Tip The Law of Metabolic Individuality Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Diet & Fat LossEating Tip The Law of Metabolic Individuality You are metabolically unique Here' s why that' s important when it comes to diet and fat loss strategies by Dr Jade Teta December 8, 2017April 5, 2021 Tags Dietary Myth Busting, Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements, Tips This should be common sense, yet of the five "laws" of metabolism this is the one that seems to get the most blowback. Basically, it means that each of us are metabolically unique, psychologically varied, and have vast discrepancy in personal preferences. I think it's the "metabolic uniqueness" that bothers some people. Metabolic Uniqueness Sure, we humans share a metabolism that functions, by and large, the same from person to person. The best way to conceptualize this metabolic individuality is to think about appearance. There's no mistaking that the people you interact with daily are human. They almost always have two arms and two legs, they walk upright, and they interact with you in relatively predictable ways. They are completely recognizable as "human," yet at the same time look entirely different. This is the way to think about metabolic individuality. Just as humans vary in their physical appearance, they differ in metabolic function as well. It always amazes me that people argue this point. With the sequencing of the human genome we now know we can fluctuate substantially in how we handle and digest food, whether we're sensitive to bitter compounds, how insulin sensitive or resistant we are, our susceptibility to illness, and more. It's simply ignorant to deny the broad differences in metabolic function from one human to the next. There's nothing at all incompatible with the idea that we each share a vast amount (and the most important aspects of metabolism), but at the same time vary in ways that make a significant difference in our health, fitness, and appearance. Psychology Too This goes for our psychological make up too. Our personalities differ. We have different relationships and coping strategies for stress, hardship, work capacity etc. Some of us are more or less susceptible to addiction. Some people like chocolate and others prefer vanilla. These psychological differences, and the personal preferences of each human, are not just somewhat important, they are HUGE. Imagine a person who loves chocolate being given a dietary regime that never allows for chocolate again? Do you believe they're going to be able to sustain this approach? Of course not! It is the height of ignorance to deny these concepts. We have to respect these individual distinctions in ourselves. If you know that when you eat fat you get bloated, break out with acne, and feel sluggish, then you need to honor that despite what the latest health book says about adding a pound of fat to your coffee. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Eating You Are What You Absorb Simple ways to improve your digestion and subsequently, your overall health and well being. Diet Strategy, Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements John Meadows January 26 Diet & Fat Loss Dairy Dilemma So why an article on dairy? Because the controversy it elicits gets people hotter than Louis Pasteur's Bunsen burners, that's why. In fact, raging debates have broken out many times over the years here among the T-faithful. Just recently TC had to break out the rubber bullets to keep an angry mob of anti-dairy zealots from tearing down the place. Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements Lonnie Lowery, PhD September 6 Diet & Fat Loss Adapting Eating Patterns to Your Body Type When most of us want to make some sort of long-term change to our bodies, we generally look for answers in the medicine cabinet. Diet Strategy, Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements Jeffrey Stout, PhD October 30 Eating Tip Sweet Potato Protein Brownies Mind-blowing brownies that won't blow your diet. Easy recipe here! Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements Gareth Sapstead October 11