Introduction

Let me start with an example from my friend group: Jhalak, a carefree soul who devours pizza like there's no tomorrow, and Vidhya, a calorie-conscious health freak. These two couldn't be more different than each other when it comes to how their body weight works - but not in the way you would have expected. Jhalak never seems to gain weight, no matter how much she eats, while Vidhya finds it extremely difficult to lose even a kilo - even when she goes on extreme diets for a few weeks every year. What gives? Why is this happening in the first place?

As a dietitian who's seen it all, I'm here to spill the beans on a mind-bending concept that might be at play with Jhalak and Vidhya: the set point theory.

What Is The Set Point Theory?

Imagine your body as a rubber band that wants to come back to its original shape no matter what. The set point theory suggests that, just like a rubber band, your body has a "preferred" weight range and it'll fight tooth and nail to maintain that. This is the essence of the set point theory.

This isn't some new wild idea cooked up by bored scientists. It's been a topic of discussion since the 1980s when researchers set out to get an understanding of a very simple question - Why do people who go on wild eating sprees or the opposite, crash diets, eventually end up coming back to their original body weight before the diet change?

Why Do We Have A Set Point?

Our bodies are wonderful biological machines and they’ve evolved to keep us alive and functioning, even in tough conditions like when food is not easily available. In the past, holding onto weight was a survival advantage. Our cavemen ancestors who could maintain their body weight despite the low availability of food were more likely to survive and pass on their genes to the next generation.

Fast forward to today's world of 24/7 food delivery apps and calorie-dense ultra-processed foods. We feel like it’s been ages since we were cavemen, but in the biological scale of time, much time hasn’t passed - think about it, humans have existed for ~3,00,000 years and modern times only began ~200 years ago. Our bodies are still in survival mode, hoarding calories, not knowing if there will be food available tomorrow. So when you try to lose those kilos, your body throws a tantrum, slowing your metabolism to a crawl and cranking up your hunger to the maximum.

What Does Science Say?

In 1994, scientists Jeffrey Friedman and Jens Halaas introduced us to leptin, the body’s anti-hunger hormone. This hormone has been found to play a very big role in maintaining our body weight. If you lose weight too fast, chances are that your leptin levels will drop fast and your brain goes in panic mode, thinking you're one step away from starvation.

In 1995, Dr. Rudolph Leibel and his group of researchers were conducting their research and stumbled upon something quite interesting. They made people gain or lose weight and then tried to keep them at their new body weight. When the research participants were trying to keep their weight off, their bodies turned into stingy calorie-burners. Their metabolism appeared to have slowed more than normal levels. And the opposite seemed to happen with the participants who were made to gain weight - their metabolism seemed to have become more active. This study, like most studies in the nutrition field, was a short duration one and it couldn't only tell us what happened with the participants in the short term - but it still tells us a lot in my opinion

The cherry on top, in terms of research findings, came in 2011 when Dr. Priya Sumithran and her team came to an interesting conclusion after they looked at people who had lost weight over 10 weeks: even a year after losing weight, dieters' bodies were still producing higher levels of hormones (ghrelin) that make you feel hungry. Their bodies were still trying to get back to the old weight, even after a year!

The Set Point Theory: Friend Or Foe?

Now, before you start pointing fingers at the set point theory for your weight problems, let me clarify that this theory isn't without its skeptics. Some scientists argue it doesn't explain why we're all getting more overweight by the day. If we all have set points, why are more and more people gaining weight nowadays?

One possible explanation for this criticism is this: As I mentioned earlier, Our world is changing and we're surrounded by high-calorie foods and lead less active lives. This environment might be pushing our set points higher.

In other words, our modern lifestyle might be reprogramming what our bodies think of as "normal." We sit more than we move, and we eat more junk food than ever before. It's like we're constantly stretching a rubber band. Over time, a rubber band stops snapping back as easily as it used to. Similarly, our bodies could be adjusting, and are defending a higher weight as the new normal. This could explain rising obesity rates, even with the set point theory. Anyway, this is just a theory and more research is needed to fully understand how our environment is affecting our set points.

Winning The Weight Game: A New Playbook

Armed with this mind-bending knowledge, it's time to flip the script on weight management. Here's the 411 on outsmarting your body's stubborn streak:

1. Be Patient and Kind to Yourself: Quick fixes and crash diets fight against your body and your biology. Try to make slow and consistent changes. Perhaps you should try losing 0.5-1 kg per week and not 5 kg. Remember, your body might be fighting against weight loss for a long time. The 2011 study by Dr. Sumithran showed that your body might be fighting back even after a year of weight loss. So don't get discouraged if it takes time to see results or if you bounce back.

2. Find Your Happy Weight. Focus on Health, Not Just Weight: Instead of aiming for a specific number, focus on a weight where you feel healthy and your healthy habits are sustainable. This might be a little higher than you hoped, but it's better than being in a constant struggle. Pay attention to how your body feels, your day-to-day energy levels, and other health markers. Sometimes, the weighing scale doesn't tell the whole story.

3. Change Your Environment: Make healthy choices easier. Stock your kitchen with nutritious foods instead of snacks. Learn to listen to your body's hunger and fullness cues. Eat slowly and without distraction, this can help prevent overeating. Small changes add up over time.

4. Consider Building Muscle: Strength training isn't just for bodybuilders. Strength training can boost your metabolism. More muscle means your body burns more calories, even at rest. This is one way to use your body’s mechanisms against itself.

5. Manage Stress and get enough sleep: High stress can mess with your hormones and make weight loss harder. Find stress-reduction techniques that work for you, like meditation or yoga. Lack of sleep can increase hunger hormones. Aim for 7-9 hours per night.

6. Consider Professional Help: A registered dietitian can provide personalized advice and support. They can help you navigate your unique challenges and find strategies that work for you.

Endnotes

In my years of experience, I've seen the set point theory play out more times than I can count. And who are the people who are successful in their health goals? Those who embrace the slow-and-steady approach, making changes that stick.

Remember Vidhya? She focused on finding her balance, and making small, sustainable changes. It wasn't easy and it took some time but she found a weight her body was happy with. More importantly, she felt healthier and more energetic knowing that she is doing her best.

Your health journey is as unique as your fingerprint. Don't be discouraged if it looks different or less good than someone else's. By teaming up with your body instead of treating it like the enemy, you can hit that sweet spot of health and happiness. It's not about reaching a perfect weight on the scale. It's about finding the right balance that works for you and more importantly, makes you happy in the long term.