Keeping in mind that inherently genetics is a rather complex subject, Yeo does a great job of explaining it as simple as it can be for the lay man reading this book. However, the more important plus point is that latter topics related to the genetics of obesity have been explained such that they can be understood even without truly getting the basics of the obesity-related genetics. Explained rather systematically in the book are various fad diets and the pros and cons of each, allowing these to be looked at in a new light. It does appear at times that Yeo is attempting to banish all fad diets, but if carefully considered, Yeo is providing factful information to the reader to choose from a range of diets based on how they do or do not work scientifically. The book effectively captures the essence of its topic, providing valuable insights into the world of calorie measurement, digestion, and diets, allowing readers to learn and reflect.

The debate about the role of genetics in obesity often stirs scepticism, but the evidence is compelling. While it is true that the fundamental principle of weight gain is consuming more calories than burned, genetics significantly affect how we make food decisions over time. But I just love this author! It would have been wonderful to have taken classes from him in when I was in school - he's so down-to-earth and speaks so plainly - I would have been able to learn a lot and not have wasted who-knows-how-many hours of my life reading pointless diet and nutrition books. In one experiment he ate vegan for a month and lost about 4.5kg. His blood cholesterol levels also dropped and he says he found the diet manageable (unlike the popular 5:2 diet, where he often felt faint).That point is that we should care more about the food we eat and its composition/macros/healthiness than its caloric content, which, tbh, is nothing new. It's a good point, yes, but I didn't need to read this book to learn this, as I've been on a health/fitness journey for some years now. In addition, there were also well-catalogued issues with micronutrient deficiencies in vegan diets to consider; in particular vitamin B12, which is found largely in animal-based products, as well as iodine. Vitamin B12 is fat soluble, so I figured I had enough stored around my belly to easily last me the month; and I happened to like seaweed, which is rich in iodine. Hence I made the decision not to take supplements. I was weighed and had some limited blood biochemistry measurements (glucose and cholesterol levels, and micronutrients) performed before and after. A difficult first week

For example, we know that one in 330 people in the UK have mutations in a particular pathway called the leptin-melanocortin pathway, which renders your brain slightly less sensitive to how much fat you’re carrying. If everyone followed Public Health England's eating advice, people in the bottom decile (10 per cent) of household income would spend 74 per cent of their income on food. So, there's not much point telling them to follow the healthy eating advice they can't afford.” Since revealing his findings, people are loving his refreshing take on weight loss, with many hailing his findings as the “anti-diet” plan. In and of itself, exercise is not effective for weight loss. It is in principle possible to lose weight through exercise – Tour de France cyclists eat at least 5,000 calories a day and still lose weight during the three-week race. The problem is most of us mere mortals don’t exercise anywhere near enough for this to be effective. It is, however, useful for weight maintenance after you have achieved weight loss. So I stay active on my bike and running, to stay fit, but also to maintain my weight. PDF / EPUB File Name: Why_Calories_Dont_Count_-_Giles_Yeo.pdf, Why_Calories_Dont_Count_-_Giles_Yeo.epub

I learnt a few new facts from this book and had many more confirmed or consolidated; however, even if I agree genetics is the staple factor, I believe epigenetics (especially emotions) is much more crucial than Dr Yeo suggests here.

In this book, Yeo embarks on a scientific journey to challenge our understanding of calories, delving deep into the intricacies of calorie measurement, food digestion, and the impact of genetics on our relationship with food. As we navigate the complex world of calories and their role in our diets, join us in exploring the strengths and weaknesses of this compelling exploration of the calorie equation.

How about my cholesterol levels? Well, part of the drop could be explained by my weight loss, and part of it by the removal of saturated fat from my diet. But (and it is a big but) I would probably have seen the same effect had I switched to a pescetarian diet (fish are rich in unsaturated fats) such as a Mediterranian diet. Importantly, many people’s cholesterol levels, because of their genetics, are not actually influenced by their diet at all. For some people, dietary changes (particularly reducing saturated fats) would lower their cholesterol. For others, however – depending on their genes – medication would be the only route. So what happened at the end of the month? Well, I had no micronutrient deficiencies, but I did end my vegan experience 10 pounds lighter, with a 12 per cent drop in my blood cholesterol levels. Wow – on the face of it, I appeared to be the poster-boy for healthy vegan living! Why I lost 10 pounds I really enjoy working with Giles - he makes so much sense, and cuts through the confusion about diet and health with refreshing directness. His excellent book Gene Eating busts myths and homes in on what you really need need to know. It's been a genuine help to me and I'm sure it will be to everyone who reads it.' HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL If you have that annoying genetic makeup that gives you a huge appetite, or a penchant for unhealthy food, that can become a nuisance. But he says there are two things you can try. This was a delight to read; the prose and content are family-friendly, which make the book highly accessible and fun. Dr Yeo sounds genuinely humble but also cheeky; I loved his sarcasm about all the fads, their inventors and promoters.

What affects cholesterol Being vegan a choice that some of us are privileged enough to be able to make. It isn’t, by any stretch, the only way to eat healthily. (Getty Images) The book is further fluffed up with numerous lengthy personal anecdotes, that contribute almost nothing to the understanding of the subject matter. His overly amiable and chummy tone is grating after a while, I think he got lonely while writing the book and projected onto his readers. The book starts by giving an overly scientific explanation of how the body processes food and converts into energy, how a calorie is measure, what are calories, etc etc etc that I feel was really unnecessary for the point the book was trying to make. A Cambridge obesity researcher upends everything we thought we knew about calories and calorie-counting.

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For every one hundred calories of protein that you eat,” says Dr Yeo, “and it doesn’t matter whether it comes from a bean or it comes from a steak, you’re only ever able to absorb 70 calories; 30 calories is the cost of doing business and it tends to be lost as heat. Fat is very dense, it’s very efficient, very little heat is given off when you digest it, it’s nearly a hundred per cent available. Carbs are about 90 – 95 per cent available, depending on whether we’re talking about complex carbs or sugar. So every calorie count you see everywhere is wrong, in terms of what we actually absorb.” What really annoys me is when weight loss gurus say things like: “Oh, just replace the chocolate bar with a banana.” Now that’s a dumb thing to say, because sometimes life demands a banana, and sometimes life demands a chocolate bar. On the contrary, he endorses intermittent fasting and the Mediterranean diet, which is widely considered one of the healthiest in the world. The Mediterranean diet includes relatively high consumption of fruits and vegetables, olive oil, grains, legumes and nuts, moderate consumption of fish and poultry, as well as red wine, and low consumption of diary products and red and processed meat. It has been linked to reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and increased longevity. An excellent and engaging book, but also an important one. It is about time that a serious, respected academic provided a voice of reason' Anthony Warner aka THE ANGRY CHEF In some senses, his work flips thinking about diet on its head. I suggest that as a culture we tend to blame multinationals for delivering hidden fat and sugar to us in ways we find hard to resist – are we wrong in that?