Mr. Skeptical asks, “What the heck is the thermic effect of food?”
“That’s why I started this newsletter with the image above. The thermic effect (TEF) is how much energy (including digesting, absorbing, and processing nutrients) it takes to handle food.”
Mr. Skeptical folds his arms. “Is this important? Or are you just looking for something to write about?”
“It’s critical for understanding why some foods are better than others.”
Subconscious Fat at 30,000 Feet
The TEF explains why counting calories is a massive waste of time. Calorie-counting management overlooks a crucial factor: how different foods affect metabolism.
Mr. Skeptical adds, "Let me guess—this is going to circle back to steak being the ultimate metabolism booster, right?"
I smirk. "You catch on fast. But seriously, TEF proves that not all calories are created equal."
Mr. Skeptical rolls his eyes. "Here we go again."
Subconscious Fat at 10,000 Feet
The above chart shows how protein has the highest thermogenic effect, requiring about 20-30% of its calories for digestion, while carbohydrates burn around 5-10%, and fats 0-3%.
"So, you're telling me if I eat a 300-calorie chicken breast, I actually burn 90 calories just digesting it?"
"Exactly! Compare that to a 300-calorie doughnut, barely burning 15 calories during digestion. Big difference, huh?"
Mr. Skeptical frowns. "So much for my ‘calories in, calories out’ mindset."
Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level
Mr. Skeptical’s eyes narrow, "So, eating steak or eggs keeps my metabolism higher than a smoothie?"
"Exactly. Protein keeps your body working harder to break it down, plus it keeps you fuller longer. Look at the chart below.”
The graph above shows that protein takes longer to digest and has a more prolonged thermogenic effect than carbohydrates. This is one reason why, when eating a carnivore diet, one can go longer without eating, and cravings are less intense.
I add, “I know this from personal experience. I remember back around 2010, I had severe stomach pains, often having to go to emergency care. One doctor told me I would need to get my gallbladder removed, especially since my mom and grandmother both had theirs removed.”

Mr. Skeptical leans in. “What did you do?”
“I was skeptical of the medical doctor’s advice because there was no evidence of gallbladder damage, so I visited a naturopath. She recommended I fast after eating fruit and vegetables for a few days.”
“Did it work? Did your stomach pains go away?”
“I tried fasting for a few days, but they were the worst days of my life. I’d see people eating, and I’d get furious. Nonetheless, it worked. I did get one more stomach episode, but after that, the pain never came back.”
Mr. Skeptical gets up, elated, prancing around doing a victory dance. “There you go. Fruits, vegetables, and a little fasting saved the day.”
“Hold your horses. I’m not done. Two years ago, after hiring an online trainer, I fasted some while doing the carnivore diet, and it was way, way easier. If one chooses to fast, doing so after being on the carnivore diet makes it less challenging. The chart above shows one reason why.”
Mr. Skeptical sits back down, defeated after doing his silly victory dance.
Practical Suggestions and Conclusions
Mr. Skeptical looks over the two charts in the newsletter and comments, “So you're saying to skip the middleman carbohydrates in terms of TEF.”
I smile, enjoying the victory over Mr. Skeptical, yet happy that he’s finely seeing the light.
“Yes, the ideal is to eat something like a fatty steak. This way, you’re getting the best of the two extremes regarding thermogenic food. One does not need to eat the middleman carbohydrates at all. This is why I recommend to my clients, typically men over 40, to eat all the protein they want, with enough fat to make it tasty.”
Mr. Skeptical smirks. "So, basically... steak for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"
"Not necessarily, but it wouldn't hurt!"
"Fine, I’ll give it a shot. But if I start sweating from all this ‘thermogenic’ eating, it’s on you."
"Consider it a metabolic win."
Mr. Skeptical attempts to flip the table dramatically... but only his fork clatters to the ground. I’m happy I had my buttered coffee in my hand instead of on the table.
Be aware.
Other links related to this post:
Is High Cholesterol Always Bad?
Buttered Coffee!??!
Fasting: Pros and Cons
PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Chat GPT was used to research and enhance this post.