Mens Health Blog. Medical Blog » Weight Loss

MANAGING YOUR WEIGHT: SETPOINT THEORY

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:39:40 +0000

In 1982, nutritional researchers William Bennett and Joel Gurin presented a highly controversial theory concerning the difficulty some people have in losing weight. Their theory, known as the setpoint theory, states that a person’s body has a setpoint of weight at which it is programmed to be comfortable. If your setpoint is around 160 pounds, you will gain and lose weight fairly easily within a given range of that point. For example, if you gain 5 to 10 pounds on vacation, it will be fairly easy to lose that weight and remain around the 160-pound mark for a long period of time. Through a process of adaptive thermogenosis, the body actually tries to maintain what it thinks its best weight might be. Some people have equated this point with the plateau that is sometimes reached after a person on a diet loses a certain amount of weight. The setpoint theory proposes that after losing a predetermined amount of weight, the body will actually sabotage additional weight loss by slowing down metabolism. In extreme cases, the metabolic rate will decrease to a point at which the body will maintain its weight on as little as 1,000 calories per day:

Can a person change this predetermined setpoint? Proponents of this theory argue that it is possible to raise one’s setpoint over time by continually gaining weight and failing to exercise. Conversely, reducing caloric intake and exercising over a long period of time can slowly decrease one’s setpoint. Exercise may be the most critical factor in readjusting set-point, although diet may also be important.

This theory, too, remains controversial. Perhaps its greatest impact was the sense of relief it provided for people who have lost weight, plateaued, and regained weight time and time again. It told them that their failure was not due to a lack of willpower alone. The setpoint theory also prompted nutritional experts to look more carefully at popular methods of weight loss. If the setpoint theory is correct, a low-calorie or starvation diet, besides being dangerous, may cause the body to protect the dieter from “starvation” by slowing down metabolism and making weight loss more difficult.

*11/277/5*

INDIVIDUALISED MOVEMENT PRESCRIPTION FOR FAT LOSS

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:12:13 +0000

Summary of main points.

• There is a variety of factors which influence the fat loss response to exercise:

Fixed (age, gender, genetics, race) or variable (climate, diet, degree of obesity, fitness level). Exercise parameters (frequency, amount, time and type) can also alter the fat loss response within this range of influencing factors.

• There are arguments for and against resistance training for fat loss, however resistance training for fat loss probably has limited value relative to aerobic exercise.

The general indications for physical activity for fat loss is becoming clear that general prescriptions, while necessary, are insufficient alone as there is a variety of different responses to exercise within individuals and groups of individuals. One main influencing factor discussed previously is gender, with females having a lower fat loss response to exercise than males. There are a variety of other factors which can also significantly influence prescriptions for exercise for fat loss. These can be divided into ‘fixed’ and Variable’ factors. A third influencing factor is differences in prescribed exercise parameters.

There is a general need for more physical activity in anyone needing to reduce body fat, but the frequency, amount, time and type of activity can vary according to fixed and variable factors appropriate to the individual. While there is no strict science associated with this type of individual prescription at the moment, there are certain guidelines which can assist those working in the area in preparing individualised prescription.

*151\186\4*

OVERFATNESS: IMPLICATIONS

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:52:53 +0000

1. Whatever is being done to reduce obesity is not working and the developed world will be facing an explosion of diabetes and other diseases if obesity continues to increase.

2. Programs to decrease fatness should be markedly different to programs to increase fitness.

3. Body weight is only a surrogate measure of fatness and the term overfatness’ should be used where possible.

4. The aetiology of obesity is complex and it is particularly important to work closely with specialists when dealing with the severely obese.

5. Obesity and overfatness have complex, multi-factorial causes with biological, environmental and behavioural determinants suggesting that any notion of these being due to sloth or gluttony alone are now outdated.

6. Obese individuals need to understand that their degree of overfatness is genetically determined to a significant degree and that achieving a slim body requires a lifelong swim against the twin adverse tides of genes and environment. Realistic fat loss goals need to be set.

7. A population needs to change its environment to reduce the prevalence of obesity. Even small changes spread across the whole population have major influences.

8. There is a need to re-orient thinking about weight control from a simplistic, energy balance approach to a more complex, multi-dimensional, holistic approach involving long term lifestyle modification.

*11\186\4*

THE COMMANDMENTS OF WEIGHT LOSS: SET THE RIGHT GOALS

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 03:44:02 +0000

Goals can keep you motivated and moving in the right direction— if you set the right ones. But how do you know what goals to set, and how do you make them realistic?

The first rule is to start small. Establish daily or weekly mini-goals to change some aspect of your behavior that’s standing between you and weight-loss success. It can be as simple as eating air-popped popcorn while you watch TV, instead of your usual potato chips. Or walking your kids to school every morning, rather 3 than loading them into the minivan. |

As you start to feel better, you’ll naturally be inspired to set jloftier goals. You may decide to give up potato chips completely or to increase your walking time to a half-hour or even an hour a day. ) It’s good to keep updating your goals as you make progress, but be sure to keep them doable.

The second rute of goal setting is to write down your goals. Seeing them in front of you takes them from the abstract and [ makes them real. I have a friend who writes her goals on Post-It notes and sticks them on her bathroom mirror. They’re the first thing that she sees every morning, and they remind her of her new priorities.

However you choose to do it, keep your goals manageable and visible. Stick with them and watch them work!

*2\89\8*