To anyone on the journey with weight and health, fighting our body’s “set point” becomes increasingly challenging as we go along. Although our weight may go up and down from time to time, the weight that most people carry is relatively stable and maintained at a certain level. That level is what’s referred to as a “set point,” and it’s usually difficult to overcome.
For example, when many people go on a diet and decide to eat less and exercise more, they are able to lose at least a little bit of weight. After a while, however, when the body is focused less on losing weight, body weight often begins to creep back up. You can also consider someone who undergoes another method of losing body fat, such as liposuction. Should that individual then increase the amount of food they eat, body weight will return to its pre-operation level.
What Determines How Our “Set Point” Works?
The set point for body weight is different for everyone, but it is affected by many different factors. Our brain, for instance, plays a significant role in the process! When our bodies begin to exercise more, eat less and lose body fat as well as weight, certain indicators in our brain “turn on” that tell our body how to deal with those changes. As a result, our hormones and our appetite are targeted.
Many other factors affect our ability to lose, gain or maintain weight, including:
- Genetics – Some of us may be genetically determined to carry out different amounts of weight at different stages in our life. While genetics may not necessarily define our set point altogether, it does contribute to it.
- Food Palatability – How desireable are some types of foods? We generally consume foods that we find more tasty or suited to our cravings, which sometimes result in over-consumption that our bodies get used to with time.
- Our Immediate Surroundings – Our physical environment affects what types of foods are more readily available. A student entering college and living on-campus in a dorm, for example, might have access to a wide range of food in a dining hall. On the other and, someone who lives a good distance away from any grocery stores wouldn’t have many food options at their immediate access.
- Exercise – Physical activity, or a lack thereof, can influencing our set point by affecting our metabolism. Usually, more exercise results in a faster metabolism and vice versa, and our metabolism plays a major role in determining our weight.
- Bariatric Surgery – While this doesn’t apply to everyone on the journey with weight and health, many people do seek bariatric surgery as a tool for weight-loss. Surgery can influence the amount of food that a person later consumes, as well as their metabolism and the route that their food takes once consumed. All of these factors can have an effect on the set point by re-routing our body’s weight control system.
While set point isn’t necessarily permanent and can be altered by many different factors, it does influence our bodies and our journey with weight and health. As with most things that are worth striving for, altering our set point takes time, energy and effort. No matter where you’re at on your journey, don’t lose focus on your ultimate goals!
Want More Information about Set Point, Weight and Health?
You can read the full article from Your Weight Matters Magazine by CLICKING HERE!
