So what do you do when your set point is not where you want it? And how can you decrease it when it seems so difficult to change?
The first thing to know about "set points" is that yes, they are hard to change, but not impossible. You have to adopt a new nutrition and exercise regimen and keep doing it for a sustained period of time to change your set point. And in fact, doing the opposite—crash dieting to lose a bunch of weight quickly, only to gain it back—can actually shift your set point up!
Increasing your exercise to insane amounts in an attempt to reset your set point will not work long-term because a) it's unsustainable and b) when you inevitably can't keep up your crazy exercise routine (because of its unsustainability), your metabolism elicits a compensatory reaction in order to maintain its fuel reserves. If you push the metabolism (through lots of exercise and cutting calories), it pushes back. Jade Teta, integrative physician and author of The Metabolic Effect Diet (Harper Collins, 2010) coined this "metabolic compensation." In other words—the yo-yo dieting effect.
We understand this intuitively, don't we? When we cut calories, mark some foods "off limits" and increase our exercise, our body responds by being more hungry and having increased cravings. When we take extreme measures, we don't have a chance at making it last long term.
And the problem with yo-yo dieting is that gaining and losing dozens of pounds several times over years and years is not benign. The body is not a simple energy in/energy out machine. In other words, think about the metabolism like tires on your car. The more miles you put on it, the less responsive it becomes. So the more "dieting" we do, the more likely we are have a harder time breaking our set point.
So what's the solution, if the metabolism still needs to be prodded significantly to respond? Because remember, the metabolism likes hanging out at its set point.
The solution is to stop traditional dieting and extreme exercise approaches altogether, and find a way to eat and exercise you can do forever.
I recommend starting with nutritional changes only. Increase dietary protein and up your fibrous veggies (all veggies except starchy varieties like potatoes, corn, peas, etc.) Kick the sugar and booze.
And then keep doing these things.
Consistency with a tight nutrition plan is the most tried-and-true approach to resetting your weight. Consistency means not days or weeks, but months and years. The leanest people are the most consistent. They are not constantly trying new "diets" and meal plans—they find what works for them and stay 90% consistent 100% of the time with it.
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Jill Coleman is an ACSM-certified personal trainer with a BS in health and exercise science and MS in human nutrition. She is the fitness coordinator at Wake Forest University and director of instructor training for Metabolic Effect. Visit JillFit.com for more advice from Jill on health, fitness, nutrition, and mindset.
