First Principles

Weight Loss Scientist: The Calorie Counting LIE That's Keeping You Fat

July 29, 2026Ā·18 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

What if everything you think you know about weight loss is dead wrong? Dr. Giles Yeo just shattered the biggest nutrition myth of the past 50 years. Adrian Wells sits down with this Cambridge weight loss scientist who's spent his career proving that calorie counting is basically useless for most people. šŸŽÆ What You'll Learn: • Why your body burns 25-30% of protein calories just digesting them (but almost none from carbs) • How some people's metabolisms can differ by 600 calories per day, even at identical body weights • The ultra-processed food trap that's hijacking 60% of American calories • Why people with certain genes need 20% fewer calories just to maintain the same weight šŸ‘¤ Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's ever felt frustrated by traditional diet advice that just doesn't work. šŸ“ Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the calorie counting lie [01:45] Why protein changes the entire weight loss game [04:15] The 600-calorie metabolism gap nobody talks about [07:30] Ultra-processed foods and your body's absorption rates [09:45] Genetic variants that change everything [11:30] What actually works for sustainable weight management This isn't another fad diet episode. Yeo breaks down the actual science behind why identical twins can eat the same food and gain completely different amounts of weight. Turns out your body doesn't treat all calories the same, and the food industry has known this for decades. šŸ”” Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. šŸ” Topics: weight loss science, metabolism, calorie counting, nutrition myths, processed foods Find all episodes at First Principles --------- Keywords: health myths, business strategy, success psychology, motivation psychology, mental health celebrities, depression stories, entrepreneurship philosophy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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