What About Weight Set Point Theory?
Weight set point theory states that our heredity and environment determine our weight and that our bodies stay within a preferred weight range. This theory helps explain why 95% of people regain weight they’ve lost on diets.
Diet culture tells us that we can change our set point by reducing calories in (dieting) and increasing calories out (exercise). While this sounds simple, anyone who's been on a diet understands the mental, emotional and physical sacrifices involved. We also know repeated weight loss and weight gain (yo-yo dieting) increases stress and disease.
So, if our weight set point is where our bodies feel safest, how do we get there and how do we know what our weight set point is if we’ve been dieting for years? Caroline Dooner, author of the F*ck It Diet, writes that we have a weight set range and that we know we’ve reached our weight set range when we feel calmer around food.
How many of us would agree to a medical procedure if we knew it had less than a 5% success rate?
I’m referring again to the failure of diets. Instead of signing up for the next new way to shrink our bodies, here are 9 tips to help us feel good in our current bodies and support our overall health.
Wear clothes that fit and feel comfortable.
Reduce body-checking, such as looking in the mirror or touching a body part you want to change. Instead pause and notice that thought.
Follow influencers on social media who support non-diet, body positive messages and unfollow those who don’t. (click here to see who I follow)
Eat foods you enjoy.
Find movement or exercise that feels good and that you look forward to.
Honor hunger and fullness cues to build trust with your body.
Notice your emotions and how they are connected to food restriction or bingeing.
Practice self-compassion when you make mistakes.
Accept your genetic blueprint. Our ancestors bodies, big and small, helped them survive. And now we’re here thanks to them.
