A person’s weight set point range varies from person to person, with some people having a weight set point range that may be within the “overweight” or “ob*se” categories (as defined by BMI, which btw it’s BS) and others having a set point range that aligns with what the BMI scale says their weight should be. People with a higher set point weight range are not automatically unhealthy, nor are people with a lower set point weight range automatically healthier. Research shows that people with a BMI > 30 who follow healthy habits, such as eating enough fruits and vegetables and avoiding smoking, have the same health status as people with a “normal weight” BMI category who also engage in these behaviors.. Different set point weight ranges are just one example of body diversity! While some homeostatic mechanisms are constant from person to person, weight is not one of them. It’s not a perfect analogy, but you can think of it like skin color. People may get darker in the summer and lighter in the winter, but there is a fair amount of variation in skin colors among people.
Can I go outside my set point range?
Short answer: yes.
Let’s go back to the body temperature analogy. While your body tries to keep your temperature between 97 and 99 degrees F, there are things that can bring your body outside of that range. You could fall into a frozen lake, catch the flu, hike a snowy mountain without proper gear, or run in a hot desert.
Likewise, there are things that can put your body out of range. When someone struggles with an eating disorder and loses weight as a result (ps not everyone loses weight as a result of restriction) this is an example of their body being out of their set point range. It is one of the reasons why the primary treatment for anorexia, bulimia and ARFID is nutritional rehabilitation and weight restoration.
The weight can also be higher than the specified point range. Yes, excessive caloric intake can cause one’s weight to slip out of the set point range, but there are also over 100 other factors that affect weight—medical conditions, stress, medications, physical activity, gut microbiota, and sleep habits. are a few that come to mind. When someone gains weight, food is often cited as the culprit, but that’s not always the case. Even if someone is experiencing weight gain due to excess calorie intake, there is probably a good reason and they deserve support and respectful care, not shame.
It is important to remember that if a body is above the designated weight range, this does not mean that intentional weight loss is the solution. It means that there are either behaviors, medical conditions, psychological conditions, or other factors that are worth considering. Weight is a symptom of something else going on. Also, quick reminder that just because someone is at a higher weight, it doesn’t automatically mean they are out of their set point range!
While your body may go outside of its set point weight range, it will work to keep it within its homeostatic range. Your body does this through changes in hunger and fullness cues, slowing or speeding up metabolism, increasing or decreasing the hedonic factor of food, hormonal changes, and even shifting gut bacteria to be more or less efficient at absorbing calories from food. The food. You don’t have to work hard to keep your body in your designated weight range – your body tries to do that for you!
Can the weight range of your set point change?
Yes, as you get older, the set point weight range can shift up or down. Due to a combination of genetics and other factors, some people will lose weight (especially muscle mass) as they age, while others will gain weight (which actually appears to be protective for health).
A person’s designated weight range can also shift due to dieting and disordered eating. I know this is really hard to hear if you have a history of chronic dieting or an eating disorder and I wonder if this has caused your body to be at a higher weight. I often talk to clients who feel like their bodies are “broken” or “broken”. If that’s you, give yourself some grace. Eating disorders are not a choice, and if you were dieting, you were just doing what almost everyone in society tells people to do. It wasn’t your fault.
That said, I want to offer a gentle reframe. Your body is not broken. If your body has gained weight as a result of a diet or eating disorder, remember that it is because it was trying to protect you! It stands to reason that if it has experienced the trauma of starvation, whether from dieting or DM, your body will adapt to it. While you may not like the fact that your weight is higher, and that’s totally fine if you don’t, it’s an example of your body working as it should and just trying to keep you alive.
