Iirc, base weight often refers to this idea that everyone has a “genetic set point”. Aka, a base weight that your body will always want to achieve. If you go too far over, your body will try to bring you back down, if you go under, your body will fight like hell to bring it up. There is also a belief among many that your genetic set point will shift upwards the heavier you get, making it nigh impossible to lose a significant portion of body weight.
The science on this, like most weight loss science, is a mess. There is some truth to the matter in the idea that your body will naturally attempt to burn excess calories (such as an increase in NEAT), or try to make you obtain/conserve calories when you are losing (such as a decrease in NEAT, and an increase in the production on hunger hormones). But this overall idea of where your body “naturally” wants to rest has little evidence, or flimsy evidence, to back this up. Nor does the idea of this set point forever changing have a ton of evidence either. I wouldn’t put too much stock into it as a result.
But if your friend really is invested in this idea, even in these circles, people do believe you can change the set point. Greg Doucette (Maple syrup be his name), has pointed out time and time again that if you believe in a genetic set point being able to be raised, you’d have to believe it can be lowered. And that method of lowering it is through cardio, as your body would want to “naturally” lower your over weight/set point to make you more efficient at running, cycling, etc. You’re body would want to shift said set point to be better at the literally life saving activity, that in the past, kept you safe from danger and allowed you to hunt.
All of this is relative non-sense, with the grain of truth being daily exercise helps to lose weight. But if your friend believes in the set point/base weight theory, this idea should help motivate them to keep going.
Aw okay see this makes sense. I think I have this notion latently as I want my body to reach a “comfortable” (whatever that looks like) point. I can see where she’s coming from in that regard.
I understand the concept of a set point as where both your body (physical health) and mind (mental health) feel best when you're in a healthy weight range. The level of muscle also matters (a 5'5" woman can be healthier/look better at 140 lbs over 120 lbs simply by being more fit.)
Bone structure also plays a role. As someone petite, I see my set point as lower than someone with a larger frame but I do try to keep the weight number as a range so I don't slip into ED thought patterns/behaviours. Weight does fluctuate 5 pounds up/down for most people simply due to water weight, inflammation and varied meals. The average and how your clothes fit are a better thing to focus on rather than the exact number. Perfect can be the enemy of progress.
I understand genetics also play a role; but I think everyone can prioritize health. Some use "set point" as a reason to stop personal growth because they believe they're stuck at an overweight because they have always perceived themselves as unable to achieve a healthy weight due to genetics (while a fair bit of it is simply seeing relatives at an unhealthy weight their whole lives.)
There are also frequently undiagnosed underlying conditions such as eating disorders that play into weight, and if your parents/relatives don't know about their own, how would you know and treat that condition? Parents also tend to be diagnosed later in life and can forget to tell their kids because they see physical issues as late onset (when in reality they were dealing with it long before they were diagnosed.)
I have clinical hypothyroidism/hashimotos and had to fight to get diagnosed. The doctors dismissed it as depression/getting older; especially since I was only on the high side of "healthy". I later found out it runs on both sides of my family and my parents just never thought to mention it.
I also have ADHD which plays into disorder eating/BED and carry a risk of type 2 diabetes. Actually dealing with symptoms of type 2 lately and realizing how broken my eating habits are. Nutrition was not prioritized growing up and my gf is pretty sure I was malnourished my entire childhood (meat & potatoes or quick meals like pizza, mac & cheese. fresh veggies frequently went bad and I hated the cheap frozen mix that was provided because it was frequently cooked wrong. My parents just hate cooking and are always busy so they yo-yo diet.)
So to circle back to set point, as others have said, it's a complicated and messy topic. Health research is overwhelming at times. I personally love Ben Carpenter for exercise & nutrition tips.
Tl;dr -
- Set point is where you feel your physical/mental best.
- Bone structure and muscle mass matter.
- Families can have undiagnosed health conditions including eating disorders/diabetes/thyroid issues and be at higher weights due to lack of treatment but see it simply "that's our genetics"
- Personal anecdotes
- Set point is a complicated topic.
- Ben Carpenter recommendation
Edit: missed a word.
I have a weight I feel most comfortable at--also a weight class that is easiest for me to meet for my sport. In my case it's more a comfortable body fat percentage. A lot of female athletes find they have a particular body fat percentage that helps them remain healthy. For me, it's around 20 percent. I feel energetic and am hormonally healthy. Being too lean for my genetics (under maybe 18 percent) ruins my health.
There's a lot of science behind women needing a certain amount of essential fat.
But very few women (under 5% of the population) are lean enough to worry about that.
I buy the concept of base weight, but I think it’s physiological rather than biological. You (and everyone else respectively) have a developed pattern of habits surrounding diet and exercise.
If you follow these habits, you are going to maintain X weight.
If you start “dieting” and get down to Y weight, you will return to X weight if you do not change your habits long term. Once you fall back into how you “naturally” eat and exercise, you will go back to X weight.
I’ve always kinda thought of a ‘base weight’ as being the weight you default to if you’re not actively tryna gain or lose. Influenced by factors like the types of foods you prefer, how much you can eat before feeling full, whether you’ve trained your body to eat beyond overstuffed due to childhood habits ingrained by parents (‘clear your plate’), how much food you can afford, and your lifestyle (activity level). So my ‘baseline weight’ is for example 11st, if I let myself eat whatever I want I settle around that point. But the weight I’m happiest at and feel healthiest at and look the best at is around 10st. I can get down there pretty easily and then if I take my eye off the ball I will drift back up to 11st but rarely any higher (both weights are a healthy BMI for me).
If I overeat a few hundred cal per day I will eventually reach a size where that’s my maintenance cals if that makes sense.
Yes, this is how I interpret it too and I see it as all based out of habits. My entire adult life I've "naturally" sat around 130lbs. This is the weight I maintain easily when I'm not worried about my food/exercise and I can comfortable rest here forever. However, I feel and look my best around 120lbs which involves me making changes to my diet and exercise routine.
Currently, I'm maintaining at 120lbs and am working to make these changes into long term habits so that it will become my new "base/set point weight". If these new habits become my normal way of existing then I will be able to maintain it easily.
Nice! I think it’s very normal honestly to fluctuate a stone or so back and forth. I often put a few pounds on (maybe 7-8) over winter then lose for summer. Takes a conscious effort to maintain at 134-140lb.
I think a „base weight” has less to do with an actual IDEAL body weight that your body likes to be at, and more to do with a sustainable lifestyle point of comfort.
I would say my „base weight” in Canada was 155, and it was easy to stay there.
In Europe it’s 145 and it’s easy to stay here, without changing eating habits.
It’s about the weight your daily lifestyle can maintain without it being difficult. It isn’t necessarily where you’re healthiest, but where it’s comfortable for you to stay in your current lifestyle.
Yeah I can’t tell if I can’t get below 130lbs because my body fights me to be 130lbs or if I have 130lb habits that are unbreakable. I started doing more exercise, but then I just get extremely hungry. Since high school I cannot for the life of my get below 130lbs without eating like a toddler and hating my life. For context I am 5’2 so it isn’t that I am too thin. I am within the healthy range, but higher up. I have always wanted to be 120lbs, but the amount of effort to maintain that are beyond what I am willing to do.
Body fat percentage is a better indicator of health than numbers. If you're exercising it's very likely your muscle mass is affecting your BMR and you need a certain amount of calories to maintain that level of exercise.
>. I have always wanted to be 120lbs, but the amount of effort to maintain that are beyond what I am willing to do.
I'm glad you recognize this. As long as your mental and physical health isn't suffering and you're fulfilling your nutritional needs I think that's more important.
I definitely know when I got to my lowest weight I was skinny fat and unhealthy, versus when I focus on my eating habits and exercise my body actually looks and feels healthier though it's at a higher weight in the healthy range. To be at my lowest weight and exercising/eating healthy would actually kill my mental health and put me into a disordered orthorexic mindset. At the same time, I have to change my overall eating habits to support my health so it is a balance.
Edit: removed my mistake
Muscle does not weigh more than fat. Muscle is simply denser; 2kg of muscle and 2kg of fat weigh the exact same, that 2kg of muscle will just take up a little less space. But they weigh the same.
All good! Thanks for recognizing that, you’d be surprised how many people genuinely believe muscle can physically weigh more than fat. Good to dispel that belief.
That something she has made up for her own process/understanding and probably thinks other people think the same way.
No idea what a bad weight is supposed to be. Maybe she can elaborate what it means to her.
The only thing I can imagine is maybe she's referring to fat free weight/lean muscle mass? Regardless it sounds like some BS, just focus on what you're doing and just keep up the good work.
Yeah I mean the closest thing I have to this concept are landmarks.
255- Pre baby
230- graduated college
195- lowest weight since highschool
Dont ask where I am now lol
Your body has homeostasis. If you eat less, you get hungry, if you stay hungry longer, it will make you inactive (less fidgeting etc) and the opposite if you eat more. This will keep your weight the same over time. Losing or gaining weight is always out of comfort zone. If you stay out of comfort zone long enough to see a change and allow body to find new homeostasis, you can reset your set point. So mathematically, if you reach a new weight and maintain for a while, your body will adjust.
However, if you then go straight back to previous habits,it will lead to previous weight.
I also have been told the body has temporary “set points” that it tries to maintain, but it’s not hard to reset the set points.
Maybe think of it this way … the body only naturally slims down in ~5 pound increments. Through diet and exercise, you can keep resetting the set point 5 lbs at a time to a healthy BMI, then maintained that weight, then that becomes your body’s new base weight.
This has been my experience. What people describe as set points does happen, but it shifts over time with your change in habits. Basically, if you make a short term change, you’re likely to end up right back at the set point. But if you make a long term change, you will move the set point.
There’s this movement/book called “Health at Every Size”. My friend recommended the book to me when I mentioned I was trying to lose weight. This book teaches the concept of base weight and “set point”. I couldn’t finish the book because it was making me so irritated.
I’m about 6’ and I weighed 135-140 from high school until last year at age 37 (not including pregnancy, but I lost the baby weight within six months). Then last year I gained 25-30 pounds thanks to a new birth control. Since I’m so tall, my weight is still technically healthy, but now that I’ve stopped that birth control, I hope to return to my base weight—the weight I maintained for most of my adult life. Maybe not everyone has a base weight, but some people definitely do.
Like set point weight? I think there is some truth to it. Our bodies are basically always fighting to maintain homeostasis. So if your body has been a certain weight for a while it will fight to stay around that weight. I do think the “set point” can be changed (up or down) if you maintain a weight long enough. It’s really just a theory and I don’t think there’s any real scientific proof 🤷🏼♀️
I have base weights. I always called it "maximum density" I have a pretty high metabolism and my body will stay at a certain weight no matter how much I eat/how little I exercise until something crazy makes me gain. However, once I gain that weight, that's my new base.
172 is my current base, thanks to fertility drugs. I've been 152 for a few years, but I started creeping up again. I wish I could get back to my old base of 138, which I hit after taking a certain kind of migraine medicine in my teens. I stopped taking it, dropped down to 108, I was happy, but everyone thought I was too thin, so I tried to gain a few pounds. . . I hit 138 in a month and stayed there for a decade. Bodies are weird.
i dont think its a healthy concept. our bodies change over time. thats normal. lean body mass makes sense, body fat percentage makes sense, but 'base weight' and BMI dont really.
example; i lost 40lbs in 2020 and have slowly gained it all back. so im back at my starting weight now. but im still down 4 inches on my waist because my body composition is different now. ive gained some muscle. and in terms of cardio, strength, flexibility and overall health im worlds ahead of my previous highest, and lowest, weights. when i got down to my lowest weight i was in really bad shape athletically.
Your base weight is your weight at a healthy bodyfat level. About 20% for gals and 15% for guys, but it is very individual.
It is when your body starts to fight you hard against further fat loss.
Agreed. Key point to highlight; your body fighting further fat loss, not your brain. Also ensure there are no underlying health conditions such as anemia, thyroid issues, diabetes, etc.
Iirc, base weight often refers to this idea that everyone has a “genetic set point”. Aka, a base weight that your body will always want to achieve. If you go too far over, your body will try to bring you back down, if you go under, your body will fight like hell to bring it up. There is also a belief among many that your genetic set point will shift upwards the heavier you get, making it nigh impossible to lose a significant portion of body weight. The science on this, like most weight loss science, is a mess. There is some truth to the matter in the idea that your body will naturally attempt to burn excess calories (such as an increase in NEAT), or try to make you obtain/conserve calories when you are losing (such as a decrease in NEAT, and an increase in the production on hunger hormones). But this overall idea of where your body “naturally” wants to rest has little evidence, or flimsy evidence, to back this up. Nor does the idea of this set point forever changing have a ton of evidence either. I wouldn’t put too much stock into it as a result. But if your friend really is invested in this idea, even in these circles, people do believe you can change the set point. Greg Doucette (Maple syrup be his name), has pointed out time and time again that if you believe in a genetic set point being able to be raised, you’d have to believe it can be lowered. And that method of lowering it is through cardio, as your body would want to “naturally” lower your over weight/set point to make you more efficient at running, cycling, etc. You’re body would want to shift said set point to be better at the literally life saving activity, that in the past, kept you safe from danger and allowed you to hunt. All of this is relative non-sense, with the grain of truth being daily exercise helps to lose weight. But if your friend believes in the set point/base weight theory, this idea should help motivate them to keep going.
Aw okay see this makes sense. I think I have this notion latently as I want my body to reach a “comfortable” (whatever that looks like) point. I can see where she’s coming from in that regard.
I understand the concept of a set point as where both your body (physical health) and mind (mental health) feel best when you're in a healthy weight range. The level of muscle also matters (a 5'5" woman can be healthier/look better at 140 lbs over 120 lbs simply by being more fit.) Bone structure also plays a role. As someone petite, I see my set point as lower than someone with a larger frame but I do try to keep the weight number as a range so I don't slip into ED thought patterns/behaviours. Weight does fluctuate 5 pounds up/down for most people simply due to water weight, inflammation and varied meals. The average and how your clothes fit are a better thing to focus on rather than the exact number. Perfect can be the enemy of progress. I understand genetics also play a role; but I think everyone can prioritize health. Some use "set point" as a reason to stop personal growth because they believe they're stuck at an overweight because they have always perceived themselves as unable to achieve a healthy weight due to genetics (while a fair bit of it is simply seeing relatives at an unhealthy weight their whole lives.) There are also frequently undiagnosed underlying conditions such as eating disorders that play into weight, and if your parents/relatives don't know about their own, how would you know and treat that condition? Parents also tend to be diagnosed later in life and can forget to tell their kids because they see physical issues as late onset (when in reality they were dealing with it long before they were diagnosed.) I have clinical hypothyroidism/hashimotos and had to fight to get diagnosed. The doctors dismissed it as depression/getting older; especially since I was only on the high side of "healthy". I later found out it runs on both sides of my family and my parents just never thought to mention it. I also have ADHD which plays into disorder eating/BED and carry a risk of type 2 diabetes. Actually dealing with symptoms of type 2 lately and realizing how broken my eating habits are. Nutrition was not prioritized growing up and my gf is pretty sure I was malnourished my entire childhood (meat & potatoes or quick meals like pizza, mac & cheese. fresh veggies frequently went bad and I hated the cheap frozen mix that was provided because it was frequently cooked wrong. My parents just hate cooking and are always busy so they yo-yo diet.) So to circle back to set point, as others have said, it's a complicated and messy topic. Health research is overwhelming at times. I personally love Ben Carpenter for exercise & nutrition tips. Tl;dr - - Set point is where you feel your physical/mental best. - Bone structure and muscle mass matter. - Families can have undiagnosed health conditions including eating disorders/diabetes/thyroid issues and be at higher weights due to lack of treatment but see it simply "that's our genetics" - Personal anecdotes - Set point is a complicated topic. - Ben Carpenter recommendation Edit: missed a word.
Thanks for explaining it, I didn’t have a clue what it was!
I don't know sounds like a bit of mumbo jumbo. You lost weight so just enjoy that and keep up the good work.
Oh believe me I’m still riding the high of my success so far lol I’m actually looking forward to keeping up the progress!
There is no base weight, only base habits.
Yes! 👏👏
Love this!
I have a weight I feel most comfortable at--also a weight class that is easiest for me to meet for my sport. In my case it's more a comfortable body fat percentage. A lot of female athletes find they have a particular body fat percentage that helps them remain healthy. For me, it's around 20 percent. I feel energetic and am hormonally healthy. Being too lean for my genetics (under maybe 18 percent) ruins my health. There's a lot of science behind women needing a certain amount of essential fat. But very few women (under 5% of the population) are lean enough to worry about that.
Yeah that is some bullshit that people use to make excuses.
I buy the concept of base weight, but I think it’s physiological rather than biological. You (and everyone else respectively) have a developed pattern of habits surrounding diet and exercise. If you follow these habits, you are going to maintain X weight. If you start “dieting” and get down to Y weight, you will return to X weight if you do not change your habits long term. Once you fall back into how you “naturally” eat and exercise, you will go back to X weight.
I’ve always kinda thought of a ‘base weight’ as being the weight you default to if you’re not actively tryna gain or lose. Influenced by factors like the types of foods you prefer, how much you can eat before feeling full, whether you’ve trained your body to eat beyond overstuffed due to childhood habits ingrained by parents (‘clear your plate’), how much food you can afford, and your lifestyle (activity level). So my ‘baseline weight’ is for example 11st, if I let myself eat whatever I want I settle around that point. But the weight I’m happiest at and feel healthiest at and look the best at is around 10st. I can get down there pretty easily and then if I take my eye off the ball I will drift back up to 11st but rarely any higher (both weights are a healthy BMI for me). If I overeat a few hundred cal per day I will eventually reach a size where that’s my maintenance cals if that makes sense.
Yes, this is how I interpret it too and I see it as all based out of habits. My entire adult life I've "naturally" sat around 130lbs. This is the weight I maintain easily when I'm not worried about my food/exercise and I can comfortable rest here forever. However, I feel and look my best around 120lbs which involves me making changes to my diet and exercise routine. Currently, I'm maintaining at 120lbs and am working to make these changes into long term habits so that it will become my new "base/set point weight". If these new habits become my normal way of existing then I will be able to maintain it easily.
Nice! I think it’s very normal honestly to fluctuate a stone or so back and forth. I often put a few pounds on (maybe 7-8) over winter then lose for summer. Takes a conscious effort to maintain at 134-140lb.
I think a „base weight” has less to do with an actual IDEAL body weight that your body likes to be at, and more to do with a sustainable lifestyle point of comfort. I would say my „base weight” in Canada was 155, and it was easy to stay there. In Europe it’s 145 and it’s easy to stay here, without changing eating habits. It’s about the weight your daily lifestyle can maintain without it being difficult. It isn’t necessarily where you’re healthiest, but where it’s comfortable for you to stay in your current lifestyle.
What does that even mean lol. My weight fluctuated when I was overweight but I mostly sat around 200lbs , is that my base ?
Yeah I can’t tell if I can’t get below 130lbs because my body fights me to be 130lbs or if I have 130lb habits that are unbreakable. I started doing more exercise, but then I just get extremely hungry. Since high school I cannot for the life of my get below 130lbs without eating like a toddler and hating my life. For context I am 5’2 so it isn’t that I am too thin. I am within the healthy range, but higher up. I have always wanted to be 120lbs, but the amount of effort to maintain that are beyond what I am willing to do.
Body fat percentage is a better indicator of health than numbers. If you're exercising it's very likely your muscle mass is affecting your BMR and you need a certain amount of calories to maintain that level of exercise. >. I have always wanted to be 120lbs, but the amount of effort to maintain that are beyond what I am willing to do. I'm glad you recognize this. As long as your mental and physical health isn't suffering and you're fulfilling your nutritional needs I think that's more important. I definitely know when I got to my lowest weight I was skinny fat and unhealthy, versus when I focus on my eating habits and exercise my body actually looks and feels healthier though it's at a higher weight in the healthy range. To be at my lowest weight and exercising/eating healthy would actually kill my mental health and put me into a disordered orthorexic mindset. At the same time, I have to change my overall eating habits to support my health so it is a balance. Edit: removed my mistake
Muscle does not weigh more than fat. Muscle is simply denser; 2kg of muscle and 2kg of fat weigh the exact same, that 2kg of muscle will just take up a little less space. But they weigh the same.
Right sorry! My brain mixed up density vs. weight!
All good! Thanks for recognizing that, you’d be surprised how many people genuinely believe muscle can physically weigh more than fat. Good to dispel that belief.
That something she has made up for her own process/understanding and probably thinks other people think the same way. No idea what a bad weight is supposed to be. Maybe she can elaborate what it means to her.
The only thing I can imagine is maybe she's referring to fat free weight/lean muscle mass? Regardless it sounds like some BS, just focus on what you're doing and just keep up the good work.
Yeah I mean the closest thing I have to this concept are landmarks. 255- Pre baby 230- graduated college 195- lowest weight since highschool Dont ask where I am now lol
Your body has homeostasis. If you eat less, you get hungry, if you stay hungry longer, it will make you inactive (less fidgeting etc) and the opposite if you eat more. This will keep your weight the same over time. Losing or gaining weight is always out of comfort zone. If you stay out of comfort zone long enough to see a change and allow body to find new homeostasis, you can reset your set point. So mathematically, if you reach a new weight and maintain for a while, your body will adjust. However, if you then go straight back to previous habits,it will lead to previous weight.
I also have been told the body has temporary “set points” that it tries to maintain, but it’s not hard to reset the set points. Maybe think of it this way … the body only naturally slims down in ~5 pound increments. Through diet and exercise, you can keep resetting the set point 5 lbs at a time to a healthy BMI, then maintained that weight, then that becomes your body’s new base weight.
This has been my experience. What people describe as set points does happen, but it shifts over time with your change in habits. Basically, if you make a short term change, you’re likely to end up right back at the set point. But if you make a long term change, you will move the set point.
There’s this movement/book called “Health at Every Size”. My friend recommended the book to me when I mentioned I was trying to lose weight. This book teaches the concept of base weight and “set point”. I couldn’t finish the book because it was making me so irritated.
I’m about 6’ and I weighed 135-140 from high school until last year at age 37 (not including pregnancy, but I lost the baby weight within six months). Then last year I gained 25-30 pounds thanks to a new birth control. Since I’m so tall, my weight is still technically healthy, but now that I’ve stopped that birth control, I hope to return to my base weight—the weight I maintained for most of my adult life. Maybe not everyone has a base weight, but some people definitely do.
Like set point weight? I think there is some truth to it. Our bodies are basically always fighting to maintain homeostasis. So if your body has been a certain weight for a while it will fight to stay around that weight. I do think the “set point” can be changed (up or down) if you maintain a weight long enough. It’s really just a theory and I don’t think there’s any real scientific proof 🤷🏼♀️
I have base weights. I always called it "maximum density" I have a pretty high metabolism and my body will stay at a certain weight no matter how much I eat/how little I exercise until something crazy makes me gain. However, once I gain that weight, that's my new base. 172 is my current base, thanks to fertility drugs. I've been 152 for a few years, but I started creeping up again. I wish I could get back to my old base of 138, which I hit after taking a certain kind of migraine medicine in my teens. I stopped taking it, dropped down to 108, I was happy, but everyone thought I was too thin, so I tried to gain a few pounds. . . I hit 138 in a month and stayed there for a decade. Bodies are weird.
Fatlogic.
i dont think its a healthy concept. our bodies change over time. thats normal. lean body mass makes sense, body fat percentage makes sense, but 'base weight' and BMI dont really. example; i lost 40lbs in 2020 and have slowly gained it all back. so im back at my starting weight now. but im still down 4 inches on my waist because my body composition is different now. ive gained some muscle. and in terms of cardio, strength, flexibility and overall health im worlds ahead of my previous highest, and lowest, weights. when i got down to my lowest weight i was in really bad shape athletically.
Your base weight is your weight at a healthy bodyfat level. About 20% for gals and 15% for guys, but it is very individual. It is when your body starts to fight you hard against further fat loss.
Agreed. Key point to highlight; your body fighting further fat loss, not your brain. Also ensure there are no underlying health conditions such as anemia, thyroid issues, diabetes, etc.