Is
there any truth to the idea that your body weight has a "set point"
it likes to function at? We asked a doctor to weigh in.
Dr Roshini Raj states that the set point theory is the idea
that the body has a preprogrammed weight that it likes to be at to function
efficiently. And there is scientific evidence that suggests there is some truth
to this; the body uses a variety of metabolic and hormonal mechanisms—like
slowing down metabolism when you cut your calorie intake, for instance—to
maintain its weight when you try to slim down.
So does this mean that trying to lose weight below your “set
point” is futile, since your body will try to fight it and always win? No,
weight management is more complicated than that. Many parameters control
weight, including genetics, but so do external factors, like stress and your
eating behaviors.
Plenty of people slim down and settle at a lower weight
permanently—but you should follow a safe, gradual weightloss plan so that your
body can adapt over time. (Plus, you’ll be more likely to keep the pounds off
in the long term if you take on sustainable healthy eating habits.) Crash
dieting (like restricting your calories too intensely) can cause your body to
try to hold on to fat so it stays at its happy weight—don’t try it.
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