Do you have multiple weight set zones?

steffijo01
steffijo01 Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am realizing that my body is definitely in one of it's set zones for weight at the moment. At least it feels that way. I am not very active and am not actively trying to reduce my calorie intake at the moment. So my weight is staying the same at about 147 pounds. I used to maintain weight for several years at 165 pounds and then maintained weight for a few years at 135 pounds. But now I know if I wanted to get back down to 135 pounds that is going to take some really active work at reducing calories, tracking everything and exercising more.

Anyway I just thought it was interesting how we seem to lose or gain weight to a certain point and then we stay there based on our habits and lifestyle. It is intuitive I guess but I am really seeing it right now.

Replies

  • FernRunner
    FernRunner Posts: 79 Member
    I have had that thought so many times!
    It seems true for me as well.
    And I definitely prefer 135's look and feel to my current 160's stay.
    I want to break free!
  • smartin0181
    smartin0181 Posts: 45 Member
    I was there too. Until I got sick... that jump started mine to go down.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    No

    But weight loss isn't linear and logging isn't always en pointe which makes it feel like set zones are a real thing
  • steffijo01
    steffijo01 Posts: 22 Member
    branchmillsmom wrote: »
    I have had that thought so many times!
    It seems true for me as well.
    And I definitely prefer 135's look and feel to my current 160's stay.
    I want to break free!

    I most definitely prefer my 135 frame to the current 147 as well!! And hopefully never getting set long term at the high 160's again! I am trying to slowly get the eating closer to weight loss calories and maybe it will start creeping down again.
  • steffijo01
    steffijo01 Posts: 22 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    No

    But weight loss isn't linear and logging isn't always en pointe which makes it feel like set zones are a real thing

    Yeah I don't really think "set zones" are a real thing that our bodies can't overcome. It just feels like it when you maintain at a certain weight for a long time! Then gain or lose and then stay at that certain weight for a long time. Maybe it is just yo-yo-ing though, really.
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    edited October 2016
    My body naturally settles at a high of 164. I once went past that but it was when I was having a lot of medical issues, pain, comfort foods, no activity... even then I only got up to 167.

    I've also never broken 126 as an adult no matter how strict I dieted or how much I worked out. I remember it seemed like the scale was taunting me because I couldn't even lose just 1 more pound to get to 125! That seems to be my low set point.

    Everything in between is more fluid.
  • thunder1982
    thunder1982 Posts: 280 Member
    The highest I've been is 94kg and lowest 80kg (maybe 79.5 for like a day) but generally have stuck to 90kg for the last 15 years. I have worked hard to get down to 80kg but dont succeed in moving past it. None of my range is a healthy weight for my height. I have maintained around 85kg for 6 months at a time. I've heard about 'set point' for weight and that yes it is possible to move but you need to remain at new weight for around 18mths before it becomes your new set point.

    I do believe that I have changed my range over a period of time, I think its closer to 85kg now although I am currently higher than this, partly a restricted ability to exercise due to injury and partly comfort eating due to frustration over it plus a side of working out medication dosage which has recently been addressed. My energy is back up, I am able to move more freely without being crippled the next day and my weight is again tracking downwards.

    For me getting back to seeing a 7 infront of my weight will be a huge mental barrier broken down.I am confident 2017 will see that 7 come for me.
  • steffijo01
    steffijo01 Posts: 22 Member
    thunder1982 wrote: »
    The highest I've been is 94kg and lowest 80kg (maybe 79.5 for like a day) but generally have stuck to 90kg for the last 15 years. I have worked hard to get down to 80kg but dont succeed in moving past it. None of my range is a healthy weight for my height. I have maintained around 85kg for 6 months at a time. I've heard about 'set point' for weight and that yes it is possible to move but you need to remain at new weight for around 18mths before it becomes your new set point.

    I do believe that I have changed my range over a period of time, I think its closer to 85kg now although I am currently higher than this, partly a restricted ability to exercise due to injury and partly comfort eating due to frustration over it plus a side of working out medication dosage which has recently been addressed. My energy is back up, I am able to move more freely without being crippled the next day and my weight is again tracking downwards.

    For me getting back to seeing a 7 infront of my weight will be a huge mental barrier broken down.I am confident 2017 will see that 7 come for me.

    That is really interesting that you mentioned staying at a certain weight for 18 months in order for it to become a new set point. I do kind of agree with that. I stayed at my lower 60-62 kg set point for about 18 months but then life circimstances rose it very quickly to my current weight of 67 kg. Which I have been at for about a year.

    It has a lot to do with our surroundings too I think. When I lived in Minnesota I was almost always between 155-169 pounds. But since I have been living in Korea I am between 133-148 pounds (62-68 kg). Diet, lifestyle etc. have a lot to do with where our weight settles at.

    Thunder1982 I hope you reach the place that you want to be at and can maintain for a good two years or more without too much struggle!
  • steffijo01
    steffijo01 Posts: 22 Member
    courtneyfabulous wrote: »
    My body naturally settles at a high of 164. I once went past that but it was when I was having a lot of medical issues, pain, comfort foods, no activity... even then I only got up to 167.

    I've also never broken 126 as an adult no matter how strict I dieted or how much I worked out. I remember it seemed like the scale was taunting me because I couldn't even lose just 1 more pound to get to 125! That seems to be my low set point.

    Everything in between is more fluid.

    Sounds like me. I have never gotten to 130 pounds. Barely touched my toe into 131 then jumped back up from there. My body settled at the high of 169. I don't like that place...
  • thunder1982
    thunder1982 Posts: 280 Member
    steffijo01 wrote: »

    That is really interesting that you mentioned staying at a certain weight for 18 months in order for it to become a new set point. I do kind of agree with that. I stayed at my lower 60-62 kg set point for about 18 months but then life circimstances rose it very quickly to my current weight of 67 kg. Which I have been at for about a year.

    It has a lot to do with our surroundings too I think. When I lived in Minnesota I was almost always between 155-169 pounds. But since I have been living in Korea I am between 133-148 pounds (62-68 kg). Diet, lifestyle etc. have a lot to do with where our weight settles at.

    Thunder1982 I hope you reach the place that you want to be at and can maintain for a good two years or more without too much struggle!

    The 18months came from the fact that empty cells would hang around for approx 12months before the body would know they were no longer required since it actually takes energy to create new cells. Thus why rebounding back to your previous weight seems so easy, if you maintained the lower weight and expelled your excess cells the body would resist more before creating new fat cells (I assume from other readings this resistance would come from hormones that control hunger and thus would help by controlling hunger to keep you at current level of cells).
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited October 2016
    thunder1982 wrote: »
    steffijo01 wrote: »

    That is really interesting that you mentioned staying at a certain weight for 18 months in order for it to become a new set point. I do kind of agree with that. I stayed at my lower 60-62 kg set point for about 18 months but then life circimstances rose it very quickly to my current weight of 67 kg. Which I have been at for about a year.

    It has a lot to do with our surroundings too I think. When I lived in Minnesota I was almost always between 155-169 pounds. But since I have been living in Korea I am between 133-148 pounds (62-68 kg). Diet, lifestyle etc. have a lot to do with where our weight settles at.

    Thunder1982 I hope you reach the place that you want to be at and can maintain for a good two years or more without too much struggle!

    The 18months came from the fact that empty cells would hang around for approx 12months before the body would know they were no longer required since it actually takes energy to create new cells. Thus why rebounding back to your previous weight seems so easy, if you maintained the lower weight and expelled your excess cells the body would resist more before creating new fat cells (I assume from other readings this resistance would come from hormones that control hunger and thus would help by controlling hunger to keep you at current level of cells).

    Source this little snippet please

    Studies I have read demonstrate that fat cells remain pretty stable over time irrespective of lifestyle changes e.g. Dieting, bulking etc...old fat cells breakdown but are replaced

    I'm not sure it works the way you are proposing but happy to read further ..please don't source blogs though
  • thunder1982
    thunder1982 Posts: 280 Member
    I cant get into the course material anymore

    6h4yh53x3v77.jpg
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited October 2016

    https://scholar.google.co.uk ?
  • steffijo01
    steffijo01 Posts: 22 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    You know it's your lifestyle settling rather than your body though don't you

    The amount you generally move, the amount you generally eat = your comfort zone so = your set weight

    When you diet down but look short term and don't plan for lifelong changes ..e.g. When you have a goal weight and only a goal weight in mind, you have a tendency to revert to a "normal" once you feel you're at target

    Only your "normal" is what made you fat in the first place

    So if that hasn't changed why would you expect any different result than to put on weight / settle at a particular weight ?

    There is a certain amount of discomfort in changing, there is certainly a lot of long term commitment

    Please note all usages of "you" mean you in general and not specifically calling out one poster

    Yeah I totally agree that it is the lifestyle first that causes the weight "settling point"! That notion definitely needs to be considered. If I had a new lifestyle of working out every day and eating a certain way I bet my weight would settle at a new point. More motivation and reason to change and monitor the way I eat and my exercise routine.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Yep totally 100% in agreement that we determine our own set point. Get complacent, do the same thing every day, we reach a comfort zone, etc..

    I will say this in short, NEAT is huge in our lives.



  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited October 2016
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    You know it's your lifestyle settling rather than your body though don't you

    The amount you generally move, the amount you generally eat = your comfort zone so = your set weight

    When you diet down but look short term and don't plan for lifelong changes ..e.g. When you have a goal weight and only a goal weight in mind, you have a tendency to revert to a "normal" once you feel you're at target

    Only your "normal" is what made you fat in the first place

    So if that hasn't changed why would you expect any different result than to put on weight / settle at a particular weight ?

    There is a certain amount of discomfort in changing, there is certainly a lot of long term commitment

    Please note all usages of "you" mean you in general and not specifically calling out one poster

    This. I have a set maintenance range, that I consciously decided was going to be my weight range. Then I do the steps necessary to stay in that zone. I'm in control of this process, period. And for what it's worth-this range is lower than any weight I'd been at previously, and I've had no issue staying there for several years now (a bmi range of 21-22). I don't believe in body's having a 'set' point at all, my weight is where it's at because I made the changes necessary to get it there/stay there.

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