Dr. Herman Pontzer: How We Really Burn Calories & Lose Weight

My guest is Dr. Herman Pontzer, Ph.D., a professor of evolutionary anthropology and global health at Duke University, known for his research on human bioenergetics, particularly energy expenditure and the exercise paradox. We discuss his work comparing highly active hunter-gatherer groups to more sedentary cultures, exploring their total energy expenditure and the surprising similarities. We examine the impact of factors such as age, sex, exercise, and pregnancy on daily energy expenditure. We also break down whether diet or exercise plays a greater role in weight management and weight loss. Additionally, we explore how genetics and the environment interact to shape human physiology, highlighting how population-level findings often overlook individual variation and emphasizing the need for medical and diagnostic practices to account for this diversity. Read the full episode show notes at performpodcast.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/perform David Protein: https://davidprotein.com/perform LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform Renaissance Periodization: https://rpstrength.com/perform Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/perform Timestamps 00:00:00 Dr. Herman Pontzer 00:01:18 Energy Expenditure & Metabolism 00:03:59 Hunter-Gatherers, Energy Expenditure vs Sedentary Cultures 00:07:19 What is Energy Expenditure?; Maintaining Energy Budget 00:13:42 Sponsors: David Protein & LMNT 00:16:23 Weight Gain; Calories In, Calories Out 00:22:18 Exercise & Calories Burned, Energy Expenditure Changes? 00:29:56 Movement Efficiency, Exercise & Metabolism Research 00:37:55 Metabolic Recalibration & Exercise Threshold 00:43:33 Hunter-Gatherer Groups, Energy Expenditure, Fertility 00:47:23 Sponsors: AG1 & Renaissance Periodization 00:49:53 Pregnancy & Energy; Overtraining, Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome (REDs) 00:57:37 Metabolism “Slowing Down”, Age or Sex Differences? 01:04:22 Metabolism & Age, Puberty, Older Adults 01:11:51 Body Composition, Individual Food Intake 01:16:49 Sponsor: Eight Sleep 01:18:12 Anthropology, Natural Fallacy, Diversity & Adaptations, Physical Activity 01:27:59 Population, Individual Variation, Diversity, Race 01:34:33 Kidney, eGFR Calculation; Clinical Equations & Race 01:40:51 Genetics, Diversity, Populations; Genetic Testing 01:49:29 One-to-One Gene Fallacy, Height, Environment, Diversity 01:51:20 Height & Weight, Genetics & Environment Interplay 01:56:31 Science Literacy & Research; Diabetes, Heart Disease & Race 02:02:33 Diversity, Physiology & Medicine, EMT 02:07:08 Upcoming Projects, Metabolic Ceilings 02:09:39 Metabolism, Diet & Exercise, Individual Approach 02:14:57 Crash Metabolism?, Herman’s Links 02:17:30 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Subscribe & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Social Media, Perform Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures