Metabolic Setpoint

The reason why strict diets often fail is due to regulation of your body’s natural ‘metabolic setpoint’. This setpoint automatically controls what is considered to be your 'normal' weight. Any dramatic changes to your weight threatens this metabolic setpoint.

When you gain weight, your body responds by increasing metabolism, the way a furnace in your home turns on when the room temperature falls below a set temperature.

Similarly, when your weight drops quickly, your body’s calorie burning furnaces slow down to conserve calories. In this way your body works toward maintaining a particular weight 'setpoint'. Your body is trying hard to keep what it considers your normal weight within a narrow margin.

The metabolic setpoint is individually set and can be hard to shift, your body likes stability. It fights hard to maintain what it has accepted as your normal weight.

Your metabolism defends your setpoint by slowing down or speeding up when your weight approaches the outer limits of your metabolic setpoint range.

This is probably the factor at play where an individual apparently eats even more than we do, but maintains a lower weight, or conversely, the person who swears they do not eat that much, but gains weight or stays overweight.

Dramatic changes in your weight can also be the reason why you plateau on your weight loss journey.

The metabolic setpoint is an inbuilt survival mechanism. Your metabolic setpoint ensures there is adequate body fat in the event food becomes scarce. In modern times your body no longer distinguishes between a famine or crash diet.

A slow, steady approach to weight loss helps to minimise resistance to changes to your metabolic setpoint.

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