suggested range around a set point?

IMaintain · December 2014

When I'm maintaining my weight, it varies from 2.5 pounds below to 2.5 pounds above a set point in a 5-pound band that's clear from my weight graph. There's no magic to it: when I cross 150, I back off the calories, and when I go below 145, I indulge. I track my food and exercise consistently and weigh myself at the same time every day, so I never get any weight anomalies bigger than 0.5 pounds. My weight readings always correspond to my net calories and I never have any wtf's.

Given consistent weight readings, I'm now wondering about general guidelines for maintaining a weight range long term. In other words, at what point does it become yo-yo'ing? I'm confident in my 5-pound variation lifestyle, but as long as the eating doesn't get out of control long term, I wonder if longer periods of indulgence followed by longer periods of discipline might be generally considered free of any bad health consequences.

brianpperkins · December 2014

Honestly, five pounds is well within normal fluctuation based on water retention, waste, food intake, glycogen replenishment, etc.

IMaintain · December 2014

But, for example, say I throw calorie fluctuations (indulgences) into the mix so that the weight range around the set point becomes 10 pounds instead of 5? And then the same question for 15-20 pound fluctuation. I mean, at what point is a real weight fluctuation itself considered not the best way to go, even if the average over the long term stays the same?

neanderthin · December 2014

Your trying too hard to find a definition you like.

Sabine_Stroehm · December 2014

I've been doing +-5 for a long time. It's not yo-yoing, it's just natural fluctuations.

williams969 · December 2014

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

I've been doing +-5 for a long time. It's not yo-yoing, it's just natural fluctuations.

^^This. I mean, I'm sure some people can maintain within a smaller range. However, there are probably just as many of us whose fluctuations are a little wider. From past experience, I will need/naturally fall into a 7+ lb range for maintenance.

47Jacqueline · December 2014

If you want to worry about something, worry about global warming. Honestly, stressing out over whether 5+/- lb is yo yo-ing is a waste of energy.

logg1e · December 2014

I understand what you're saying, at what point does natural fluctuation become repeated weight gain and weight loss.

My weight has maintained for about three months within +/- 1.5lb. I weigh about 130lb and am female. From what I read on here I think I don't see the same fluctuation most people do.

IMaintain · December 2014

Thanks, I see that there are no problems with maintaining in a +5/-5 range. Is there any evidence of health implications to going +10/-10? +15/-15? I mean, at some point I figure that the variation becomes unhealthy yo-yo'ing even if you yo-yo around a set point.

logg1e · December 2014

Interesting, is yo-yo dieting physically harmful? I can imagine it being mentally unhealthy.

pkw58 · December 2014

I am going with a 2% range...my goal weight is 128, which is 2.56 pounds up or down. I am recording my weight daily on MFP these days to just keep up with the silly flux's...

funchords · December 2014

To me, yo-yo dieting involves a significant amount of weight. It's crashing to lose, then ignoring it until the next desperate measure. It's the opposite of the aware and careful control of your weight.

TopazCutie · December 2014

5 pounds is kind of a big band. It's hard (for me) to lose 5 pounds sometimes... I think when I get to my goal weight, I'm going to have a "max weight" instead, and if I go above that then it's time to lose a few lbs... But I won't necessarily indulge if I go lower than the max weight - if that makes sense!

suggested range around a set point?

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