Burn by Herman Pontzer

Key Takeaways

1. Humans’ metabolic rate is far slower than would be anticipated compared to other placental mammals, but way faster than other great apes. We have evolved to live longer and store more fat, all based on our ecology

2. Metabolic diversity is far broader than what scientists have traditionally assumed.

3. Behavior leads, form follows

4. Humans’ biology is insanely adaptable. The Hadza burn as many calories each day as industrialized peoples even though they’re 7x more active on average. The body seems to keep daily energy expenditure within a narrow window regardless of exercise. With this in mind, the obesity epidemic should be tackled through eating and nutrition rather than the key focus being on exercise.

5. Metabolism doesn’t dictate, but responds, to energy balance