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The PE Diet: Leverage your biology to achieve optimal health.

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The only difference between the HEALTHIEST people on earth, and the LEAST HEALTHY?

DIET and EXERCISE.

All of us WANT to achieve optimum wellness, but not all of us know how.

There are some basic levers that drive health in one of two directions: towards perfection, or towards chronic degenerative disease.

If you understand the principles that govern your physiology, you can achieve complete mastery over your own body composition and become the best possible version of yourself.

The P:E Diet is the SIMPLEST and MOST PRACTICAL diet and exercise book ever written. Once you understand the core tenets of your biology, you will know HOW to increase your lean mass while decreasing your fat mass—and you will know WHY it works.

The P:E Diet breaks down every single dietary strategy into one incredibly simple metric:

PROTEIN versus ENERGY.

The protein to energy ratio explains EVERY SINGLE DIET PHENOMENON. The P:E Diet breaks down the cause of the obesity epidemic and the solution using this one powerful weapon. This is not ‘paleo’ or ‘keto’ or ‘low carb’ or ‘low fat’ or ‘plants versus animals’ or ‘calorie counting’—instead this is one MASTER CONCEPT that explains the success of EVERY SINGLE DIETARY STRATEGY out there. This book completely TRANSCENDS ALL OF THE DIET CAMPS and explains why they ALL offer some value—and once you understand this underlying principle, you unlock EVERY DIET.

The P:E Diet explains EXACTLY why FOOD CHOICE is everything — once you choose WHAT to eat, your body will tell you HOW MUCH to eat. This approach teaches you how to eat INTUITIVELY to achieve your goals, without unnecessary tracking or micromanaging quantity.


The exercise portion of this book is just as revelatory: all you need for the optimum adaptive response to exercise is to generate MAXIMUM TENSION in your muscles for the MAXIMUM TIME possible. All exercise can be broken down into three exercise motions: PUSH, PULL, and LEGS. This requires NO EQUIPMENT WHATSOEVER and can be accomplished with bodyweight only. By maximizing INTENSITY and FREQUENCY you can build muscle with absolute MINIMUM TIME.

Packed with hundreds of photos and illustrations, The P:E Diet is a life-changing knowledge bomb that absolutely anyone and everyone should read.

PLEASE NOTE: MAY NOT WORK ON ALL KINDLE DEVICES!
Will work well on the Kindle App but may not work on all Kindle devices.

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2019

27 people are currently reading
405 people want to read

About the author

Ted Naiman

7 books15 followers

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5 stars
311 (74%)
4 stars
77 (18%)
3 stars
18 (4%)
2 stars
6 (1%)
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4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
Profile Image for Darynda Jones.
Author 59 books16.6k followers
March 16, 2025
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK

Great book. Easy to understand and implement. Dr. Naiman knows his stuff. He explains everything from an evolutionary standpoint and it just makes sense. He’s also great at creating graphics to get his point across!
Profile Image for Buck Wilde.
1,089 reviews70 followers
December 28, 2019
Conceptually and scientifically sound. The only kinds of food are energy and protein (which is also kind of energy, but secondarily). Get the protein level where you need it, then fill in the rest of the blanks as you have to, while paying attention to the capacity of crap carbs and sugar to screw with your insulin and ravage your hormone profile.

Knocked a star off because it isn't a book, it's a 300 page PowerPoint with some of the most embarrassing clipart I've seen since public elementary school computer class in the 90s.
133 reviews3 followers
July 18, 2021
Astounding to think that this mess of a book has such a high score. This is what drew me to it and it turned out to be the classical book full of dangerous nonsense that non experts in the field missing any critical thinking just buy into and give 5 stars because the claims made "sound ok"

Here's some of the dangerous claims this book makes with its thesis that meat is the healthiest food out there. Some of the links of the sources I am providing are not embedded, so copy and paste for your perusal

Claims:
>Fat does not cause satiety
In reality, fat and fiber increase release of gut hormones that cause satiety (like PYY) while not affecting insulin https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31035...
Furthermore, a daily highly fatty breakfast is proven to induce satiety, while not affecting body composition (i.e. make you fat) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30999...
Encouraging people to reduce their fat intake because of this claim, is actually dangerous. As evidence suggests that reductions in total dietary fat intake often occur in conjunction with an increase in total caloric intake (i.e. you reduced your fat intake, you are hungrier, you binge on high carbs). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24911...
Specifically in obese patients, with the aim to achieve an ideal BW, in short term clinical trials it’s been shown that proteins have a higher diet induced thermogenesis (DIT) increased ketogenesis, and hepatic gluconeogenesis while preventing loss of fat-free mass
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32699...
Nevertheless, long term high protein intake of animal origin (as recommended in the book, i.e. 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight) is known to lead to shorter healthspan (if you are younger than 65).

>Low protein intake is associated with a major reduction in IGF-1, cancer, and overall mortality in the 65 and younger but not older population - PubMed (nih.gov)
The impact of dietary protein intake on longevity and metabolic health - PubMed (nih.gov)
Ever heard of the Okinawans? People living in the island of Okinawa display much longer healthspans, and guess what they eat? High carb, low protein diets. Diets proven in laboratory animal models to achieve exactly the same thing
New Horizons: Dietary protein, ageing and the Okinawan ratio - PubMed (nih.gov)
Curiously enough, in another human study, carbs seem also associated with increased mortality, making any conclusion about them quite impossible to make. Nevertheless the same study concludes that fat intake reduces mortality. Again proving the benefits of fat
Dietary Carbohydrates Impair Healthspan and Promote Mortality - PubMed (nih.gov)

Another extremely dangerous point perpetrated by this book, is that:
>eating nuts is bad for you because they are fat and energy dense. This is perhaps the most stupid nutritional advice you could actually give to anyone seeking to lose weight, or just stay healthy. We have overwhelming evidence showing that multiple types of nuts, but especially walnuts, have a long list of beneficial health properties. They prevent multiple cancers, improve cardiovascular health and prolong overall healthspan.
Nuts and Human Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review - PubMed (nih.gov)
Nuts, Cardiovascular Health, and Diabetes - PubMed (nih.gov)
Walnuts (Juglans regia) Chemical Composition and Research in Human Health - PubMed (nih.gov)
Health benefits of nut consumption - PubMed (nih.gov)

>Red meat is good for you because it has a high P:E ratio
Red meat, as all processed meats, are in fact risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Dietary Protein Consumption and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies - PubMed (nih.gov)
And so replacing red meat with either cheese, yogurt, nuts or even cereals reduces type 2 diabetes
Replacement of Red and Processed Meat With Other Food Sources of Protein and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in European Populations: The EPIC-InterAct Study - PubMed (nih.gov)
But the list of diseases associated with the consumption of red meat in fact is quite long
Potential health hazards of eating red meat - PubMed (nih.gov)
Mechanistic Evidence for Red Meat and Processed Meat Intake and Cancer Risk: A Follow-up on the International Agency for Research on Cancer Evaluation of 2015 - PubMed (nih.gov)
But even assuming that all the science and data we have associating red meat with diseases is weak or non conclusive as some other studies conclude (and because my review tries to be actually objective contrarily to this book)
Red Meat and Colorectal Cancer: A Quantitative Update on the State of the Epidemiologic Science - PubMed (nih.gov)
, there is the ethical/environmental point of view to consider (and I am not vegan).

In fact, in the book there is the claim that:
>Grass fed beef is one of the most environmentally friendly choices
A very stupid claim at best. As much as all “organic” food, completely ignores the fact that not only there is no way to feed the world with these agriculture methodologies, (if everyone wanted grass fed beef only, the environmental impact would be way higher than what it already is)
Harvard Study Finds Shift to Grass-Fed Beef Would Require 30% More Cattle and Increase Beef's Methane Emissions 43% (awellfedworld.org)
Is Grass-Fed Beef Really Better for You & the Environment? (foodrevolution.org)
Here's Why Grass-Fed Beef is Just as Bad for the Environment as Grain-Fed - One Green Planet
Is Grass-Fed Beef Better for the Planet? Everything You Need to Know. (livekindly.co)
If you go and look at the farmers/organizations that sell you this beef, they will obviously tell you that this beef is actually good for the environment!
What Are The Environmental Benefits Of Grass Fed Beef? (txbargrassfed.com)
Without recognizing that grass fed implies more land needed for the animals, and we are already destroying enough forests. I mean there is absolutely no argument to believe grass-fed is good for the environment. It’s as stupid as it sounds. There is zero evidence at a bigger scale.
And the United nations know this very well
Eat less meat: UN climate-change report calls for change to human diet (nature.com)
Excessive red and processed meat intake: relations with health and environment in Brazil - PubMed (nih.gov)
Meat-eaters may speed worldwide species extinction, study warns | Science | AAAS (sciencemag.org)

The ideology that transpires from this book, is that “because we evolved with it, it’s the best for our health”, except for the fact that the reality is “we fine tuned our metabolism to maximize our chance of survival until we reproduce and raise our kids”. Meaning, we did not evolve to live more than 40-50 years. If you are aiming to do that, go for it. But if you are aiming to live healthier and for longer, you better understand that our body didn’t evolve for it and so the correct answer cannot be found in the so called “paleo diet” that this book paints as the fountain of youth without citing a single study. The only thing that “cites” is a picture of himself. A “before & after” photo in a typical commercial style. No comment!!

Kosher salt is best for cooking?
Yeah sure, a differently shaped salt won't change mechanistically anything in your cooking, it will change your finances though
If you buy into this crap, you could as well buy Icelandic salt
(1679) Why Icelandic Sea Salt Is So Expensive | So Expensive - YouTube

>Avocado oil and clarified butter are best for cooking
Also here, I don’t get how the author gets to these conclusions. If you are talking about sauteeing at low or high temperatures it’s a big difference. Anyways, beyond avocado oil, there’s other oils such as canola oil, sesame oil, walnuts oil, peanut oil or simply olive oil that will give flavour and same if not superior health/cooking qualities.
The best oils to use for cooking, according to nutritionists (nbcnews.com)
8 Healthiest Cooking Oils, According to a Registered Dietitian (goodhousekeeping.com)
The Best Oil to Cook With | EatingWell

2 stars because it's written well, otherwise it would be worth 1 given the dangerous ideas it spreads
Profile Image for Gustavo Reis.
30 reviews15 followers
June 12, 2021
Ultra-simplified book, and the evidence it shows to prove it's idea works is explained mostly through anecdotes and his own observations rather than hard cold studies.

80% of the content are infographics and/or images and/or quotes.

In the end, it can all be summarized on:
- Try to stay higher or equal than the equation "Protein/(Fat + Carbs - Fiber)"
- Do resistance training eveyday of your life (build muscle)
- Do HIIT
- Do Intermittent Fasting
- Don't get too caught up on details.

Regardless of all this underwhelm, I think there's truth in what's preached here and I've been living like that for the past 28 days. Over time, if I see results, I'll update my review to 4 stars.
Author 2 books2 followers
February 17, 2020
Perfect summary

The graphs on social media had won me over. The book is a great summary and visual on the levers one has to pull both to lose weight build muscle, without the radicalism of veganism, LCHF and others
Profile Image for Christina.
369 reviews
October 29, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ The information in the book is good, but the value for money was absolutely not!! (And no offence to Ted Naiman because I always enjoy podcasts he’s in).

Basically, P:E Diet means: protein grams (in any food you’re eating) divided by fat grams *plus* carb grams should equal 1 or more in the food you’re consuming, or else the ‘energy’ (carbs plus fat) outweighs the protein … essentially: eat as much lean protein as possible, eat lots of leafy greens and other veggies, have minimal amounts of fatty stuff, and avoid processed foods like donuts, cookies, fries and pop. (So, like, use your common sense.)

There are a lot of huge infographics and photos in the book that seem to be included to take up space. And the hardcover book is ridiculously large … it’s like a coffee table book, you can’t read it easily, given its size. I just looked at the price on Amazon (Canada) and it has *doubled* since I bought it. Don’t waste your money, go to ‘burnfatnotsugar.com’ and all the pertinent information is there. Or google Ted Naiman P:E diet. Seriously don’t spend your hard earned cash on the hardcover.
Profile Image for Deepak Chaudhary.
106 reviews14 followers
September 25, 2021
This was a great book to read. It's easy to read and is full of diagrams, graphs, and memes.  I wish I had read this book when I was 16, I think I would have been a lot buffer and leaner in my 20s if I had gotten this information earlier in my life. There are a couple of things in this book that I did not like, but I will still give it 5 stars because I think if any book gives you one idea that you can apply to your life, it is a 5 star book and this book has many such ideas.

It's called the PE diet, but it is not just a diet book. It has sections on exercise and cooking, so it's a complete fitness book. It spends the most time on the protein to energy ratio concept. it's basiclly that the more protein you eat, the more satiated you will be, and if you keep your protein to energy ration high, you will get leaner. Interestingly, I have found that I can fit his PE ratio into a keto diet because Naiman only uses weight to calculate the PE ratio and he does not count calories and since 1g of fat gives you 9 calories and protein only 4, you will be able to eat a high protein keto diet with the right PE ratio.

The fitness and cooking sections are amazing too, full of new concepts that I had not leared before. Any full time working person can apply Naimans teachings to their life. I had deemphasized the improtance of exercise ever since Tim Ferrises' book The Four Hour Body came out, I have deemphasized the importance of exercise and have suffered because of it. With this book, I will be going back to training.

The thing I did not like about this book was that it did not use the metric system for measurements. It's OK for Americans to use the imperial system for their measurements. If Americans are going to write books and make them available worldwide, they should add their metric measurements into their books in brackets or with slashes beside their imperial measurements.

I also did not like how in the cooking section it looked like Naiman was using perfectly thawed meat for his cooking instructions. This is not practical, people buy their food on their days off and its frozed hard before the cooks begin, fitness authors should start cooking instruction with frozen and refrigerated foods.

These are just minor gripes though, this is a great book full of great ideas that you should read immediately.
3 reviews
January 27, 2021
Ted Naimen has a gift. He is able to seamlessly explain complex diet concepts in a simple but highly compelling and scientifically rigorous manner. He has that rare combinations of being totally engaging and yet scientifically 'tight'. I suspect that his 'real job' as a family physician has trained him to sling theory while staying grounded in practical experience. I have probably seen over 500 YouTube presentations on diet and obesity- Naimen ranks at the top for originality, scientific rigor and laugh out loud humor. This book is mostly figure based. You don't realize how good the figures are unless you compare them to others or try to write your own talk to express the science. I was able to take this in on a kindle -based phone app- probably better on a larger tablet, or some may go for the hard copy- now available. Treat yourself to some of his talks which are the best in the business- but this book shouldn't be missed as it is a great synthesis and may represent a diet/fitness breakthrough for a lot of folks.
Profile Image for Michael.
118 reviews36 followers
January 5, 2023
The P:E Diet by Seattle resident Dr. Ted Naiman places an emphasis on protein. The healthiest and leanest patients he sees in his practice are consuming a higher ratio of protein over carbohydrates or fat.

The ratio of protein (P) is 1.0 or better to energy (E) (carbohydrates or fats). This can be calculated per meal or per day. For example. A breakfast scramble of eggs and spinach, a lunch of chicken on a bed of salad greens, or a dinner of salmon filet with brussel sprouts.

A further review would pale in comparison to the review from Jillian Ceasrine. I share the link below.

https://jilliansnutritionnook.com/the...
2 reviews
November 1, 2019
I can relate to ratios ...

I found the P:E ratio concept simple to comprehend. The content is presented in a clear and easily readable format. It is not a stretch to say the authors place you, the reader, as the person giving the P:E talk, with all the slides and presenter's notes at your fingertips. (at least with the nutrition content)

I'll be referencing the P:E frequently. Great work!
Profile Image for Nick Huemmer.
38 reviews4 followers
April 11, 2020
The most concise book on diet and exercise

This book outlines all you need to get started on a healthier lifestyle. It outlines what you need to tweak your diet and exercise to get leaner. Basically, prioritize protein and manage energy (fat and carbs). High intensity, short exercise every day with low level movement throughout. I’ve gotten more knowledge and tips for clients from this book than any other.
1 review1 follower
April 27, 2020
Most honest and informative book on diet on the market.

I've read many diet and exercise books over the last 20 years and could write one myself probably. This book is so well written and illustrated for visual learners and those with reading difficulties or low attention span, that there is no excuse for someone needing help with their diet not to purchase this book. It will certainly become your most referenced book in your diet library.
6 reviews
February 12, 2023
Simple, smart, and to the point

I've read many diet and health books, this is by far one of my favorites.

It's not too long, it repeats the important information, so they're is no confusion and it's simple.

Do x, y, z and get the results. The science makes sense and is broken down so the everyday person can understand.

I realize where I went wrong with low carb and keto. I'm going to try this approach.

Great read!!!
Profile Image for Henrik De.
Author 8 books
October 10, 2025
Impressive level of dieting help

Recommended to me by a very fit person as the book to help diet and change the way I eat. Very eye opening and super helpful. This book covers most of the foods to eat on a scale of P:E. It also has time frames to eat, recipes to try and exercise routines shared. Very easy read. Covers the science of how we process food too. Worth the read. Highly recommend if you eat.
Profile Image for Guilherme Zeitounlian.
319 reviews11 followers
December 14, 2019
The concepts are simple: prioritize protein. Get your minerals and micronutrients. Workout with intensity (preferably every day).

The overabundance of graphs is a bit annoying, as they get in the way of clear reading. Dr. Naiman should have hired an editor.

But the fact that he simplifies the message and inspires people to take action always counts points in my book.
303 reviews1 follower
December 22, 2019
This is the most comprehensive combination diet/exercise book I have ever read! Beautiful, helpful graphics with easy to understand explanations of difficult concepts. Very intuitive. Love the P:E ratio concept for foods! I plan to adopt many of these concepts immediately, particularly the Nano Workout starting tomorrow! Great addition to the diet/exercise literature! Must read!😎
Profile Image for João Pereira.
32 reviews4 followers
May 31, 2020
This is the single most easier to read and understand book on all things diet and exercise.
It won't bring you much if you already follow Dr. Ted Naiman on Twitter, but it pays off to print it and keep it at hand for quick checking all the good things to do in order to maintain health and mean lean mass.
28 reviews
September 12, 2020
Everything you need

This is a brilliant book. With interesting info graphics, a sparse but punchy word style it includes all the information that you need to make significant life changes with regard to your diet and overall health. Included or recommendations for body weight exercises which are perfect for the time of the Covid.
1 review
March 5, 2021
Very interesting concept

The book idea is very simple ; prioritize protein consumption over other macronutrients. The author uses very simple language to explain complex scientific concepts with a lot of illustrations.
The only issue with the digital book is that you have to zoom in some illustration in order to be able to read the content .
Profile Image for Michael Rather Jr..
16 reviews
June 28, 2021
Finally Something that Makes Sense

This book is relentlessly logical and cuts through all the BS zealotry of the “name drop” diets. 1. Eat protein. 2. Limit everything else. 3. Work out. That’s about it. I’m using it along with the 75HardAF protocol to get in fighting shape for a HEMA tournament coming up in October.
Profile Image for Isabel .
34 reviews
April 6, 2022
Bought used and still a bit expensive, but so glad I splurged. Prefer hard copy to mark up and write notes. Great book especially for newbies like myself undoing all the food pyramid learning of my youth. Slowly improving my PE ratio. Thank you. Grateful for Marty Kendall using some of your graphics.
Profile Image for Mr. Yuk.
24 reviews
November 3, 2019
The best diet and exercise book I've ever read. Extremely clear, easy-to-understand information. Decodes years of fitness research, it is very very good. Load of info graphics that help immensely. Working with my wife to implement this way of eating for us and our kids. Fantastic work!
Profile Image for Johan Van rooyen.
5 reviews
November 6, 2019
The only nutrition exercise book you need

This book is simple, comprehensive and wise. Read it and thrive... If you’ve been following Dr Ted Naiman on Twitter, you’ll know what to expect. If not, why the hell not?
1 review
June 2, 2020
Game changer

I literally have been searching for this book for years, I've been caught up in the low carb verses low fat battle for as long as I can remember and Ted Naiman provides a clear understanding of the science . It flipped a switch for me. A+
Profile Image for Curtis.
6 reviews13 followers
October 26, 2020
Simple idea

Lots of pictures quick read. Simple idea of not combining energy of carbohydrates and fats for dense caloric foods... makes sense and basic principal but long road in my opinion
483 reviews
May 7, 2021
Explains diet in just about the easiest to understand terms possible. Explains why low carb and low fat diets both can work under some circumstances and what happens to make it stop working. (The solution is not to low carb or low fat "harder.")
76 reviews
March 11, 2022
A need to hear for everyone!

I am doing my best for the exercise piece and I especially needed to hear the last couple of pages. Been keto for now than a year. I so hope to see Dr Naiman during my trip to Seattle.






Profile Image for Obi Lourdes.
109 reviews4 followers
September 10, 2022
I like Ted Naiman. I like this book. It’s probably a bit dense for the average bear. Even the infographics are sometimes confusing. Let me sum it up: Prioritize protein. Don’t eat carbs and fat together. Boom, you’ve read the book. Recommended.
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