Why we get fat and what to do about it
by Gary Taubes · first published 2011
80% recommend20% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Accessible argument that carbohydrates and insulin, not calories alone, drive weight gain. A shorter companion to Good Calories, Bad Calories, suited to those new to low-carb diet science.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
This book is an eye-opening, myth-shattering examination of what makes us fat, from acclaimed science writer Gary Taubes. In his New York Times best seller, Good Calories, Bad Calories, Taubes argued that our diet's overemphasis on certain kinds of carbohydrates -- not fats and not simply excess calories -- has led directly to the obesity epidemic we face today. The result of thorough research, keen insight, and unassailable common sense, Good Calories, Bad Calories immediately stirred controversy and acclaim among academics, journalists, and writers alike. Michael Pollan heralded it as "a vit
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If this is at all interesting to you, I highly recommend Gary Taubes' Why We Get Fat and What to Do About it (http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About/dp/0307272702) which is a more accessible version of his more rigorous book Good Calories, Bad calories. I've been on a bit of a health binge since the beginning…
on “The Hidden Truths about Calories ” ↗…will allow you to maintain the amount you weigh in you 20's or 30's. It will all depend on your diet of the correct foods. I would suggest probably the best book ever written about why people get fat. Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It -Gary Taubes Fantastic book that looks at the science of Obesity and weight loss among other things like Insulin resistance and genetics.
on “After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight” ↗…like adding "wet sticks" to the fire. There's considerable science and anicdote to support this. If you're interested (And not simply not throwing around pithy sound bytes about physics) check out: Why we get fat (And what to do about it) By Gary Taubes (http://garytaubes.com/) For some very compelling anicdotal evidence (That also supports some concepts of Paleo) check out http://www.reddit.com/r/keto
on ““Paleofantasy”: Stone Age delusions” ↗If you're interested in this sort of thing, I can't recommend Gary Taubes' book Good Calories Bad Calories highly enough. If you're not so interested, he wrote a TL;DR version called Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It. He also has a blog: http://www.garytaubes.com/blog/
on “How Western Diets Are Making The World Sick ” ↗Mine would be "Why we get fat and what to do about it" by Gary Taubes. Not only it changed my life (overweight to my healthiest ever), it also led me to challenge everything about our dietary dogmas. I further read "Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living",…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗…"surprising" here at all. It's complete common sense. Also: "Fitness Confidential: Adventures in the Weight-Loss Game" https://www.amazon.com/FITNESS-CONFIDENTIAL-Adventures-Weigh... Taubes is good too: "Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It" https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About/dp/0307474259/
on “Ask HN: Which is the best book on nutrition?” ↗…nourishment and sedentary behavior. One very interesting result is that some of the communities lived in incredible poverty and with significant physical exertion. I'd recommend that you read the book (Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It) and see whether he addresses your concern. Far from ignoring our sedentary society, Taubes makes a strong case for other factors.
on “Calories, fat or carbohydrates? Why diets work (when they do)” ↗Simple sugars above all else; when in doubt, eat more vegetables. For more, see Why We Get Fat: And What To Do About It by Taubes.
on “The Myth of Willpower and “Eat Less, Move More”” ↗See Taubes, Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It (http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About/dp/0307474259)
on “At Chipotle, How Many Calories Do People Really Eat?” ↗…essentially nobody has actually read it and everyone is working off of third-hand summaries of summaries, even the people here on HN, is plainly obvious every time the topic turns to that book. Start with "Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It" and back up to GCBC if you still want more history and a list of citations longer than your arm (and slightly older science). Also, I would adjust some expectations. The common "science" understanding…
on “How Western Diets Are Making The World Sick ” ↗Quitting sugar is hard without a diet replacing it that satiates your appetite on a daily basis. I highly recommend Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It. Basically, an Atkins diet. That means eat as much as you want, but low carbs, high protein, high fat (including sat. fats, but no tranfats, etc.), high vegetable diet (and few fruits too, fruits are…
on “This white powder will kill me one day” ↗Not to mention these two: Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About/dp/0307474259 Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Controversial-Scienc...
on “The case for eating steak and cream” ↗…and lifestyle is a continous process so take it one step at a time. I think my diet pretty closely follows the Paleo Diet (though I don't really subscribe to all of it). A really good book to read is Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Steve Taub
on “The Secret Ingredient In Your Orange Juice” ↗…same way and the same amount you will have to up your exercise to impossible limits. What needs to change is your diet. No sugars and lots of healthy fats. Here is an excerpt from the book I mentioned. Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes http://amzn.com/0307474259 >The authors were Paul Williams, a statistics expert at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, and Peter Wood, a Stanford University…
on “After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight” ↗…always people who don't read the literature or properly follow a "diet plan" for lack of a better word to call it. If you are doing the Ketogenic diet, right at the end of Gary Taubes' book entitled "Why we get fat and what to do about it" which is about the diet (and is the same the guy who wrote the linked article) it says this about your daily diet in regards to vegetables: FOODS THAT MUST BE EATEN EVERY DAY: Salad Greens: 2 cups…
on “Why Cutting Carbs Is So Tough” ↗