Ask the Team: What is Set Point Theory?
Welcome back for another edition of Ask the Team! Today we are talking about Set Point Theory. Learn what it is, if it can be changed, and how dieting, disordered eating and eating disorders can impact your set point.
What is Set Point Theory?
Set Point Theory posits that our body has a weight range where it feels most comfortable and will always work to maintain. This range is where our bodies feel most comfortable, where all our systems function properly, and where weight is maintained without much effort on our end (read: no dieting). If our weight dips below the range, our body will adjust metabolism and appetite to bring us back to our set point/set range. Your set point range is generally around 10-20 pounds.
What determines my Set Point?
While diet culture does a great job of leading us to believe that we have 100% control over our weight and body size, it’s not exactly true. Did you know that research shows over 80% of an individual's body shape and size are determined by genetics? That might have you thinking that you can control the remaining 20%, right? Don’t forget that social determinants of health encompass more than what we eat and how we move our bodies.
Can my Set Point/Range change?
Our bodies change throughout our life. Things hormonal changes, age, and dieting/weight loss attempts can all change our set point.
How will I know when I’m at my Set Point?
One of the MOST COMMON questions I get from clients. While we can’t necessarily know the exact numerical range of your set point, here are some behaviors and mindsets that will help you determine if you have reached/are working toward your set point:
honoring your hunger and fullness cues
moving in a way that feels good and supportive to your body
making peace with foods and ditching food labels
more flexibility with food choices and meal options
honoring your body’s unique needs
What if I don’t like my body size and shape at my set point?
This tends to be the underlying concern with the above question. One answer to this question is to get curious. Are you uncomfortable - physically, mentally, emotionally? How do you feel about your body? Could it be worth giving yourself time and space to explore and get to know yourself and your body at its set point? What kind of challenges are you facing in your personal life or socially around your body? Are there ways to manage and tend to these concerns?
Final Thoughts
Here’s the thing: our bodies are incredibly smart and are designed to keep us alive. Your body doesn’t know that it exists in a culture where thinness is most desired. When you go on a diet, it doesn’t know you are doing it to lose weight - it just notices something is off within its system and it does what it’s designed to do to keep you alive.
Dismantling diet culture rhetoric, years (or maybe decades) of body critiques, criticisms, and maybe even hatred, and attempting to do things differently is not easy. It’s actually really hard to do, especially while still living in diet culture. It’s okay (and even necessary) to take things slowly, to get curious, to learn, to talk with others, and even find support if you need it. Reach out to the CCN Team today for more support.
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