Living the Lifestyle (LTL) Friday 10 March 2017

Jimb376mfp

Everyone says it, but just how do you do it? How do you take the guidelines of the WW program and turn them into a lifestyle you can live every day...from now on? That is what we are here to explore. Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion. Newbie? Join in! Veteran? Join in! Your thoughts may be just what someone else needs to hear.

Monday -- 88olds (George)
Tuesday -- spospo1 (Steve)
Wednesday -- minimyzeme (Kim)
Thursday -- imastar2 (Derrick)
Friday --Jim376 (Jim)

Today’s Topic: Set Points, stalls and plateaus, what is your experience in these areas and or opinion on if they are "real".

After four years on my own personal WL journey I still wonder about all the theory's on WL.

I have not yet hit a wall when I tried to blame something I don't control like a "set point".

I found the following by googling Set Point if you are not familiar with the term/theory on set point for weight. This is just one small excerpt.

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"Each individual may have a genetically determined set point for adult weight. If weight is gained it has been shown that some people experience an increase in metabolism (the rate at which calories are used) so that excess energy is wasted. Following this period of weight gain, it is relatively easy to revert to the previous set point weight. However,
trying to go below the set point weight has the opposite affect. Metabolism can slow down as less food is eaten or exercise is increased. This leads to a slow down in weight loss, a plateau, or even weight regain on few calories. This is your body’s attempt to keep your weight stable."
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FREE FORUM, Go...

goldenfrisbee

That just sounds silly to me

Jimb376mfp

My own record after fifty months on WW program shows me I can lose weight IF I FOLLOW the program, exercise and focus on small achievable goals.

Most of my adult life I was well above 200, ranged from 240s to 265. After joining WW and going from 376 to 276 I sorta coasted and lost an additional 16#.
I was not stalled I just was not focusing on losing but was determined to not gain back any weight like every other time I had lost weight on WW.

I decided to refocus on Losing Jan 2016 and lost 37# in 52 weeks. I got below my mental set point of 240s.

Now I'm at 217# (5'8") and can see me getting to 199! I do worry about hitting the legendary plateau, stall or what ever it is called BUT until that happens I will wonder if it's "real" or just an excuse?

goldenfrisbee

Now, a mental set point, I can understand.

DavidKuhnsSr

Ad me to the list of sceptics. I don't buy the plateau thing, either. It's a simple equation, to me: If the calories consumed are less than the calories burned, you lose weight. Everything else is just there to help you, psychologically, so you can stay on the good sided of that equation.

gadgetgirlIL

I can buy into a mental set point. But I don't buy into the physical set point. However, as we age, we do gradually lose muscle mass which can lower our caloric needs. If you keep eating the way you did in your 20's and 30's when you move into your 60's and beyond, you might be in for a rude surprise. In addition, some medications (Beta blockers for example) can reduce your metabolic rate.

Once I started losing weight when I joined WW at Work at age 50 my losses were consistent and I ended below where I weighed when I was 16 and had lost 40 pounds. In those intervening years, I had gains/losses of 110 & 130 pounds.

Rachel0778

Personally, I do tend to notice a sharp spike in my hunger levels if I drop below 145lbs, but that means that I'm already well within my healthy BMI. There has been a correlation between losing weight and increases in the hunger hormone (ghrelin) that may account for why people struggle to lose weight and keep it off (which is why they assume their body is set at a certain weight).

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11874411

88olds

Comfort weight. But I think it has 99% to do with how much I'm comfortable eating. I lost on my own from 285 to around 215-220 where I stayed "stuck" for years determined to lose it at the gym.

When I started WW, learned portion control and made lower cal substitutions, the lbs magically disappeared.

As mean Steve used to say, if you aren't losing, you're eating too much.

minimyzeme

I have a hard time with this one; I guess I'm a non-believer. I see no reason why the physics of weight gain and loss are not the same no matter where one is on the spectrum. That said, the change in metabolism with age seems to make some sense to me, but I don't imagine it's a linear function.

podkey

Set point theory was very popular years ago and I kinda bought into it . I thought my body would rebel at about 178 lb more or less. I joined WW by tagging along with friends on a Sat morning bike ride I had no weight goal in mind,none. I weighed 213 lb that day and may have weighed 220 ish at times before WW. One day I noticed I had already sailed past that point. I picked the top of my range when I got close (165lb) . Currently about 153 lb.

podkey

I never really thought of a plateau while losing. Of course my rate of loss slowed as I lost especially as I neared 165. Every year and season has some differences depending on my travels,activity, and social life. 8+ yr at goal.

Al_Howard

Not sure if the science of this is settled, but I'm back at the weight I carried for almost 25 years (after a 100# off my high, and regaining 20#). Having a real tough time beating it back down to where I'm supposed to be.