In this relatable exchange, Peter Defty and Amy Bukszpan dive into the psychological resistance that often blocks our journey toward achieving our goals whether they are performance, health or developing resilience. And the underlying foundation of health whether it is physical, psychological or emotional? . . . a metabolism optimized for fat metabolism.
Amy ‘connects the dots’ on how our behavior drives our personal nutrition choices, unpacking factors which keep us stuck—even when we know what’s good for us.
She explores the classic seatbelt metaphor: at first, nobody wanted to wear them—even though they saved lives. It took that relentless dinging noise to push people to comply. This mirrors our modern health behaviors. We know ultra-processed foods and poor metabolic habits like sedentarianism aren't good for us, but still default to them—until a crisis, like the diagnosis of a chronic disease, bonking, GI issues, or adrenal stress, force a change.
But here's the empowering twist: You don't need a crash to start steering your health in the right direction. Peter and Amy challenge listeners to adopt a behaviorist approach—don’t overhaul your life all at once. Just try one small thing. Order a different drink at Starbucks. Put down your phone for several hours. Get curious about the world and through curiosity you will open yourself up to alternatives..
This clip is a call to embrace tiny wins. These micro-behavioral shifts are the gateway to larger transformations that don't derail your current lifestyle, social life, or joy. What’s more,the OFM program allows you to make doable changes in the context of your life thus making change sustainable.
OFM isn't about restriction; it’s about rediscovering your metabolic potential though small deliberate steps. And, because behavior is intricately tied to metabolism, as you build Metabolic Capacity, so, too, will you build upon the positive behavioral changes that foster achieving your health and performance goals. They are synergistic and go hand in hand.
🧭 Key Takeaways
Cognitive Dissonance is Real: We resist what’s good for us, even with overwhelming evidence. A metabolic profile dependent upon glucose metabolism only affirms our cognitive dissonance when faced with undisputed facts.
Crisis Isn’t Required for Change: Don’t wait until bonking, burnout, GI issues or adrenal stress forces a change in thinking and behavior. As Humans we have the ability to make behavioral changes that foster robust health and performance.
Behavioral Nudges Work: Small, curious actions can catalyze massive lifestyle improvements by allowing us to work through the ‘work’ involved in any meaningful change.
It’s Not All or Nothing: When you build metabolic capacity, you can enjoy the occasional treat or detour. Having robust metabolic health provides the tolerance levels to make life doable.
Curiosity Fuels Progress: Change is about exploring the unknown and creating a new path for yourself thus there is often a ‘fear factor’ which keeps us stuck. Using behavioral psychology we can swap out fear with curiosity so, instead of backtracking we are drawn to change with a childlike wonder instead of fear, guilt and shame.
🎯 Watch the Clip
In this 7-minute clip, Peter and Amy reframe what it means to "start" a health journey—no crash diet or exercise program required. Click play and discover how behavior change can be accessible, enjoyable, and surprisingly simple.
🎥 Watch the full conversation here and start choosing your own “through.”
📌 Conclusion
Change doesn’t have to be radical or overwhelming. As Amy emphasizes, it begins with curiosity and a single behavioral shift—one which breaks the pattern just enough to show you what’s possible to shift your entire health trajectory to the one Nature intended you to be on (OFM). This episode is a gentle nudge toward sustainabel and metabolically empowered living..
If you’re curious to learn more listen to the entire podcast episode with Amy here
For more information on this aspect of OFM we also recommend:
This podcast with Dr. William Sauve on the mind/body connection.
