Daniel Priestley

Like, why is it an or? I mean, why isn't it exercise and diet? Diet is, of course, the bedrock for weight loss. But exercise also plays an important role and should be part of the mix.

Yeah, of course, right? And they co-vary, right? And that's one of the reasons why when people do big studies of, you know, what, you know, you can look at what people die of, right? What's on the death certificate, you know, cancer, heart disease, whatever, heart attack. And then you look at what caused the cancer, what caused the heart disease.

Yeah, of course, right? And they co-vary, right? And that's one of the reasons why when people do big studies of, you know, what, you know, you can look at what people die of, right? What's on the death certificate, you know, cancer, heart disease, whatever, heart attack. And then you look at what caused the cancer, what caused the heart disease.

When people try to do that, it's almost impossible to separate diet and exercise because people who tend to eat better also tend to exercise more. They're both in our modern upside down, chopsy-turvy world. They're both markers of privilege. People have money to go to the gym, also have money to buy healthy foods.

When people try to do that, it's almost impossible to separate diet and exercise because people who tend to eat better also tend to exercise more. They're both in our modern upside down, chopsy-turvy world. They're both markers of privilege. People have money to go to the gym, also have money to buy healthy foods.

And people who care about their physical activity also tend to care about their diet. So at that level, they're very hard to separate. However, if you're studying a particular component of a system in a randomized controls trial in a lab, you can separate them out. And so we know that they have independent and also interactive effects.

And people who care about their physical activity also tend to care about their diet. So at that level, they're very hard to separate. However, if you're studying a particular component of a system in a randomized controls trial in a lab, you can separate them out. And so we know that they have independent and also interactive effects.

I think the most important thing is that we need to be compassionate towards each other. I mean, there's so much shaming and blaming and prescriptions. The reason I entitled the book Exercised is that we make people feel exercised about exercise. We make them feel uncomfortable and unconfident and shamed.

I think the most important thing is that we need to be compassionate towards each other. I mean, there's so much shaming and blaming and prescriptions. The reason I entitled the book Exercised is that we make people feel exercised about exercise. We make them feel uncomfortable and unconfident and shamed.

You and I are having this conversation, but I can tell that you take, I mean, I know I've listened to enough of your podcasts. You care about your health and you care about diet, you care about exercise. And people may look at you and think, gosh, I wish I was like him, but it's just not me. I'm not there. And they may feel put off by our conversation.

You and I are having this conversation, but I can tell that you take, I mean, I know I've listened to enough of your podcasts. You care about your health and you care about diet, you care about exercise. And people may look at you and think, gosh, I wish I was like him, but it's just not me. I'm not there. And they may feel put off by our conversation.

And I think that so often these discussions make people feel bad about what they're doing. And I think that what we need to emphasize is that if you put a chocolate cake and an apple in front of me here, I would want to eat the chocolate cake. And it would I might eat the apple only because you're there. But if you weren't there, I would eat the chocolate cake, right?

And I think that so often these discussions make people feel bad about what they're doing. And I think that what we need to emphasize is that if you put a chocolate cake and an apple in front of me here, I would want to eat the chocolate cake. And it would I might eat the apple only because you're there. But if you weren't there, I would eat the chocolate cake, right?

And when I'm in my building at Harvard, my office is on the fifth floor of this old Victorian building. Every single day, I want to take the elevator. And the only reason I take the stairs is that if anybody catches me in the elevator, I'll be a hypocrite. It's not that I don't want to take the elevator. I do want to take the elevator. I guess you guys say lift.

And when I'm in my building at Harvard, my office is on the fifth floor of this old Victorian building. Every single day, I want to take the elevator. And the only reason I take the stairs is that if anybody catches me in the elevator, I'll be a hypocrite. It's not that I don't want to take the elevator. I do want to take the elevator. I guess you guys say lift.

And we make people feel bad for taking the elevator. They shouldn't feel bad. It's an instinct. And so I think we have to figure out ways to help people.

And we make people feel bad for taking the elevator. They shouldn't feel bad. It's an instinct. And so I think we have to figure out ways to help people.

without shaming them and without blaming them and without bragging and whatever, talking about the marathon they ran or this, that, or the other, make them feel less uncomfortable about the topic and realize that you don't have to swim the English Channel or run a marathon or join your WhatsApp group and do crazy HIIT workouts every day.

without shaming them and without blaming them and without bragging and whatever, talking about the marathon they ran or this, that, or the other, make them feel less uncomfortable about the topic and realize that you don't have to swim the English Channel or run a marathon or join your WhatsApp group and do crazy HIIT workouts every day.

By the way, you don't need to do HIIT workouts every day to get the benefit. Instead, just taking the stairs in your building every day. Anything is better than nothing, and you'll get benefits from that. And I hope that that's the message that needs to get out. Anything is better than nothing. And if you can get started on that pathway, then it'll eventually become self-rewarding.