weight and "set points"

I often have patients ask me whether there is some predetermined "set-point" that a person's weight will go to no matter what they do in the short term. If that person "diets" the weight will go down but then over time, the weight seems to drift back up to the number that has been present previously. No matter what that person does in the short term, the weight always seems to go back up to that overweight number that prompts the person to feel frustrated.

I propose to you this: Behavior patterns are the "set point", not the number on the scale. What I mean by this is that people develop behavioral patterns that become ingrained and although in the short term many people can alter these behavior patterns, the long term change in behavior is difficult. As this relates to weight, if in the short term, a person lowers carbs, exercises more, reduces alcohol consumption, etc, the weight will drop. However, if over time, the person reverts to old behavior patterns as that relates to eating, the weight goes back up.

So the point here is that there is no weight"set point", but rather there are behavioral "setpoints" that are difficult to change. For long term weight loss, it is the behaviors that must change permanently. Easy to do? Of course not. Can it be done? ABSOLUTELY