Audrey Fleck - Functional Nutritionist

04/15/2026

I saw a post recently—actually twice in one week—from a dentist who has a large following (and whose content I genuinely like when it comes to his area of expertise).

But he was saying to throw out your collagen supplements because your body just “digests it like protein,” so it’s a waste.

And while that statement sounds logical… it’s not the full story.

That’s exactly why I decided to write a blog on collagen this week—because this is one of those topics where the internet is giving you a very black-and-white answer to something that’s actually more nuanced.

Do collagen supplements work? A registered dietitian breaks down the research, benefits, types of collagen, and how to choose the best supplement for your goals.

04/07/2026

This is something I see all the time…
and honestly, something I’ve experienced myself too.

If I’m not intentional with how I’m eating during the day,
I will feel it at night.

You go through your day thinking you did pretty well—
ate “healthy,” didn’t snack much, stayed on track.

And then the evening hits.

Now you’re standing in the kitchen thinking:
“I just ate… why do I want something?”
“What is wrong with me?”

👉 This isn’t a willpower problem.

Most of the time, it’s your body finally catching up from being under-fueled earlier in the day.

And there’s actually a hormonal + circadian rhythm piece to this too…
which is why it keeps happening.

I broke this down simply (and what to do about it) in a new blog post.

→ Read it through the link in my bio or go to my website www.AudreyFleck.com

03/30/2026

You don’t need more discipline.
You don’t need to cut more foods.
You don’t need to try another random supplement.

If your digestion feels off…
that’s a signal.

Because when the gut is inflamed or imbalanced, it doesn’t just stay in the gut.

It can impact how well you break down and absorb nutrients, how your microbiome is functioning, and how your immune system is responding day to day.

That can show up as:

• bloating by the end of the day (often from fermentation or slowed motility)
• constipation or irregularity (impaired motility + signaling)
• gas and discomfort (microbial imbalances)
• feeling inflamed or reactive to foods (gut barrier + immune activation)

And this is where things start to connect.

Chronic gut inflammation can influence insulin sensitivity, stress signaling, and hormone balance — which is why you can be doing “all the right things” for your metabolism and still feel stuck.

So if you’ve been focusing on your metabolism, your hormones, or your weight…
but your digestion still isn’t right…

this is where I would start.

Inside It Starts in the Gut®, we stop guessing and actually look at what’s going on — so you can move forward with a clear, personalized plan.

Registration closes March 31.(that’s tomorrow!)

If this sounds like you, this is your window.

Link in my bio for more info and to register.

(also… my 8-year-old helped me film this one for some B-roll and was embarrassed for me after he saw it 😄)

03/25/2026

I see this all the time.

You order a stool test to assess your microbiome (or get one through a provider)…you’re excited because you finally feel like you’re going to get answers…

Then the results come back.

There’s a long report.

A list of “good” foods, “bad” foods.
A handful of supplement recommendations.
And you’re like…
okay… now what?

Because here’s the problem:
That report?

It’s mostly computer-generated.
It doesn’t know:
– your history
– your stress
– your environment
– your symptoms day to day
– what you’ve already tried
– how your body actually responds

So you end up with a very general, cookie-cutter protocol that looks helpful… but doesn’t actually move the needle.

And when it doesn’t work?
You’re left thinking:
“maybe this test wasn’t helpful”
or
“maybe I just need something else”

But the issue isn’t the test.
It’s that you were never shown how to actually use it.

Because gut healing isn’t:
👉 run a test → follow a list → done

It’s a process. 👩‍🏫
You test → you interpret what actually matters →
you implement → you watch how your body responds →
you adjust → you repeat

That’s where the real progress happens.👀

This is exactly why so many people feel like:
“I’ve done testing… and I’m still stuck”

Because information alone doesn’t fix your gut.
Guidance + personalization + adjustments do.

This is the work we do inside It Starts in the Gut.

Yes, we use testing.
But more importantly —we actually walk through what to do with it and how to adjust along the way. 🎉👭

If you’ve done testing before and felt like it didn’t really help… That’s not a you problem.

You just didn’t have the right support around it.

Link in bio to learn more 🤍
or message me if you’re not sure where to start.

03/23/2026

Most people who reach out to work with me have already tried a lot.

🦠Probiotics.
🥗Diet changes.
💊Supplements.
💩Even testing.

And they’re still dealing with:
• bloating
• constipation or IBS
• food sensitivities
• unpredictable digestion

At that point, it’s easy to feel like:
“What am I missing?” 😩

Here’s the truth.
It’s usually not a lack of effort.

It’s that gut healing isn’t plug-and-play. 😳

What works for one person doesn’t automatically work for another.

And even when you have testing, that’s just information.

A test doesn’t fix your gut. (Read that again)

A plan does. ✅

And not just any plan — one that’s personalized and adjusted as your body responds.✅✅

This is exactly the work we do inside It Starts in the Gut®.

Enrollment for the cohort track is open now and closes March 31.

If you’ve been stuck, there is a reason.

💚 I just wrote a full blog breaking this down step-by-step if this is hitting for you — it’ll help you understand what’s actually going on:

https://audreyfleck.com/why-your-gut-health-isnt-improving/

leakygutsyndrome

03/20/2026

I’m making a matcha latte here, and I actually do like green tea for metabolic health.

One of the active compounds in green tea, EGCG, has been studied for several things including:
🟢supporting fat oxidation
🟢improving insulin sensitivity
🟢influencing estrogen metabolism
🟢antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects

So yes — green tea can absolutely be a helpful tool.

But here’s the part that gets overlooked.

If someone is dealing with ongoing gut issues, those tools often don’t move the needle very much.

Because when the gut environment is off, the body may also be dealing with things like:
❌chronic low-grade inflammation
❌disrupted hunger and fullness signals
❌blood sugar instability
❌poor nutrient absorption

And those things can make metabolism feel like it’s working against you.

So trying to “boost metabolism” with supplements while the gut is struggling can end up feeling like:
trying to silence the smoke alarm while the fire is still burning.

The alarm isn’t the real problem.
The underlying issue is.

This is why in my practice I often investigate gut health first, especially when someone has both digestive symptoms and metabolism concerns.

Because once the gut environment improves, metabolism work often becomes much easier.

This is exactly why I created It Starts in the Gut, a program designed to investigate and address the root causes behind gut symptoms.

If you’ve been dealing with things like:
• bloating
• constipation
• IBS
• food reactions
• weight loss resistance
your gut might be the place to start.

Enrollment for the guided cohort is open now and registration closes March 31.

You can learn more through the link in my profile.
Supplements can support metabolism.

Gut first.
Metabolism second.

03/18/2026

One of the easiest ways to influence metabolism?

Walk after meals.
Not a harder workout.
Not another supplement.

Just a simple SIGNAL to your body.

Your metabolism is constantly responding to signals throughout the day.

When you eat a meal, your blood sugar naturally rises. If you stay completely sedentary, that glucose tends to hang around longer in the bloodstream.

But when you walk, your muscles start using that glucose for energy right away.

That one small action sends a signal that helps:
✔️lower post-meal blood sugar
✔️improve insulin sensitivity
✔️reduce energy crashes later
✔️support metabolic flexibility

In fact, human research has shown that short walks after meals improve blood sugar control more than a longer walk done earlier in the day.

Timing matters.

And the best part is you don’t need to turn it into a workout.

Even 10–15 minutes after lunch or dinner can make a difference.

This is the kind of work we focus on inside the Metabolism Discovery Lab — not chasing hacks, but rebuilding the daily signals that help metabolism start working with you again.

Because metabolism isn’t random.
It’s responsive.
And walking after meals is one of the simplest signals you can send.

Your metabolism is always listening.
The question is: what signals are you sending it?

You can still join the Metabolism Discovery Lab membership! Feel free to comment or DM me if you would like more info. 🙂

03/17/2026

A lot of women come to me feeling frustrated because they can’t lose weight and think it just must be their metabolism.

But once we start talking, they casually mention things like:

“I’m bloated most nights.”

“Sometimes I’m constipated. Sometimes I go too much.”

“I have a lot of gas and thank god my husband doesn’t care.”

“I’m trying to eat more fiber and vegetables, but it seems to make my gut worse.”

And that’s when the conversation shifts.

Because when your gut is struggling, your body is constantly dealing with signals that make everything else harder — including metabolism.

Got gut issues? Then think about this:
❎Chronic low-grade inflammation→ not supportive of a healthy metabolism
❎Blood sugar swings → cravings and appetite chaos
❎Poor nutrient absorption → less fuel for your metabolism
❎Disrupted hunger and fullness signals → making intuitive eating much harder

In that environment, you can eat perfectly and still feel like your body isn’t responding the way it should.

This is why I built It Starts in the Gut®.

Not as another diet or quick fix, but as a structured way to actually investigate what’s happening in your digestive system and address it step by step.

Because once the gut environment improves, a lot of other things start working better too.

The guided cohort is open right now and enrollment closes March 31.🚨

If the group program doesn’t feel like the right fit, I also offer a private intensive option where we do the same work together one-on-one. 👭

You can learn more through the link in my profile, or feel free to comment or DM me if you have questions.

A lot of “metabolism problems” are actually gut problems in disguise.🥸

03/13/2026

If your stomach gets bigger as the day goes on… this is one of the most common gut patterns I see.

You wake up feeling relatively flat.
By the end of the day your stomach feels tight, swollen, and uncomfortable.

It can feel confusing because you might not even feel like you ate that much.

Here’s what’s usually happening.

As you eat throughout the day, your gut bacteria ferment certain parts of the food you eat. That fermentation produces gas, which is normal. But when the microbiome is out of balance, digestion is sluggish, or bacteria are growing in the wrong places, gas production can become excessive. Instead of digestion happening quietly in the background, pressure starts building and your abdomen can visibly expand as the day goes on.

This is why people often notice:
‼️Bloating that worsens later in the day
‼️Feeling or looking “pregnant” by evening
‼️Gas or pressure after meals
‼️Certain healthy foods making things worse

And the frustrating part is that most people are told to just eliminate foods… when the real issue is the gut environment itself.

This is exactly the kind of pattern we investigate inside It Starts in the Gut.

Inside the program we use advanced gut testing, personalized nutrition strategies, and a step-by-step plan to actually understand what’s happening in your digestive system and how to fix it.

Because if your gut is struggling, everything else becomes harder — including energy, hormones, and metabolism.

Enrollment for the guided cohort of It Starts in the Gut is open right now.

👍 Early bird pricing ends tonight
👍 The program begins April 8
👍 We meet monthly as a group + work together one-on-one

If you’ve been dealing with bloating, constipation, IBS, food reactions, or unpredictable digestion… your gut might be the place to start.

You can learn more and register here:
audreyfleck.com
Or follow the link in my profile.

functionalnutrition

03/11/2026

Here’s something I see all the time.

People are trying really hard to improve their health.

They’re buying the supplements.

Trying the products.

Listening to the podcasts.

But the habits that actually drive metabolic health are still chaotic.

Late nights.

High stress.

Alcohol most nights.

Skipping meals.

Blood sugar swings.

Your metabolism responds most strongly to the daily signals you give your body.

Things like:
💤sleep
🍴nutrition patterns
💪muscle mass
✌️stress regulation

Inside the Metabolism Discovery Lab, we focus on those foundations first. (Find more info in the link in my profile)

Because when those are in place, metabolism starts working with you instead of against you.

Metabolism doesn’t change because you bought something.
It changes because you changed something. 🤔

03/09/2026

A theme I see over and over in my practice…

Someone comes to me wanting to fix their metabolism.

They want help with:
🖐️weight loss resistance
🖐️fatigue
🖐️hormones
🖐️blood sugar swings

But when we actually talk about what’s going on in their body, their gut is completely off.

Bloating.

Constipation.

Gas.

Food reactions.

Unpredictable bowel movements.

And here’s the reality…

Inside the Metabolism Discovery Lab, we focus on building metabolism through nutrition, habits, and lifestyle. That work is incredibly effective.

But when gut inflammation or dysbiosis is present, the work becomes much harder.

Because your body is trying to regulate metabolism while the gut is struggling in the background.

Which is exactly why I created It Starts in the Gut®.

​​A 4-month guided gut healing program where we investigate what’s actually happening in your digestive system and build a strategy to address it.

Because sometimes the real first step isn’t fixing metabolism.

It’s fixing digestion.

And honestly… it also just sucks to feel bloated, constipated, gassy, or uncomfortable every day.

Trying to lose weight should never take priority over addressing symptoms like that.

Inside the 4-month It Starts in the Gut® program, we take a deeper look at what’s actually happening in your digestive system.

The program includes:
👍Gut Zoomer stool testing
👍a personalized strategy to address your results
👍monthly 1:1 sessions with me
👍 a monthly group workshop where we go deeper into gut health topics and normalize what so many people are experiencing

+ Additional testing (like SIBO breath testing) can also be added if we identify that it would be helpful.

The next guided cohort begins Wednesday, April 8.
Our group workshops will be held the first Wednesday of each month at 12:30 PM, and all sessions are recorded if you can’t attend live.

‼️I’m currently offering an early bird rate through the end of the day Friday, March 13, and enrollment for this cohort will close March 31.

If your gut has been asking for attention for a while, this might be your time to finally address it.

Click link in my profile to find more info. DM me questions. 🙂

02/28/2026

Another year older and when you really think about it.. it is a gift.🎁

Some years stick out more than others and this was certainly one for the books. It had to be one of the hardest of my life — physically and emotionally.

From the same week I learned I was pregnant with baby #4, my family also got really really hard news about my father. So it was pregnancy nausea, fatigue, dead of winter yuck, with lots of fear and anxiety hoping he would still be here to meet the baby…to celebrate another birthday together. And with pregnancy alone- you just keep hoping everything continues to go well. Sneaky low level worrying is always there until I’m holding that baby in my arms . This pregnancy was the hardest of them all too. A very pregnant achey tired summer. Lots of hip pain and UNrest. I felt like not fun mom. My sparkle felt faded. Then newborn life with three other kids and starting a brand new school year.

It was a lot. Every single month felt heavy in some way.

My birthday always falls in this weird in-between season — the end of winter but not quite spring. Which honestly feels fitting. I usually feel somewhere between surviving and blooming- often every year at this point.

And now, six months postpartum, I finally feel like I’m coming up for air.
Not in a dramatic way.
Like I’m almost done crawling out of the trenches and seeing light again. ✨

I’m sure my hormones are having an effect too. 🙂

I’m also closer to 40… and I can feel that “I don’t give a f***” energy creeping in 😅… in a good way.

Anyway these are my birthday reflections and ramblings and a lot of feels I’ve been holding in until now when I feel like sharing.

I like sharing because I like when other people can share their stuff and I can relate too.

So I’m just happy to be here!

It seems like life will always throw curveballs. There will always be trenches. But I’ve personally found that growth usually happens when you start crawling out and realize you handled more than you thought you could.

I hope I never forget that and that it does work out that way always.

Grateful for another year.
Grateful for my people.

And very ready for spring 🤍 🌷