Summary of Linda Bacon's Health at Every Size

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

Book Preview: #1 Our bodies have a built-in mechanism that helps us keep our weight at a healthy level. However, for many of us, this system has gone awry. Food still tempts us long after our caloric need is satisfied, and extra calories result in extra pounds.

#2 Your body’s natural weight-regulation mechanism works to maintain your setpoint weight, which is the weight your body wants to be. If you continue to jiggle the thermostat by dieting, your body fights even harder to retain control, and you may end up having to gain more weight to avoid getting heavier again in the future.

#3 Your body has an intricate system that maintains your ideal weight, and it will do anything to keep you there.

#4 The hypothalamus is the chief ruler of your setpoint, and it senses body states and hunger pangs. It can also sense when body fat levels are dropping below a certain setpoint, and it will work to get you back into homeostasis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Feb 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669348795

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Book preview

Insights on Linda Bacon's Health at Every Size

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

Our bodies have a built-in mechanism that helps us keep our weight at a healthy level. However, for many of us, this system has gone awry. Food still tempts us long after our caloric need is satisfied, and extra calories result in extra pounds.

#2

Your body’s natural weight-regulation mechanism works to maintain your setpoint weight, which is the weight your body wants to be. If you continue to jiggle the thermostat by dieting, your body fights even harder to retain control, and you may end up having to gain more weight to avoid getting heavier again in the future.

#3

Your body has an intricate system that maintains your ideal weight, and it will do anything to keep you there.

#4

The hypothalamus is the chief ruler of your setpoint, and it senses body states and hunger pangs. It can also sense when body fat levels are dropping below a certain setpoint, and it will work to get you back into homeostasis.

#5

Scientists found that some strains of rats have higher weights than others. They determined that genetically heavier strains of rats ate more than thinner rats during adolescence and early adulthood. But once they reached their setpoint weight, they ate amounts similar to the thinner rats.

#6

The LH and VMH are two sections of the hypothalamus that are responsible for eating behavior in rats. When these areas are damaged or dysfunctional, the rats refuse to eat and eventually die. However, when these areas are electrically stimulated, the rats eat and get fat.

#7

The ventromedial hypothalamus is the fullness center, and when damaged, rats eat more and gain weight. When stimulated, however, the rats stop eating.

#8

Our setpoints can be manipulated, and scientists are figuring out how to change the signals that go to and from our brains to change our eating habits.

#9

The hypothalamus is responsible for maintaining fat homeostasis by learning what’s going on with your weight. It does so by sensing leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells that signals the hypothalamus to slow your eating habits and speed up your metabolism.

#10

Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that travels to the brain, where it signals the release of various chemicals that decrease your appetite and increase your