OFM - Why Metabolic Health Matters

After more than a decade of competing at the highest level of ultra-endurance racing, Jeff Browning continues to refine one of the most important aspects of performance—how he fuels.

In this episode of the OFM Podcast, Peter Defty sits down with Jeff to discuss how his nutrition strategy has evolved over 10 years of using the OFM (Optimized Fat Metabolism) approach. Fresh off the Cocodona 250 and preparing for the Western States Endurance Run, Jeff shares the lessons he's learned from years of racing, testing, and adapting his fueling strategy.

Together, they explore why endurance nutrition doesn't have to be a choice between high-carbohydrate fueling and strict ketogenic diets. Instead, they explain how strategic carbohydrate use, metabolic flexibility, and individualized nutrition can help athletes improve performance, reduce gastrointestinal distress, and support long-term metabolic health.

The conversation also dives into emerging topics such as protein intake during ultra-distance events, hydration and electrolyte strategies, gut health, and why supporting recovery may be just as important as fueling the race itself.

Whether you're training for your first marathon, preparing for a 100- or 200-mile ultramarathon, or simply looking to better understand endurance nutrition, this episode offers practical insights backed by more than a decade of real-world experience.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why OFM is not a ketogenic diet

• How strategic carbohydrates can support endurance performance

• What Jeff learned after racing the Cocodona 250

• The role of protein during races lasting longer than 10 hours

• How gut health influences performance and recovery

• Practical hydration and electrolyte strategies

• Why metabolic flexibility may outperform nutrition extremes

If you're looking for a smarter, more sustainable approach to endurance fueling, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can apply to your own training and racing.

 

Show Notes and link to the video here: https://ofm.io/jeff-browning-on-10-years-of-ofm-what-every-endurance-athlete-should-know/

Most women are told their hormones are the problem.

But what if that’s only part of the story?

In this conversation, we dive into how metabolism, stress, and lifestyle are actually driving hormonal imbalances—and why quick fixes often fall short.

If you’ve been dealing with fatigue, stubborn weight, or feeling “off,” this might change how you see your health.

Join host Peter Defty for an inspiring conversation with elite OFM athletes Bree Lambert-Sanders and Joe Sanders, two masters-level competitors proving that peak endurance performance doesn’t end at 40—or 50. Bree shares her breakthrough season, including top finishes at UTMB-CCC and Kodiak 100K, while Joe brings decades of competitive insight and the science-backed wisdom of fat-based fueling. This episode dives into metabolic efficiency, stress, recovery, longevity, and how Vespa + OFM help athletes perform at their best at any age. A must-listen for ultrarunners, triathletes, and anyone curious about optimizing human performance.

What happens when elite endurance meets smart fueling? In this episode, ultrarunner Scott Jenkins and his wife and crew chief Abby Jenkins join Peter Defty to share the story behind Scott’s breakthrough performance at the Arizona Monster 300—a 300-mile race that became a personal best, thanks to Vespa and fat-adaptation.

Abby gives a candid look at the emotional and logistical demands of crewing ultra-distance events, from managing nutrition meltdowns to dealing with hallucinations in the desert. But everything changed when Scott began using Vespa, resulting in stable energy, better mental clarity, and smoother aid station stops.

🎧 Inside this episode:

• How Vespa helped Scott overcome nausea and maintain pace

• The crewing perspective: emotional toll, strategy, and success

• Sleep, mindset, and the key to a personal best at mile 205

• Supplement hacks for energy and recovery (CoQ10, Vitamin D, Ketones)

• Why OFM isn’t just about carbs—it’s about smart metabolic flexibility

Whether you’re racing ultras or crewing someone who does, this conversation delivers insight, humor, and real-world takeaways you can use right away.

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Peter Defty and Andrea Moore get together to discuss shattering boundaries in human health & performance. In early May Andrea completed the Cocodona 250, while a month  earlier she completed the inaugural edition of the Arizona Monster 300. Completing both became known as “Monsterdona” with only 6-7 athletes able to complete both of these grueling trail ultras. But the adventure does not end there. As this podcasts drops for public consumption Andrea is finishing up the Tahoe 200 and has plans for another 5 200+ mile trail ultras this season.

In Episode #77 of the OFM podcast, Peter Defty welcomes Dr. Amy Bukszpan, a behavioral analyst and endurance coach, to explore how applied behavioral science can empower athletes to take control of their nutrition, performance, and daily decisions. From breaking carb addictions to reframing failure, they dive into how modifying environmental variables and cultivating curiosity over fear can dramatically improve outcomes both in and outside of competitions. This conversation bridges cutting-edge metabolic performance with real-world psychology for anyone ready to take their performance—and life—to the next level.

OFM Podcast Host, Peter Defty sits down with Dr. Johnathan Edwards MD for an in depth and candid conversation on the underlying reality of sports nutrition. With the current hype surrounding high carbohydrate diets and fueling regimens which are dominating the conversation in sports nutrition this is a conversation every athlete needs to listen to inform their journey so they can achieve “Higher Health & Peak Performance”.

Watch the video: Watch the video

 

Colin’s powerful transformation from an unhealthy lifestyle to becoming an elite age-group triathlete (all while balancing a demanding career, coaching, and family) underscore the importance of performance level metabolic health. 

OFM confers metabolic efficiency by building metabolic capacity. Combined with strategic carbohydrate fueling, Colin has unlocked winning performance without compromising health and longevity. 

His journey proves that endurance success isn’t predicated upon high-carb fueling—it's about optimizing fat metabolism to establish a robust metabolic foundation then building upon it with strategic nutrition choices. Whether you're a competitive athlete or simply looking to improve your performance, Colin's insights provide a game-changing perspective on fueling for performance and lifelong health.

 

Main Themes

Holistic Health and Performance

• Host, Peter Defty and Guest, Phil Maffetone discuss developing a holistic approach to health and fitness.
• The impact of refined carbohydrates on body fat, athletic performance, and overall health.

Challenging Conventional Wisdom

• Examining the myths of high-carb fueling and calorie-based diets.
• The negative consequences of corporate influence on health and sports nutrition.

Individualized Health Metrics

• Importance of understanding "N=1" (individual data points) in health and training.
• Utilizing biomarkers like Vitamin D, fasting insulin, triglycerides, and waist-to-height ratio to assess health.
• Learning to tune into ‘the experience’ in conjunction to the biomarkers and metrics

The Power of the Aerobic System

• How building a robust aerobic base enhances fat-burning, endurance, and recovery.
• The risks of over-reliance on sugar for athletic performance.

Societal Impacts on Health and Creativity

• The role of modern diets in declining physical and brain health.
• A parallel between diminishing musical creativity and societal health trends.

Key Takeaways

• Avoid junk food and focus on real, nutrient-dense foods to reset metabolic health.
• If you are addicted to carbohydrates, metabolically resetting then adapting to build metabolic capacity. 
• If you are not sure trying the "two-week test" to identify carbohydrate intolerance.
• Optimize training through methods like the MAF test to improve fat-burning and aerobic efficiency.
• Cultivate intuition in fitness and health decisions, using data as a guide rather than a crutch.
• Peter ‘connects the dots’ regarding the confluence of events that led to the high carb, low fat dietary recommendations which led to the current health and chronic disease modern society is plagued with.

Memorable Quotes

• “Don’t sacrifice health for fitness—you can have both.” – Phil Maffetone
• “Take back your individuality; your N=1 matters in health and performance.” – Peter Defty
• “The brain thrives on steady energy.” – Phil Maffetone
• “Modern Technology is ‘pinging’ primitive ‘fight or flight’ hardwiring on a chronic basis” – Peter Defty

Conclusion

Phil Maffetone and Peter Defty provide a masterclass in optimizing health and performance by reconnecting with our evolutionary biology by challenging the myths propagated by modern corporate interests. 

Both emphasize the importance of

• Individuality in health metrics 
• The transformative power gained through optimizing fat metabolism 
• The risks of a carbohydrate-heavy diet. This thought-provoking discussion serves as a guide to reclaiming both personal health and a sense of balance in today's fast-paced, sugar-fueled world.
• Self reliance on our own agency to take back our health.

 

Episode Summary
In this episode of the OFM Podcast, Peter Defty, Tony Konvalin, and John Rutherford discuss a variety of topics related to OFM and Human Performance in the context of John’s recent EPIC accomplishment of finishing 10th overall at the Badlands 800 Kilometer gravel bike in the Andalusian Deserts of Spain. This event has taken on legendary status in just a few short years  attracting the best gravel cyclists from across the globe to challenge themselves against the terrain and elements as well as each other. 

John shares his incredible experiences as an elite cyclist, Marine Corps F-18 fighter pilot, ultrarunner, IronMan Triathlete then coming back full circle to his first love of cycling culminating most recently with Badlands. 

John was an early, early adopter of OFM beginning in 2010 by first using VESPA. Like so many people pursuing endurance sports John was suffering from GI issues and bonking. While VESPA made a huge difference in John’s fueling, his full adoption of OFM in the fall of 2010 has had profound long term benefits which are part of the conversation. 

Key Highlights:

1. John Rutherford’s Journey

• John ‘chased the dream’ of being a professional cyclist following the conventional high carb diet & fueling recommended at the time which resulted in ever increasing swings in both energy and weight which impacted his ability to perform consistently. 
• Recognizing the costs associated with pursuing a career in Pro Cycling were not worth the benefits, John punched out of the USA Cycling Development Team and went to school and graduated from UC Davis then immediately into the Marine Corps to become an F-18 Pilot with multiple combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. During this time John’s ‘sports’ were confined to basic PT onboard an aircraft carrier or base.
• While in the Marine Corps as an F-18 pilot John was nominated and selected to become the White House Liaison to the Secretary of the Navy which seeded the bug to become a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. It was at this point John took up endurance running which transformed into ultrarunning.
• After going all in on OFM John had several successful 100 milers before transitioning to competing in Half and Full IronMan triathlons including qualifying for and competing at the Kona IronMan World Championships. While posted in Belgrade, Serbia for the State Department during COVID John’s rekindled his love for cycling. 
• His selection as the foreign service officer to NATO in Brussels, Belgium has further fuelled the cycling bug, especially gravel racing. Though he continues to run regularly for cross training, his focus since COVID has been on ultracycling events including winning the Liege-Chimay-Liege 500 Kilometer Road Cycling Event overall beating the 2nd place finishers (a 2 person Team) by over 2 hours.   .

The Badlands Experience

• A firsthand account of tackling the infamous Badlands 800k race, including its brutal terrain, lack of support, unrelenting heat,  grueling climbs and treacherous descents…..all of this balanced by the incredible beauty, resilience, camaraderie and, ultimately, the triumph of a top ten finish.
• How John secured a top-10 finish despite zero recon or training on course, gravel specific conditioning challenges, and competing against highly prepared, supported athletes.

Metabolic Efficiency/Flexibility and OFM

• The benefits of OFM: reduced calorie intake, performance, endurance, mental clarity/focus/executive function and avoiding the “gut bombs” of traditional fueling.
• John’s experience as the top fat-burner in the FASTER study and how he sustains long efforts with minimal carbs yet uses them when he needs to.
• John articulates how easy the dietary aspects of  OFM are in terms of daily life due to his experience on both ends of the spectrum. Prior to VESPA and OFM, John was High Carb/Low Fat/Low Protein and after finding OFM and the publication of “The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance”, John moved to a more Keto level of carbohydrate restriction for a few years before starting to re-introduce carbohydrates back into his diet and fueling per OFM’s “Strategic Carbohydrates” protocols.

 

1. Lessons Learned and Future Goals

• The importance of VESPA and strategic carb use for high-intensity efforts. 
• The importance of event specific training, including training with gear and conditions mimicking the event one is training for.
• Balancing a demanding career with a family and ultra-endurance sports.

Discussion Topics:

• Adapting a low-carb diet for endurance sports.
• Fueling strategies for ultras: water, salt, Vespa, and strategic carbs.
• Wisdom and self-awareness gained from years of racing.
• The role of OFM in high-level performance and Metabolic Efficiency/Flexibility.

Closing Musings:

This episode showcases the transformative power of OFM for endurance athletes over the long term. John Rutherford’s journey . . . 

• High Carb Pro Cyclist
• F-18 fighter pilot 
• 100 Mile Ultras (where he found VESPA & OFM) 
• Kona IronMan 
• Winning the prestigious 500K Liege-Chimay-Liege Road Race
• 10th place Badlands 800K 

. . . highlights how OFM supports a person to consistently show up and be the best version of themselves no matter what the challenges of ultra-endurance events, including Life! Remember, along with being the Foreign Service Officer for the US Department of State assigned to NATO (John reports directly to the US Ambassador to NATO &  he is fluent in Russian), John has a wife and two boys. 

Hopefully John’s long term OFM journey will inspire you to reassess whether the conventional wisdom of high carb dieting and fueling (which is, essentially, “too much sugar”) and whether it really makes sense while exploring how the OFM program and protocols offer a roadmap back to your native physiology and in alignment with our evolutionary heritage. 

Doesn’t matter whether you're an elite athlete, age grouper or simply looking to be the best version of yourself in all aspects of life, John’s journey there are nuggets to glean for everyone including how to enjoy the ride, because, remember, whether you know it or not we are all signed up for that ultra-endurance event called Life!