What is the "set point"?

Set point is one's ideal body weight which the body aims to achieve. This body weight is "defended" over time, by interacting physiological processes which are not under conscious control.

This means that if one's set point is on the heavier side, it would be next to impossible to maintain long term weight loss as the body physiology will keep adjusting to maintain the set point.

What are 10 effects of sleep deprivation?

This is based on a research subject who stayed awake for 11 days without the use of coffee or any medication.  Sleep deprivation is often used as a torture technique. Here's why.

1) Tired brains have to work harder to pump energy into the prefrontal cortex.

2) Simple tasks like dialing a phone number become impossible because of short term memory loss.

3) Long term memory becomes impaired because the brains integrates/stores  memory as experience while sleeping.

4) A tired brain can't focus or keep attention on any one thing; a tired brain is a scattered brain.

5) A tired brain can't plan or make decisions.

6) Automatic systems (habits) become repetitive which is fine if your habits are all good ones, not so good if you are trying to quit smoking or eating junk food.

7) A sleep deprived person takes more risks because a tired brain does not remember consequences or make easy decisions (see # 5)

8) When mice were studied with prolonged sleep deprivation, it showed that they had lost up to 25% of their brain cells.

9) Sleep deprivation can cuase aggression, paranoia, hallucination, mania.

10) Driving while sleep deprived is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated; this is why professional drivers (bus drivers, etc) are banned from working if they have untreated sleep apnea).

What are the benefits of eating slowly?

First of all, how does one eat slowly?

Simply put, by chewing your food longer, such as up to 40 times a mouthful. Most people eat as an unconscious act, just chewing and swallowing their food without  really noticing what they're doing.

Studies show that overweight people eat more quickly than normal weighted people. A 2008 study published in the British Medical Journal found that eating until full and eating quickly triples the risk of becoming overweight.

Why is this?

1) The slower one eats the less calories consumed during the meal, and as well in snacks afterwards.

2) Eating slowly allows the hormonal network tell the brain when one is satiated (full) . It takes the body about 20 minutes to realize it's full during which time the hormone, leptin is released to prevent overeating.

3) Mastication (chewing) starts the digestion process by breaking down carbs and proteins so that the nutrients can be made properly available to the body. If the body does not get enough nutrition, cravings for more food, in general,  can cause overeating.

4) Slow eating also helps prevent diabetes.


If you think you may be a food addict by eating too much and eating compulsively, contact Birgit Schinke to develop a relapse prevention or mindfulness plan to help control your food intake.