Simply speaking, the Set Point is the weight a person’s body naturally tends to maintain. It is complex and involves many factors such as genetics, preferences & environment.
Anybody who has ever tried to lose weight, may know that often the most difficult part is to keep the weight off. Research suggests that only about 10% manage to achieve this without any further intervention. The majority, return to their starting weight if not higher. The cycle of yo-yo dieting is often frustrating and can lead to feeling of guilt, shame, and a false notion that this is related to lack of willpower.
Reality is that our brain keeps the body at a stable weight. It helps regulate hunger, body temperature, and the amounts of sugar, salt, water to maintain balance. Any time change is detected, complex mechanisms and hormones are activated to help the body regain balance.
This explains why weight loss is difficult to achieve and maintain long-term without proper medical guidance. The set point can be changed, and weight lost kept off with help of a medical trained specialist who understands these factors.
Repeated Fad dieting, promoting unsustainable, difficult to attain lower weight, rarely gives the body a chance to adapt. Instead, if any weight is lost, it is regained and often more.
