Weight Set Point

keeponkickin · February 2012

I'm hoping some of you out there that have some good knowledge on this will reply. I'm very curious to know if body has a set point for weight? Will the body settle into a weight and stick there no matter what we do? I have been stuck at the same weight, up or down within the same 2 pounds since the first week of December. I have done absolutely everything in my power to push the scale down some more. It will move down a couple of pounds and then with me still doing everything right, it pops back up those couple of pounds AGAIN! I am at the very tip top of my weight range for my height and when I pop up a couple of pounds I'm actually in the "over weight" range by 2 pounds. After being very obese for so many years I don't want to be "over weight" and I want to be well within the normal range. I would love to lose 15 more pounds and get myself into the middle of my weight range for my height. So, is there a set point? If there is, is it possible to break through that set point? I'm a fighter and I won't quit, just want some thoughts on this subject.

Sidesteal · February 2012

I would refer you to Lyle McDonald on this subject:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/set-points-settling-points-and-bodyweight-regulation-part-1.html

grinch031 · February 2012

I'm hoping some of you out there that have some good knowledge on this will reply. I'm very curious to know if body has a set point for weight? Will the body settle into a weight and stick there no matter what we do? I have been stuck at the same weight, up or down within the same 2 pounds since the first week of December. I have done absolutely everything in my power to push the scale down some more. It will move down a couple of pounds and then with me still doing everything right, it pops back up those couple of pounds AGAIN! I am at the very tip top of my weight range for my height and when I pop up a couple of pounds I'm actually in the "over weight" range by 2 pounds. After being very obese for so many years I don't want to be "over weight" and I want to be well within the normal range. I would love to lose 15 more pounds and get myself into the middle of my weight range for my height. So, is there a set point? If there is, is it possible to break through that set point? I'm a fighter and I won't quit, just want some thoughts on this subject.

There is something called the "Set Point Theory" which says that body weight is regulated by the brain through hormones such as leptin among others. Basically the way it works is that the body has a "settling" point where it tends to hover around some weight, and if you try to lose or gain weight, it will resist and want to go back to the settling point. It resists more when you lose weight than when you gain weight. Also when it adjusts due to changes in eating habits or external environment, it tends to move upwards not really downwards. There is apparently evidence that such a thing really exists, although not everyone in the scientific community has bought into it.

katcod1522 · February 2012

Im curious too. Im still 7lbs from healthy bmi..but my body likes the number 143

will read some Lyle.

iKristine · February 2012

Stop looking at your BMI!

Your normal and not those barbies, your muscles and stuff.

Who says your not well within the healthy range? Here is the deal. You have a local university in your area I'm sure. Go down and visit their human performace / sports fitness / physical education (w.e. they call it there). They have labs that are open to the public. Most all universities have various services you can pay for, one being bod pod air displacement plethysmography. The cost is usually around 20.00.

This will accurately tell you your true fat to lean muscle ratio. With this you can tell if your in your healthy range 20-30% body fat.

From here, you can tell if you are or aren't in a position to be expecting the same results you did before.

The think is it's way to complicated to tell you accurately without knowing specifics. It could be homeostasis (resting spot where your body wants to be). -- oversimplified

It might be that your within 20 lbs and is a different beast all together.

dr_tina · February 2012

I think age really plays a factor here as well. As every decade goes by, what my body wants to be as it's low point is not the same. Where I could easily get down to 115 in my teens and early 20's, turned into around 130 in my late twenties early thirties, and now I think I will be lucky to get under 135 as I head into my 40's. It is really hard to accept this, but I am trying to pay more atteniton to health and how I am relativel to others my same age, sex, height, etc. I think you look really healthy and I think it is great that you want to be at a lower weight for motivation purposes, but there is some level of self-acceptance that is really tough, especially for those of us who have battled weight most of our lives. Proud of you!!!! :-)

shakybabe · February 2012

I'm interested in this too. I was always around 9st 7 as young adult until developed more complications with thyroid and got mobility problems. I've been full time wheelchair user since 2005 age 35, I'm now 42.

I've just reached 9st 12 and 5lb off my '3 stone lost' goal (was 12st 7 last June when started). I only seem to lose some after my monthlies end and I'll drop an extra 2lb besides the water that went on but then really struggle to lose anything else until the same time the following month!

My best two months were sept/oct when lost total of 18lbs for the 2 months after going low carb/gluten free end of august.

I heard for women its mainly as a result of estrogen and cortisol levels that cause the cravings and make weight loss difficult. I also have under active thyroid I suspect my metabolism is slower than average. I was thinking of trying Puriance for women to see if it will sort out my hormone levels and stop the monthly cravings.

sk2775 · February 2012

I hope there is no weight set point...my body seems to like being around 160 and I want to get around to 140. I just remember that I was 160 for a very long time (in highschool etc)...so I hope that it doesn't like to settle there. Just have to break through it......and break the set point (if there is one for each of us).

swellen · February 2012

Hmm... I had never heard of this but just read an article the other day that mentions it. (Actually it's a blog post but it links to a number of different studies.) I found it very interesting... as well as citing studies where people have been starved or made to lose weight rapidly, after which they generally returned to their previous weight, it also mentioned studies where people have tried to gain a certain amount of weight and it seems the body aggressively resisted this, adjusting their metabolism to compensate. Some people were eating 10,000 calories per day and still not gaining. (If only!

) Anyway, it's worth a read.

http://lovelivegrow.com/2012/01/genetics-starvation-and-willpower/

Weight Set Point

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