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Guest Episode Episode 16

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

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  1. Dr. Andy Galpin

    The science and practice of enhancing human performance for sport, play, and life. Welcome to Perform.

  2. Dr. Andy Galpin

    I'm Dr. Andy Galpin. I'm a professor and scientist and executive director of the Human Performance Center at Parker University. Today's guest is Dr. Herman Pontzer. Herman has a PhD in biological anthropology and is currently a professor at Duke University in the area of evolutionary anthropology. In today's show, you're going to learn a lot about what Herman is probably most famous for, and that is how metabolism really works. We talk at length, and you'll learn a tremendous amount about how to properly think of energy expenditure, the role that exercise does or maybe surprisingly doesn't have in things like energy expenditure, body weight, body composition, and overall health. He also does a wonderful job teaching about how energy expenditure changes with things like pregnancy and other things we don't typically think of as exercise or sport but are highly relevant and incredibly interesting regarding how our metabolism and overall physiology works.

  3. Dr. Andy Galpin

    So there's a lot of practical tips here. There's a lot of just fascinating information. I know you'll enjoy it. I was thrilled to do it. I waited a long time to talk to Herman. So with that said, please enjoy today's episode with Dr. Herman Pontzer. Dr. Herman Pontzer, thank you for coming in today.

  4. Dr. Herman Pontzer

    It's fun to be here.

  5. Dr. Andy Galpin

    It is a huge honor. I've been wanting to talk to you for a really long time, even before I had a podcast. Your work is incredibly interesting. I'd actually like to start with exactly your work in the sense that-

  6. Dr. Herman Pontzer

    Yeah

  7. Dr. Andy Galpin

    ... your PhD is in anthropology from Harvard.

  8. Dr. Herman Pontzer

    That's right. Yep.

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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.

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