Does your body have a set point weight, and can you change it?

If you’ve tried to lose weight, you know that often the hardest part is keeping the pounds off long term.

It’s a huge challenge – one that only about 10% of dieters manage to achieve. Most people return to the same weight they were before the diet. Some end up at an even heavier weight.

If you’ve experienced this, you might think you’re not able to maintain a healthy weight or assume you just don’t have enough willpower.

But what if your own body is bringing you back to your old weight? This is the theory that we all have a ‘set point’ that our body returns to, and several systems in our body interact to determine our body weight.

What is the set point theory?

The set point theory helps explain why so many people gain weight back after dieting. It suggests that the body will settle at a specific weight where it likes to be, and it will defend itself so that it stays at this specific weight.

It’s important to note that the set point theory refers to both weight gain and weight loss.

Most people will have fluctuations of several pounds around an average weight.

The idea of a set point weight is not proven for certain, but it is supported in many observational studies.

How do I know if I’m at my set point weight?

Your set point weight involves many factors and is highly individual. Experts believe your environment, genetics and lifestyle choices, such as your diet and activity level all play a part.

There is no specific formula to determine your set point weight. It’s simply the weight your body has gotten used to.

Your set point is established over a long period of time, and it can rise as you age. That’s because you lose muscle mass as you get older, and your metabolism slows down. Since it doesn’t take as much energy to run and maintain your body, you may gain weight because you’re not utilizing as much energy.

Set point is your body’s attempt to regulate itself, and that attempt results in a certain weight.

How does set point work?

If you go on a diet, your body may use different systems to try to return to your previous weight.

Physical systems

If you suddenly cut down on calories, your metabolism may slow down. This means your body uses less energy to do the same functions. So, the food you eat doesn’t burn as quickly. You may lose weight in the short term, but eventually, you’ll likely start gaining weight back.

Your body may also try to get you back to the same weight by making changes in some hormone levels that affect your appetite and metabolism. And it may adjust the way you absorb and use nutrients.

Mental systems

Your brain gets used to the pleasurable feelings that certain foods give you. When you reduce or eliminate those foods, your body will crave new foods or drinks to fill the gaps left by your diet.

You will find something else to give you satisfaction, whether it’s a couple of glasses of wine a day or reintroducing snack foods over time without realizing it.

These are just a few of the processes that make losing weight so challenging.

But there are ways to change your set point permanently.

How do I change my set point?

You can change your set point by making lifestyle changes.

Eat a healthy diet

Aim to fill at least two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Limit red meat and focus on lean protein like chicken, fish and beans. Avoid processed meats like bacon and deli meats.

Exercise regularly

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week. Do strength training, also called resistance training, twice a week.

Get enough sleep

Try to get between 7 and 9 hours of restful sleep per night. Sleep helps us to better manage stress. Chronic stress is linked to obesity.

It’s not a quick fix, though. It usually takes at least three to six months to lower set point weight, but that can vary by person. Time and support are key to making these changes stick and lowering your set point weight.

Time

If you make changes over time and lose weight gradually, your body systems can adapt to your new circumstances.

Your systems will stop trying to return you to your previous “normal” weight. Your body will slowly understand that your new lower weight is permanent and try to keep you there instead.

Your body will adjust to the new food level. Systems like nutrient intake, hormone levels and neurotransmitters will have had a chance to make slow adaptations, so your body’s set point can change.

Fad diets rarely give your body this chance to adapt. Instead, they result in a yo-yo effect where you swing from losing weight to gaining weight and back again.

Support

Staying aware is key when you are trying to make a change. If you notice your body trying to return you to your old weight, take action to stop it.

You may need the help of a therapist. Therapy can help you understand how you view food and your weight in a way that is more involved than, ‘Should I eat this, or should I not?’

If you can become aware of when you’re acting on cravings and understand why, it can be easier to stop.

If you’re an MD Anderson patient, ask your doctor or nurse for a referral to one of our clinical dietitians. A dietitian can provide personalized support and advice.

The bottom line? Weight loss is different for everybody.

Body systems are at work, not necessarily against you, but they are influencing your weight. If you make it only about eating fewer calories and doing more exercise, you may miss something that could be key to maintaining a healthy weight for you.

Carol Harrison is a senior clinical exercise physiologist at MD Anderson.

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.