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This week on the podcast, Mikki speaks to Dr. James Dorling, a researcher whose work challenges many of the traditional assumptions around energy expenditure, weight loss, and personalised nutrition.

Dr. Dorling’s research spans multiple large-scale studies, including the E-MECHANIC trial, which revealed that traditional metabolic equations often overestimate energy burn—particularly in certain populations. His work also highlights differences in how men and women, and people of different ethnicities, respond to exercise in terms of energy expenditure, raising important questions about the accuracy of fitness trackers and calorie calculations.

In this conversation, Mikki and James explore why some people seem to hit a weight-loss plateau despite regular exercise, how compensatory mechanisms might be working against fat loss goals, and what practical strategies can help break through these barriers. They also dive into findings from the CALERIE™ study, where unexpected predictors of weight loss—like sexual satisfaction—emerged, and discuss the potential for machine learning to improve personalised weight-loss strategies.

Beyond metabolism, they tackle the hype around DNA-based nutrition plans and the reality of individual variability in weight loss outcomes.

Dr. James Dorling is a lecturer in Human Nutrition at the University of Glasgow, with a research focus on the impact of nutrition and physical activity interventions on obesity, metabolic health, and aging biomarkers. His work explores appetite regulation, eating behaviours, and how these factors change in response to lifestyle interventions.

Dr. Dorling completed his undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Bath before earning his PhD from Loughborough University, where he investigated the effects of acute exercise and obesity-related genetic factors on appetite and appetite-related hormones. He then continued his research as a postdoctoral fellow at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, studying the influence of calorie restriction and exercise on weight regulation, aging, and metabolic adaptations.

Dr. Dorling's work has been featured in leading scientific publications and podcasts, where he discusses the intersection of metabolism, exercise, and behaviour change. His research challenges conventional wisdom around weight loss and aims to refine personalised strategies for improving health outcomes.

For more on his work, visit his profile at the University of Glasgow: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/medicine/staff/jamesdorling/

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