In this episode of The Diary Of A CEO, Dr. Jason Fung challenges the common belief that weight loss is simply about counting calories. He explains how the traditional "calories in, calories out" model fails to account for the body's hormonal responses, particularly the role of insulin in determining whether calories are stored as fat or used for energy.
Fung discusses how hormones affect weight regulation and metabolism, explaining why many traditional diets lead to a cycle of temporary weight loss followed by regain. He presents intermittent fasting as an alternative approach that works with the body's natural processes, describing how fasting periods can help regulate insulin levels and maintain metabolic health without triggering the metabolic slowdown often associated with conventional dieting.

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Jason Fung challenges the traditional calories-based approach to weight loss, explaining that simply reducing calorie intake isn't effective because the body adapts by lowering its calorie expenditure. He points out that this model overlooks crucial hormonal factors, particularly [restricted term]'s role in determining whether calories are stored as fat or burned for energy.
Fung emphasizes how [restricted term] levels significantly impact weight management. He explains that high [restricted term] levels, typically caused by frequent snacking and high-carb foods like bread and pasta, prevent the body from burning stored fat. This can lead to weight gain even when following a calorie-restricted diet. Conversely, during fasting periods, lower [restricted term] levels allow the body to access and burn stored fat for energy.
According to Fung, intermittent fasting effectively promotes weight loss by regulating [restricted term] levels and enabling fat burning. He notes that extended fasting periods can actually increase the body's basal metabolic rate, contrary to common misconceptions about fasting leading to "starvation mode."
Traditional restrictive dieting often leads to a slower metabolism, making it difficult to maintain weight loss. Fung suggests that intermittent fasting offers a solution to this problem. Unlike conventional diets that can lower metabolic rate, fasting helps maintain a healthy metabolism while supporting sustainable weight management by preventing the constant food consumption that typically leads to metabolic slowdown.
1-Page Summary
Fung challenges the traditional weight loss advice predicated on the energy balance equation, which suggests people lose body fat by eating fewer calories than they expend. He asserts that this "calories in, calories out" model is false because reducing calorie intake causes the body to burn fewer calories in response—an adaptive process involving the basal metabolic rate. This means that if one reduces their calorie intake by 500 calories a day, the body may adjust by burning 500 fewer calories, which limits weight loss.
Furthermore, Fung criticizes the calorie model for failing to acknowledge hormonal factors, particularly [restricted term], that play a critical role in weight management. He explains that [restricted term] has a regulatory effect on whether calories are stored as fat or burned for energy. Foods that ...
Limitations of the "Calories in, Calories Out" Model
Jason Fung highlights the crucial role that [restricted term] plays in weight regulation, discussing how dietary choices influence [restricted term] levels and, consequently, the body's ability to burn fat.
Fung emphasizes that consistent high [restricted term] levels, typically resulting from the consumption of high-carb foods and frequent snacking, inhibit the body's capacity to utilize stored fat for energy. Eating patterns that cause [restricted term] spikes prevent the body from tapping into its fat reserves, even when caloric intake is limited.
Fung explains that elevated [restricted term] levels compel the body to prioritize storing calories over burning them. This mechanism can lead to weight gain because high [restricted term] levels, induced by consuming foods like bread and pasta, maintain the body's focus on calorie storage. Thus, even with a calorie-restricted diet, people may gain weight because they are eating the wrong types of foods—particularly those that spike [restricted term] levels and prompt the body to store rather than burn calories.
Fung distinguishes between the body's response to eating and fas ...
Hormones, Especially Insulin, in Weight Regulation
Intermittent fasting has become a popular approach to weight loss, and Jason Fung, as a proponent of this method, provides insight into why it is effective.
Fung points out that eating frequency significantly impacts hormonal balance, suggesting that intermittent fasting can positively influence this balance, leading to weight loss. He emphasizes the need to extend periods of fasting to lower [restricted term] levels, which allows the body to switch to fat burning for energy.
Explaining the mechanics, Fung clarifies that fasting leads to a drop in [restricted term] levels, signaling the body to start using stored energy, which results in body fat being burned. He articulates that when you don't eat, [restricted term] falls, enabling the body to use the calories it has stored, which is crucial for weight loss.
Fasting, unlike many diet strategies, does not lead to the much-feared "starvation mode." Fung discusses myths related to intermittent fasting, including the assumption that it can lower the basal metabolic rate and result in weight gain upon returning to normal eating habits.
Instead, Fung mentions a study where an individual's caloric burn rate increased after a fasting period, illustrating that intermittent fasting may actually elevate the basal metabolic rate. He notes that ...
The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss
Yo-yo dieting can have adverse effects on metabolism, often leading to a cycle of weight loss and gain. Experts like Jason Fung highlight how different approaches to dieting can impact this cycle.
Restrictive diets can significantly slow down the body’s metabolism, potentially leading to weight regain and even additional weight gain.
When individuals reduce their caloric intake on a diet, their metabolism adjusts by slowing down to match the reduced calorie consumption. Jason Fung implies that this lowered metabolism persists even after the diet has ended. If a person raises their calorie intake after dieting, even if it's still below their original pre-diet intake, they might gain weight due to the body burning calories at this newly reduced metabolic rate. This effect can lead to a frustrating cycle of regaining weight, commonly referred to as yo-yo dieting.
Intermittent fasting may be a solution to avoid the pitfalls of traditional restrictive dieting by maintaining a stable metabol ...
Yo-yo Dieting and Its Impact on Metabolism
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