"Setpoint Weight" -- Does anyone else experience this?

[robinb]

I currently weigh 162 lbs at 5'6". My adjusted BMI for my gender and age is 26.1 and I am (by all accounts) overweight. My ultimate goal weight is 145. I have been trying to lose that last 17 pounds for about 18 months .

So, why couldn't I lose a lousy pound per month? My current weight is a very dangerous weight for me. I call this weight my "set point" weight (from the old Set Point Diet books). It's the weight that I just can't seem to move past (downward, that is ). It is the weight at which both my body and my mind are comfortable. I am mentally and physically stuck.

My first problem is my body. It seems to cling to this weight in a 2-3 lb range. It seems perfectly comfortable between 160-162. If I gain a few pounds, it's usually easy to stop that slide and return to this weight. But, for that past 2 years I have not been able to move the scale past the bottom range. I have cracked the 160 barrier a couple of times, but never seem to go lower. Nope, I pop right back up to 162!

Worse yet for my weight loss goals is that I feel mentally OK at this weight. My clothes fit well and I think I look OK. Not great, but a whole lot better than when I weighed 170 lbs -190 lbs. For a few months I thought I would just hang out at this weight and be happy with it. That worked OK until my last trip to WDW (that darned free dining ) and the scale climbed up to the upper 160's. So, I started Atkins Induction again and in a couple of weeks I am back to my "Set point" weight.

The big 1-6-0 barrier is looming only a couple pounds away and I want to not only crack it, but burst right through it!

Anyone else experience this? Any advise on breaking through?

Thanks for listening.

 

[keenercam]

Hi, Robin! I just posted about this. I am the same way, but it happens each time I get into a new "decade". For whatever bizarre reason, when the number on the scale ends in a 6-8, that is where my body "parks" itself for what seems like forever, but fortunately for me (I guess because I have so much to lose ), about once every 6-7 weeks, I can get down below the "6" and start moving again, though so slowly. My doctor said this is very normal because your body adjusts to being a certain weight and burns more or less calories regardless of what you do, to keep you at what it perceives as your normal weight range. Very strange. He told me it could last up to 8 months, I think. UGH! I am at that stage now, and of course, this morning the scale was at the 7. I am hoping over the next few days to see a "5" and then push downward from there.

Good luck!

 

[lovinaz]

I had the same thing happen. I was eating healthy and working out and didn't lose a single pound in 2.5 months! I started measuring out all my portions and counting calories. I also added weights to my workouts instead of all cardio and Pilates. The weight started coming off almost immediately. I still lose very slowly, but at least the scale is moving. I only have about 10 lbs to lose, so that is part of my problem - my body is comfy right where it is!

Keep it up, and whatever you do, don't give in! Just change one thing at a time to see how your body reacts. When you find what works, stick with it and you will get that scale moving. Good luck!

 

[norma1223]

Your post could have been written by me a couple of years ago, except my "set point" was 148 - 152 pounds. I just couldn't get below 148 pounds and I was convinced that was where my body wanted to be. I finally realized I was sabotaging myself by telling myself I "couldn't" lose any more. It became a self-fulfilling prophesy. Once I got to 148 I would unconsciously start eating larger portions and more junk food and then tell myself "see, you really can't get any lower." In April 2004 I began telling myself that I CAN lose weight. I started keeping track of my food intake on fitday.com, increased my cardio, and added weights to my workouts. I sloooowly started to lose weight and by the middle of December I reached my current weight of 125. My initial goal was 140, but once I reached 140 I kept eating and exercising the same and the weight kept coming off. It stopped at 125 (actually I fluctuate between 124 and 126). BTW I'm 5'5 1/2" and 48 years old.

The point of this rather lengthy post is that you have to mentally be ready to lose weight and it's never too late. "It is the weight at which both my body and my mind are comfortable." As long as your mind is comfortable at that weight, you won't lose. I hope this doesn't sound harsh, but try asking yourself how much do you really want to lose weight and why. You might discover that you're really OK with your current weight. OK, that's ends today's Psych 101 lecture.

 

[sm4987]

It happened to me, but with a new challenging workout and changing my eating habits, my body has stabalized!!! I am doing better than ever before and I seem to have broken that set point (now if it will only stay lower!) I suggest doing different exercise and make it harder or longer. Maybe that will help your body kikc into gear and result in a change!

 

[JMD]

There are 2 simple ways to fix this problem. Decrease your calories or increase the length of time you exercise. Or both, if necessary (ok, so thats 3 things).

When anyone starts a new diet or exercise program, the weight loss that follows is a result of your body trying to adjust to decreased calories and increased activity level. To compensate, your body will burn fat to use as energy to make up for the difference. Your body will continue to burn fat until it reaches a balance, where your current caloric intake is sufficient to sustain your activity level. When that happens your body no longer needs to burn fat.

This is when most people hit a sticking point and become discouraged. What you need to do, is either decrease your calories, or increase your activity level. If you're currently working out 30 minutes a day, try 45 minutes. If you workout 3 days a week, try 4 days. This will force your body to burn fat again to compensate for the difference in your calories and activity. Just make sure any adjustments you make are gradual, its never good to make drastic changes to your diet or exercise plan.