Maybe you've been working on
getting back to the weight you were at in high school or on your wedding day.
But do you really need to go that low? Or can you weigh more than your ideal
weight and still be healthy?
If you're overweight, losing just
10% of your body weight is linked to many health benefits, including lowering
blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, and reducing your risk for
heart disease. This kind of weight loss is also easier to reach and keep for
the long run.
Your
Weight "Set Point"
Just as your body temperature is
programmed to stay around 98.6 degrees, your body weight is naturally regulated
to stay within a range of 10%-20%, says Thomas Wadden, PhD, director of the
Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at University of Pennsylvania Medical
School. This weight range is known as the "set point."
A complex set of hormones,
chemicals, and hunger signals help your body keep your weight within this
range, says dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD.
It is not just about your genes.
Your eating and exercise habits can also help to determine your set point.
"Overeating swamps the
internal regulatory system, and, as a result, the set point increases -- which
is much easier to do than it is to lower it," Wadden says. The body
adjusts to the higher weight and "resets" the set point to defend the
new weight.
It's still possible to set your
range lower. "With changes in healthy eating and exercise behavior, you
can lower your set point," says Blatner.
The 10%
Solution to Weight Loss
Losing 10% of your body weight,
and keeping it off for six months to a year, helps your body reset your set
point, notes George Blackburn, MD, in his book, Break Through Your Set
Point: How to Finally Lose the Weight You Want and Keep It Off.
When you lose large amounts of
weight at once, you set up an internal struggle and hormones spike to make you
hungrier as your body tries to defend its comfortable range, Wadden explains.
That's why experts recommend
losing 10% by changing your eating and exercise habits, and then maintaining
your new weight for a few months before trying to lose more. Your body
will get the signal to lower its "set point," and you'll get used to
new food choices, smaller portions, and regular exercise.
Blatner says she has seen people
who lose 10% of their weight "start to realize how a little weight loss
impacts their health in very positive ways... They feel better, sleep better,
have more energy or less joint pain, and some people are able to reduce
medications."
How Much
Should I Weigh?
Most people overestimate how much
weight they can lose, which leads to frustration, says Blatner. To find your
happy or healthy weight, Blatner suggests looking back on your weight history
as an adult and identifying a weight you were able to maintain fairly easily.
Instead of focusing on the numbers
on the scale, Blatner suggests setting goals for behavior. "Eat breakfast
every day, go for daily walks, eat more fruits and vegetables," she says.
"When you set behavior goals, they are easier to accomplish and they
make you feel good." Stick with these behaviors for 3-6 months and
they will become part of your life.
Based on your current weight, eat
about 10 calories per pound of nutritious food (low in fat, rich in lean
protein, high in fiber), get regular exercise, and assess your weight after a
month or so.
"Your weight will settle out
and typically you will lose 10%, then hit a plateau, which is a good time to
maintain the weight loss," Wadden says.
As you get to a healthy weight,
you can go up to 12 calories per pound.
Tips for
Weight Loss Success
Here are
some tips from Blatner for weight loss success:
Eat regular meals. People
who eat regular meals eat fewer calories than those who eat at random times.
Use a plate, sit down, and enjoy
your meals. People who do this eat smaller portions than those who eat out of
containers or on the run, according to Blatner.
Get at
least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day.
How much and what you eat makes a
big difference. Enjoy normal portions of foods that are high in fiber
(fruits, veggies, whole grains) and rich in lean or low fat protein is the
secret to feeling full.
Think beyond the scale. Focus on
the benefits of a healthier lifestyle rather than any particular number.
