Body Trust and Set Point Theory
We live in a world that teaches us from a young age that we cannot trust our bodies. Society tells you that your body needs to be controlled, changed, or manipulated to be “good enough.” Living with these pressures can be very difficult. You are not alone if you have tried to change your body to reflect these unattainable standards; this way of operating has failed you, and you have not failed to adhere.
By: Tori Rinsem
Just like shoe size, height, eye, hair, and skin color, body diversity is a natural part of being human. Your body is brilliant and resilient, with mechanisms to protect and return you to where your body thrives best.
What is Set Point Theory?
Set point theory is the natural weight range that you are genetically predisposed to and is unique to you. Set point weight can also be called biologically appropriate weight that spans a weight range, as body weight fluctuations are completely normal. This range can also change throughout life stages due to aging, hormonal changes, genetics, and dieting. Set point theory comes from the idea that your body is constantly working to maintain a state of equilibrium, or in this case, homeostasis, which it finds at a self-regulated weight.
How the Body Responds to Restriction
First, it is not your fault for wanting to restrict your foods or go on a diet in the hopes of changing your body to be more accepted by society (we’re looking at you, diet culture). You may not know, but diets don’t work, and it is not due to a lack of willpower or discipline. Your body responds to restriction to protect you – it cannot tell the difference between a diet and a famine, where your access to food is limited. All your body knows is that when food is limited, it needs to conserve energy. So, your body has several regulatory mechanisms to keep it in its optimal weight range and resist weight loss. At the center of these mechanisms is an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which acts as the “thermostat” of the body. Just like a thermostat will signal the heat to turn on when it gets too cold in your house or apartment, your hypothalamus will signal several body parts to respond to restriction to keep you within your set point weight range. The two most prominent mechanisms it controls are your metabolism and hunger cues. In response to restriction, the hypothalamus will signal your metabolism to slow down to conserve its energy (this is why people have trouble continuing to lose weight or keep it off). It will signal your fullness hormones to decrease while your hunger hormones will increase (leading to increased feelings of hunger, drive to eat, and preoccupation with food). Your fantastic body is showing its resilience to keep you alive.
Signs Your Body is Below Your Set Point Weight Range
Falling below your set point range puts your body into a state of weight suppression, which can happen at any body weight and can feel like fighting an uphill battle with your body. Some signs and symptoms of weight suppression include:
You have recently been on a diet.
You have low energy and/or poor concentration or memory.
You notice increased hunger signals or no hunger signals at all.
You have an increased preoccupation with food.
You have abnormal lab values and hormone levels.
You are not regularly menstruating (for people who menstruate).
You experience intolerance to cold, dry hair or hair loss, brittle nails, and/or dry/ashy skin.
Signs Your Body is Within Your Set Point Weight Range
Settling within your set point range means your body is happily within homeostasis, and there is a two-way street of trust between yourself and your body. Some signs and symptoms of being within your set point range include:
You are honoring your hunger and ability to feel your fullness.
You have plenty of energy throughout the day.
Your body is giving you consistent, manageable hunger signals.
You can derive pleasure from food.
You have normal lab values and hormone levels.
You are regularly menstruating (for people who menstruate).
How is Set Point Theory Helpful?
Recognizing that you have complete autonomy over your body and decisions is essential. Understanding and accepting this theory can bring up anger, sadness, and grief over the time, energy, and money you have spent fighting your body. However, understanding set point theory and working to honor it in your body gives you the knowledge to make informed decisions that are best for you and your body. Knowing that diets do not work can take away some of the guilt and shame that may be there from past attempts at dieting and replace it with grace and compassion for yourself.
Body Control vs. Body Trust
As a human being, it is normal to attempt to control the things you do not trust. Society, particularly diet culture, may have convinced you to believe you cannot trust yourself or your body and that living in a particular size body is wrong. Diet culture fails to recognize natural body diversity. It’s important to reflect upon who benefits from this idea, who suffers, and how it might keep you from living your authentic life. What might happen if you trust yourself and your body rather than control it? What might that look like? How might that feel?
Mourning the loss of this control and the thin ideal can bring up difficult and uncomfortable emotions. Moving towards body trust means surrendering control and dropping the tug-of-war fight with your body. Trust allows you to be compassionate with your body changing and fluctuating as it carries you through each stage of life. Trust will enable you to know and believe that you and your body are not wrong and that you are enough, just as you are. This process does not happen overnight. Trusting your body takes time, effort, patience, and often outside support. If you feel you may benefit from more support in this process, our team at BALANCE can help.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, our compassionate, highly skilled team of clinicians is trained in diagnosing and treating the spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and other disordered eating and body image issues. In addition to our full-time Day Treatment Program and Weeknight Intensive Outpatient Program, we offer high-quality programming, nutrition counseling with a licensed dietitian, meal support, and various other groups and resources to help those seeking help for food concerns.
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This post was written by BALANCE Dietetic Intern, Tori Rinsem (she/her).
Tori is currently in her Dietetic Internship with Teachers College, Columbia University, where she is also receiving her Master’s in Nutrition & Exercise Physiology. Before that, she graduated with a B.S. in Health and Exercise Science from Regis University. Tori is passionate about supporting others in finding joy and ditching the stress regarding food and movement while cultivating authenticity in life. She is grateful for the opportunity to learn from the wonderful team at BALANCE and hopes to continue to learn from and support those embarking on their recovery journeys from eating disorders in the future.
References
Alissa Rumsey. How to find your set point weight (and why trying to may be harmful). Alissa Rumsey. https://alissarumsey.com/how-to-find-your-set-point-weight/. Published December 21, 2022. Accessed February 22, 2023.
Harris RB. Role of set‐point theory in regulation of body weight. The FASEB Journal. 1990;4(15):3310-3318. doi:10.1096/fasebj.4.15.2253845
Rose KL, Evans EW, Sonneville KR, Richmond T. The set point: weight destiny established before adulthood? Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2021;Publish Ahead of Print. doi:10.1097/mop.0000000000001024