-bioelectronic-medicine Social Personal Twitter/X: https://x.com/KevinJTraceyMD Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinjtraceymd/ Feinstein Institutes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-feinstein-institutes-for-medical-research Northwell Health: @northwellhealth (Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter