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Have you ever counted calories before? What’s one small change you’d like to make in how you eat? Today, Jay invites geneticist and author Giles Yeo to challenge one of the most persistent beliefs in modern health culture: the idea that all calories are created equal. Giles is a professor at the University of Cambridge, specializing in the study of how genes influence appetite and body weight. He is the author of Gene Eating and Why Calories Don’t Count, both of which challenge conventional diet myths through the lens of cutting-edge science. Giles is also a science communicator and host of the podcast Dr. Giles Yeo Chews the Fat, where he breaks down complex nutritional concepts with clarity and humor. Jay begins by asking the question on everyone’s mind—do calories really count? Giles, with a calm and science-grounded approach, unpacks why the answer isn’t so simple. While calorie counting has become a cornerstone of dieting, he explains that the way our bodies extract and process calories depends heavily on the quality of the food, not just the number printed on a label. Giles shares how our genetic makeup influences hunger, satiety, and fat storage in ways that most diet plans fail to consider. Jay and Giles explore the emotional and social layers of eating, diving into how cultural conditioning, access to healthy food, and even marketing affect our food choices. They also examine why it's harder for some people to lose weight than others—not because of laziness or lack of willpower, but because their biology is wired differently. Giles challenges the shame-based narratives around body weight and reframes the discussion around health, sustainability, and self-awareness. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Eat for Quality, Not Just Calories How to Read Food Labels the Right Way How to Choose Protein, Fiber, and Sugar Wisely How to Spot Diet Myths That Don’t Serve You How to Lose Weight Without Obsessing Over Numbers How to Understand Your Body’s Unique Metabolism How to Manage Cravings with a Plan, Not Willpower You don’t need to follow a strict diet or obsess over every calorie to feel better in your body. Instead, focus on nourishing yourself with real, quality foods, making small sustainable changes, and understanding how your unique biology works. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 02:54 Do Calories Actually Matter? 03:33 Why Protein Makes Your Body Work Harder 05:12 Are You Eating More Than You Think? 07:05 Why Food Quality Matters More Than Quantity 07:56 How Processing Increases Calorie Absorption 11:04 What Really Makes Food Healthy? 12:00 When Did Obesity Become a Global Crisis? 12:52 How Fast Food Became the Default 15:05 The Real Impact of Unhealthy Weight Gain 17:45 The Macronutrients You’re Missing Out On 20:08 Are You Absorbing the Nutrients You Eat? 22:58 How Cutting Ultra-Processed Foods Affects Weight 24:59 Does Better Flavor Mean More Nutrition? 26:32 Why We Process Calories Differently 29:45 Can You Actually Target Belly Fat? 30:54 How Genetics Influence Your Body Shape 32:06 Are You Limited by Your Genes? 34:55 How to Adjust Your Diet for Real Change 38:14 The Smart Way to Read a Nutrition Label 40:53 Fried vs. Baked: What's the Healthier Option? 41:51 What Is 'Incidental Virtuous Food'? 44:52 Is Orange Juice as Healthy as You Think? 47:32 How Food Labels Can Be Misleading 49:24 The Truth About Protein Bars 51:07 3 Things to Focus on When Reading Labels 52:45 The Hidden Ingredients to Watch For 55:56 Why Weight Is About Biology, Not Willpower 58:39 Do You Really Lack Willpower? 59:11 How to Outsmart Your Cravings 01:01:29 Why “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” Works 01:04:06 Do Not Neglect Your Health as You Age 01:07:12 What You Need to Know About Appetite-Suppressing Drugs 01:11:02 The Hidden Risks of Weight Loss Medications 01:12:33 2 Truths Everyone Should Know About Healthy Eating 01:13:58 Start With This: Protein, Fiber, and Sugar 01:15:55 Giles on Final Five Episode Resources: Dr. Giles Yeo | Instagram Dr. Giles Yeo | Facebook Dr. Giles Yeo | LinkedIn Dr. Giles Yeo | X Gene Eating: The Story of Human Appetite Why Calories Don't Count: How We Got the Science of Weight Loss WrongSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Think weight loss is all about eating less and moving more? Think again. In this episode, Prof. Giles Yeo reveals why calorie counting isn't just inaccurate—it could actually make weight management harder. He explains why the popular “calories in, calories out” method doesn't add up and explores how factors like genetics, brain signals, and gut health play a major role in shaping our weight. Giles Yeo is a Professor of Molecular Neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge and Honorary President of the British Dietetic Association. His research focuses on the influence of genes on feeding behaviour and body weight. Giles is also the author of ‘Gene Eating' and ‘Why Calories Don't Count'. Giles shares the surprising impact of ultra-processed foods on how we process calories and why losing weight often feels like a battle against our own biology. With decades of research in his back pocket, Giles shares science-backed advice to help you break free from yo-yo dieting, read calorie labels smarter, and embrace a more balanced, plant-rich diet for long-term health.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my episode last year on habits! How break bad ones and maintain good ones: https://bit.ly/3vkCNAN As a holiday wrap-up, we've listened to you and answered one of the most popular questions; What is your favourite EVER episode? But, we think the more important question is what is YOUR favourite episode on the Diary of CEO of all time. Using our in-house data scientist and a group of analysts, we've found the most replayed and shared moments from 2023. This should be the most valuable episode you will ever listen to. 7th Most Replayed Moment, Dr. Giles Yeo. Dr Giles takes on some of the biggest myths about health, weight and obesity. His books, Why Calories Don't Count and Gene Eating: https://amzn.to/3NFeUdE Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Y9IZF0 Instagram: https://bit.ly/3Rs5bIj 6th Most Replayed Moment, Dr. Mindy Pelz. In this moment we talk about intermittent fasting, the gut reset fast and the belly fat burning diet. Dr Mindy lays out how to eat and behave to improve our overall health. Instagram: https://bit.ly/461aBB0 Dr Mindy's book, Fast Like A Girl: https://amzn.to/41y9Opr 5th Most Replayed Moment, Professor Matthew Walker. This is from my conversation with the Worlds Number One expert on sleep. He gives us a roadmap for how to sleep better, explaining the impact of our sleep on our overall health, happiness and everything in between. Instagram: https://bit.ly/3YsK1f6 Matt's bestseller, Why We Sleep: https://amzn.to/3totIGS Twitter: https://bit.ly/3yI60V7 4th Most Replayed Moment, Dr. Daniel Amen. Taken from Dr. Daniel Amen's second appearance on the show, we discuss how to grow a healthier, better brain. Daniel is the World's Leading Neuroscientist who may have scanned and seen more brains than anyone else. The no.1 book on Brain health: https://amzn.to/3vbmXsh Instagram: https://bit.ly/3tHjm4r Twitter: https://bit.ly/3scQpgr 3rd Most Replayed Moment, Gary Brecka. Gary Brecka is one of the world's most renowned human biologists. Our conversation covers the ultimate human wellbeing checklist. From Dana White's transformation using the super human protocol to stripping fat, listen to transform your life. Instagram: http://bit.ly/3IVf6Dw Twitter: http://bit.ly/41w492P 2nd Most Replayed Moment, Dr. Tim Spector. A favourite guest on DOAC, here Tim busts myths about a frequently debated subject: diet vs exercise. Foor For Life, Tim's book: https://amzn.to/3RTckDt Instagram: https://bit.ly/3CDRuQD Twitter: https://bit.ly/3VG0zil No.1 Most Replayed Moment: Dr Tara Swart. The most listened to moment ever this year is neuroscientist Dr. Tara explaining the brain and body's connection. We dive into the influence the brain has on our health, relationships and well-being. Dr Tara's book: https://amzn.to/47dokE0 Instagram: https://bit.ly/48hJ1k2 Twitter: https://bit.ly/46gqYZI Bonus Moment, Mo Gawdat: This is from episode 101 with Mo Gawdat, and it's the most shared episode we've ever had of all time on WhatsApp. Mo explains to me his influential equation for happiness, and we discuss how to put it into practice. Mo's book, Solve For Happy: https://amzn.to/489n5qJ Instagram: https://bit.ly/3qmYSMY The Conversation Cards: https://bit.ly/4amtNew Sponsors: Huel: https://my.huel.com/daily-greens-uk Uber Trains: https://p.uber.com/creditsterms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this engaging episode, I interview geneticist, Dr. Giles Yeo, about the complexity of body weight and how the size of our body is influenced by our genes. You'll hear his take on what determines excess fat, whether it's a disease and whether we are individually responsible for the size of our bodies. You definitely don't want to miss this episode. Ad-free episode: https://plantscription.substack.com/subscribe Affiliate links: Save 15% off your Hamama.com order for a limited time Use code ‘HAMAMA15' Disclaimer: The information on this blog, website and podcast is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to replace careful evaluation and treatment. If you have concerns about your or your child's eating, nutrition or growth, consult a doctor. DR. GILES YEO https://twitter.com/GilesYeo https://instagram.com/gilesyeo Mentions: Dr. Giles' podcast: Dr. Giles Yeo Chews the Fat: https://apple.co/3AkoD3s BBC Plant-Based Promises: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m0018nsf Gene Eating by Dr. Giles Yeo: https://www.amazon.com/Gene-Eating-Science-Obesity-Dieting/dp/1643131273 Why Calories Don't Count by Dr. Giles Yeo: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1643138278/ Sign up for a FREE discovery call: Doctoryami.com/coachme Send me an email to yami@doctoryami.com with questions and topics Sign up for my newsletter doctoryami.com/signup MORE LISTENING OPTIONS Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/vdritunes Spotify: http://bit.ly/vdrspotify NEWSLETTER SIGN UP https://doctoryami.com/signup FIND ME AT Doctoryami.com Instagram.com/thedoctoryami Facebook.com/thedoctoryami Veggiefitkids.com * * * * MORE FROM ME Read - http://veggiefitkids.com/blog Listen: http://bit.ly/vdrpodcast Watch - http://bit.ly/vfkvideos TEDx Talk - http://bit.ly/DOCTORYAMITEDX * * * * Questions? Email me: Yami@doctoryami.com
Whenever the latest dieting fad comes along, those promoting new theories are well fed on the proceeds, while many people trying to shed pounds are left wondering why nothing seems to work. Meet Giles Yeo, geneticist and presenter on BBC’s Trust Me, I’m a Doctor, who has spent 20 years researching the brain’s relationship to food intake. In his book Gene Eating, he describes his work and why he’s determined to break this cycle. Hear all about it in this live recording from the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2019 chaired by Ruth Wishart.
Dr Giles Yeo is a geneticist at the University of Cambridge, a public speaker, TV presenter and the brilliant author behind Gene Eating. We sit down to speak with Giles about how our genetics influence our diet and our behaviour towards food.
Dr Giles Yeo is a geneticist at the University of Cambridge, a public speaker, TV presenter and the brilliant author behind Gene Eating. We sit down to speak with Giles about how our genetics influence our diet and our behaviour towards food.
This week Tim Lovejoy talks to geneticist and TV presenter Dr. Giles Yeo. Whilst discussing Giles’ book Gene Eating, they touch on why our bodies need to get fat, what a calorie actually is, and the myths behind diets. Turn on the tap with Quooker here - www.quooker.co.uk/enuk Beer 52 is here – http://beer52.com/lovejoy Giles’ book is available here - http://tiny.cc/mf754y If you would like to contact us then our email address is dearlovejoypodcast@gmail.com or you can tweet Tim @timlovejoy All our live Youtube interviews are available on the Dear Lovejoy channel here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgiasdUjzzaVdRnN323EScw
From the high-protein diet to the juice cleanse, diet makers are profiting from the global obesity crisis. To find out more, Natasha Livingstone spoke to Dr Giles Yeo, a geneticist at Cambridge University and author of the best-selling book ‘Gene Eating’, who argues that genes are to blame when your jeans don’t fit.
Leigh Chambers welcomes leading geneticist Dr Giles Yeo who talks about his book Gene Eating which questions whether our weight and relationship to food are determined by our genes. We also hear from former Cambridge United footballer, Ruth Fox, whose memoir Within The White Lines chronicles her battle with depression. And local historian, Roger Lilley, […]