The Elusive Benefits of Undereating and Exercise: from Why We Get Fat

by Gary Taubes

It should come as no surprise that low calorie and low fat diets rarely accomplish what they are expected to do—improve health and slim waistlines. Likewise, exercise, however beneficial it may be to fitness, only increases appetite and so often hinders weight loss. In this sharp and persuasive piece, acclaimed and bestselling science writer Gary Taubes exposes erroneous nutritional guidelines and finally provides evidence to curb misguided “calories-in, calories-out” model for why we get fat. A Vintage Shorts Wellness selection. An ebook short.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Food

31 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2017

About the author

Gary Taubes is an American science writer. He is the author of Nobel Dreams (1987), Bad Science: The Short Life and Weird Times of Cold Fusion (1993), and Good Calories, Bad Calories (2007), titled The Diet Delusion (2008) in the UK and Australia. His book Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It was released in December 2010. In December 2010 Taubes launched a blog at GaryTaubes.com to promote the book's release and to respond to critics. His main hypothesis is based on: Carbohydrates generate insulin, which causes the body to store fat.

Taubes studied applied physics at Harvard University (BS, 1977) and aerospace engineering at Stanford University (MS, 1978). After receiving a master's degree in journalism at Columbia University in 1981, Taubes joined Discover magazine as a staff reporter in 1982. Since then he has written numerous articles for Discover, Science and other magazines. Originally focusing on physics issues, his interests have more recently turned to medicine and nutrition.

Taubes's books have all dealt with scientific controversies. Nobel Dreams takes a critical look at the politics and experimental techniques behind the Nobel Prize-winning work of physicist Carlo Rubbia. Bad Science is a chronicle of the short-lived media frenzy surrounding the Pons-Fleischmann cold fusion experiments of 1989. [wikipedia]

Reviews

[Kate Puleo Unger · Rating 2 out of 5]

This short snippet from Gary Taubes' Why We Get Fat presents a compelling case against under-eating and exercise as a way to lose weight or avoiding gaining weight. It's a great teaser for the full book, but it's not the greatest summary because it doesn't include the main argument. In Why We Get Fat, Taubes reveals that it is processed sugar and white flour that lead to weight gain in the first place, and, thus, the only way to lose weight is to eater less sugar and white flour. If you're looking for help with weight, you're better off reading the full book. Or at least skimming it.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the pages left me feeling super hopeless, anxious, confused and triggered.
I've known a lot of people that lost a lot of weight steadily while eating in a slight deficit and exercising for an hour daily.
Of course it is true that exercising will make you more hungry and the appetite can be just as high on rest-days as it is when exercising.
I do agree that moderate exercise is the best and extreme exercise can hinder your weightloss because it's not always sustainable and will make you hungrier.
But at the end of this book I'm still a bit confused and to be honest, I wish I wouldn't have read this book because all it did was making me doubt my diet+exercise routine (which is working well and showing results.)

[Bonnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This never answered the question brought up by the title.

Can't believe I spent 20 minutes reading this book. I was waiting for a solution, or a list of benefits, but it never developed. Do not waste your time on this book, find another by the author that is a little bit more honest about giving you information that you can use.

[Hitessh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part of the whole.

The book is an excerpt from "Why We Get Fat". The Book tells us about all the research that proves that exercise and dieting will reduce weight and also about all the researches that tell us , that the methods are only short lived and people regain what they have lost automatically ( wish it happened for wealth) , once they stop following the ritual.

So what will make you loose weight and help to maintain it permanently ? No this book does not even mention that, maybe the parent book has the answers. This Book only tells us about what we are made to believe that works and how wrong that belief is !!

This Selling of Book by dissecting the book into chapters seems to be a good way to increase Revenue. When you can't sell the Whole it in Pound, Sell the parts in pennies.

The Book as such is a part is an incomplete read , so one has to get hold of the Main Book to get the entire picture !!!

[Rick Yvanovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elusive is the key word. Having believed what everyone appeared to be saying or what popularly one reads in the media seems to have been debunked by this author. Have we all really been that gullible as to believe the experts ? The arguments presented or rather the experts arguments and research called out for their lack of definitive findings gives rise to the thought that this is yet another industry built on falsehoods. A provocative and enlightening read leaving me still feeling somewhat elusive of what the real answer is or maybe that's the whole point as now I want to read more of this authors books in search of the answer.

[Herb Livingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book fast read, presents material concerning exercise and diet that debunked many long held beliefs considered factual ,many studies are presented that support his conclusions.

I more books with scientific support of this topic are written. Adherence to these new conclusions will help those who are struggling with exercise and diet with no results.

[NoCarbsNoSugar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will certainly challenge everything you believe about weight loss, weight maintenance, and exercise. I enjoyed every page of it.

I'll have to read the larger book to better understand the author's arguments, but it sure is interesting, challenging, and captivating.

[Tyler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, that was disappointing…

I’m a fan of Gary’s, and I successfully followed his methods for 6 months.

After relapsing on a vacation and never getting “back on the bandwagon”, I wanted to read this refresher for motivation, but it is no substitute or even summary for Why We Get Fat.

It comes across so much more preachy than the full book and only talks about everything that will not help you lose weight and nothing about what will.

This is a huge waste of time and for anyone who has read nothing else by the author, this will be a huge turn off for them.

[Mike Lisanke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is clear, concise and I'd bet would be surprising to Most of America. IMO everyone should read this short from the author, Gary Taubes And many more of his books where is details the differences in food which cause physiological change in our hormones and behavior and cause most of the metabolic disorder in humans. This book is extremely easy and fast to read. It's a precious book of information for all who'll invest the time!

[Brett's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Common Sense Nutritional Analysis

As Mr Staub points out, it does seem to be the case that the more we exercise the more we eat, simple wisdom from a bygone era, banished in an effort to sell books, diets and tapes. Mr. Staub does not tell the reader how to solve the weight loss dilemma, only suggests we critically 5ink about the nutrition industry’s to the problem.

[Aran Chandran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise argument of current accepted norms

If one hasn’t read either Good Calories, Bad Calories or Why We Get Fat, this would be a good primer into his school of thought on the subject. For those that have, it’s covering the same ground in a more concise manner.

[WR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably useful more as a teaser than a standalone summary.

[Allison Altepeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love looking at the studies behind the headlines. It's very helpful as I seek nutritional ways to reduce inflammation.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

His journalistic integrity and willingness to see both sides of his arguments makes his writing attractive and trustworthy.

[Agnes Illingworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like all these books they hold NO answers !!!! Just a load of hot air

[Carlos Gallardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and brings scientific backing to what some would consider fad diets. Gary shows that the problem is not fat but the empty carbohydrates and grains that have moved humans away from their optimal diet and are causing much of the diseases of modern societies. He uses scientific and anthropological based evidence to clearly demonstrate the case. I tried it as a skeptic and 60 lbs later I am a believer that his research is correct.

Great read that also exposes the politics behind our current "diet". Strongly recommended.