Metabolic Scientist Explains Why Calories are not the Cause of Obesity (eye opening research)

[@DrTomOfficial]

Obesity is not simply about "eating more and exercising less" but also about how our bodies respond to food and environmental factors.

[@rathelmmc3194]

At the end of the day it is all about that. What you're mentioning is the personal difficulty of doing that. Some people find it easier or harder than other people. It's like to become rich you have to make more money and spend as little as possible. How easy that is for you is individual to you.

[@whatsamatteryou791]

Makes sense. I eat in a deficit, exercise, lower carbs and yet have to fight for every single pound that I lose. Really hope this research continues and leads to help for us.

[@Tespri]

explain guy who basically fasted entire year and became skinny. Most likely you're not counting all of your calories and cheat in your diet.

[@pamisntcraiganymore]

I have a similar metabolism, if I eat near my TDEE in theory I should maintain. Sometimes I do but sometimes I gain. For me one problem is what I eat. I already don’t eat sugars, starches or almost all veg. But if I eat dairy, I see gain. I can feel the extra fluid on my body and it translates into achiness. In order to lose, I must fast. Trying to go with a small calorie deficit does not work for me.

[@simonclutterbuck6697]

You can't lose weight if insulin is present, when you fast intermittently and eat low carb insulin is only released for short periods allowing longer periods where you can burn fat off. I struggled to lose weight until I combined low carb, intermittent fasting and long fasting. Weight training also speeds up weight loss as the bigger your muscles the more glucose you burn and the faster insulin is reduced.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

@@simonclutterbuck6697 you can also get fat on a strict keto diet! Fat stores as fat very easily.

[@1TUFZUK]

@@simonclutterbuck6697 I'm very intrigued by the IF comment. I've never heard it put that way. I've heard IF helps you burn more fat, but never heard anyone mention that insulin was the primary reason. You mentioned you lost weight and did weight training and IF, but was your calorie intake the same or did you also reduce calorie intake? I'm just curious if you took a person who ate the same calories each day, but 1 week they did IF and the next week they didn't fast at all, say their calarie intake window as 8am to 8pm, would the week of IF allow them to burn more fat?

[@nicknorwitzPhD]

🚨Please read this with an open mind🚨 The true issue is those who ideologically adhere to CICO without understanding there's a difference between adhering to the laws of thermodynamics and applying those laws to a 'Calorie Surplus -> Weight Gain' biological model. Thermodynamics can be maintained while placing calories in the passenger seat, so to speak. Calorie imbalance is a result of a primary hormonal disturbance driving up hunger and down energy intake. CICO isn't biology, it's a cop out.

[@rathelmmc3194]

Then why has this only been a real problem in the last 50 years? When abundant calorie dense, hyperpalatable food was created? I understand that our unique biology affects how we deal with these inventions, but at the end of the day if you over eat by too much the only way to deal with that is to burn more through activity.

[@losRosarios]

I gained more muscle mass and lost fat while eating more calories. The culprit was my hormones were out of whach

[@brandonyoung4910]

i dunno that sounds pretty ideal lol

[@coryjohnson9081]

Whach lol

[@avonbarksdale2506]

100%. One of my good friends is a nutritionist and former body builder and practically all of his clients report the same thing: Eating more food than ever, and losing weight, gaining muscle and feeling so much better

[@laurensargent9471]

Which hormones? What did you do to address this?

[@cynicist8114]

@@laurensargent9471 Insulin is the hormone that governs fat storage. It is produced in order to balance your blood sugar. The ideal way to address it is to keep your blood sugar regular or spike it less often. How do you do that? Easy. You eat once or twice a day (less frequent glucose spikes means less insulin is produced by the body) and/or eat primarily protein and fat instead of carbohydrates, since they cause lower to no blood sugar spike. That means eating keto or carnivore. I combine them myself, eating pure carnivore twice a day. You shed the pounds quickly this way. The only thing to be cautious of if you are keto/carnivore is dairy. Control dairy consumption (or eliminate it) and you'll lose weight in no time. I forgot to mention that you can also incorporate fasting, which obviously has a similar effect since no food means your body will turn to its fat stores for energy. It will also normalize your taste/hunger signals so you can better tell when you actually need to eat, and it will cause carbohydrates to become less appetizing to you. It's a good way to cleanse the body in preparation for a change in diet.

[@benc2779]

We’ve been provided information so bad, you’d almost think it’s intentional….

[@miketonon7946]

Almost think??

[@TropicOfCancer1998]

It's a type of indirect slave making process

[@elephantintheroom5678]

Why would "they" do that?

[@pyalot]

@@elephantintheroom5678Three reasons: 1. The slop that big food produces has way better margins than fresh raw ingredients. I dont need to explain lobbies to you. 2. We cannot feed everyone a healthy diet, there isnt enough produce to go around. Big foods slop contains precious few actual ingredients and a lot of cheap worthless filler. It isnt good for you, but it will keep you alive, somewhat. 3. A depressed, obese, fatigued, unhealthy populace is way easier to govern than a healthy, fit, energetic populace (obese people don’t do revolutions, it is kinda hard to revolt if you cant make it past your front door without a mobility scooter) The information we are given serves the sole purpose of maximizing big foods bottom line, to make you sick and fat and to keep you eating stuff that can be provided, so people don’t starve.

[@Tespri]

we only started to research this recently.

[@danabennett4330]

Wood and gasoline are both fuel but wood chips in my car gas tank will yield a useless machine

[@Ryshaad]

This is the perfect metaphor in my opinion. The body even warns you if you're using the wrong "fuel" and "additives", people just aren't used to listening to it.

[@ROBLIFTS]

Love the metaphor you used for this

[@liciniooliveira-becas3618]

Yes... I will state something different. Gasoline has a lot of calories. You may drink it but I can't see any good results there. Imagine the calories of just 1 (one) gram of plutonium! That's enough calories to move you and your all family for decades... But, it doesn't seem to fuel the human person very well.

[@trumpdrago517]

Dr fung made the best point. If weight was about calories 98% of people would be obese. Think about it, maybe 1% of people track? If it was really calories then that means if u weigh the same for the last few years, then you magically ate the EXACT same calorie for years in a row, not 1 calorie over per day and exercised the EXACT same. He said it’s more like a thermostat, which makes sense. No one otherwise would be able to maintain a weight otherwise

[@martinschultz5596]

The people who stay roughly the same (healthy) weight without effort are the people whose autoregulation mechanisms work desirably. Without really thinking about it, they'll eat at maintenance calories. Occasionally they'll overeat, but they'll instinctively compensate by eating less for a while afterwards. It's worth stressing that to them it happens without consciously thinking about it (or tracking calories). Obese people can gorge on food one day and then eat normally the next day. They don't compensate, and consciously compensating is very difficult when you feel hungry and have all kinds of cravings. It's still about calories, but people's ability to stick to the appropriate calories varies hugely. Some do it instinctively without effort, and others need to resort to essentially heroic means to accomplish it. I'm all for realistic ways to make it happen for them, including medication and policy changes to shift our food environment to something more reasonable. Coming up with a healthy diet one can adhere to is extremely helpful, but deep down on the mechanical level losing or gaining weight does boil down to calories in calories out.

[@JudeMalachi]

@@martinschultz5596 Even if this were the total picture and I don't believe it is, then the question is still why are some people able to autoregulate so easily? Because their hormones are balanced. The chief hormone here being insulin. The fact is if you have a healthy metabolism you can increase it by intentionally overeating. 80 years ago the average diet of both labors and office workers was 3,000 calories a day. Yet obesity wasn't epidemic as it is today. However, the people who were obese in the early 20th century tended to be very obese. We all have different genetics, but the bottom line is that the underlying mechanism for fat loss is low sustained levels of insulin not how many calories you consume.

[@159awi]

Yep, Dr Fung has been saying it for years. It's not the calories, it's the hormones.

[@kiranicharles0112]

I've lost 40lbs in about three and a half months, diet is key. I use meal plans on Onlymeal, and it's so simple. People say 1800 calories isn't a lot but when you don't have any wasted calories it's plenty. I'll eat rice/chicken, rice/ground beef, steak and green beans, pork chop and green beans, tuna, eggs cheese and zero sugar. I started my diet beginning of November at 320 lbs, and I am down to 280lbs, dropped 2 shirt sizes and three pants sizes.

[@mbe102]

This! Like brown rice, boneless skinless chicken breast, and frozen veggie mix is extremely filling... and it really isn't as many calories as you might think by looking at it (or how it makes you feel).

[@levystrauss7142]

Zero sugar ? You mean zero added sugar ? Don’t you eat fruit ? Because some of the carbohydrates have natural sugars. Even healthy ones.

[@Cloppa2000]

@@levystrauss7142 Eating some real whole fruit will not make you fat. Drinking lots of fruit juice will. You don't need to avoid the sugar in whole fruit.

[@nopenope1]

@@Cloppa2000 unless you eat to much of it ;) but it's probably very anyoing and time consuming to do that with whole fruits. (or most variaties...) for the key was breakfast at all and replacing carbs with more fibers and higher protein, but also more better fat. (olive oil, nuts) 50lbs within 2 ish years or from almost obisity to normal weight. (BMI 29 to 22, no to get more muscles and replacing a bit of body fat)

[@WaterspoutsOfTheDeep]

Good for you. A simple tip, eat a pickle with every meal. The vinegar in it modifies the insulin response. It's like a much easier way than taking a spoon of apple cider vinegar every meal.

[@juiceboxboy8143]

"Eating low calorie foods leads to weight gain. Eating high calorie food leads to weight loss." Dr Norwitz said something like that, but I thought it was profound. Of course, it was not high calorie sweets but instead it was macadamia nuts. Always great to hear Dr Nick talk about metabolism etc.

[@24killsequalMOAB]

It makes sense, everyone has different mitochondrial expression and metabolic agents in their body.

[@BeHealing]

and a different microbiome that processes that food

[@DaytimeOperator]

Thankyou! I’ve been trying to explain for years, we are not furnace. We don’t just burn calories. Weight gain/loss is so much more complicated than that.

[@clarabartha1737]

I really appreciate what this doctor had to say. Great interview. Thank you for acknowledging how patients or just people struggling with lifelong weight problems feel.

[@tiffanyhanson3701]

Calories are a factor, but the main issues are 1) Whether your hunger is greater than the amount of calories it takes to maintain your weight and 2) Whether the amount of calories it takes to maintain your weight provides sufficient energy to do the things you need to do. If I can maintain my weight at 1500 calories, but I’m tired and hungry when I eat only 1500 calories and it takes 2000 calories to not feel hungry and have sufficient energy, that’s a problem that will lead to obesity. That’s 52 lbs of excess calories in one year.

[@huandrew3874]

So basically eat nutritious food not junk

[@finagill]

Incorrect. Calories don't matter. Calories are thermal energy only. Our bodies run on ADP. The caloric value of food is determined by literally burning the food and measuring the amount of heat that is released. The amount of energy you extract from the food is not related to the caloric value. People are just so used to using the term calories wrong that most people use it instead of energy. The food you eat tells your body what to do with the energy that is extracted. This is why people can increase the caloric value of the food they eat and lose fat. They can also decrease the caloric value of their food and increase their fat. Macros matter, not calories. The different macros are what provide different signals. A perfect example of this are type 1 diabetics. When not taking insulin, they will lose fat no matter what they eat. For the body to store fat, insulin has to be elevated. When insulin is elevated, you will store fat. In extreme cases, you can store so much of the energy you extract from food that you don't have enough energy available to maintain proper body function. It is called internal starvation.

[@melkihassa]

Thanks

[@masterep3576]

This is a great conversation that I would have loved to participate in. As I would introduce the subject as to ancestry geographical location on the planet and indigenous food sources going back before international trade started then I would also add lifestyle during puberty impacting the number of androgen receptor. I have an energy engineering background and I've been ultra morbidly obese for 54 years of my life and today at 60 years old with no surgeries or medical interventions. People cannot tell just five years ago. I weighed over 400 pounds with a BMI always in the 50+ range Most of my life. During shut down, I realize my body was controlled very similarly to the electrical grid here in Hawaii. From there, I started my hypothesis forward and as a result I lost 24 inches around my waist and 216 pounds. And now I can run marathons for the first time ever. Growing up I was always huge and could not participate in sports or do any kind of outdoor activities because I didn't fit things. There is a hypothesis that people only see problems and issues from their personal experiences. That's why I took them forever to figure out the calendar as they thought all the planets revolved around us. People have that problem.

[@Indylimburg]

That's awesome. I believe people will begin using their ancestry and genealogical records in the near future to guide their health choices. I'm curious to know more about the effect lifestyle during puberty has on androgen receptors. Can you provide more info?

[@Maxwell-mb7xn]

What was your engineering mind approach to your weightloss?

[@masterep3576]

@ there is something called distributive generation and it's controlled throughout the grid using electricity, communication, and we have different fuel sources for the remote generations. The human body does something very similar it converts fuel from different fuel services and stores it in fat, and I had lots of fat. I realize how to convert my fat into storage in the muscles so when I needed them, it would be available and I started burning more and more fat the human body communicates via hormones, not electricity, but the principle is the same after a while, I am able to manipulate my hormones to accelerate fuel burning or fat burning. I can burn off 2 pounds of pork much easier than 2 pounds of beef in the next day. I can eat 3 pounds of different seafood and the next day it's gone. People don't remember that in Polynesia there is no cows or beef. Everything is pork and seafood.

[@edawworld]

@@masterep3576 You're saying beef has a different metabolic effect than pork? What about poultry? Or bison or venison?

[@mjt1517]

@@edawworld he’s not explaining how we can do it. Perfectly vague comments is all we’re getting.

[@pamisntcraiganymore]

Robert Lustig talked about some young obese patients with metabolic disorders he treated in his early career. He brought them into a hospital controlled setting and fed them 500 calories daily. They still gained weight. Once he addressed their hormonal disorder, they were able to lose weight. The body needs to function properly first.

[@leeuniverse]

*We know FOR SURE it's NOT "simply" Calories* because you can go Keto and Carnivore and eat the SAME Calories and actually LOSE WEIGHT... In other words, it's the "Type" of Calories whether we often gain weight or not, among other potential variables, though this is the most common. For example, the very first time I gained a LOT of weight I was 16, and I was eating a LOT of Carbs when it happened. If I had eating mostly Meat, Veggi's, and Fruit I wouldn't have gained anything.

[@JudeMalachi]

It's not really the type of calories. It's your insulin response. This is a fact and we now know this for certain. It's amazing that it's still not better known. Insulin shuts off all the pathways to burning fat because part of its job is tell your body to store fat. Even if you're eating too many calories you'll still feel hungry with high levels of circulating insulin. If you go on a diet but don't control your insulin levels, then one of two things will happen: your body will simply increase your ghrelin levels that you feel so ravishly hunger you overeat or your metabolism will slow down to accommodate the calorie restriction. Both of these things ultimately lead to increase fat gain. Control your insulin and if you eat too many calories your body just ups the metabolism. Of course, for most people there will be a limit on how many calories they can consume and still keep their insulin levels down. When you start to overeat with low insulin levels then you body just produces leptin which makes you not feel hungry. The key to managing both leptin and ghrelin is insulin.

[@jaymckoskey25]

Not all of Thomas' guests are created equal. Nick is one of the very best IMO.

[@chargermopar]

Well looks like Nick has made the big time now. I have said this for years, we do not burn food, we chemically process it. You can heat your home with wood or build one with it or both.

[@RLeeErmy]

Thanks T.DL for another great video! Always like to hear from Nick!

[@Cloppa2000]

The reason exercise including walking or general movement can help with fatloss and fuel partitioning is because after eating (or at any time for a diabetic or pre-diabetic with constantly raised insulin levels) when the sugar (glucose) level in our blood is high it causes our insulin level to rise to get the sugar out of our blood (otherwise it would kill us!) and when our insulin is high we cannot burn fat but store the sugar as fat, but when we exercise the muscles can draw in and use the sugar from the blood without raising the insulin and therefore we can still burn the fat and don't store the fat! This is why going for a walk after dinner is good for us. It gets the sugar out of the blood without the insulin rising as much.

[@suzannecarrier287]

Yes! That's what my husband's doctor suggested and he beat diabetes and lost 62 pounds by moving for 10 min. After every meal. He also dropped all sugar and ultra processed foods. It took 10 months. That was 2 years ago and his hbA1C is still low. 😊👍🏻

[@Cloppa2000]

@@suzannecarrier287 Well done to him!! You appear to have a decent doctor!

[@ivanafikackova4302]

Exactly my words. Young people think that older and havier people are just lazy and dumb because young body response exactly to equation of calories. Older bodies dont..

[@prometheas]

Thank you both for this deeply thoughtful discussion. I believe you got some deeply meaningful stuff with the patient-blaming / self-blaming aspect of obesity management, and would propose that a crucial, typically-missing dimension to patient care is supporting the emotional / self-image aspects of the care model, as these matters can so powerfully support (or undermine) each person's resilience in their journeys.

[@JT125g5]

So cramming food in our mouths ALL day and sitting for 23 hours a day isn't a problem?

[@Cascaden-i2v]

"Not all calories are equal" This quote goes far beyond just macros.

[@robertmitchell1920]

We are evolved to over-eat carbs/sugar during the period of summer abundance in order to lay down fat for winter. Their high digestibility sets up a rollercoaster of consumption/hunger via blood glucose hormonal signals. The solution is to suppress carb intake by eating low carb, low digestibility meals that satiate hunger. That allows you to enter fat burning between meals and overnight. Avoid Snacking between meals and extend the sleep fasting period (min 12H) and you can then tweak your fat loss. Light activity after dinner also helps burn through any glucose in your last meal so that the transition to fat burning happens earlier in the overnight fast.

[@debdicken286]

Love Nick and his explanations! He’s so brilliant but breaks science down to a lay persons understanding

[@loewenberg11]

People eat too less fat and too much carbs. Per calorie fat weighs less and does not trigger insulin. Fat triggers satiety more.

[@nicktheodorou3474]

The cause is what every is driving you to consume more calories. The rate of obesity has increased with the rate of increase in calories in the USA (or should I say food availability in the USA). People are consuming more, but what is causing them to do so. Food quality plays a role in calories out (energy partitioning and thermic effect of food) but not as much as people think (typically 100-300 calories) but energy partitioning plays an important role in the regulation of hunger, calories in, causing people to eat more calories and understanding these mechanisms will help understand obesity.

[@jacqueslucas8616]

Love this guy!

[@Anna-mv9ew]

Ever since I developed hypothyroidism calories in and calories out is a joke for me. Believe me, if your body made a decision to store and save, no amount of willpower, perfect diet and exercising (and it will be VERY hard)

[@Anna-mv9ew]

...will help you in losing weight, belly in particular.

[@alkaline8608]

Because your thyroid is affecting the calories out part. You can't outrun thermodynamics.

[@johnscott3893]

Surely the CICO model is rather disrupted by the fact that we also receive energy from other sources, namely native EMF, i.e. sunlight and the Earth's electromagnetic field. Food in essence is a photosynthetic barcode for stored electrons utilized by our mitochondria. How efficiently they work and produce energy via the electron transport chain surely determines more how electrons are used or stored than calories per se. It's well known that fructose causes oxidative stress and reduces mitochondrial efficiency (probably increasing heteromplasmy/mutations at the same time) so the form the carbon bonds are consumed in also determines energy expenditure.

[@kaine48]

Ive been both easily slender and obese. I can tell you i eat far less now than when i was thin. Ive dieted many many times to try and get thin again. Even with very low net calories i am barely able to lose any weight once i get to a certain weight which is still 20lbs more than id like to be. If i eat the recommended calories to lose weight i gain weight quickly. Net calories is a massive factor in weight but the situation is far more complicated than many people who can easily maintain a low weight (like is used to be) like to think it is.

[@kaine48]

I should clairify; there seems to be a comfortable upper weight end too. Ive never been above that weight even when i put 0 effort into keeping the weight off and eat like a glutton.

[@patiakreles]

I was stuck in the least energy expenditure ever when I was so sick than I couldn't even walk. I couldn't eat due to gastroparesis and I was still gaining weight. I ate around 1000 kcal a day and still gained weight. How so? Someone my age and weight needed to eat at least 1.400 kcal to maintain, so it didn't make sense. In my calories out there wasn't much happening and I had metabolic issues. Then I finally understood that some people will not be active because of metabolic issues, they can't burn more calories because the body just won't. In my case I had to eat a lot more carbs for my body to adjust the blood sugar. Sounds completely insane I guess, I don't know much about this metabolism.

[@babybalrog]

I'm constantly reminded about Brad Marshals work. So on point. I asked a weight loss nures today "why does metabolic rate drop when people loose weight in excess of moving less mass" ie, NEAT, ie thermogenesis, ie calorie partitioning. I've delving into some of that science, but it's almost all indirect because people arn't looking for it.

[@2BWiley2]

Bravo. That was a master class. Best of success helping some take the shame out of their pursuit of health and target better outcomes.

[@davidkea1607]

A type 1 diabetic loses weight no matter how many "calories" they eat IF they do not take insulin. Obesity is caused by high insulin end of story

[@helios4425]

You die without insulin lol. Your missing the point. That means you just eat fat? Because protein spikes insulin ? You die without protein . Here is a fun fact. data from 2016 through 2021 on 128,571 people from the National Health Interview Survey, an annual nationwide survey of the U.S. population on health-related topics. Their central finding was that 34 percent of adults with type 1 diabetes were overweight, while 28 percent had obesity-virtually the same as the proportions-36 percent and 28 percent-seen in people without diabetes

[@evanhadkins5532]

Probably some other elements, but insulin does seem to be the main one.

[@finagill]

Exactly. The other extreme is that insulin is so high that your body stores the energy extracted from food to the detriment of other functions.

[@bobbitayman3417]

What about people on carnivore that gain weight?

[@davidadcock3382]

@@helios4425 Type 1 diabetics use insulin and when they eat more high carb foods and use more insulin they gain weight. Protein uses insulin but it does NOT spike insulin.

[@_DEFCON1]

I should share this in my YT argument they’ve been fighting me on 😂 the dishonor they’ve brought on their family’s lol 😂

[@riknos3289]

Metabolism is a complex, multivariate system, and thermodynamics is a constraint on that system rather than a function of the system. It enforces only that those multiple variables must combine to an equality, not any other aspects of those variables. Obviously it's the dynamics of the equation itself rather than the fact that it is an equation that matters.

[@laurensargent9471]

I followed my naturally thin friend (family owned a bakery) for a week during college. Ate everything she did and mimicked her every move. Gained 5 lbs. That N of 1 experiment was enough for me to question the calorie model. I also have a resting temp of 96.8. Have always wondered if this is a marker of slow metabolism (and will I live longer 😳).

[@summersalix]

96.8 sounds like hypothyroidism... Get ur ft4, ft3, and antibodies tested

[@helios4425]

Why would you question the calorie ? Your number is different than your friend. It's still accurate

[@D1s43k25Ps]

Its very questionable that you replicated everything someone did for the entire week so same steps same fidgeting same amount of grams of food eaten how would you even manage to convince your friend of allowing you to be this annoying? Its just most likely you didn't replicate it to a decent enough degree and even if you did there are still more factors to consider. Calorie model works its basic science being in a caloric deficit for some people is harder for many reasons and it clearly shows by how much people regain their weight but arguing against the validity of the model it just shows lack of knowledge.

[@laurensargent9471]

@@summersalix it is hypothyroidism but levels fluctuate between normal and out of range.

[@sasquatch8268]

@@laurensargent9471 Well there's your answer, unless your friend also has hypothyroidism. CICO is not the problem

[@myt110]

Wish you would challenge him more! When he said you can manipulate mice with the same amount of calories and movement to gain different amounts of weight, it would’ve been good to hear how you can disobey the laws of thermodynamics.

[@jaymckoskey25]

It's difficult to discuss the complexities, practicalities and nuance of energy balance but important to not give the impression that the first law can be violated. Thanks for clarifying your position. Provocative but ambiguous video titles can be counterproductive.

[@saskhiker3935]

I think the focus should not be on calories but nutrients density of food. Calorie counting is a waste of time. If your eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, only getting carbs from unprocessed food like sweet potatoes not pasta and eating a lot of meat. If your eating the same amount of calories but one diet is heavy in processed packaged foods and one is just whole foods your going to be healthier with a whole food diet. The food industry spends a huge amount of money to get us to eat their processed foods. It's not complicated. Just eat healthy and you will be healthy. You will have more energy and then you will be more active ,healthy and happy.

[@MrQuadcity]

**Key Insights: Metabolic Scientist Explains Why Calories Are Not the Cause of Obesity (Eye-Opening Research)** 1. **Thermodynamics vs. Pathophysiology: Why "Calories In vs. Calories Out" Misses the Point** - The *laws of thermodynamics* (calories in minus calories out equals weight change) are not denied, but this framework does not explain the **root cause** of obesity. Calories are a *consequence*, not the *driver*, of metabolic dysfunction. - Obesity is a **primary disorder of fuel partitioning**: The body decides whether to burn calories for energy, store them as fat, or allocate them to lean tissue. Dysfunctional partitioning-prioritizing fat storage-triggers downstream hunger signals and reduced energy expenditure, perpetuating obesity. 2. **Fuel Partitioning: The Real Culprit** - Hormonal and metabolic factors (e.g., insulin resistance, mitochondrial efficiency) dictate how the body partitions fuel. For example: - **Animal studies**: Mice fed identical calories and activity levels show stark differences in fat gain due to genetic/metabolic predispositions. - **Human variability**: Overfeeding trials reveal a 10-fold difference in fat storage between individuals, driven by non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and metabolic adaptations. - Chronic obesity arises from **persistent metabolic dysregulation**, not acute calorie excess. 3. **Calories as a "Steering Wheel," Not the "Engine"** - While calorie intake matters, it is not the *cause* of obesity. Instead, it interacts with metabolic health: - **Processed vs. whole foods**: Low-calorie, sugar-rich foods (e.g., "90-calorie ice cream") may worsen insulin signaling and fat storage. Conversely, high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods (e.g., avocado, macadamia nuts) improve metabolic flexibility. - **Exercise**: Physical activity enhances fuel partitioning by directing energy toward muscle repair and metabolic health, even if it doesn’t burn significant short-term calories. 4. **Individual Variability and the "Set Point" Hypothesis** - Each person has a unique **metabolic "set point"** influenced by genetics, hormones, and environment. This set point determines how efficiently the body: - Expends energy (e.g., via NEAT, body temperature, heart rate). - Adapts to calorie surplus or deficit. - Insulin signaling, mitochondrial dynamics (e.g., RalA-DRP1 axis), and hormonal milieu (e.g., leptin, ghrelin) modulate this set point. 5. **The Psychological and Clinical Implications** - **Guilt vs. physiology**: Blaming obesity on "overeating" ignores metabolic drivers, fostering shame and counterproductive behaviors (e.g., extreme calorie restriction). - **Clinical focus**: Prioritizing metabolic health (via low-carb diets, fasting, or targeted exercise) over calorie counting aligns with how the body *processes* energy, not just its quantity. --- ### Conclusion The debate over calories vs. metabolism is not a denial of physics but a call to reframe obesity as a **metabolic disease**, not a moral failing. While calories influence weight, the root cause lies in *how the body partitions fuel*-a process governed by hormones, mitochondrial function, and genetic predispositions. **Key Takeaways**: - **Focus on metabolic health**: Improve insulin sensitivity, prioritize whole foods, and leverage exercise to enhance fuel partitioning. - **Individualize approaches**: Recognize variability in metabolic responses and avoid one-size-fits-all calorie prescriptions. - **Compassion over blame**: Shift public discourse from guilt-driven calorie restriction to empowering metabolic interventions. By addressing obesity through the lens of *fuel partitioning*, we move closer to sustainable solutions that honor biological complexity and human dignity.

[@Highwind4598]

We eat chemicals laden food in this country that makes fat loss very difficult

[@PRGRAMMING]

And yet, when people have fewer and fewer calories, they loose weight.

[@kvpc11]

nowhere in the video does it say it doesn't

[@Indylimburg]

Not true. I have a friend who eats only about 1000 calories per day and is 80 lbs overweight. Non diabetic. But this friend only eats bread, starches, and sugar.

[@edawworld]

What I took from this is that not all calories are created equal. It should be well established by now that 100 calories from protein and 100 calories from sugar are gonna have COMPLETELY different effects on the body's insulin response, and insulin above any other factor is what's gonna determine fat storage and fat burning. Yes, calorie intake restriction will cause weight loss, but the real question is what is the most efficient way to fuel the body and maintain a healthy metabolism? Again, it should be no secret at this point that satiating, high protein and high fiber diets can lead to effective weight management even without calorie counting because both macronutrients are not only extremely difficult to overeat, they also slow down calorie absorbtion and stabilize blood sugar levels. Perhaps there's a bit more to it, but not much more.

[@edawworld]

That's to say nothing of the differences in fat calories from seed oils and calories from ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, etc. Our bodies don't even consider HFCS calories and honey calories interchangeable, so yeah, why pretend the numbers are the only thing to consider?

[@richardlionheart3935]

That is a falacy. If you have been paying attention to these videos you would realise it's more what you eat rather than how much. Those people eating less calories are almost always cutting out the sugary foods and it is this that lowers their insulin resistance which ends up causing the weight loss.

[@courtneycyrus123]

QUESTION: does chicory root powder break a fast? When I say break a fast, I mean is it allowed to be consumed in the same way that coffee and tea and spices are allowed during a fast?

[@DrAJ_LatinAmerica]

Its never about 1 thing, its always about ALL things as a big picture. Food type, quality, volume, environment, environmental factors (EDC's, toxins, pollution), plus ALL things relating to the individual - age, race, genetics, hormones, sleep quality, activity levels, hydration, nutrition,.......all depends on which parts are working and which parts are broken. All things matter. Context and content. Each item having a different weighted value and effect based dose and individual. It is a dynamic system.

[@Grumpyoldman666]

The cause would be eating more food than you need…..

[@Enihel]

Finaly somone "important" said it... and im living proof of this...

[@jeniferjohnson374]

Refreshing to hear

[@monokheros5373]

Only the Kalories DIGESTED for USE are counted All other Kalories never made it into the fuel cell

[@luddity]

What are all of the things that affect fuel partitioning in humans and which ones matter the most and/or can be altered?

[@kareemnaaman7457]

This is way too overcomplicated. It can be broken down like this. Whole foods are more satiating therefore you eat less. The end

[@erikwalker9102]

What if the micronutrient deficiency over time is the cause? If let’s say you are deficient in vitamin C on a maintenance calorie diet- it’s likely you are going to gain weight and then this fuel partitioning issue becomes an issue. Since the body is deficient in that one nutrient, innate intelligence is going to cause the body to make metabolic changes to account for the deficiency.

[@crackerjack6075]

Anyone repeating the non-sense about 'Laws of ThermoDynamics' and Calories-in-Calories-out is not applying science and logic sophisticated enough to account for an individual's simple and basic metabolic question; what will THEIR body do with the contents of a specific meal, a day's meals, he week's meals?

[@jonathanberry1111]

The horror movie human centipede is based on the fact that a pig's and presumably human's digestive system leaves a LOT of calories, so much that the waste can be put into another pig and that that pig outputs can be put into another pig, this happens for some number of times before it results in malnutrition/death. Not a fun thought but if human's aren't getting all the energy from their food and if bacteria also use energy, and even the energy humans get can do various different things... Calories in calories out is ignorantly simplistic in the way most use it.

[@Tespri]

Your logic fails by the fact that people actually lose weight by cutting calories.

[@crackerjack6075]

@@Tespri For some reason (probably a prejudice) some people evaluate this issue really liking they will be successful on a simple equation and other, completely identified, critical evidence and case studies can be not only set aside, but denied. **Yes 'people actually lose weight by cutting calories' - 'Some'. Then they are finished with their assessment and diet plan. Some lose, but a lot (Me) do not lose much weight on that simple calorie burn equation. Example; that simple equation didn't account for weekly theromo-burn. But that's still your principle's thermo burn equation you left-out. So we add activity>burn to your equation and a lot more success (me again), but huge % of people depending solely on that equation gain all the weight back, plus - in less than a full year. Most have problems sustaining that deficit, but also a body metabolically will adjust to a new Cal level and return to a fat% set-point (The Biggest Loser). So many additional factors found to play-in - recommend to re-view the video. But yes 'people actually lose weight by simply cutting calories' depending upon thermodynamic caloric deficit..., a singular and narrow vision

[@crackerjack6075]

@@jonathanberry1111 - Oh wow. Dr. Heiter and the video's tagline > "100% medically accurate" and someone also needed to produce 'Centipede 2' & 'Centipede III' What are the chances Heiter gets with Dr Nick Norwitz ?

[@Tespri]

@ All people lose fat. You're free to provide study where someone with 0 calories intake would gain weight or won't lose weight.

[@markbouvierjr.7446]

There's definitely more at play, I know a lot of very overweight people who eat very little while I am I'm the best shape of my life eating more than twice as much as I ever have I'm my life. Earing is like a full time job for me and I have abs like never before in my life while I have friends who are very obese and for them eating is just an afterthought.

[@suadmahmutovic6542]

They might not be eating much food but they sire eat shit ton of snacks and empty calories, chips, soda, etc. And those calories add up very quickly. I see people do this all the time at work. They eat decent meal but with that meal they have 300 calories of chips and soda and now that 650 calories meal becomes 1400 and now you see how that can add up quickly?

[@leemanwrong]

It’s mass in mass out, not calories in calories out.

[@rjeffbateman5546]

What are my actionable items. What should I be doing?

[@Hadrada.]

I’m 5 ft 7 Weigh around 136lb I can eat loads of food and don’t put on weight I’ve even eaten 2 main meals and finished other peoples steak On the other hand I fast and can get away with not eating much either I never have more than 2 meals a day and never have breakfast

[@JKSmith-z1f]

Calories are not the "cause," but they are the trigger, aka the input. It's clear as day that we all have different metabolisms, but if you eat like a pig and don't exercise, there is a close to 0 chance that you will look good and be healthy.

[@RobustMustache]

Didn't hear a lot of science in this discussion. I heard a lot of 'I think'. For most people calories in/calories out DOES work. And many who say it doesn't only operate in a deficit for a couple of weeks and see little change and act like it doesn't work for them. Also there are A LOT of people who lie to themselves and others about their attempts to lose weight. I have seen it with people I know. There might be a small subset of the population that struggle to lose weight following cal in/cal out for months, I suspect it is a small subset. I have known a lot of people who lost weight using cal in/cal out and those who struggle to lose weight with this method are just not being strict enough with this protocol. They don't realize that you can literally screw up and an entire day/week of calorie deficit with one meal or a few snacks here and there. Telling people that calories doesn't cause obesity is honestly just giving obese people another excuse to give up on trying at all.

[@gcs7817]

Too much of any macro nutrient will cause weight gain It’s so much easier to overeat on fat because 1g is 9 calories So one ounce of walnuts is 200 calories. I think most ppl might eat 2 ounces

[@alkaline8608]

At the end of the day it's still calories in calories out

[@cynicist8114]

@@alkaline8608 It's not. The kinds of calories you consume matter because your hormones respond to carbohydrates differently than to protein and fat.

[@HunzaTech]

So it's the same as what Dr. Fung said? That calories aren't just calories themselves but also carry instructions on what to do with the calories? Eat eggs and steak and have energy to perform or have calorie smart ice cream and get fatter still.

[@helios4425]

Weight gain or loss is a result of thermodynamics - energy in vs energy out. While this premise isn’t absolutely complete here, it covers the majority of the premise.

[@cynicist8114]

What your body decides to do with that energy is also important. If your body does not signal to store the energy, then you will not gain weight.

[@suzannecarrier287]

I like this guy. So intelligent!😊

[@Christophermeow]

Ill equate this is a strange way im a nurse i also coach bodybuilders many times ill have a nee client eating about 750-900 Calories the first thing i do is double those calories as they have lost muscle aswell as some fat now. Now youd think they get to 1700-1900 calories per day and would then become obese. Lets presume they have been working out though and doing cardio. 90% of the time they start losing fat and then actually gain muscle not everyone but many !

[@gerthantis8516]

Excellent work! Really love your stuff. Any thoughts on a nutrition and exercise protocol for us 50+ males?

[@moses5407]

I often see this issue clouded by relating net calorie native to fat gain or loss vs total mass gain or loss ... along with not counting all aspects of the calories out side. NEAT, for example, is a major variable on the calories out side but may or may not relate directly to fat loss. Mass loss, yes, fat loss, uncertain. The fuel partitioning commentary is critical, though, and one of the major contributors to that issue ... and a major control point ... is to your metabolic/fuel flexibility and training to change it.

[@rathelmmc3194]

I get what this guy is getting at, but I mean come on. If you roughly know your BMR and your activity rate you have enough of a yardstick to keep your weight in check. We didn't really have an issue with weight until hyperpalatable and caloric dense foods came on the scene.

[@elephantintheroom5678]

With my body, exercise effects my weight far, far more than calories do.

[@DJzero7]

I Actually believe what he is saying is true to extent and it also depends on everyone’s body’s as well I find it strange how now I am a really slim person and I Eat A lot of food/calories a day but I just eat a much more nutritional calories that have benefits rather to the junk food I used to eat I was bigger back then and weighed 15 pounds heavier but now that I changed the type of calories I consume maybe I just manipulated the way my body expends energy rather than just storing it I also feel like I unlock some random gene because my body has had the most craziest changes I can eat so much now and that’s what makes me Believe that Calories don’t matter but at the same time they do for certain people

[@richardmiddleton7770]

Calories may not be the only factor, but they are the biggest factor and one that is easy to control. You could make a complete lifestyle change and eat more and lose weight, or you could just reduce calories. I know which is easier!

[@AllAhabNoMoby]

I just love how all the opponents of 'calories in, calories out' try and obfuscate the matter. This guy in particular would rather tell you all about himself than how a person can stay obese at 2000 calories a day or less. Because spoiler: they can't.

[@lisag18]

I dont buy any of this. There is such a thing as a set point and no ,it cant be modified. If a person is prone to being overweight, thwy coild lose 50 pounds but eventually, that weight will come back. I dieted off and on for a few decades and i wrecked my metabolism. Im lucky when i lose 10 pounds by fasting for 5 days but guess what, that 10 pounds comes back when i eat even 1 meal a day and maintain my workouts. Some people can lose weighg and keep it off..have little trouble losing weight. The bottom line is every BODY is different.

[@davidadcock3382]

It took me fifty years of failure after failure after failure to finally learn that your post is completely FALSE. At age 68 I finally learned how to eat correctly and lost 131 pounds fairly easily and have now kept every pound off for over 4 years. Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance has NOTHING to do with calories, exercise, or portion control !!!!!

[@FKOGod]

@@davidadcock3382 I can second that from personal experience. Lost ~56kg in about a year (converts to ~123lbs) by eating healthy foods, a little exercise and walking around a lot. Calories are not completely irrelevant (as stated in the video actually) but there is more to it. The key that people seem to misunderstand is that the BMR part of "calories out" is actually not some fixed variable but something highly dependent on hormones. If everything was just "Calories in - Calories out" and that second part were fixed, it would be completely irrelevant whether your calories come from cookies or broccoli - obviously not the case, not just for health. Managing your insulin, GLP1 etc. is the absolute key. Since I understood that, weight loss comes fairly easily (and I most certainly did not win the genetic lottery when it comes to weight :D).

[@davidadcock3382]

@@FKOGod You are correct. It is all about managing insulin and when you do your hunger and cravings will go away which makes the journey much easier.

[@myt110]

What are the takeaways for us at home from this?

[@lightbeingpontifex]

it's what your body does with the calories

[@ldean8360]

If calories caused obesity then saunas would make you heavier.

[@VannApragal]

This only means he is converting his caloric intake into anxiety. That doesn’t mean everyone should walk around with psychological disorders. 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dennisward43]

I don't think anyone would choose to have psychological disorders. His jitters may come from eating too many carbs (especially the sugar in them). It certainly does with me.

[@VannApragal]

@@dennisward43 get your diabetes, and hypertension checked.

[@robertjohn6354]

So we all process calories differently . Other than that , this vid was frustratingly lacking in any practical information , re weight control .

[@helios4425]

In the end, it's still calories but the number is different for everybody.

[@eyelladog8816]

Seems to me they tangentially tapped the circle which is fix your metabolism as driven by mitochondria. If your fuel systems aren't efficient, then you'll store that inefficiency around your body is what I got out of it.

[@bigz5262]

@@helios4425what is a calorie and how do they measure them?

[@coreygrider8290]

watching this made me hungry

[@hiphopaneer]

I know that calories in calories out doesn't matter because i can eat a lot of suet and the next day I can look at my stool and it would literally be fatty, that means that my body did not use these calories, now if I would eat that all that fat with a bunch of bread I would also drive up insulin which would make my body immediately store all that fat.

[@bass305-HCCA]

Sorry pal. I went from 5 to 6000 Calories a day, to about 2000. I was at 325. I cut out bread, soda, sugar (except fruits) and all products with refined carbs. Walked everyday for a half hour for 6 months. I'm down 60lbs. Just saying.

[@michaeljasper2225]

Ha. I follow you and my wife has brought up Nick. Now if you two could sit down with Dr. Mike here on youtube you would collect my daughter. We as a group need you all but cannot seem to come together ourselves...

[@Faceless_Chat]

I like T.D.L, but some guests are questionable. Unless you have underlying health issues, losing weight is a straight forward process. Eat (healthy) LESS, exercise MORE! THAT IS IT! People making the process so complicated for no freaking reason, and then give up within a week... Also, no will power, most people are mentally weak and that's how they got fat and unhealthy in the first place.

[@BizMorning]

There’s a few Dr Hyman that state protein shakes are bad being that they contain lead and other toxic heavy metals. Would love for you to create your thoughts or research on this. I currently supplement but now wondering if I should.

[@pepegarcia4530]

Polynesian people is the example.

[@markames6030]

reinventing the bloody wheel.

[@dennisward43]

'Calories in = calories out' is like saying all wheels are the same. It doesn't matter whether they are square or round. Really?

[@danabennett4330]

Types of calories?

[@bigz5262]

Kinda. Certain foods can affect your hormones which will affect your metabolism

[@helios4425]

​@@bigz5262 Can you give an example which foods and which hormones?

[@bigz5262]

⁠@@helios4425obviously there’s going to be a big difference in individuals but most would agree that too much processed sugar could lead to insulin resistance which would force your body to create more insulin. Process foods also mess with ghrelin and leptin balance. Alcohol lowers testosterone and raises cortisol One I don’t like to think about, because I drink too much coffee, is too much caffeine can also raise your cortisol Too much soy can affect your thyroid There’s a bunch of different things that can affect everyone in different ways. Your best bet is to get a hormone panel done if you’re worried about it

[@evanhadkins5532]

@@helios4425 Insulin is more effected by carbs, esp. refined carbs esp. sugar. In this case it is really clear, other ones is less clear.

[@finagill]

Calories are thermal energy only, so there is only 1 type. Our bodies use ATP which we extract from food. The different macros provide different signals as to what to do with that energy. In the most basic sense, carbohydrates spike insulin and tell your body to store fat. Protein elevates insulin a little. The amino acids that proteins breakdown into tell the body to repair. Fat has virtually no impact on insulin so the body will use it for energy but won't store it. It also breaks down to fatty acids which fuel different process. Like I said, this is a very basic description, it is more complicated.

[@mtpstv94]

Of course calories aren't.

[@BritishMoralHQ]

the way he explains .. he is trying too hard...i cannot follow !!

[@chrisjones-rd8it]

i hope we didnt pay for this guy's phd

[@tajmeal]

@12:29 @06:14 & @03:07

[@Likesforhire]

Father and son

[@MAHONEYDRO]

Space cadet

[@NOCHANCEMOVIE]

Hello ... hormones matter more than calories lol ... This is a settled matter. We are not metal machines where calories are our main way to utilize energy. More energon cubes please megatron

[@tracythompson1692]

I see what Nick is saying. Hormones rather than calories.

[@Swatta637]

Appreciate the channel, but the thumbnail "Eye Opening Research"....ehh? Anyone who knows [real] healthy eating - toxin free food that dominates America - has known that calories don't cause obesity. Most Paleo and Carnivores have known this for years! You don't have to be a scientist to understand this! I have never in my life seen one person SUSTAINABLY lose weight and keep it off by cutting calories. Not once. They always, every time, gain it back eventually if that's their only approach. Eat and workout with 2 goals in my mind - high nutrition, low-to-none toxins (which means get off the American Diet). Your body will handle excess energy without a problem.

[@alkaline8608]

18 minutes of waffling to say its calories in vs calories out

[@pertsonvelts1699]

"Calories are one of the causes" is NOT the same as "calories are not the cause". Unfortunately another cheap clickbait title and another tryhard attempt to reveal "breaking news". If you are running out of ideas for videos and the whole thing is starting to feel like a chore, I suggest you take a break.

[@ThomasDeLauerOfficial]

I’m sorry, I definitely wasn’t trying to make you feel like this is clickbait. Last thing I want to do is make my viewers feel like that. I am seeing many positive, engaging comments though, so I’m inclined to think that maybe it’s just a difference in opinion. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and also for taking the time to leave a constructive comment

[@pertsonvelts1699]

@ThomasDeLauerOfficial Fair, rhanks for engaging!

[@nasserBack]

He is hungry for views. One video titled “the end of carbs” only to have another video to say that carbs are beneficial for workout. So many contradictions in his way to get as many views as possible.

[@Michael-vc2cs]

⁠@@ThomasDeLauerOfficial Frankly from my personal experience and experimentation calories are NOT the cause of my weight gain. But, as Nick explained in the video, I’ve experienced both extremes. I’ve been able to burn thousands more calories and not gain an ounce. I’ve also been in a state where I can eat very few calories and not lose an ounce. I think his points are profound and certainly anyone with an open mind will appreciate the great marketing that is the title of this video.