Book Club #2: “Burn” by Herman Ponzter
“Just eat less and move more”
That’s the typical response you get from some corners when discussing the latest fad diet or exercise trend. But does it hold water? This time on the Pyramid Health book club, we’ll be discussing Herman Pontzer’s book Burn. Pontzer is an evolutionary anthropologist and the book takes a look at the science of metabolism and energy expenditure in humans.
Pontzer takes a look at research that challenges common beliefs about how our bodies burn calories. As we’ll see, Burn offers valuable insights that can change the way we think about diet, exercise, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Book Summary
Pontzer begins by explaining the basics of metabolism—how our bodies convert food into energy, the role of calories, and why we need energy to function. The point here is that metabolism isn't just about burning off what we eat; it's also about how our bodies use energy for everything, from thinking to moving to staying warm.
Pontzer’s background as an evolutionary anthropologist means that there is a heavy focus on how evolution has shaped our metabolic systems. He introduces the concept of the "Constrained Energy Expenditure" model. This idea suggests that our bodies have a set limit on the number of calories we can burn each day - no matter how active we are. Higher levels of energy expenditure on exercise means that our bodies adapt by reducing energy spent on other processes, like immune function or digestion. This, he says, explains why exercise alone often doesn't lead to significant weight loss—it’s not just about how much we move, but how our bodies balance energy use overall.
Pontzer’s research draws on his studies of the Hadza, a group of hunter-gatherers in Tanzania. Despite their highly active lifestyle, the Hadza don’t burn significantly more calories than the average sedentary person in the U.S. This astonishing finding seems to back up the Constrained Energy Expenditure Model.
This system, says Pontzer, would suggest that we need to overhaul most people’s understanding of metabolism and how it relates to health. Rather than focusing on calorie-burning for weight management, we should be looking at the quality of our diets, and an active lifestyle should be a staple not because it helps with losing weight (because it doesn’t!), but for other health benefits like muscle strength, mental well-being, and cardiovascular health.
Review
This book was a fascinating read, but above all is a must-read for anyone who has fallen into the trap of exercise for weight-loss. It challenges and corrects some of the most pernicious “common sense” ideas on healthy lifestyles that cause people to fail again and again.
Let’s revisit the first line of this article - “just eat less and move more”. Is it that simple?
Well… Yes. These are absolutely core components for a healthy lifestyle, just not for the reason that most people think. The phrase itself can imply that there is a trade-off of sorts, that one compensates for the other - which definitely doesn’t hold true. This can lead to over-exercising, doing exercise you don’t really enjoy because “it burns more calories”, or combing a calorie-restrictive diet with vastly increased levels of exercise thinking it will help you reach a “target weight” more quickly. These are all great ways to fail in the long term.
Fitness professionals have known for years that “you can’t outrun a bad diet” from years of observation alone - and this book gives us the mechanism by which that holds true.
There are also fascinating insights relating to longevity. If I told you that higher levels of exercise meant that your body took energy from your immune system you’d probably think that was bad, right? Except that it appears to have a restricting effect on some of the immune system’s excesses - helping to prevent the immune system from becoming overactive and developing autoimmune conditions.
This restricting of energy also helps to reduce the amount of inflammation produced by the immune system - and chronic inflammation is a key driver of just about every single chronic illness, from heart disease to cancers to diabetes and everything in between. From a chiropractic perspective, metabolism is also a key component of injuries to joints and tendons. The healthier your metabolism, the less likely to are to develop injuries.
So when Pontzer explains that burning more calories through extreme exercise won’t necessarily help us lose weight, this doesn’t mean exercise isn’t important. Instead, we should think of physical activity as a way to improve other aspects of health: it strengthens muscles, supports joint health, boosts mood, and reduces stress.
For chiropractic patients who might be focused on joint health, pain management, and maintaining mobility, Burn can reinforce the importance of regular physical activity. Engaging in consistent, moderate exercise can support musculoskeletal health without the need for extreme calorie-burning workouts. This aligns with a balanced, sustainable approach to wellness that emphasizes maintaining joint function and reducing inflammation.
Moreover, Pontzer discusses how stress, poor sleep, and inadequate nutrition can all disrupt our metabolic balance. Chiropractic care often addresses the effects of these lifestyle factors by promoting nervous system health, which in turn supports better sleep, reduced stress, and improved energy levels. Understanding metabolism through Pontzer’s lens can help readers see how different aspects of their lifestyle are interconnected and why addressing one area—like sleep or stress—can have a positive impact on metabolism and overall health.
Key Takeaways
Focus on Holistic Health: Just as chiropractic care emphasizes balance and overall well-being, Burn shows that our metabolism works best when we support it with good nutrition, adequate sleep, and regular activity—not just by trying to burn more calories.
Exercise for Health, Not Just Weight Loss: Physical activity should be seen as a tool for maintaining musculoskeletal health, reducing inflammation, and supporting mental health rather than just a way to burn calories. This perspective encourages patients to stay active without getting discouraged if the scale doesn’t move much.
Quality of Diet Matters: A healthy diet is more important than simply eating less. Whole, nutrient-dense foods support metabolic health and overall wellness.
Sleep and Stress Are Critical: Stress and poor sleep can throw off metabolic balance, making it harder for our bodies to function well.
Overall, Burn by Herman Pontzer provides a new way of looking at metabolism, helping us understand that burning calories is just a small part of the bigger picture.
Have you read the book? What were your thoughts? Be sure to let us know in the comments or email us at hello@pyramidhealth.co.uk!