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Is gaining and losing weight really as simple as calories in calories out ? And even if it is , do you have much control over the calories outside of the equation ? Join me on today's Quick Wits as I explore Herman Ponser's groundbreaking research on the constrained model of energy expenditure and why it challenges the traditional additive model , which suggests that the more activity you do , the more calories you burn . We are going to put that into question today . Welcome to the Wits and Weights podcast . I'm your host , philip Pape , and this twice a week podcast is dedicated to helping you achieve physical self-mastery by getting stronger , optimizing your nutrition and upgrading your body composition . We'll uncover science-backed strategies for movement , metabolism , muscle and mindset , with a skeptical eye on the fitness industry , so you can look and feel your absolute best . Let's dive right in . Welcome to another QuickWits where we give it to you straight in as little time as possible . Today we're diving into a topic that has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about weight loss , fat loss , energy balance something that I've been wrestling with for several years now , since the book Burn came out by Herman Ponser , where he introduced to us the constrained model of energy expenditure and if you don't know Herman Ponser , he's an evolutionary anthropologist . I believe he's at Duke . I believe also that Dr Eric Trexler is working in his lab currently .

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Now , if you're like most people , you've probably heard the old adage that weight loss is a matter of calories in calories out right , you can change your body mass , your weight , up or down , simply by changing the intake , as well as how many calories you burn . And the idea that the more you move , the more exercise you do , the more calories you burn , is known as the additive model . It suggests that our bodies burn energy in a linear fashion , that by either reducing our calorie intake or increasing our energy expenditure through exercise , we create a calorie deficit and lose weight . But what if this model is overly simplistic ? What if it doesn't actually reflect the actual realities of human physiology and our hormones and how our bodies conserve energy ? And that's where Ponser's constrained model comes in , because , based on his extensive research on the energy expenditure of hunter-gatherer populations and other physically active groups , as well as normal sedentary groups that we're probably part of in the Western world and everything in between , ponser argues that our bodies have evolved to maintain a relatively stable level of daily energy expenditure , regardless of how much we exercise .

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And it was shocking the first time I learned this a few years back . But just hold on , because there's a huge amount of truth to this , uh , and it doesn't mean the end of our control over our bodies . There's , there's some power behind this . So Just to explore this a little bit more instead of burning calories in a linear way , right , we increase our activity , our calories go up , our bodies adapt , they compensate . We've talked about this in one way or another for quite a while on this podcast , and I talk to my clients all the time about this idea that any stressors we put on our body , anything where we try to do more , our bodies will try to bring us back to homeostasis and compensate by reducing energy expenditure in other areas , such as our resting metabolic rate , right At the cellular level , the mitochondria level , or by making us just move a little bit less . Our small unconscious movements , our fidgeting , tends to decrease , and this is why , during fat loss , some people their metabolic adaptation is even faster than expected , partly because they're actually moving less and they don't realize it .

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And so , according to Ponser , you know , exercise by itself isn't enough to drive significant change in your energy balance , and for a lot of people , that means they're trying to lose weight , but regardless it doesn't drive a significant change In the short term . It might right If you go from running , if you go from being sedentary to running two miles a day , you'll get a calorie deficit from that because your body's going to just ramp up its energy expenditure . But then it's going to adapt and body mass , we're improving our body composition , we're training and all that . It means that instead of just trying to move more and by more I mean like full-on exercise right , we're not talking about walking , we're talking about running and higher intense versions of cardio , basically , which many of us become what's been called chronic cardio , which many of us become what's been called chronic cardio instead of doing that , we now get to focus on optimizing our metabolism , our metabolic rate , our energy balance in other ways , through nutrition , through having higher protein . We know that simply consuming more protein can improve your fat loss independent of other factors . Dr Bell Campbell's team has shown that in the research as well . And so strategies like nutrient-dense whole foods , high protein we want to regulate our hunger , satiety signals , manage our stress and sleep .

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All of these support healthy hormonal function , along with , of course , building muscle mass and regular physical activity for the health benefits , not for the calorie burn . Right For the health benefits , not the calorie burn . There is a small window , however , of walking and some forms of cardio , strategically incorporated , that will increase calories burned within a sweet spot , right when the trade-off is worth it . Above that , the trade-off is no longer worth it . So being patient , being realistic with these expectations goes a long way , but also knowing that we don't have to chase like rapid , unsustainable weight loss through extreme calorie restriction or excessive exercise and cardio . We can instead relax a bit and aim for that slow and steady but very effective approach that works with our bodies and its beautiful ability to adapt , and then we can maintain the healthy body composition and the weight that we're looking for over the long term .

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So , again , this doesn't mean that the basic principles of energy balance don't apply . Calories in , calories out , still 100% applies . If you consume fewer calories than you burn , you are still going to have your body mass go down , but knowing the calorie outside of the equation that our bodies will constrain that the more that we push it , the more that we stress it , we can instead have a more nuanced and effective approach that takes into account that complex interplay and you don't have to understand all the biology . All you really need to know is you train , you lift weights , you walk , you do a moderate amount of strategically incorporated cardio , you focus on nourishing foods and your metabolic health , and that's it .

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Until next time , I want you to keep an open mind about these things . I want you to stay curious . That's what we're here for . Stay skeptical and never stop exploring this fascinating science of human biology , physiology and performance . Thanks again for tuning in to another episode of Quick Wits . Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Quick Wits . Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Wits and Waits . If you found value in today's episode and know someone else who's looking to level up their wits or weights , please take a moment to share this episode with them and make sure to hit the follow button in your podcast platform right now to catch the next episode . Until then , stay strong .