Metabolic Polyamory: TOO many diets, not enough Direction!
You're Dating Keto, Flirting With Vegan, Sneaking Around With Carnivore, and Still Calling Kit Kat. But Who's Feeding Your Muscle?
By Shawnte “Health” Wells | The Wells of Wellness
Family, we need to talk about your relationship status.
Not the one on Facebook. Not the one your ex keeps checking.
I'm talking about your relationship with FOOD!
Because some of y'all have more dietary relationships going on than a reality dating show!
Monday, you're committed to keto. Tuesday, you're flirting with South Beach. Wednesday, you're entertaining vegan. Thursday, paleo slides into your DMs. Friday, carnivore is promising you the body of your dreams.
And by Saturday evening?
You're lying in bed with a Kit Kat, sneaking around with a brownie, and wondering why your metabolism hasn't proposed!
WELCOME TO METABOLIC POLYAMORY!
Now, before anybody starts clutching their pearls, we're talking about dietary confusion, not judging anybody's personal relationships.
During our October 26 episode of Ruckin' & Buckin' on Breakfast With Champions, G.A. Pimpleton and I opened up a conversation that was hilarious, revealing, and much deeper than the latest diet trend.
What if the problem isn't that you haven't found the perfect diet? What if you're so busy switching partners that you've never learned how to build a healthy relationship with your own body?
That question deserves more than another protein shake and a motivational quote.
Let's get into it!
YOUR METABOLISM IS NOT A DATING APP!
During our Health Upstairs conversation, we asked everyone to think about their dietary exes.
And family, the relationship histories were something else!
Atkins. South Beach. Keto. Vegan. Pescatarian. Intermittent fasting. The lemonade cleanse. The cabbage soup diet. Ten-day juicing.
Somebody even had a Krispy Kreme situation worthy of its own television series!
One participant recalled gaining approximately 50 pounds during a period when she was dating a Krispy Kreme delivery driver.
Now, the relationship itself didn't cause the weight gain, but the story certainly illustrated what can happen when our eating habits change without much intention.
We laughed, but there was a serious lesson sitting underneath that glazed doughnut.
Dietary variety isn't the problem. Dietary inconsistency without direction can be.
There's nothing automatically wrong with keto, vegan, Mediterranean, pescatarian, or other approaches when they're thoughtfully planned for the person following them.
The trouble starts when you jump into a new strategy every few days because somebody on social media swears it changed their life.
You're changing your food rules, changing your grocery list, changing your eating schedule, and possibly changing your nutritional intake before you've even established what was working.
And when your results are inconsistent, you have no idea why.
Family, you don't need another dietary situationship.
You need a nutritional relationship built on intention, nourishment, and consistency!
STOP STARVING THE OX WHILE CHASING THE SCALE!
You already know my philosophy.
Muzzle OFF!
The Scriptures tell us not to muzzle the ox while it is working. And I want you to think about that principle the next time you expect your body to perform while continually depriving it of the nourishment it needs.
You're demanding energy.
You're demanding strength.
You're demanding recovery.
You're demanding better body composition.
But are you feeding the very muscle tissue responsible for helping you move, work, and function?
Too many people become so focused on losing pounds that they forget about preserving the muscle underneath them.
And muscle matters!
Skeletal muscle helps us move, maintain strength, handle physical demands, and take up glucose from the bloodstream. Preserving muscle becomes especially important as we age.
That's why I want you to stop asking only, “How much weight did I lose?”
Start asking, “Am I getting stronger? Am I recovering better? Am I moving with more confidence? Am I protecting the muscle I'm going to need 10, 20, or 30 years from now?”
The scale may tell you what you weigh. It cannot tell the whole story of how well you're living.
LEUCINE: THE AMINO ACID THAT RINGS THE MUSCLE BELL!
Now let's bring some science to this situationship.
During the show, we spent time discussing an essential amino acid called leucine.
And trust me, this is one little nutritional player you don't want to overlook.
Leucine helps activate the cellular signaling involved in muscle protein synthesis.
What in the world does that mean?
Imagine your muscles are a construction site.
Exercise creates a reason for renovation. Dietary protein delivers amino acids, the raw materials needed to repair and build muscle proteins.
Leucine helps ring the bell that signals the construction process.
But here is the important part: Leucine may ring the bell, but it cannot build the entire house by itself!
Your body also needs the other essential amino acids, enough total protein, sufficient nourishment, and an appropriate training stimulus.
This is why taking leucine supplements while neglecting your overall diet isn't a shortcut to strong muscle.
And leucine isn't exclusive to meat eaters.
You can find it in animal foods such as fish, poultry, eggs, and Greek yogurt, as well as plant foods including soybeans, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and lentils. Soy is also a complete protein source that is deabated in some medical circles, due to it's lower methionine content, so keep that in mind if your dietary protocol is to abstain from from fish, poultry or meat.
Whether you're eating vegan, pescatarian, Mediterranean, or something else, the assignment is to make sure your nutritional strategy actually meets your needs.
Don't get so committed to the LABEL that you neglect the NUTRIENTS!
PROTEIN: ARE YOU ACTUALLY FEEDING THE MUSCLE?
Here's where things get personal.
I regularly encourage physically active adults to evaluate how much protein they're consuming instead of assuming they're getting enough.
One practical sports nutrition reference range for many healthy, exercising adults is:
Body weight in pounds × 0.64 to 0.91 = approximate grams of protein per day.
This corresponds to about 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight.
It's a general sports nutrition range, not an automatic prescription for everyone. Your age, activity level, health conditions, body composition, and training goals matter.
For individual meals, approximately 20 to 40 grams of high-quality protein is a useful reference for many exercising adults, although needs vary.
And no, you don't necessarily have to eat six times a day.
Structure your eating pattern in a way that supports your nutritional needs, lifestyle, and training.
Are you most active in the morning?
Does your training happen after work?
Are you someone who needs a simple meal routine that doesn't require carrying seven containers everywhere you go?
Then build a strategy around your actual life!
Because the most impressive nutritional plan in the world won't help you much if you cannot consistently follow it.
And if you're living with diabetes, kidney disease, or another condition that affects nutritional needs, your protein and meal plan should be individualized with qualified healthcare guidance.
That became especially important during our show when a participant raised a thoughtful question about managing Type 2 diabetes during Ramadan.
There was no one-size-fits-all answer, and there shouldn't have been.
Fasting while using insulin or certain diabetes medications can raise the risk of dangerously low blood sugar. Any medication or fasting changes require careful planning with a healthcare professional.
That's why personalized wellness matters. Your body is not somebody else's before-and-after picture!
RUCKING: GIVE YOUR MUSCLE A REASON TO SHOW UP!
Now we're getting to one of my favorite parts.
RUCKIN'!
Because after you've supplied the building materials, you've got to give the body a reason to use them.
Rucking is simply walking while carrying additional weight, usually in a backpack or weighted vest.
When appropriately introduced, loaded walking can increase the physical demands of ordinary walking and challenge your legs, trunk, and cardiovascular system.
And here's what I love about it.
You don't have to turn your life upside down to start moving!
You can begin with ordinary walking. Build your comfort and endurance. When your body is ready, add a light, well-secured load.
You can even incorporate walking into chores, errands, or breaks throughout the day.
Maintain good posture, keep the load manageable, and increase gradually.
Rucking can support physical fitness, but it doesn't replace the value of dedicated resistance training when your goal is building or preserving muscle.
Remember the relationship:
Protein supplies the materials. Exercise stimulates adaptation. Recovery gives your body time to respond.
Don't just put weight on your back and call it a workout.
Put PURPOSE behind your movement!
RUCK IT OR BUCK IT? LET'S PLAY!
Now, you know we couldn't have a Ruckin' & Buckin' episode without a little friendly confrontation!
During the show, we played Ruck It or Buck It, challenging the audience to distinguish productive habits from questionable shortcuts.
Here's a quick version for you.
Changing diets every 48 hours because an influencer promises rapid results?
BUCK IT!
Including quality protein while doing resistance training?
RUCK IT!
Taking leucine pills while consistently eating too little protein?
BUCK IT!
Starting with comfortable walks and gradually progressing toward light rucking?
RUCK IT!
Following a thoughtfully planned vegan diet that meets your nutritional needs?
RUCK IT!
Doubling your backpack weight and walking distance every single session because you want faster results?
BUCK IT!
Family, the goal is not to become an expert at collecting wellness trends.
The goal is to develop the wisdom to recognize what actually serves your health.
THE RECOVERY RELATIONSHIP YOU KEEP NEGLECTING
And before you think this whole conversation is about eating and exercise, let me remind you of something.
Recovery is not optional just because you're busy!
During the show, we discussed three recovery essentials: intentional sleep, intentional hydration, and intentional rest.
Those little things you're tempted to skip often determine whether your wellness routine is sustainable.
You cannot consistently demand more from your body while refusing to create opportunities for recovery.
And yes, this includes examining those nighttime habits.
Are you scrolling long after you intended to sleep?
Are you taking your phone to bed like it's your significant other?
Are you trying to recover from yesterday's workout while volunteering tomorrow's energy to another late-night binge-watch?
Family, even your sleep schedule deserves a faithful relationship!
Set a reasonable bedtime, reduce stimulating screen use before sleep, and build a routine that helps you get consistent rest.
Don't train hard, eat strategically, and then treat recovery like the side piece!
THE SEVEN-DAY MARRIAGE: CAN YOU COMMIT?
Now comes the part where we move from entertaining conversation to personal responsibility.
At the end of the show, I challenged our audience to enter a seven-day marriage with a realistic wellness strategy.
Not seven different diets.
Not seven miracle supplements.
Seven days of intentional commitment to four essentials.
PICK A LANE. Choose one nutritionally adequate eating strategy you can realistically follow. It should satisfy your needs, not just your curiosity.
FEED THE MUSCLE. Plan protein-rich meals or snacks throughout the day. Pay attention to the quality and amount of protein you're actually consuming.
MOVE THE MUSCLE. Include intentional daily movement. Walk, ruck when appropriate, and use short strength-focused movement snacks to challenge your body.
RESPECT THE RECOVERY. Prioritize sleep, hydration, and appropriate rest. Give your body an environment where your efforts can pay off.
Then track one meaningful indicator for the week.
Maybe it's energy.
Maybe it's strength.
Maybe it's how consistently you followed your plan.
Maybe it's how well you recovered.
During the show, participants started making real commitments. Some focused on hydration. Others identified sugar-heavy snack habits they wanted to change. G.A. committed to making use of his hotel's fitness center.
That's where transformation begins.
Not with a dramatic announcement.
Not with a shopping cart full of supplements.
With a decision you can honor again tomorrow.
THE BOTTOM LINE: STOP CHEATING ON YOUR OWN CONSISTENCY!
Family, I'm not here to tell you that keto is evil, vegan is wrong, or brownies are the root of all metabolic problems.
I'm here to challenge the habit of placing more faith in the next eating trend than in the fundamentals your body actually needs.
You don't need to pledge eternal loyalty to a diet name.
You need to understand your nutritional needs, give your muscles adequate support, move with intention, and recover consistently.
Somebody else's success story is not automatically your prescription.
And your next chapter of health won't be built by collecting more dietary exes.
It will be built by learning which habits deserve your commitment.
Stop dating every diet that walks across your timeline. Start building a stronger relationship with your body!
Because consistency compounds.
Movement matters.
Muscle matters.
And the body you want tomorrow deserves better decisions today.
READY TO STOP GUESSING AND START MAKING PROGRESS?
If you're physically active, over 40, and tired of feeling frustrated by your metabolism, movement limitations, or recovery, I invite you to meet me at the Well.
At The Wells of Wellness, I help you move beyond nutritional confusion and develop practical, personalized wellness strategies rooted in science and built for real life.
My 30-minute Metabolic Fall Special is $47, and you may invite one friend or family member to join the session at no additional charge. This limited-time offer is available through November 12, 2026.
Visit www.missw.org to book your session.
And remember:
Don't just lose pounds. Build a body with the strength, capacity, and resilience to support the life you're called to live!
Muzzle OFF! Yield the Heal! Live Long & Strong!
Shawnte “Health” Wells
The Wells of Wellness | Wellness You Can Draw From
Rooted in Faith • Backed by Science • Made for Real Life
#livelongandstrong #YieldTheHeal #MetabolicHealth #MuscleMatters #RuckinAndBuckin
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Educational content only. Individual nutrition, exercise, medication, and fasting plans should account for personal medical circumstances.
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