Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes Summary
Overview of Why We Get Fat
Challenging everything we thought we knew about weight gain, Gary Taubes' controversial bestseller argues it's not calories but carbs driving obesity. Endorsed by health experts and praised for dismantling the "calories-in, calories-out" myth, this book reveals why exercise alone won't save you.
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Key takeaways
The Obesity Paradox: Rethinking Everything We Know About Fat
Why does obesity associate so strongly with poverty if it's caused by overeating in prosperous societies? This contradiction should immediately make us suspicious of conventional wisdom. The Pima Indians of Arizona offer a striking historical example. When anthropologists studied them in the early 1900s, they were already notably obese-despite having just transitioned from prosperity to poverty. What changed wasn't prosperity or food quantity, but quality. Trading posts had introduced sugar and white flour, while government rations consisted largely of refined carbohydrates. This pattern repeats throughout history: when traditional populations adopt Western foods-particularly refined flour and sugar-obesity and diabetes follow, regardless of overall calorie intake or physical activity. The poverty-obesity connection isn't about abundance; it's about the specific foods that dominate modern Western diets, especially in lower-income communities where refined carbohydrates form the foundation of daily nutrition. What if obesity isn't about how much we eat, but what we eat?
Why Calorie Math Fails: The Twenty-Calorie Problem
The Geography of Fat: Why Here, Not There?
Why Diet and Exercise Fail: The Compensation Problem
The Forgotten Wisdom: Carbohydrates and Obesity Through Time
The Insulin Theory: How Hormones Control Fat Storage
Rethinking Health: Beyond Weight to Wellness
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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