logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
1h 27m

Stop Counting Calories! Diet Myths Expos...

Dave Asprey
About this episode

Everything you’ve been told about weight loss is a lie!

In this episode, Dr. Nick Norwitz, a metabolic health expert with accolades from Oxford and Harvard, joins Dave to expose the biggest myth in dieting: Calorie Counting. Together, they dismantle outdated weight-loss advice and reveal the truth about metabolism that could revolutionize your health. 

Dr. Norwitz shares cutting-edge science and personal stories that challenge the “eat less, move more” narrative, uncovering why traditional dieting often fails—and what actually works. From the role of ketosis in healing chronic illness to the surprising ways fasting affects hair loss, metabolism, and inflammation, this episode is packed with actionable insights that you won’t hear anywhere else. 

You’ll also learn how viruses might be fueling food addiction, why gut health is the missing key to metabolic recovery, and how new research could unlock the future of personalized medicine. If you’ve ever felt like your metabolism was holding you back, this conversation will give you the tools to take control of your health for good. 

What You’ll Learn: 

• Why calorie counting is useless—and the better way to lose weight 

• The shocking truth about how your metabolism ACTUALLY works 

• How ketosis and fasting can heal inflammation and chronic disease 

• The role of gut health and microbiome diversity in weight loss 

• New research on food addiction and its surprising link to viruses 

• Why individualization is the key to sustainable health 


Resources:  

2025 Biohacking Conference: https://biohackingconference.com/2025 

• Nick Norwitz’s YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@nicknorwitzPhD 

Nick Norwitz’s Website – https://www.nicknorwitz.com/ 

Follow Nick on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/nicknorwitz/ 

Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com 

Dave Asprey’s Website: https://daveasprey.com 

Dave Asprey’s Book – Smarter Not Harder: https://daveasprey.com/books 

Dave Asprey’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/daveasprey 

Upgrade Collective – Join The Human Upgrade Podcast Live: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com 

Own an Upgrade Labs: https://ownanupgradelabs.com 

Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com 

40 Years of Zen – Neurofeedback Training for Advanced Cognitive Enhancement: https://40yearsofzen.com 


SPONSORS:  



Timestamps: 

• 00:00 Trailer 

• 00:39 Meet Dr. Nick 

• 04:44 Nick’s Health Journey 

• 07:54 Keto Diets 

• 09:37 Modern Medicine Challenges 

• 13:31 Exercise vs. Diet 

• 14:32 Obesity Memory 

• 17:36 Keto Cycling 

• 20:51 Microbiome Health 

• 26:26 Fasting & Hair Loss 

• 34:56 Alzheimer’s Insights 

• 45:11 Cold Plunge Benefits 

• 45:43 Dopamine Boosts 

• 46:26 Cold Plunge & Inflammation 

• 47:15 Best Time to Cold Plunge 

• 48:18 Pain & Dopamine 

• 49:31 Exercise & Stress 

• 51:49 Cholesterol & Inflammation 

• 01:05:42 Debunking Calories In/Out 

• 01:07:09 Food Addiction 

• 01:11:15 Metabolic Health Tips 

• 01:24:13 Nick’s Mission 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
May 22
Ayurveda Meets Biohacking: 5000-Year-Old Medicine Secrets for Modern Stress | Mona Sharma : 1284
This episode reveals the ancient health protocols Western medicine forgot, and how they are now being used to heal stress, rewire the nervous system, and radically improve human performance. Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: https://www.youtube.com/@Dav ... Show More
59m 11s
May 20
The Biohacker’s Guide to CIA Mind Control & Brainwashing : 1283
You’re being programmed, and it’s more subtle and pervasive than you think. From invisible influence to psychological manipulation, this episode shows you how to recognize when your thoughts aren’t really yours. Host Dave Asprey uncovers the hidden science of mind control with Ha ... Show More
1h 3m
May 16
Military Tech Goes Public: Think 30% Faster with This Brain Hack | Geoffrey Woo : 1282
Your brain runs slow when it’s running on the wrong fuel. In this episode of The Human Upgrade, Dave Asprey sits down with Geoffrey Woo, Stanford-trained computer scientist and founder of Ketone-IQ, to reveal the high-performance brain fuel once reserved for Special Forces and el ... Show More
1h 26m
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
3 simple steps to transform your metabolism | Shawn Stevenson and Prof. Tim Spector
Only 12% of American adults are considered metabolically healthy - meaning the vast majority are at increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and strokes. But what exactly is metabolism, and why does it matter so much for our health? In this episode, bestselling author and healt ... Show More
59m 18s
Feb 2025
How to Boost Your Metabolism & Burn Fat
In this episode, I discuss science-supported methods to boost metabolism and maintain sustainable fat loss. I explain the key components of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and why some people seem to stay naturally lean with little effort. Using the three I’s—Investigate, I ... Show More
2h 13m
Jun 18
#302 How to improve Your Metabolism for Better Health, Energy & Weight Loss with Dr Adam Collins
Have you ever wondered if some people simply have a fast metabolism? You know the kind of people that seem to be able to eat anything and still maintain a healthy weight? Does your metabolism slow as you age? What about the effect of the menopause? And are intermittent fasting an ... Show More
1h 47m
Oct 2021
#242: How to Use Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight, Live Longer, and Feel Better with Dr. Jason Fung
How to Use Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight, Live Longer, and Feel Better | This episode is brought to you by BiOptimizers and InsideTracker. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is nothing at all. That’s how I like to look at intermittent fasting. Embracing planned per ... Show More
1h 6m
Jan 2025
The science of weight loss – and why calories don’t count! | Prof. Giles Yeo
Think weight loss is all about eating less and moving more? Think again. In this episode, Prof. Giles Yeo reveals why calorie counting isn’t just inaccurate—it could actually make weight management harder. He explains why the popular “calories in, calories out” method doesn’t add ... Show More
1h 3m
Jan 2025
BITESIZE | How to Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism and Live Longer | Dr William Li #507
You probably already know that your diet can hugely influence how well you feel, but how much power do your food choices really have over your health? Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational sto ... Show More
23m 53s
Jan 2025
Is your gut microbiome preventing weight loss? | Dr. Suzanne Devkota and Prof. Tim Spector
Belly fat is more than just stubborn weight – it plays a complex role in our health, interacting with the immune system and gut bacteria. But could gut microbes hold the key to understanding and managing belly fat? In this episode, Dr. Suzanne Devkota, Director of the Microbiome ... Show More
1h 3m
Jul 2024
TMHS 807: Shrink Your Fat Cells & Fix Your Metabolism - With Dr. Benjamin Bikman
Most people understand that metabolism is a key factor in controlling weight and overall health. But the science of how the metabolism actually works can often be confusing or oversimplified. On today’s show, we’ve got one of the world’s leading authorities on metabolism here to ... Show More
1h 13m
Apr 25
How To HEAL Your Gut Microbiome for Better Mood, Weight Loss & Disease Prevention
Get my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy!Your gut microbiome shapes every aspect of your health from mental clarity to disease prevention. Dr. Will Bulsiewicz reveals how the diversity of plants in your diet forms the foundation of gut health, recommending a goal o ... Show More
1h 13m
Jul 2024
#829 Miracle Drug Dangers: "Shocking Side Effects Of Ozempic Nobody Talks About!" With Dr. Don Clum
Today, I am fortunate to have Dr. Don Clum with me for the fourth time. He is the founder and owner of Insulin Friendly Living, a virtual practice specializing in insulin resistance and advanced metabolic nutrition.  In this episode, Dr. Don Clum explains that one in eight adults ... Show More
1h 17m