CONFUSING WEIGHT LOSS CONCEPTS CLARIFIED
Set point
This old school theory has been interpreted in various ways. Some say set point essentially means that your body has a certain comfortable weight, determined by genetics, and will therefore “fight” to maintain that weight, perhaps by releasing hunger hormones to resist weight loss, or anti-hunger hormones to prevent weight gain.
A great deal of research, including studies on twins raised apart, indicates that there is a strong genetic component to weight. However recent research concludes that the set point theory is at odds with the obesity epidemic – the sharp rise in body weights in both children and adults in many countries since the 1980s. In addition, dozens of studies support that what and how much we eat are largely influenced by our environments (e.g. if a candy dish is on your desk, you’ll eat more than if it’s tucked away in a drawer).
Bottom Line
Weight regulation is incredibly complex. We now know that it’s influenced by sleep, stress, hormones, even chemicals in food and the environment, but don’t give up! In all my years in private practice I’ve seen people achieve incredible results, and even reach their lowest adult weights after having children, and well past 40 or 50. That said, it’s important to be realistic about your body.
Sometimes a client will bring me a photo of a celebrity and say, “I want to look like this,” and aside from completely different genes, the celeb will have an entirely different body type. So while we can’t all look like Gisele, genetic predispositions are no reason to abandon healthy eating and an active lifestyle.
If you have questions about reaching or setting a weight goal, speak to us at your next appointment.
This article originally appeared on Health.com.
