As nutrition counselors, it’s important to emphasize that there is no such thing as a universal ideal weight or body type. While society can make us feel like we need to lose weight to be healthy, as nutrition experts, we are firm believers in Health At Every Size and the idea that best practices in nourishment are what matters for long term health. And further, that these best practices may not always lead to one’s lowest weight status.
With that in mind, we know that many people try to lose weight in order to change their body shape and size. If you’ve tried this in the past, then you’ve also likely noticed that – if you’ve lost weight – it can be difficult to maintain that weight loss for very long. Many people go back to their previous weight or, more often, they may actually gain weight beyond what they had weighed originally.
One of the reasons for this is known as the theory of “Set Point Weight.” It is a concept in physiology where our bodies always try to maintain a specific weight range, and will adjust itself in order to get back to that weight.
If weight management is important to you, then “losing weight” has to be achieved with this set point in mind. Unfortunately, “fad diets,” which are gimmicky diet recommendations often sold online or perpetuated on social media platforms, not only do not address the issue of a “set point weight,” but their endorsed methods can actually raise the set point, causing excess weight gain once you quit the diet. That is why it is so critical to avoid these dietary recommendations and work with an experienced nutritionist instead.
Appleman Nutrition is a nutrition counseling and consulting practice with a presence in three states: New York, Florida, and Connecticut. Our team of Registered Dietician Nutritionists are able to see you in person or remotely. Please reach out for personalized information and recommendations.
To understand why fad diets can be so problematic, we first have to understand what the set point weight is and how our bodies react to changes in our dietary habits.
Our bodies have one job: keeping us alive. Our bodies do not care if we fit into our jeans or if we feel confident at the beach. Our bodies know exactly what size fits for each of us . And our bodies know how much fuel from food they need in order to operate optimally.
The “Set Point Weight” is a specific weight range that the body will defend to maintain regardless of how we manipulate our food intake. This range is regulated by complex interactions in the brain and multiple organ systems. The idea is that your body has an internal “thermostat” for weight, and when you deviate too far from this range, it activates mechanisms to bring you back to it. It does this by:
These are all examples of how your body will make changes in order to find your way back to its set point weight.
If weight loss is a goal, it is one that does not come with any shortcuts. Any diet that mandates eating a specific food or taking a specific supplement or prevents specific foods typically causes someone to lose weight in one of two ways:
If weight management is important to you, then there are safe ways to do it. But these advertised diets are typically using only unsustainable processes and potentially dangerous caloric restrictions.
People decide to go on diets because they feel they should lose weight. Unfortunately, fad diets not only do not help achieve long term weight maintenance – they often function to *raise* the set point weight, leading to additional weight gain beyond the initial baseline.
They do this for a variety of reasons, including – but not limited to:
Every fad diet is different, which means every fad diet may trigger different actions and reactions. Nevertheless, no popular fad diet has led to sustainable, long term weight loss, and the result of trying these diets may be to actually increase set point weight, leading to the opposite of the desired effect.
First, weight management should never be driven by a number on a scale. We can be healthier and lead better lives without focusing on an arbitrary number, that reflects neither our health nor our fitness.
With that in mind, if you feel like weight management is important to you, including reducing your fat storage and honoring your set point weight, then the process typically needs to be more intentional, and designed for long term sustainability.
Working with one of our nutritionists in NYC, you will receive customized nutrition counseling to improve your relationship with food, and a plan with tailored recommendations that will help you eat what you like and manage your weight more effectively.
We teach and encourage dietary habits that maximize metabolic efficiency, improve nutritional intake, and sustain a comfortable weight in a manageable way. If you’re interested in learning more, contact Appleman Nutrition, today. We have an expert team with offices in New York, Florida, and Connecticut, and we can work virtually with clients in any location.
If you would like to learn more about our weight management services, please contact Appleman Nutrition, today.
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