Join investigative journalist Gary Taubes, author of Why We Get Fat and Good Calories, Bad Calories, as he addresses CrossFit HQ Seminar Staff at the Trainer Summit held in October in San Diego. In the full version of the presentation, Taubes shares his research on fat accumulation and the risk of disease.
In Part 1, CrossFit founder Greg Glassman introduces Taubes and shares how the journalist’s research dovetails with CrossFit’s passion for fitness. Taubes says he appreciates the support nutrition-minded CrossFitters have given his publications, and he explains how he chose his career path.
“I’m interested in trying to get the medical-research establishment to change the way they think about the foremost medical issues of our day, which is obesity,” he says.
According to Taubes, the current energy-expenditure hypothesis says that obesity results from caloric imbalance due to an overly prosperous “toxic environment.” He provides examples of how this hypothesis falls short of explaining obesity prevalence in malnourished populations with high activity levels.
In Part 2, Taubes continues reviewing the obesity literature and its contradictions, including the paradox of fat disposition. Despite conventional wisdom, Taubes says that eating less and exercising more don’t work to reverse or protect against obesity.
“We’ve been throwing money at the energy-expenditure hypothesis for a century. This is the best we can say about it: it’s probably wrong,” he says. “Practicing energy balance is impossible.”
In Part 3, Taubes provides an alterative hypothesis: “obesity is a disorder of fat accumulation.” He shares the research on this hypothesis and his conclusions.
Taubes explains that fat accumulation is regulated by insulin, which is the “fat-storage hormone.” To lose fat, you have to lower insulin levels. Because insulin is secreted in response to dietary carbohydrates, Taubes suggests restricting carbohydrates, especially high-glycemic, starchy carbs.
For the condensed version, please click here.
Part 1
25min 47sec
Part 2
25min 31sec
Part 3
30min 8sec