How do I find my Set Point Weight?

“How do I find my set point weight,” you ask? Your set point weight is the weight range at which you can easily maintain your body weight by living your life enjoyably and listening to your body’s innate hunger and fullness cues, without extreme restriction of food. This blog post will discuss the set point weight theory, factors that influence your set point weight range, and what happens when you try to change your set point weight.

Have you ever done a diet and the second you stop following it so closely your weight snaps back to a (higher) weight that seems easier to maintain? A weight at which you can live freely with fewer rules? A weight that allows you to enjoy Friday night pizza night with your family and dessert on date night with your hubby?

Maybe it’s not the weight you *think* you should be (based on what unrealistic media standards tell you), but it’s definitely one that’s more realistic for your body. One that doesn’t require you to micromanage every single thing you eat with strict rules and timing, measuring portion sizes, and skipping ice cream dates with your kids.

If you’ve experienced this, that weight is probably your set point weight.

What is the set point weight theory?

Your set point weight is based on a theory that your body tries to maintain your weight within a set range. This range is typically a 5-10 pound weight range that it’s effortless to maintain your weight.

Your set point weight is the weight your body is supposed to be at when you stop obsessing over food and exercise.

In other words, your set point weight is the natural ideal weight your body will fall to be
able to function properly and run smoothly. Typically, this is more of a range than a set number.

What influences your weight?

There are several factors that influence your weight, including:

• Genetics
• Hormones
• Metabolism
• Diet history
• Exercise
• Access to food
• Socioeconomic factors
• Health status
• And more

As you can see, there are physical, social, and emotional components that influence your weight. This is why we cannot say that your weight determines your health, when you weight is so widely influenced.

However, there are some very clear factors that influence your weight.

The Minnesota Starvation Experiment

One famous study, the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, studied college-age men in excellent physical health during World War II. It’s important to note that they had no previous body or eating issues.

Here’s a quick overview of the study:

• First 3 months: the men ate as they pleased
• Next 6 months: semi-starvation period where their calories (read: energy intake) was cut in half
• Refeeding period: the men were once again allowed to eat with no restrictions

So what happened to these men?

• They lost at least 25% of their body weight
• Their metabolic rate decreased by 40%
• They became OBSESSED with food
• They had a primal urge to eat and talk about food (not to mention THINK about food all the time)
• Several men had reported episodes of bulimia and even stole food during the semi-starvation period
• Personalities changed
• When allowed to return to “normal” eating, the men found it difficult to stop eating, reporting binges and feeling out of control around food

These findings are strikingly similar to what happens to chronic dieters in today’s world.

It took these men, on average, 5 months to return to normalize their eating habits again. Unfortunately, some never recovered.

Starvation (extreme caloric restrictions, like those in modern day diets), refeeding (what happens when you stop dieting and eat “normal” or likely overeat once again), and overeating can influence your body’s set point weight range.

As we learned from this study, when you experience drastic weight fluctuations, your body weight will want to return to its natural set point weight range.

This is often why we see weight regain after an initial “successful” diet attempt.

Can your set point weight change?

Your set point weight will not stay the same your whole life. It’s normal for it to shift over your lifespan as
you enter into different seasons of life.

Set point weight is influenced by many factors such as genetics, lifestyle, environment, etc.

Genetics is a factor that cannot be changed, but must be considered when it comes to your health. Our body size, build, and shape comes from our genetics and is simply out of your control. Unfortunately, it is a factor that is not accepted well in society today and why we see many people begin their diet journey. Our biological blueprint is what we are born with and where our bodies will thrive and function the way it needs to.

Many people find it challenging to accept where their weight may lie. Remember, health can be achieved at any size – us dietitians wish MORE people actually understood that statement! You may attempt to diet, eat as few calories as possible, deprive yourself of food to look “thinner” and influence the number on the scale. Not only is
this getting you further from your set point weight, but can lead to negative effects long term to
your physical and mental health.

What happens when you try to change your set point weight?

Dieting is a way of pushing your body away from its natural set-point. This can be following a severe caloric deficit to binging because you cannot fight the urge anymore. As a result, your metabolism slows, making it harder for you to maintain this lower weight. In the process, you’ll crush your body image.

Dieting to try to control your weight will disrupt your internal homeostasis and eventually your body will try to fight to control your weight and keep its energy up.

On your end, you see this as weight gain and not being able to follow your diet. Biologically, your body can’t tell the difference between you deliberately eating less than you need or you trying to survive a famine. As a result, it’s protecting itself by slowing your metabolism, which leads to weight gain.

Here are some tips on how to find your set point weight:

1. Eat enough for your body. STOP restricting your calories!
2. Allow all foods – indulge your cravings or you’ll feel out of control around these foods.
3. Honor your hunger and fullness cues
4. Stop obsessing over the weight on the scale and the body in the mirror. Weight fluctuations can happen multiple times a day, this number is influenced both externally and internally.
5. Show yourself compassion and self-love

You may never know your set point weight and that is okay. There is no equation or special number for you to figure out your set point weight.

You’ll know you’ve reached your set point when you can:

• Focus on health-promoting behaviors, without trying to eat as little as possible
• Eat enough to have energy throughout the day
• Honor your body’s hunger cues
• Stop eating when you feel comfortably full (note: overeating happens to everyone, but it’s more occasional than every day)
• Eat foods you love, including desserts and more indulgent foods typically kept “off limits” when you’re dieting
• Stop stressing over food
• Prioritize sleep and stress management

If you want to find your “natural” ideal weight, we suggest treating your body with the respect it deserves and needs. Instead of focusing on numbers (your weight, calories, minutes exercised, etc.), the emphasis should be on healthy and sustainable living and behaviors.

So if you’re asking “How do I find my set point weight?” and are ready to get support…

We’re here to help you adopt the behaviors that help you feel your best and stress less over food.

Apply to work with us!

XO

This blog post was written by Jaclyn Giordano, MS, RD, and edited by Chelsey Amer, MS, RD.