Here are the main points Aamodt makes about dieting and the brain:
- The brain has a set-point for the body's weight and it's very difficult to move out of this range (it's around 10-15 pounds or 5-7kg).
- People who lost 10% of their weight burns 250-400 calories less.
- Successful dieting cannot lower your weight set-point.
- Unfortunately your weight set-point can go up over the years as your brain gets used to a higher norm.
- People classified as 'controlled eaters' (in other words dieters) are more likely to overeat and go on food binges, leading to more weight gain.
- Adopting Healthy lifestyles such as eating a good staple of fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, not smoking, can lower the death risk of even obese people by a large degree.
Source material from PsyBlog