I am currently in what I consider a weight loss stall, having been the same weight for two weeks. I started eating healthier and exercising on a regular basis a little over a year ago. I have seen these stalls two times before and each time was at a weight I had previously maintained for a given amount of time. After the second time I was starting to see a pattern and have more or less been expecting them. I know to expect my next one at 175.

The past several days I have been reading a lot on weight loss stalls and plateaus. I know a true plateau is when you have been the same weight for at least 6-8 weeks. Since I have seen a drop on the scale each week, even if it's 0.25lbs, I consider no loss for two weeks a temporary stall. So, amongst all my googling, I came across the term "Metabolic Setpoint". It is a theory that your body retains a memory of a previous maintained weight from the past and your weight loss will stall or plateau at this setpoint in an attempt to maintain this weight again.

I just have to wonder if there is any truth to this theory. I had noticed my own body holding at these weights before I even knew of this "phenomenon". Also, I have to note that I have stalled at my current weight the longest which is a weight I maintained years ago for quite some time (longer than the other weights I previously stalled). Has anyone else had this same experience? Has anyone else heard of this theory or believe it to be fact or fiction?

I'm not sure I believe in set points exactly although I do think many people do stall from time to time. What just worked for me (and seems to work for others) is to change things up somehow. In my case, doing a low carb plan, I didn't eat a lot more calories, but I did have a couple of days of eating more carbs than usual. Still in a healthy way but just different food than I usually have. And as is usual when you go off low carb, I quickly gained a few pounds. But as soon as I returned my my normal plan, it all came off, along with some additional loss, which I think had been "hiding" in the form of water weight.

So I'd recommend trying some different - more calories and/or carbs, or fewer, isn't the point as much as having different foods than you normally eat.

And also, try different activity. That one, I know for sure there is a level of diminishing return, as your body gets more efficient at the activity and it uses less energy/fewer calories when you keep doing the same thing.

This is weird. I was thinking about this earlier...

I was this weight for a semi-significant amount of time (under a year) on my way up, and before that a stone lighter than this for a similar period of time, and before that... I was at 175ish for about 8 years! I still don't know if there's any truth to the theory, but it certainly makes sense based purely on my experience. I stalled at 201/202, plummeted down to 196, then my body seemed to... reject that weight? Back up to 200/201 where I am now. I'm going to see how long it is before it goes down again, and if I stall again in another stone's time, and again at 175.

For some reason I have it in my head that the longer I stayed at a certain weight on the way up, the longer I'll stall or plateau there on the way down. Time will tell, and I should point out that I've no evidence for that, it's just a horrible premonition I have

But yes, in the absence of solid scientific evidence, my experience has been that this happens.

With n=1 (me!) , I would say yes. My body really really really likes the 164-166 range, as I've been here since Halloween-ish. I can be eating whatever the heck I want and be 166. Eating carrots and spinach and whole wheat bread... 164.

So I definitely think set-points exist, at least in my body, but Mom always said I was special

In my weight loss in the past, I have a CRAZY hard time getting under 130.

I have considered the whole set point thing, but I really think it's because I am just reluctant to change my eating and lifestyle in a way where my body goes under 130.

I think, even though I cycle some really low cal days, I simply don't cycle enough of them, and my average doesn't go low enough to get me down to that level.

I think by that time, I like my body, I'm getting compliments and I feel good about myself. It's just darn hard to say 'okay, NOW I must do more and eat LESS!" lol

So, I get my little size 8's and prance around happy, thereby creating my own set point.

I don't exactly "believe" in weight setpoints but yes have experienced what you describe.

I think it is a mindset. During my long, major weight loss, there were periods where I maintained some weights far longer than other weights. It had to do with habits and comfort zones, not metabolism per se.

Set point theory is an interesting one and I personally think there is something to it. Having said that I've not seen anyone who thinks set point is represented by short term stalls in your weight as you're describing above.

That said - 175 may be a real set point for you.

The real question in my mind is how much of set point is physiological and how much of it is psychological.

Bottom line - habits are impossible to break. All you can do is create new habits but those old habits and patterns are always there and so easy to fall back into.

Well, sitting at a weight for 2 weeks, to me, is not a set point.

I wonder if some set-points are really just weights that match up with our eating and exercise comfort levels.

I "could" say that 175-185 is a set point for me as I've been up and down and all around there this past year. It's where I got to when I lost weight 15 years ago. It's the weight I was the entire time between HS and college, etc.

But, I don't think I'm stuck there. I just think it's a weight range that is easy. I can eat a bit more. Exercise here and there and basically maintain at that weight if I don't go crazy.

The weight around 255-265 was similar - except I could go crazy and eat crap like crazy and stay in that range because my other activities usually didn't let me go higher (only for that brief time was I up to 275 and it was then that I was drinking real soda... once I dropped that, some of the pounds came off).

I'm hoping that if I keep fitness a part of my life (which is the plan) that I can keep 160-170 my normal range without having to feel I'm half starved.

I think for me set points were/are mostly psychological. 235 was one, I stayed there for over a year of what I could call a plateau but what in reality was me having lost 40 lbs and feeling good enough about myself that I did not feel pushed to do the extra work to keep going. But to add to the set point theory, 235 was also a weight that I spent most of college at, so my body was sort of accustomed to that weight.

207 (in 2010) was another set point for me that was again mostly mental. That's about what I weighed when I had felt my thinnest in my life (age 16, boarding school-related weight loss) so of course I had another period of self satisfaction and stayed at this weight a few months. Again possibly, my body remembered this weight from like 7 years before and that made it an extra challenge to lose the weight when I wasn't being 100% diligent with my plan but I don't know.

To against set point theory was 180 lbs, my lowest weight since junior high when I had my growth spurt. I had NEVER weighed as low as that since puberty and yet it was a weight my body sort of liked and was really comfy with. Or maybe a weight that I sort of liked and was really comfy with. Whatever it was, I definitely agree that there are definitely certain weights that for whatever reason are really difficult to get away from.

I absolutely believe it can be both psychological and physiological. I know I was at this weight previously and am I subconsiously sabotaging my progress by being lax somehow in my routine and not realizing it. Who knows. I don't believe I am. I log everything I do and nothing has changed, but is that in and of itself causing the stall, not changing things up? I have been calorie cycling and intermittent fasting and increasing workout time and so far I haven't seen a change. But, I've had these "stalls" before and I know in due time it will budge. Patience is the key here. I will be out of town the next 5-6 days and will not have access to a scale. I am so used to weighing myself morning and night, so this will be a welcome change actually because I can find the scale rather discouraging at times. Maybe not having it around I can concentrate on my other behaviors and have a nice surprise when I return.

As usual, I agree with John. I mean how can you not?!



I do think that a good portion of the "stalls" I've encountered have been more psychological than psyiological. I'll think they're physiological, but after they're over I'll look back and realize I was actually eating more, or exercising less, or both, and just being in denial about it. Obviously that's just my experience though.

That being said, I DO definitely believe there are weights that our bodies are more comfortable with, and weights that may take a little extra work to break through. Hmmm, maybe that's exactly what a set point is and I'm just being nit picky.

I think it's true in a way.

I have had the same issue. I was stuck at around 210 for a year, and hovered at it or just above.

I finally broke it this month, now I'm at my lowest 204. And I know I will hit it again at 180 because I remember being that weight in high school.

But yes I do agree as per above it's pert psychological. I didn't push myself hard the whole year except for last month when I re-started. It's like a part of you starts to lose motivation at these 'points', which causes the stall.