Gat Point CharlieLocated in central Berlin, Gat Point Charlie is...

Gat Point Charlie

Located in central Berlin, Gat Point Charlie is a stylish design hotel offering budget-friendly accommodation and creative amenities right next to Mitte and Friedrichstrasse.

Housed in a typical industrial building which used to serve the Stasi secret police in the former East Germany, the hotel features a modern Asian restaurant and 140 contemporary minimalist rooms envisioned by Boopba architectural studio.

From the 15m2 Single room to the 35m2 Junior Suite, each funky unit comes complete with private bathroom, ergonomic bed, plasma TV, and innovative light system.

Additional services and amenities include bike rental, free Wi-Fi, and safety deposit boxes.

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Eating Unhealthy Foods Can Actually Make You Lose Weight

What role do unhealthy foods play in weight loss?

Strictly speaking, eating junk food plays no role in weight loss. Pizza, hamburgers, candy and other unhealthy foods do not add much nutrition to your diet, and being high in calories they do little in themselves to regulate your weight. However, as anyone who has ever been on a diet knows, it’s almost impossible to stick to a perfectly healthy eating plan and strict exercise regimen all the time.

In fact, the moment you decide to abandon your old unhealthy favorites forever, you probably start craving them more often than ever before! Luckily, research suggests that the best way to stick with a diet in the long run and give yourself the best possible chance of losing weight is to intentionally cheat. Yes, planning to bail on your diet temporarily can help you shift the pounds.

The power of cheat days

When you give yourself the gift of a cheat day, you can stare temptation in the face and not give in, knowing that you only have a few more days to wait until you can indulge. When you impose restrictions on your diet, you place yourself under enormous mental strain.

It is difficult to say ‘No’ to junk food, especially in our society where it is cheaper and more readily accessible than ever before. When you know that you have a cheat day coming up, you are less likely to feel sorry for yourself or have a ‘what the heck’ moment and give into your cravings.

The science behind cheating on your diet

Researchers from Portugal put participants on a 10,500 calorie per week diet (by comparison, the average American man eats over 17,000 calories in an average week) and monitored their weight loss. Half of the participants were allocated a cheat day, being allowed to eat whatever they wanted every Sunday.

After two weeks, all participants had lost weight. Interestingly, there was no difference in average amount of weight lost between the two groups. Moreover, those who were allowed a cheat day every day felt more motivated to work towards future weight loss goals.

Rita Coelho do Vale Ph.D., who lead the study, believes that the effort required to restrain yourself whilst on a diet can result in unplanned splurges. Intentionally setting yourself up for indulgences, however, can help you maintain an overall level of willpower.

In her words, ‘…when goal-deviation behaviors are planned, that is, part of the long-term plan they may actually help rather than hurt successful goal pursuit.’

How to make cheat days work for you

So how often should you include a cheat day in your diet? The research cited above suggests that taking one day off from your diet or weight-maintainence regimen could help you stick to your healthy habits on other days of the week.

When you take a cheat day, try not to go overboard! It’s fine to enjoy a couple of treats, but eating to the point of excess will only make you feel lethargic and sick. You don’t want to have to contend with a junk food hangover the next morning when it’s time to get up for your usual healthy breakfast.

You could also consider incorporating extra exercise on your cheat days to burn off the extra calories, but take care not to go overboard in an attempt to get rid of every single calorie. Your aim should be to take a relaxed, positive attitude to your eating pattern, including scheduled and enjoyable cheat days. So the next time you want a slice of pizza but don’t want to break your diet, simply make a note to have a big slice on your next cheat day. In the long run, it’s good for you!

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Your Sensitivity May Be Inherited And It Enhances The Way You See The World

We live in a society that has lost all sense of itself. A world that wakes up everyday and immediately sets to judging everyone around us for no real reason at all. In a world that has become so backwards, is it really surprising that we tend to harsh all over certain traits? But then again, don’t we do it just because we don’t see the benefit immediately?

Being sensitive, especially in young men, tends to be one such trait. It tends to be something most people don’t see as beneficial, when in fact it can be one of the most useful traits on the planet. In fact, those who are sensitive often times have a different or enhanced view of the world.

The Scientific Evidence

There was a study done back in 2015, in which they gathered 39 participants. 21 of these carried a specific gene variation called ADRA2B which, according to Professor Rebecca Todd, influences the neurotransmitter norepinephrine area of the brain. In layman’s terms, it affects and increases the way we feel emotionally towards positive and negative influences.

Those with the gene variant are more sensitive to positive and negative emotional stimulants. The best part? It’s an inherited gene! That means that you being sensitive is something that was built into your DNA.

More then that, the study has shown in all 21 participants that their reactions were more enhanced to the stimulants. Not in any negative way, they were just stronger reactions! Essentially, they had the opportunity to see things in a more vivid way to the subtly emotional situation. The area of the brain that was being stimulated, is the part that discovers and translated emotional pleasure and pain. This gives those people a stronger ability to detect and understand these emotional passages.

The reason why these passages are so vivid is something that’s being investigated further. What’s important is to know now is the fact that you have such an emotional advantage over those around you. When you feel like you’re being sensitive, it’s not that you are over-reacting to anything. The way you DNA is made up has dictated that you are able to detect and understand emotional stability.

You, as a person, are built and crafted in such a way that it’s only natural for you to know when something’s wrong. As a result it makes you more aware of when something amazing or upsetting is happening.

You Aren’t Just Being “Sensitive”

It’s not a matter of you just being overly sensitive to everything. Often times if that’s the case, you realize that and adjust quickly. If it’s something that is truly frustrating, your sensitive mind will alert you to the fact that something isn’t right.

More then that, you’ll often be aware of any inconsistencies in people’s emotions quicker as a result of this variant. You can train yourself to become aware of people who are being incongruent with you, saying one thing with their mouths but their body language is saying something completely different.

Those periods where you think that something is wrong and its bothering you, but you’re not sure if your right? That’s your body telling you that it’s something to be aware of and watch. Right now, it may even feel as if you’re just pushing everything away until you explode and get into a massive argument.

Because your reactions to emotional situations are so prominent, it basically turns you into a beacon to help guide people to emotional stability. It gives you the chance to make sure that people are emotionally healthy, because you’ll react to the emotions in the room. You become the person that can easily pick up when things are going wrong, simply because your mind is built for that reason.

When you detect things are wrong, then you have the ability to help and support those who need it. Being the support system someone may not even be aware they need? That sounds like a heck of a bonus to being sensitive.

Featured photo credit: Ed Gregory via Stokpic via stokpic.com

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This Guy Hides Something Near The Hospital Every Day, Which Concerns Kids There

No-one enjoys a hospital stay, and being cooped up all day is especially tough for kids to deal with. That’s why Jason Haney, a construction worker on a building site next to the Memorial Children’s Hospital in Indiana, came up with a brilliant way to keep young patients entertained.

A simple cardboard figure is lifting patients’ spirits

Image: BoredPanda.com

With the help of his young daughter, he created an 8-foot cardboard Waldo figure which he hides on the construction site every day.

Where’s Waldo?

Image: BoredPanda.com

Parents and children alike love trying to spot Waldo, who is moved to a new location whenever Haney finds out that he has been sighted!

Where is he today?

Image: BoredPanda.com

With such a large site at his disposal, Jason has so many possibilities for hiding Waldo! Can you see him in the photo above?

Children can even report their sightings online

Jason has also set up a Facebook group for the Waldo-spotters. Check it out here. He and his daughter reportedly plan to use cardboard cut-outs of yellow Minions for their next project! The appreciative feedback from parents and their children proves that during difficult times, it’s the small things that mean the most.

Featured photo credit: BoredPanda via boredpanda.com

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Science Says If You’re Happy In A Relationship, Your Weight Will Change

We all have that one friend whose gained weight since they met “the one.” Maybe you are that friend. Happy couples no longer focus on their weight, but on their significant other. Here’s why:

• They don’t have to impress anyone new
• They skip the gym to spend more time together
• They pick up bad eating habits from each other
• They aren’t as active, opting to “stay in” with a pizza and Netflix.
• They’re too happy to notice their pants no longer fit.

The Research

A new study from the Research on the National Center for Biotechnology has discovered being happy in love makes you gain weight. Researchers followed 169 couples over the course of four years. The couples were weighed twice a year, and provided details about the overall satisfaction of their married life. The study showed that the couples who reported happy marriages gained weight, while those in unhappy marriages stayed slim, and ultimately broke up.

The explanation for this, per the study, is people in stable, happy relationships have already found their mate, and don’t need to impress them anymore. They are confident that their mate will stick around for the long haul. On the flip side, the couples who were unhappy were more likely to remain attractive, as they have the potential to seek a new mate.

Psychologist Andrea L. Meltzer, who led the research, said that couples should pay attention when it comes to their weight gain, because it can lead to health consequences such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

“By focusing more on weight in terms of health implications as opposed to appearance implications, satisfied couples may be able to avoid potentially unhealthy weight gain, over time in their marriages,” she said.

Below are some tips to help you and your partner maintain a healthy weight (and have some fun in the process).

Keep doing activities that were important to you before you were in a relationship.

Don’t stop your office softball team, or weekly yoga class just because you’re in a relationship. Even if it takes time away from your partner, giving it up may lead to eventual resentment, as well as extra pounds. Even if giving up your sport or activity doesn’t bug you at first, it can eventually lead to resentment as well as extra pounds.

Make working out together fun.

You don’t have to run, or lift weights at the gym. It could be a walk in the park, or ballroom dancing. Find something you both love and make it a date.

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What Socially Intelligent People Would Never Do

We’ve all heard the sayings about what it means to know your power, what it means to feel truly confident, and to know yourself well. But do we understand them as deeply as we think we do?

True social intelligence comes from self-confidence, and understanding your self to a point where you are comfortably interacting in society at a mature level. There are certain things socially intelligent people do well that stand a mile apart from annoying habits of those who do not have such social savvy. Read ahead and see if you recognise any of these traits of socially intelligent people.

They never interrupt

People who are secure within themselves are good listeners. They do not feel the need to talk over another person, purely because they feel comfortable and calm waiting for their turn. There is no anxiety to forcibly get the point across – they are confident in what they are about to say, and know that it doesn’t need to be said straight away in order to have worth.

They don’t presuppose what others are trying to say

Socially intelligent people will ask questions if they need a greater understanding of a topic. They don’t cut straight in with what they think others are talking about, they will give other speakers time to say what they mean, without thinking their supposed ideas are instantly correct. 

They won’t put the focus on themselves all the time

They understand that all people have equal rights to attention and focus, and they don’t feel the need to be at the centre of things at all times. They have high enough self esteem that they do not need to be placated continuously, rather they are comfortable with equal opportunity.

They won’t judge others in order to prove themselves right

A good sign of emotional maturity is to understand our differences. Judging another person in order to further your own personal ideas about something is not socially intelligent. But having an attitude of acceptance and openness is. 

They won’t try hard to convince others, they just say what they think politely

This is a very good indicator that a person is socially savvy and has trust and faith in themselves. They will not feel the need to convince people of their opinions or status, or just of their general person. They will be confident enough in themselves to know that their truth is their truth – and that what others think is, politely, none of their business.

They won’t invalidate people’s feelings, instead they show understanding

Social intelligence involves understanding, patience and respect. A person’s feelings are a person’s feelings. They stem from somewhere and they arise, and are what they are. How a person reacts to those feelings is another thing entirely, but a savvy person will not disregard someone’s feelings just because it might suit them to do so.

They know that understanding is a mature and healthy way to approach a situation in order to have a productive and peaceful outcome. They don’t need to make others feel less about themselves in order to feel more important than they are – they already know they are important.  

They aren’t insecure about having a voice, they’re calm and would listen patiently

They know that assertiveness is actually the best way to deal with things, not anger, or passive aggression disguised as assertiveness. Socially intelligent people are secure and confident about what they want to say, but also knowledgeable about how to use their voice. They know how to listen and engage and have a conversation confidently and with purpose, rather than acting childishly, and only with emotion.

Featured photo credit: Luke Porter via unsplash.com

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4 Mindset Changes Successful People Adopt For Unprecedented Success

“Change is the only constant in life.”
— Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher

Nowhere today is this more apparent than in the business world. New technologies are launched daily, business models have changed and continue to change, lean startup thinking has proliferated and the traditional business plan is not what it used to be. Who wants to read a 40-page business plan nowadays? I sure don’t.

Change often stems from external factors; things or events that are outside our control. And many people spend an unnecessary amount of time and energy focusing on them. Successful people accept that change has and will continue to happen for eternity. They adopt certain mindset changes, that makes them different and have helped, and continue to help them achieve unprecedented success. Here are four!

“I will take action despite.”

Successful people accept that there will always be external factors that are outside their control. Rather than harp on those – and waste unnecessary time and energy – they focus on that which they can control. They adopt an “I will take action despite” mindset.

A great example is Bamidele Onibalusi, a Nigerian-born businessman and freelance writer who serves as an inspiration to thousands of aspiring writers and entrepreneurs. As a 16-year-old kid, he wanted to make money online. Despite not having access to a computer and internet, he approached a cafe owner. This partnership lasted for a few months, with no concrete results.

He explored other avenues, despite his circumstances, to make his dream come true. In his first eight months of blogging, he published roughly 270 guest posts in highly regarded publications, such as Business Insider and Problogger. One of his articles titled 30 Websites that Pay You to Contribute an Article, Instantly has gained over 200 000 views in the past four years (this is probably a lot higher now).

People began noticing him. Requests poured in. At the age of 18, he was one of Nigeria, top bloggers. He currently has his own website entitled Writers in Charge, where he inspires writers and aspiring writers to become truly in charge of their writing career. He also has a commercial fish farm.

“There is always a solution to any problem.”

Many people feel that life is too hard. As a result, they give up to easily. Consider for example someone -who has no experience – who wants to launch a website. There are a lot of technical details involved, from hosting, domain registration, working in WordPress, designing (or other content platforms) and countless others.

Many people will give up before they have even started because it seems like a huge mountain to climb. The reality is that there are always solutions to these problems. You can search Google and teach yourself or you can outsource the project to someone to complete for you. Successful people develop a “there is always a solution to any problem” mindset.

“I will always be proactive.”

In today’s business world you cannot expect to create a product and people will flock in their thousands. Sure you might get one or two customers, but to truly make a success out of any business, you need to have a clear strategy. You need to be proactive in marketing your product. You need to bring the product to the people, not wait for the people to come to the product. Adopt the “I will always be proactive” mindset.

“I will always be positive.”

Much research studies have been done on the power of positive and negative thinking for our overall well being. In business terms it is simple. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions and in turn positive results. If you spend time worrying about what’s not working and what’s gone wrong, you cripple progress. Through changing your mindset to what is working and what is right and what can be done (refer to the point about finding solutions) you actually start to make positive progress toward achieving results and becoming more successful.

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