Narrated by P.J. Ochlan, Burn by Herman Pontzer PhD has a runtime of 11 hrs 24 mins on Audible.
Publisher’s Summary
One of the foremost researchers in human metabolism reveals surprising new science behind food and exercise.
We burn 2,000 calories a day. And if we exercise and cut carbs, we’ll lose more weight. Right? Wrong. In this paradigm-shifting book, Herman Pontzer reveals for the first time how human metabolism really works so that we can finally manage our weight and improve our health.
Pontzer’s groundbreaking studies with hunter-gatherer tribes show how exercise doesn’t increase our metabolism. Instead, we burn calories within a very narrow range: nearly 3,000 calories per day, no matter our activity level. This was a brilliant evolutionary strategy to survive in times of famine. Now it seems to doom us to obesity. The good news is we can lose weight, but we need to cut calories. Refuting such weight-loss hype as paleo, keto, anti-gluten, anti-grain, and even vegan, Pontzer discusses how all diets succeed or fail: For shedding pounds, a calorie is a calorie.
At the same time, we must exercise to keep our body systems and signals functioning optimally, even if it won’t make us thinner. Hunter-gatherers like the Hadza move about five hours a day and remain remarkably healthy into old age. But elite athletes can push the body too far, burning calories faster than their bodies can take them in. It may be that the most spectacular athletic feats are the result not just of great training, but of an astonishingly efficient digestive system.
Revealing, irreverent, and always entertaining, Pontzer has written a book that will change how you eat, move, and live.
* This audiobook edition contains a downloadable PDF of charts included in the print edition.
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: P.J. Ochlan
- Length: 11 hrs 24 mins
- Publisher: Penguin Audio
- Release year: 2021
- Audible category: Health & Wellness / Fitness, Diet & Nutrition / Diets, Nutrition & Healthy Eating
Listener Ratings
Burn holds an average listener rating of 4.5/5 from 649 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.5/5
- Story: 4.5/5
- 5-star ratings: 71% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
5/5 stars — “Excellent! “
This book was incredibly informative. I went into it with a bit of dread that it would be a bit too "scientific" for me to understand. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I plan on buying it for wife to read. The book was well written and easy to follow. The author had some witty yet nerdy humor scattered throughout(my personal style of humor as well!).
It was truly eye opening and I learned much and I recommend it for anyone who is curious about how our body handles food, excercise, stress, and challenges. The book was recommended to me, I am not an individual seeking to lose weight.The narrator also did a great job. I especially enjoyed the part when discussing the results of a study showing that people who are generally less informed or ignorant on a subject are the ones who have the most confidence in being correct. The American people are aware of this and would never elect a Politician to high office who, while very confident, is totally unqualified. That had me chuckling! The irony!
— Sarah R Chapin, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Information worth digging for”
I was not a fan of this narrator, however, the topic was very informative so I stuck with it.— Laura Long, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “A fantastic book!”
Just stick with it through the chemistry dissertation. Chapters 6, 7 and 9 are amazing!— Doug Kavner, Audible listener
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