“Do our bodies have a set point weight?”
I’m sure many of you have heard of the Set Point Weight Theory, the concept that each person has a natural weight in which their body is genetically predisposed to maintain. The concept suggests that our bodies regulate our weight through a complex interplay of physiological mechanisms such as metabolism, appetite, and energy expenditure and that if our bodies deviate from our natural weight set point (both under or over), that they will naturally adjust these mechanisms in order to return to the set point.
So, is this theory legitimate? Well, it would explain why many people often regain lost weight or have difficulty losing weight beyond a certain point, right? Have you ever noticed your body tending to gravitate towards a certain weight? Hmm. Let’s discuss further…
There tends to be two different camps of people: 1.) those who believe in the set point weight theory and fully believe that they were handed certain genetic “cards” in which there is absolutely no way to change and 2.) those who think they can force their body to an extreme level of leanness and “thrive”, making it their new “set point weight.” To be honest, I don’t believe either of those camps are fully accurate. There’s actually another theory out there called the Dual Point Theory. This theory suggests that each individual has a RANGE in which they can healthily maintain their weight/body fat and unlike the rigid control of the set point theory, the range is flexible and can change over time in response to lifestyle changes and environmental conditions. The lower set point would be the minimum weight that the body tries to defend, below which physiological mechanisms strongly resist further weight loss. The upper set point would be the upper threshold within which weight can fluctuate based on environmental and lifestyle factors.
Here is my educated opinion (based on science and personal experience):
Most people have a range of anywhere between 10-30 pounds in which they are technically a “healthy” weight (for THEM), meaning biofeedback and health markers are good. Their environment, season of life, and the level of effort they want and are able to put in, will dictate where they fall within that range. Naturally, most people will have to work a little harder to maintain their weight/body fat on the lower end of their range, but that doesn’t necessarily make it “unhealthy” just because they are putting in some effort. Most healthy bodies do require some level of effort. I do want to remind you, though, that what is healthy for one person may be unhealthy for another. We are all vastly different and genetically some people can easily maintain a lower body fat level, while other people might experience hormonal abnormalities and feel like crap if they got that lean. It’s important to learn what is healthy for YOUR body.
Ultimately, genetics DO matter (and some individuals have genetic components that make things harder for them), but the environment also plays a role. And guess what? We CAN change our environment to some extent! Remember that this theory originated in the 1950’s when obesity rates were only around 10%, significantly lower than our current obesity rates of almost 50%. Is this solely due to genetics? No, our environment has significantly changed, making it much more challenging eat balanced, nutrient dense foods and move our bodies enough. Changes in our food, decline in physical activity, portion sizes at restaurants, food marketing/media, and socioeconomic factors all are factors in our environment that play a significant role in why obesity rates have increased so much. The good news is that, while we can’t change our genetics, we CAN shape our environment, to an extent, to be more conducive to our goals! I don’t want anyone to think that they are “stuck” being overweight; I also don’t want women to force their bodies into a level of leanness that is unhealthy for their body.
Recap:
Your genetics do matter, but they are not the end all be all.
You can shape your environment to be more conducive to your goals (Examples would be always having high protein foods at home, less snack foods in your home, investing in a walking pad and dumbbells, hanging around people who support your goals).
You likely have a weight range of anywhere between 10-30 lbs that is healthy for you. You can decide where to fall within that range based on your preference, but also your environment, season of life, and the effort you want to put in. Leaner bodies typically require more effort.
Effort to maintain your weight/body fat does not equate to “unhealthy”, BUT if you’re miserable, hungry, low energy, and your weight requires a significant amount of time and energy to maintain, you are likely trying to maintain below YOUR healthy weight/body fat.
Don’t compare. Healthy can look different for each person.
-Jordan