How We Got the Science of Weight Loss Wrong - with Giles Yeo

All of the calorie counts you see on food today are wrong. Obesity researcher Giles Yeo shows why calories are not created equal.
Giles' newest book "Why Calories Don't Count" is available now: geni.us/rjch7M
Watch the Q&A: • Q&A: How We Got the S...
Giles Yeo explores what your environment has to do with your bodyweight, the science behind why popular diets succeed, at least in the short term, and why they ultimately fail.
Dr Giles Yeo is a geneticist with over 20 years’ experience dedicated to researching the genetics of obesity. He obtained his PhD from the University of Cambridge and assisted the ground-breaking research that uncovered key pathways in how the brain controls food intake.
His current research focuses on understanding how these pathways differ from person to person, and the influence of genetics in our relationship with food and eating habits.
He is based at MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, where he is Principal Research Associate, and is a fellow and graduate tutor at Wolfson College. Giles also moonlights as a science presenter for the BBC. He lives in Cambridge with his family.
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[@theouthousepoet]

I just wanted to offer a small (and insignificant) voice in defense [of some] doctors, as mine recommended Giles Yeo’s book (and The Obesity Code) when I asked her about nutrition. - she said the short answer to diet was “low carbs unless they are high in fiber” - went on to say the body is incredibly complex and that if I wanted to learn more I should read the aforementioned books - acknowledged that she was a GP and not a nutritionist - said that if I wanted the right answers, they wouldn’t be quick or easy Honestly she has been an absolute angel since she entered my life. She got me off the vast majority of medication I was on, did extensive tests to figure out what was going on with my crazy body, and forwarded me - and encouraged me to - research while I was waiting to see a neurologist. I am so incredibly fortunate. I am horrified at the amount of “pill pusher” stories I hear from most folks.

[@matthewhook3375]

You really lucked out with your GP! I succumbed to obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in 2022 and in my experience everyone in my local practice just doles out pills to manage the symptoms. I was eventually offered a round of 6 appointments with a health coach, who has educated me properly and set me on the path to recovery. 4 appointments in and they sacked him, the only person in the building actually looking "upstream" and trying to fix the root causes of poor health 🤦‍♂

[@mottizaslow9924]

He was the most boring speakers I've listened to years. He managed to take a fascinating subject and put me to sleep by listening to him

[@fredhughes4115]

"How We Got the Science of Weight Loss Wrong", "Why Calories don't count" ... OK, I figured, this is gonna be some sort of garbage, click-baity, scientology-like, Internet-worthy BS. But I couldn't resist checking out what turned out to be the most interesting and informative lecture on nutrition that I've ever heard. Well done sir.

[@iTradeAIMS]

This is the Royal Institution. The Mecca of Facts. The home of Science. The Africa of knowledge.

[@Photologistic]

You had cognitive dissonance because you’ve been outright lied to by most every drug prescriber and the media who cater to their ad revenue (Doctors don’t study health, rather how to operate after the damage is done, or prescribe for big pharma). Excess Carbohydrate clearly cause weight gain and together with industrial seed oils cause a whole slew of maladies from cancer to heart disease to diabetes. Medicine needs to revisit the teaching of Hippocrates (which they ignore after taking their oath).

[@iTradeAIMS]

@@Photologistic I will be very surprised if you're NOT from the USA.

[@MrCmon113]

It is click-baity garbage. He doesn't even try to defend his thesis. Rather he just assumes that calories are all that counts throughout.

[@MrCmon113]

@@Photologistic Wrong. No matter how much carbohydrates you take in: If your energy balance is negative you cannot gain weight. On the other hand you will gain weight if your calory balance is positive, even if you only eat the necessary ammount of sugars.

[@BankruptMonkey]

This is the most forgiving lesson on unhealthy foods in regards to people with little money I've ever seen. I love the emphasis on making the healthiest choices you CAN make instead of beating yourself up if you can't afford the cost/lost work time of perfect food.

[@fruz1378]

@Surb Singh Burgers are not junk food per se, mcdonalds' menus however .... ( it could have been another chain ). But there is a golden rule about pretty much everything that is not mentionned here ( implied though ) : anything can be bad if not taken/used moderatly. Eating at mcdonalds is not a problem unless you do it every other day and it has like .... a L size soda ( hello sugar ) in it. I don't think he mentioned the harm of people drinking too much coke and other very high carbs sodas too, I think maybe don't realize how harmful those are when consummed in large quantities.

[@satoshinakamoto7253]

Kinobody

[@antoniobento2105]

@@fruz1378 He mentioned you shouldnt eat more than 5% added sugars, so I think he covored that

[@fruz1378]

@@antoniobento2105 "added sugars" mean nothing. Sugars mean something. I said that it was kind of implied but not explicitely said, added sugar are just one thing ultimately.

[@antoniobento2105]

@@fruz1378 He says added, or free because he is not refering to the sugars that are present in fruits, like frutose.

[@Adam-ui3yn]

Some lifestyle changes to your eating that require minimal will power that I found helpful from experience ! 1. Eat as much as you want in terms of protein and veggies 2. If you're craving something sweet, you must eat a fruit first then maybe wait 10 minutes. Usually the craving goes away, and if not you can still have your sweet but at least now your craving will have subsided a little bit so you'll eat less. 3. Easier to practice self control once at the grocery store by not buying junk food, then it is to have junk food in the house and practice self control every time you walk by the kitchen. 4. Limit eating sweets to one time a day, I usually save this for nighttime when my cravings are their strongest. It's much easier to over eat sweets if you have than multiple times in a day than it is having as much as you want in only a single time frame. 5. If you're craving snacks have a large glass of water first, you'll naturally want to eat less of them. 6. Stay active, and engaged in something. We're constantly looking for stimulation since we're conditioned to have it non-stop. If we have nothing to occupy us we turn to food even if we're not necessarily hungry. 7. Always have lots of meal prep ready ! When I come home from work and I'm super hungry the last thing I feel like doing is preparing food for an hour. It makes it SO much harder to not just pick up fast food on the way home. The less obstacles you put to eating healthy the likelier you are to stick to it !

[@thalesnemo2841]

Factually wrong! Just skip all the CARBOHYDRATES! Modern fruits are just toxic tree candies! Plants are full of toxins and anti nutrients such as lectins, phytates and oxalates! Eat fatty animal sourced foods not too often !

[@ChibiOlia]

I made screenshots of your reply and added them to my review software. Cause this is very valuable and clear. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge

[@louisbarbisan8471]

At 73, I sometimes don't understand most of the physic, but the way you explained what Calories are, and anyone can understand by watching and listening to you. Many thank to you, Giles Yeo.

[@adaynasmile]

I grew up in the United States as a person who was food-insecure. I still have habits from that childhood and the fear of not having food. It has been so hard to change my thinking, and I have health issues that come from about 27 years of living without much security in food and choosing unhealthy food because it was what I could afford, and what was readily available. Thank you for this presentation.

[@timdoherty101]

That “food insecurity” is a thing in a society as rich as the US is inexcusable.

[@SailorYuki]

@@timdoherty101 That's an issue for all wealthy societies. It's insane that people, especially children have to go hungry.

[@SailorYuki]

I grew up in a household where we didn't have much money but mom always made sure we had at least something to eat, even if it was just eggs. I'm not food insecure as such anymore since we do have food, and plenty of it, it's just with my food allergies, I can't eat much of anything. Meaning, I'm basically intermittent fasting whether I like it or not.

[@timdoherty101]

@@SailorYuki It is much less of an issue in the European social democracies and the British ex-dominions which don’t share the Horatio Alger mythology and extreme individualism of the US.

[@SailorYuki]

@@timdoherty101 I'm aware of the social situation in the US. But there are other countries, even within the ones you mentioned where children are practically left to fend for them selves. I'm involved in a charity group where the need for food has risen exponentially. So many families that go without food or money for food even if they live in a wealthy "leftist" country. I grew up in poverty, and practical homelessness. Sure it wasn't as bad as it is in the States, but this isn't a competition. Not having stability when it comes to food or even a roof over your head affects people, regardless of where they grew up. Even to this day I skip meals just so there's enough for my son to eat at least something. My allergies prevent me from eating pre made or highly processed foods and I therefore need to get all ingredients from scratch. Which is very expensive if you have food allergies. So no food for me.

[@alaindeturing62]

Good job keeping the energy high through-out the talk, kept me engaged

[@3588mb]

Calories

[@panchoverde5078]

Who considers processed food as food?

[@ehhhhhhhhhh]

I have to agree with another commenter: the title of the book is misleading. It seems to imply that CICO is wrong, or that a dieter shouldn't care about CICO. The real takeaway is that protein may calculate as having slightly less calories than one would expect, and processed foods will probably have more calories than the label leads you to believe. That criticism aside, I stuck around for the full hour and enjoyed the talk very much.

[@clearcontentment3695]

It’s too lure in people. It’s like click bait or the literary equivalent

[@robertgiordano3452]

It is true that protein is a slightly hotter macro.. but we all agree that the video title is really dumb.

[@neildutoit5177]

thanks for saving me an hour

[@jacquin8511]

Not more calories than the label, as that gives you the maximum energy given off when incinerated. But processed food will be closer to the maximum.

[@Maladringe666]

@@clearcontentment3695 "Dont eat those processed sugars" doesnt sell as hard as calories dont count

[@julietmarlowe5661]

This is the only strategy that has actually worked for me! Getting as many nutrients as I can within the prescribed calorie amount for my height, weight, age, gender & lifestyle. Thank you for posting this.

[@iluvyunie]

was looking for the comment that explained the clickbait so that I didn't have to seethe all day

[@DarkoFitCoach]

So u just followed a caloric deficit and presto weight loss. Congrats on obeying the laws of energy conservation and telling us what every human already knows

[@sandriagutierrez2605]

Out of all the talking heads I’ve listened to in the vast internet sea, you make the most sense!!

[@rays2794]

Absolutely the best 45 minutes of information about food, calories, diets and micronutrients I have ever heard! Brilliantly laid out, totally understandable and quite entertaining. Thank you so much and I’m definitely buying your book.

[@ScrupulousAtheist]

Definitely not the worst, but he really didn't touch on micronutrients.

[@tiagow95]

I dont think he mentioned micronutrients

[@GaiusGaltar]

The "what i've learned" channel has the rest

[@satoshinakamoto7253]

Kinobody

[@theexipureteam3460]

The title claims that calories don't count and that everyone got the science of weight loss wrong. It then expands in far too much detail that in fact calories do count and hence that we have not gotten the science of weight loss wrong. He even admits it on page 256. This is a totally misguided book about weight control written by someone whose education should have taught him better but clearly has not. His own personal diet, as he describes it, is embarrassing. The scariest part is that he is a government funded scientist doing research on obesity.

[@OneMoreJames]

"Sometimes life demands a chocolate bar; sometimes life demands a banana." Words to live by, man.

[@Attabasca]

And sometimes life demands chocolate covered bananas.

[@Skukkix23]

yeah and sometimes life is misleading

[@OneMoreJames]

@@Skukkix23 Then just keep a banana and a chocolate bar on you, at all times. Best to be prepared.

[@BartBVanBockstaele]

I'm not so sure. Just as a glass of whisky is probably not the best advice to give to an alcoholic, a chocolate bar, and even a banana, might not be the best advice to give to someone on a quest to lose weight. Calories *do* count, despite the claim.

[@OneMoreJames]

@@BartBVanBockstaele Sometimes life demands a banana peel in between you and a chocolate bar.

[@TheKiltedGerman]

"All of that is origamied into us." Made my day.

[@chrisdunn1797]

Yes, I really liked that one.

[@allanallansson9532]

18:57-19:07: No breaking bonds TAKES energy; while forming chemical bonds releases energy. Breaking the carbon bonds TAKES energy, while even more energy is released when carbon-oxygen bonds are formed. The net is a release of energy, but not BECAUSE of breaking bonds. Instead, it is DESPITE breaking some bonds.

[@nickvieru8969]

"She's more of a woman because she's less of a woman". Apart from being a brilliant scientist, he's quite the comedian.

[@ellenchen8]

40:24 LOL

[@giselec.7806]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@arrashzafari3918]

Qq1~~

[@arrashzafari3918]

@@ellenchen8 qq

[@arrashzafari3918]

q

[@calmheart1782]

My family eats REAL food with treats sometimes. We eat healthy food enough and often enough that we don’t worry about an occasional treat or fast food. I agree sometimes life needs a chocolate bar! My husband and I are 63 and 61 and take no meds. We cook at home and enjoy our meals! REAL food tastes great. Dr. Robert Lustig says to ‘protect the liver and feed the gut’. That’s how we eat mostly. Enjoyed the video!

[@bikecrew1736]

This guy is precise, concise, accurate, spot on….etc. Just great!

[@will_of_europa]

He presents the mainstream narrative quite well, but he's not talking about more important thinks like oxidative stress, oxalate and lectin toxicity, and polyunsaturated fats. He's not doing enough due diligence and asking for your trust simply because he has a degree without actually proving anything. His month long vegan diet is a joke. I lost 30 pounds eating pasta and ice cream simply because I cut out highly oxidable linoleic acid from my diet. Most weight loss strategies in the mainstream are starvation diets. Keto and carnivore are not calorie deficit diets, they are low resting blood glucose diets that trigger sleeping autophagy.

[@EDKsurly]

I can hear Coach Greg screaming in the backgrounds.

[@thebadger9302]

His head will explode!

[@deavman]

@@thebadger9302 May be not..He might learn a few things and update his knowledge..

[@jonhill7081]

If you actually watch it, at about 26:00 he basically says that CICO is what works... The point of the lecture is that if you want to be super-scientific about it, you need to include factors like the caloric availability of the foods, as well as the calories your body requires to process the food you're eating. So, CICO is the blunt tool that works, what this lecture is about is the delicate craft-knife approach.

[@bonob0123]

Greg mostly agrees with everything that is said in this lecture

[@todda8820]

Coach Greg saying he is being too padantic about thermal effect of food.

[@konstantinzangers4732]

Exactly what I experienced last year when I tried to diet. Eating high fibre oatmeal as well as eating high protein eggs helped me to snack less in the morning until lunch time. You are confirming my anecdotal evidence!

[@ocalicreek]

Yes, a Gluten Free diet can be low carb, but many Gluten Free processed products contain very high amounts of carbohydrates in sugars, sugar alcohols and other non-gluten flour blends. So Gluten Free can be HIGH carb if you're not careful. Great info overall, really entertaining!

[@F33DtheF34R]

I was hesitant to watch a longer 50 min video like this but I’m sure glad I did. I started my weight loss over 2 years ago, lost 100lbs, then gained a little back to be at a healthier weight for myself and have been keeping it off since. I learned a lot during that time and continue to learn and this talk helped me further understand why what I did, worked. Thank you for this, it was easy to follow for the average person. I feel even though there were parts that went into great detail and “sciencey” stuff, the main points were plain and simple. Top notch!

[@OrestesKyriakosPoulakis]

I've heard people telling me how lemons are alkaline and I just stared trying to figure out how can they think that. I'm very glad I'm not the only one that encountered that madness.

[@BartBVanBockstaele]

You are not alone. When you ask a bit further, these people will become quite agitated or dish up a ridiculous story of how the acid in lemons turns alkaline in the body and that they are 'therefore' alkaline.

[@hepthegreat4005]

tell them there's dihydrogen monoxide in their water.... watch the chaos. That's what I always do.

[@Melesniannon]

I tried talking to those people but all I got was an acidic response.

[@altrag]

@@Melesniannon They always seemed more basic to me..

[@steffencambon4718]

The ability to listen to an opposing viewpoint, however bonkers, is a litmus test

[@ck1416]

This guy is great in explaining things, I thoroughly enjoyed this lecture

[@will_of_europa]

You will like Dr Paul Saladino too. He also goes into the metabolic process.

[@CruzMonrreal]

"... And there's only so much time in a day that you have to chew!" Ok, I lost it here. That was brilliant!

[@BartBVanBockstaele]

It might even work, **if** you stick to raw celery and raw green cabbage. Make no mistake, those of us who are always hungry will always manage to gain weight. One can only hope we are part of a minority. Come to think of it, raw green grass would definitely work well: it would simply slice up one's intestines ^_^.

[@Veldoril]

@@BartBVanBockstaele To the raw green grass it is.

[@clintpoland6606]

awesome info! i have always love eating and that made me lose weight super hard, tried a lot of diets and exercises along with it, but what made it possible was agoge diet. it changed my life. its always about the right diet for u

[@mohammedfahad4223]

If only people explained anything with this enthusiasm and clarity. The nutrition and health industry would be in crisis. Very informative! Best 45 mins I have spent today.

[@apnjau]

Clear as mud!

[@Halokon]

Incredible science communicator, could listen to Giles talk about anything! Great talk!

[@vsiegel]

I do not think so, there are just too many small omissions and errors in the presentation. Various other parts are just inappropriate for a talk in the very formal context of the Royal Institution. The content is brilliant, to be clear. A good example for an error is the use of the unit "Kcal" that was not introduced when other calorie units where defined. (I tried to interpret it as thousand calories, but that would be kcal, the k for thousand is lower case. (Uppercase K is Kelvin) I concluded that Kcal is 1000 cal in a different way, similar to Ccal.)

[@Thedamped]

I agree. Usually when people are talking about diets you can prepare for a bunch of bad info. But everything he said was basically true. I assume his publisher pushed for the ridiculous title for the book. But, maybe it will attract the type of people that are lured in by crazy diets and they will learn something!

[@Halokon]

@@Thedamped Exactly, the type of person prone to these sorts of fad or dangerous diets is exactly the type of person to be drawn in by this sort of “clickbait”, and anybody reading it, regardless of scientific education level, is going to be leaving with a fuller understanding. Is it aimed at laymen? Absolutely, but academic papers tend not to sell too well, and anybody with the ability to read an academic paper on the subject doesn’t really need to know this, they’re likely fully aware already. Seems like some people don’t understand the concept of scientific communication, and prefer to use their knowledge as an ego boost, and not as a way of making people’s lives better. Personally, I’d rather have more well circulated, scientifically correct (if incomplete) books written by experts than celebrity or profit driven laymen claiming expertise whilst filling the public’s mind with garbage. Demanding everyone get degree level education in every scientific field is beyond impossible, and childish, frankly.

[@martypoll]

I studied physics and engineering and your title scared me but I listened anyway (because I saw the Cambridge U label). You do understand the physics of calorie deficit! I kept on listening and I am glad I did. You clarified the diet world immensely and you entertained at the same time. Thank you for this video.

[@pureabsolute4618]

It’s people like you that destroy rational discourse. I’m glad this guy got through to you - not all calories are the same, the opposite of which is what ‘calories in = calories out’ means when the average diet and exercise guru talks. ‘Trust me I’m a doctor’ guy didn’t even go to how you metabolism is affected by your food choices and timing - listen to some other doctors for the skinny on that. “But calories in and processed = calories out” - true. And someone not dealing with syndrome x burns more than some who is. “But that’s just changing calories out” - duh. Can you tell I’ve my fill of “MIT graduates” who don’t do critical thinking unless chastised by a professor or a “ journal of science”?

[@martypoll]

@@pureabsolute4618 What do you mean by “people like me”? Calories in vs calories out remains true. He didn’t get anything through to me but he very nicely and concisely described how the various diets fit into that context. I appreciated his clarity.

[@pureabsolute4618]

@@martypoll "People who poo poo different diets and exercise with the overly simplistic retort 'calories in = calories out'". Usually its the engineers / scientists / etc that use that mantra. Other scientists like this guy have to "explain" how the different diets don't violate that rule, and its english speakers such as myself that end up interpreting how neither side is wrong technically. "Technically", because the engineer / scientist usually talks past the average joe, when they have the ability to critically think about what the average joe is saying and come up with a more nuanced response... BTW - I don't know you - perhaps you are a dry ball that doesn't see the context of certain phrases... If so, then I'm sorry that your phrasing triggered me, and that I reacted in a rhetorically violent way :).. However go and post "Calories in = Calories out" to the thousands of channels dealing with diet on KZbin, and you'll soon see that that phrase has meaning. But, in context, especially with your line about being scared.. it means you've rolled your eyes at people before while using your "Calories in = Calories out" line. Sure - I might be wrong with my interpretation. But I'm also willing to talk it out. And your response tells me I'm more right than wrong - "I can ignore everything you have to say until you admit it's all about calories deficit". As I said, I've seen your type; my favorite was my MIT Biology acquaintance who couldn't move on without that phrase. Kinda funny when he looked smug in his debate tournament win. I realized he probably hadn't gotten past that point in any discussion about dieting.. So for the second part of your answer, he was able to move past your resistance point with his graphic with the scales.. and thus get his clear and concise talking points to your ears. Njoy.

[@kenroywillams4441]

@@pureabsolute4618 bruh you have no chill

[@DevinMacGregor]

@@kenroywillams4441 It is like he needs to go eat a snickers bar.

[@sharnielife]

So pleased to have clicked on this by chance - what a clear and concise lecture on calories and I’m so happy to have been informed. Bravo

[@Inky_Black]

I have family and friends who are astrophysicists (I am an idiot, nothing rubbed off) and what amazes me about the brightest of them, and Giles, is the ability to make a very complicated subject digestible to someone less versed in the subject matter. This is a great talk.

[@eman737]

Thank you RI for having Dr. Yeo on. Very informative and Dr. Giles Yeo's charisma made me stay for the whole thing.

[@geraldparnham6336]

None of this is news. I published my book called 'The Science and Politics of Obesity' on Amazon back in 2006 which makes all the same points. William Banting published 'Letter on Corpulence' in 1864 which comes to the same conclusions. The problem is the vast industrial food conglomerates have huge advertising budgets which completely overwhelm lone voices trying to disseminate the truth. In addition they pay politicians to back them up, so you have poor food labelling laws. What to do - no idea.

[@Slava-om1sz]

What to do: Educate more people on the problem. Promote your book. Share this video. Give public talks. Post explanatory content on social media. Call out politicians. Find and approach similar thinkers. Make a business case for the entrepreneurs on the health industry.

[@WeAreTheTwintails]

This feels like a class, the best class on nutrition that I've ever had.

[@larsgustafmartin2556]

Very interesting presenation ! Minor issue: You do not get 1 litre 0°C -> boiling water with 100 kcal, you get 100°C non-boiling water. Major issue: Satiation is not based on how much volume nor kcals of food you have eaten. The whole process behind the feelings of satiation and hunger is much more complicated. I would love if somebody could explain that in a similar down to earth and enthusiastic way !

[@jaclyncayetano]

Agree. I have low leptin serum so I have satiation issues. Like I eat and eat until my tummy hurts (literally!). Doctor said it was due to adrenal fatigue…I suppose I workout too much and still don’t eat enough hence adrenal fatigue resulting in low leptin serum (cycle commences)

[@Birdmacher]

@@jaclyncayetano I’d suggest checking on the latest “adrenal fatigue” research, especially from Chris Kresser. Adrenal fatigue isn’t really what’s happening in the body but a lot of alternative practitioners are still diagnosing it and, because it’s not an accurate diagnosis, the treatments usually don’t help all that much.

[@likithstochastic]

26:30 - "The only way to lose weight, ladies and gentlemen, is to create a Caloric deficit, is to absorb fewer Calories than you burn. So at the end of the day, all diets that cause weight loss, manage to do so by creating a Caloric deficit". Good that Giles made this statement with clarity, otherwise many people would misinterpret the title of the book and think that the energy conservation law doesn't work. Initially I decided to watch the whole lecture just to make sure that Giles would have spoken about energy balance somewhere in the middle of the lecture. As the lecture went on, it got more interesting. He speaks of a good weight loss diet to be high in protein and fiber, thereby making the process of creating Caloric deficit easier.

[@absolutorice754]

Eat when you're hungry, eat healthy, if you want to lose weight, eat less.

[@YTStopCensoringFreedomOfspeech]

29:44 No we on low carb diets are not supplementing our fat with protein. I have tracked everything I eaten for my keto diet. I am consisting eating fat as majority of my macro nutrients. I don't even focus on macro nutrients, I focus on micro-nutrients. I ate 65 percent fat, 15 percent carb, and 20 percent protein yesterday. It's very easy to eat a lot of fat if you know what foods to eat. I get over 100 percent in my RDI, even sometimes as high as 400 percent in specific nutrients like Vitamin A. Use a nutritional tracking app like cronometer. It's very easy to figure out what you are eating and what nutrients you are getting these days. Low carb diet's make you glucagon dominate, your insulin remains low. This is why you cannot put on bodyfat if you are actually low carb and ketones for fuel. You can still spike insulin by eating carbohydrate and protein together while on keto. I do this regularly everytime I consume protein by eating vegetables/fruit with them.

[@rickc2102]

Low carb diets make me misuse apostrophes, too.

[@DavidFMayerPhD]

Definition of "calorie" depends upon the starting temperature, and may vary significantly at different temperatures. The Thermodynamic calorie is determined as the heat required to raise one gram (not cc) of water from 14.5° to 15.5° C. This difference is important for two reasons. 1. The heat capacity of water is variable depending on temperature. 2. The mass of a cc of water depends upon the temperature, since the density is also dependent on temperature. In general, scientific measurements of quantities are by mass, not by volume. Of course, the pressure is also specified at one bar.

[@BartBVanBockstaele]

That is true. It nicely points at a very important problem in explaining science (and anything else). How much information can one convey in less than 50 minutes?

[@DavidFMayerPhD]

@@BartBVanBockstaele You did an EXCELLENT job. My comment was explicatory and not derogatory.

[@BartBVanBockstaele]

@@DavidFMayerPhD Well, it wasn't me, it was Giles Yeo ^_^. I agree that he did a good job, I am just saddened by the clickbait title. It reminds me of an exhibition at the Brussels museum of natural history in Belgium, decades ago, where they claimed that races do not exist, and then proceeded to show that they absolutely do.

[@mycommentpwnz]

This dude has a great personality. I'm 4 minutes into an educational video, and I've LOL'd twice already.

[@colewalliser]

super informative, I really enjoyed this talk!

[@lv_1003]

Let me tell you the realest thing you will ever hear in any of these videos, not only on this channel but any fitness channel, does not matter if the channels talk about if calories DO matter and if other channels say calories do NOT matter, the devil is in the detail, and what is the detail? the detail is that if calories did not matter or did matter no one would be talking about it, no one talks about things that don't matter.

[@bigsmiley713]

Holy youtube algorithym... i'm so glad i was recommended this. Love this!!

[@hgrace0]

This really was a very interesting talk and I’m going to have to rewatch it. So much very interesting information to consider

[@alwayslearning8365]

Great presentation Giles.Your break down of calories in to calories out was very good. Thanks

[@joen8529]

I’ve completely gotten back on track by calorie counting. It’s the only thing you need to do besides exercise.

[@joen8529]

@@mmss3199 Good point!!! 💯💯💯

[@sashko02]

I do appreciate the good audio quality! And (because of that) even more the information that was presented! :)

[@NetAndyCz]

btw, I think that a lot of people focus a lot on the input-side of the energy issue, but we can also alter the output. I gained a lot of weight with the home-office, but then I started to measure my weight every morning, and decided to make 10 000 steps every day, because I am quite lazy and brisk walk is the only exercise I can stick with, and it really helped me, and I think that the daily walk helps me to enjoy my food and not gain that much weight from it. And if I eat too much, I go for a longer walk... and if I weight too much in the morning, I get smaller lunch...

[@zwerko]

Output is, obviously, as important as the input-or rather, the balance between those two determines whether one gains or loses weight. That being said, you cannot out-walk, outrun or out-anything a bad diet. You can eat a snickers bar in 1 minute flat and it would take you more than an hour to walk it off. If it took us longer time to consume food than burn it we wouldn't be alive.

[@DFPercush]

I think the point of exercise is not to directly burn off all the calories during the exercise, that's just impossible. But it activates a lot of things in your body that will help you process the things you eat in a more healthy way. "Raises metabolism" is kind of a simple way to put it, but it's a little more complicated than that. In any case, it's important not to be discouraged watching the calories burned on the treadmill and how long it takes. There's still a point to doing it. But it's true that, at a certain point, nothing is going to make up for a bad diet.

[@StrawberryLegacy]

At the end he basically summed up my whole philosopy regarding food ♥ I love food, I don't fear it, I put consideration into what I eat, but not how many calories I eat!

[@oliverford5367]

Then you are considering calories. If you decide not to eat cake, you're limiting calories by whatever name you call it

[@StrawberryLegacy]

@@oliverford5367 IF I decide not to eat cake, then because I know it's not good for my body. Not because of calories. You may find that hard to believe but it's the truth 🤷

[@oliverford5367]

@@StrawberryLegacy Yes but the reason it's bad is primarily because it could put you in a calorie surplus

[@StrawberryLegacy]

@@oliverford5367 No??? It's bad for you because it's made with white flour and a ton of sugar. Is it really that hard to believe that there are people whose whole mind doesn't revolve around calories and weight?

[@oliverford5367]

@@StrawberryLegacy Sugar is fine if you burn it off. Tour de France athletes can take a ton of sugar but they burn it all off.

[@Firefoxav26]

I was intrigued in the beginning, but he definitely had me hooked by flying saucer lentils 😂

[@BartBVanBockstaele]

I liked the mental picture of flying saucers too, but as a great fan of both green lentils and honesty, I have to report that I don't see any flying saucers after they leave my production unit. On the other hand, I do have the awkward problem of having to declog my toilet almost every day.

[@skippy6462]

Sounds like he needs to fix his gut bacteria.

[@BartBVanBockstaele]

@@skippy6462 It is also possible that he is not cooking them properly and that they remain harder than they should be (or maybe, I am overcooking them ^_^).

[@SL-vs7fs]

18:00 it takes 100 Cal to boil 1 L of freezing water . Your tap water coming from an underground pipe is closer to 15 C. So 85 C. Then at 18:22 you corrected yourself. Love this!

[@ljsmooth69]

What are examples of carbohydrates in food?  Carbohydrates are found in a wide array of both healthy and unhealthy foods-bread, beans, milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, soft drinks, corn, and cherry pie. They also come in a variety of forms. The most common and abundant forms are sugars, fibers, and starches.

[@billmccaffrey1977]

I personally have been on both sides of the privilege spectrum: I grew up very poor often not having security of a meal and had to eat the cheapest available; I got an education through a lot of work and become comfortable middle class eating what ever I want. I had to learn how to eat to control my metabolism and weight. Loved the talk and learned a lot.

[@MadelnMachines]

Very insightful. I always wondered how many calories we were actually absorbing compared to what was on the packet (given that waste product we expel). Now I know! I'd definitely rather learn scientific information from this guy rather than some fad diet salesperson / celebrity.

[@preetizangulo3470]

You're an amazing speaker, Mr. Yeo! Very informative but you managed to explain everything in concepts understandable to us outside the field. 10/10 will buy your book!

[@lajungesombre]

Great talk AND he has such an awesome demeanor, really down to earth and personable. Really authentic speaker!!!!

[@philippenachtergal6077]

18:00 No. 1 calorie is the energy required to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree. So bringing 1L from 0°C to boiling temperature requires 100.000 calories: 100 kcal. It's a common mistake however because packaging is always in kcal and we tend to talk in calories and forget the k. Actually boiling that water requires more energy however because the change to vapor form requires energy (this is also why your boiling water stays at 100°C if you keep adding heat: the extra heat goes into the phase transition and not into raising the temperature)

[@beckyenglish4783]

Love the knitted digestive system!

[@mynameisjeff9560]

As a person with Celiac disease I have to say that I never saw rice and water being labeled as gluten free but it makes sense for shampoos, toothpaste, corn flour and other food that doesn't naturally contain gluten to be labeled as gluten free. This is because cross contamination with gluten between different foods can happen anywhere in the chain from the farm where the crops are grown to the factory that makes food. Gluten can also be found in cosmetic products because it is cheap and manufacturers like to put it wherever they can

[@tiaan_va]

how exactly does it make sense to label a shampoo (as well as tooth paste for that matter) as gluten free..... do you have some weird shampoo addiction you want to talk about....?

[@oldon5881]

Sometimes common sense is missing and some smart people thought that it can be labeled and gain out of this. Looking forward for the "gluten free" labels on meat packages.

[@SagaciousEagle]

Based on my experience, the Thin Wallet diet is the best way to lose weight and guaranteed to prevent overeating.

[@BlackHalo87]

be careful with that diet, though, you don't want to buy 900kcal with a pound xD

[@DFPercush]

unless you eat a bunch of ramen noodles every couple of hours lol

[@PeterLE2]

Nothing new here BUT This is one of the best overviews on this topic that I've ever seen on KZbin.

[@Attabasca]

The comment "Don't complain about your job. Twenty years he did this." when explaining how Atwater arrived at caloric values of food literally made me LOL. Indeed I won't!

[@KilgoreTroutAsf]

Well, Im pretty sure he didnt use his bare hands to handle the waste.

[@VocalMabiMaple]

"Don't complain about your job" here is such a horrible and toxic take. A purposeless, low paying, non engaging job is infinitely worse than the work done by this scientist. Putting down other people to praise a scientist is no praise at all. Appreciate the fact that this scientist did all this work, but the secondary opinion was unwarranted and harmful to society.

[@kosc88]

The guy was burning poop for 20 years, dude that's a dream job.

[@siavosh87]

This is one of the most interesting videos I have watched on KZbin for a while now. I am slightly at odds though with his definition of a high protein diet as total calories from protein being more than 16 percent. As someone who rigorously records calories daily via MyFitnessPal, it is virtually impossible to eat in such a way that protein is less than 16 percent of total calories. Even if all you have is pancakes, cereal or pasta, the protein contribution will easily be more than 16 percent.

[@BlackIceDragonSalome]

16% is easily reached even with a very processed diet (Pizza, Burgers, Fries etc). I find it get's hard to reach your protein at around 25%. My current goal is around 30% (or around 150-180 gr/Protein/day depending on my workout routine) and that's a struggle... but at least my muscles are happy about it. lol

[@Saitoshiba]

@@BlackIceDragonSalome That's why people use supplements. My goal is around 30 to 35% of protein. But most days I only get 30% and that's enough. Since I do this with food only.

[@BlackIceDragonSalome]

@@Saitoshiba I couldn't do my 30% with food only :D I use protein powder to reach it. :) Without supps I would get up to max of 120 gr (which would be alright too) :)

[@laumay7364]

Saitoshiba This bag of pork rinds I'm eating says 8 grams per 1/2 oz. I guess I'm on a high protein diet! 😳😁

[@rachelfaas4767]

@@laumay7364 the Protien from pork rinds is very poor quality. Your body will not be able to use those like from actual pork

[@judith8161]

When I was in my early twenties, I developed an eating disorder after reading a book on healthy foods. I started cutting down my intake of processed foods, avoided sugar and saturated fats etc., and then it somehow shifted and turned into an obsession with calories. I swear to god, back then I never hoped I'd be able to enjoy a slice of pizza again, but then I decided I'd rather die slightly chubby than to die young from malnutrition. What I learned then was that apples, carrots and most other fruits and veggies don't make me gain weight, even if they DO have a caloric value attributed to them. Later in life, when I was diagnosed with gall stones and had to avoid both fat and proteins to prevent painful cramps, I learned how badly my body missed both. I had to wait 2 months for my surgery, and in that period I lost around 20 pounds, but I was constantly feeling like a wet washcloth. Never again! I think that what we all need to learn is to carefully LISTEN to our body. I used to overeat and paid with excess weight and an upset stomach. I used to eat too much sugar and felt tired all the time. Now that I'm finally eating a diet that matches my body's needs, I'm in good physical shape. It makes me happy to hear someone talk about calories the way I should have regarded them when I was anorexic. It would have kept me from drifting down that harmful alley in the first place.

[@sandratheron]

Thanks

[@slcea7]

Work with this information clinically every day. Excellent talk. Thank you for the video. Best of luck with the book sales. Good information for all.

[@billsmith3309]

This is an awesome summation of eating approaches I have tried hard to follow, and have never totally understood why they were true. I am very grateful for the explanation. Keep up the good work and keep getting the message out there.

[@lcmd7833]

You are a very engaging speaker … thank you for an excellent lecture! If I heard correctly, one correction: alcohol is not a protein.

[@maya-mu3ce]

finally someone says it. calories have always been illogical to me. there’s no calorie receptor, or calorimeter organ. the human body is not a closed system, so why apply the physics definition of a calorie to complex biological systems?

[@Siegbert85]

Right... the number of times I've heard fitness youtubers reference the laws of thermodynamics is maddening.

[@JimBob1937]

@@Siegbert85 , but we're still beholden to those laws, so they're still relevant... even this guy's video says as much.

[@kimtatami6559]

I'm a medical doctor and I realised this a while ago and I'm so glad it's backed by him. It's frustrating that so many so called fitness trainers and experts are continuing to tell people to count calories to the nth degree if they're trying to lose weight... And so many people refuse to believe what I tell them because their " trainer delivers results"

[@GM-vk8jw]

I have tried all kinds of ‘calorie controlled diets’ and every one has failed in my expectation. I’ve tried using TDEE based on my theoretical activity energy use and all to no avail… This is enlightening.

[@jarldue123]

If you tried a calorie controlled diet and failed to lose weight, then it was not the diet that failed. TDEE is an estimate, if you only go by it, you will fail. Every single part of this are estimates, some more accurate than others, but here is a promise. Are you losing or gaining weight right now? If your weight is more or less stable, start recording your daily activity and your daily food intake, spend one week doing this. Now, keep your daily activity at the same level, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories, keep doing this for one to two months. You will lose weight.

[@GM-vk8jw]

@@jarldue123 Using the My Fitness Pal App with a plant based diet and regular bicycling is working for me. I changed my mind about seeing what I ate as a diet and adapted my thinking to this is my ‘lifestyle’ now. I no longer ‘over eat’ and as long as I keep below my TDEE I’m good. Based on my TDEE I also work out my needs for the week and if needs be I cut back on the days when I’m not out on the bike.

[@jgray2718]

If I may make a suggestion to the Royal Institution, please don't clickbait your titles. I nearly disregarded this video because of the blatant clickbait title. I gave it a chance because it's you, Ri. You're name brand science, don't hide behind dishonest-seeming titles. Use your brand to your benefit. Also this talk was great. I feel like I understand the science of metabolism significantly better now than I did before. Also this bag of M&M's probably shouldn't be so close to my computer...

[@seeshow77]

The title that Ri used is gooood! Many others (perhaps non-scientific minded ppl) who are click-baited by it may have benefitted greatly.

[@p_serdiuk]

It's the author's title.

[@BlackMatt2k]

It's the title of the book.

[@ptlovelight2971]

This was one of the most well done presentations on calories and nutrition breakdown I've ever seen; I actually watched it from start to finish (which I rarely do) Coming from the keto/LCHF side myself, Mr. Yeo better explained what I subconsiously knew about our food and metabolic breakdown, but didn't have the words (or the scientific background) to put into words. The LCHF community knows that "calories in, calories out" or CICO, is not a perfect one size fits all prescription for everyone. It is way more complex and nuanced than simple addition and subtraction of food calories. But the Law of Thermodynamics still holds true. We absolutely can enjoy every single food out there (processed, unprocessed, and ultraprocessed), we just need to consume less of it. Very well done Mr. Yeo-I wish this presentation could reach more people who need to see it.

[@davidforbes7772]

"...we just need to consume less of it." As in reduce calories in. having some idea of the calorie content of what you are eating in relation to the quantity being consumed is important. 100g of rolled oats has 379 calories, 100g of butter has 717.

[@G_Demolished]

Disclaimer: None of the laws of thermodynamics were harmed in the production of this video. 👍

[@hiddenhen]

this is one of the best and most informative nutrition talks i've seen

[@terrywilkinson1570]

Thank you for an enlightening 45 minutes. I thought at the start, no way am I going to listen to almost an hour of this. But I couldn’t put it down. Ok, I swapped dinner for 2 large vodkas , but it really was enthralling. One of the best you tube health videos I have watched in a year.

[@Alkixkix]

Wait, so calories DO count, it's just that there is room for helping the information on the label be more accurate?

[@bucketofbarnacles]

I thoroughly enjoyed this lively and informative presentation. Fantastic. Thank you, Giles.

[@Deepz1412]

Request an audio book which is read by the author and I will surely love to listen !🙌👍

[@robmulally]

Agree!

[@TheRoyalInstitution]

Ask and you shall receive - geni.us/rjch7M Amazon has three versions of the book including an audio book that is narrated by Giles himself.

[@Deepz1412]

Thank you . Got that 😊👍

[@robmulally]

@@TheRoyalInstitution I just finished it! Amazing listen!

[@HrPedrosak]

Fantastic talk! Knew a lot of this from earlier, but nice to have it confirmed. Loved the personality of the speaker, and that he talked about food insecurity in the end.

[@ljsmooth69]

What is the number 1 worst carb? 1. Bread and grains White bread (1 slice): 14. grams of carbs, 1 of which is fiber. Whole-wheat bread (1 slice): 17. grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber. Flour tortilla (10-inch): 36. grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber. Bagel. (3-inch): 29 grams of carbs, 1 of which is fiber. Apr 30, 2019

[@waleedkhalid7486]

Wonderful lecture! I feel like I understand food more now than at any point in my 27 yr old life.

[@RamawatarNagar]

What a wonderful presentation thoroughly enjoyed it!

[@poshzombie]

Good talk but I would have appreciated a less sensationalistic title, for the talk and the book. Sure, it was because of marketability but still, calories DO count (just not fully in the technical way that they are measured and/or are bioavailable), science did NOT get weight loss wrong (in the same sense that everything in Science is a process of discovery where we get things more and more right).

[@trumpone4443]

Yea i was worried about this.

[@JATJAT330]

It's a clever ploy, those who most need to hear what he's saying are those most likely to be taken in by the titles

[@alexmol]

The laws of thermodynamics are also applicable to living beings...

[@garyk.nedrow8302]

Bear in mind that this video is intended to promote Giles latest book. Next, remember than weight loss and fitness are not the same thing; you cannot achieve fitness through diet alone. Those anorexic runway models are thin, but they are not fit. I have no plans to write a diet book, but if you want to lose weight, here's some advice that worked for me. Absent a medical condition that predisposes you to obesity, the average person can lose weight by eating smaller portions of everything, and eliminating "fun foods" -- pies, cakes, cookies, ice cream, and carbonated beverages. To ensure you eat smaller portions, use smaller plates and dishes. To fend off cravings while your stomach adjusts to the smaller portions, eat sliced carrots and other veggies. If it doesn't go in your mouth, it can't wind up on your waist.

[@my-back-yard]

One calorie is the amount of energy required to warm one gram (milliliter) of air-free water from 3.5 to 4.5 °C at standard atmospheric pressure.

[@lexman7179]

Fun fact I worked with a guy who went vegan and just spent the whole time eating vegan doughnuts and refused to believe it wasn't healthy.

[@Longtack55]

Doughnuts are great diet food as they don't have the bit in the middle! Ta dah!!!!

[@rybpo7]

This is exactly why people say they didn’t feel well on a vegan diet and went back to eating meat. Some vegan food: Many potato chips (some have whey) Pretzels Non-dairy ice cream Nuts Oreos Some cakes, cookies, donuts, etc. Highly processed fake meats Then there are those who go the other direction and try to live on celery and bananas.

[@lexman7179]

@@rybpo7 That's basically my diet now. Maybe I'm a vegan and didn't even know it.

[@rybpo7]

@@lexman7179 Could be, man! Just add some veggies once in a while, okay?

[@RosesAndIvy]

@@rybpo7 Ehm no, that is not why. Not everyone eats junk food all the time. A vegan diet requires a lot of planning and knowledge about nutrition because it is inherently restrictive. Even when eating healthy food it takes quite a bit of effort to have a truly balanced vegan diet, which is why vegans often develop nutrient deficiencies and supplements are a requirement.

[@mantasjoniskis]

Fascinating stuff and an engaging presentation. Thank you for sharing, appreciate it.

[@ramanboucher]

Very good video, but he didn't conclude that "calories don't count" -- in fact he explained how vitally important they are -- but that its more complicated than that. Agreed.

[@Chris.Davies]

You are being intentionally facetious. The title is a double entendre - and is meant to be a little inflammatory - it's a book title! The title is correct, but a little deceptive. They obviously DO count, but you don't have a way to see what the ACTUAL calorie count of food is, because it's not printed on the stuff, so you literally get a wrong count if you use those numbers.

[@will_of_europa]

He fails to mention many things, such as the affect of too much omega 6 in the diet leading to metabolic distress through oxidative stress. He fails to mention that the catalyst for adipocyte overinflation is solely caused by leptin and insulin resistance and blames overconsumption on everything. He's not being empirical. "Trust me I'm a doctor" and then proving nothing is laughable. Keto and carnivore are not calorie deficit diets, they are low resting blood glucose diets that trigger sleeping autophagy.

[@fatfuelledkey]

Absolutely excellent talk! Easy to follow, concise information with real scientific explanations, without any bias towards a particular diet. Off to buy the book now!

[@philmar7866]

Fantastic : Very entertaining delivery. Absolutely the best 49 minutes of information about food, calories, diets and micronutrients I have ever heard! Validated much of what I have been doing for a number of decades. Thanks

[@kabongpope]

Thanks for making this available, I missed the original stream.

[@BJCMXY]

My experience with a plant based diet wasn't good. Despite it having a large proportion of protein, fiber and nutrients... I was constantly hungry, tired, and I actually just plainly suffered the whole time.

[@ladylaudanum8663]

Just a thought, not a criticism: does that sound a bit like withdrawal? The ways I notice the changes in health is to check the whites of my eyes on the wetline, the ridges in my fingenails, the quality of my skin and hair and my overall amount of pain and weight.

[@KWifler]

Mental health, emotional health, definitely counts more than calories. Especially in this world of people being unable to form close friendships, and having too high of standards because they watch too many crazy movies. I just proved it the other day. I ate two Costco lasagnas back to back. Didn't gain a pound or a kilogram either. Still under 160 lbs and don't exercise at all. Okay now I am hungry for lasagna...

[@rezabosman2152]

I enjoyed every second of this video, Giles Yeo has such an awesome personality and scientifically brilliant.

[@dadda4940]

Re the cheapest calories being ultra-processed foods (900 calories for £1) I’d just like to point out you can buy rice for £1 per kg and red lentils for not much more, both containing > 3000 calories per kg. For fibre, carrots, cabbage and cauliflower can be bought for around 50p per kg.

[@Hangrid1]

Very well explained, its a conversation starter for ourselves. No need to fear or take sides, just understand and make healthier choices.

[@shintsu01]

i love the motivation and the way the information was shared, i already had some understanding how food works but with this lecture it went upp a couple levels thank you for that !

[@deanwal1962]

A really interesting presentation. I was also pleased that there was a mention of food insecurity in Britain and explained why some people are too quick judge the food choices of low paid and overworked parents.

[@andrewtischler9385]

Great video. I really appreciate hearing from an educated expert in the field who runs through all the information that we are exposed to as well as adding actual science to the explanations to help choose. Thank you.

[@markus1963nl]

Love your energy and story telling. Your enthusiasm for bio chemistry is contagious!

[@MilnaAlen]

Well, gluten free isn't necessarily always low carb, I know my ex ate a lot of ice cream while gluten free

[@Nan-59]

Same!

[@Nan-59]

And g/f snacks!!

[@BartBVanBockstaele]

Indeed. Almost everything is gluten-free. A kilo of sugar contains no gluten whatseover.