If your journey to lose weight and reach your ultimate fitness level has turned into an epic journey to rival the combined works of Homer — the poet, not the Simpson — you’re probably sick of having your pain points tested in ways that can feel downright sadistic. From fad diets to endless new workout routines, that final solution always seems to be just out of reach.
Unless you know about set point weight. Many people don’t, and in a lot of ways it’s the keys to the kingdom when it comes to sustaining weight loss and becoming truly fit. There’s a lot that goes into understanding it, though, so let’s unpack.
What you need to know about set point weight
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As a concept, set point weight falls under the umbrella of homeostasis, which states that all living organisms want to maintain a stable inner environment, regardless of external conditions. Chris Mirabile is the CEO and founder of NOVOS, which has designed a longevity app that uses set point weight as a critical concept in both health and fitness.
“Set point weight refers to the idea that each person has a biologically-defended weight range that the body tries to maintain,” he explains. “When weight dips below that range, mechanisms kick in to bring it back up — like increased hunger, lower resting metabolism, and even changes in energy levels or thermogenesis. When weight goes above it, the body may try to counteract it, but not nearly as aggressively.”
How does set point weight relate to weight loss and fitness?
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While this basic biological concept makes sense, many people have trouble connecting it to weight loss and fitness. According to Mirabile, one reason is that set point weight isn’t at all about the old “calories in versus calories out” theory of weight loss.
“[Set point weight is] shaped by genetics, hormones, sleep, stress, and even long-term lifestyle habits,” says Mirabile. “What’s often misunderstood is that the set point can shift — usually upward.
“Weight gain causes changes in the number and behavior of fat cells, including their inflammatory signaling and gene expression. The brain gradually adapts to this new weight as the ‘new normal.’”
You can change your set point weight — if you do it slowly and carefully
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While the reality of set point weight might sound a little grim, Mirabile is quick to emphasize that it’s not destiny. You can change it, but doing this does take a specific approach.
“If you don’t change your set point, weight loss will feel like swimming upstream forever,” he says. “That’s because your body isn’t just passively losing fat — it’s actively trying to regain it. Hormonal shifts, reductions in resting metabolic rate, and altered appetite cues all make maintenance harder than most people expect.”
Countering this combination means retraining your body to accept a new baseline. Not just temporarily, but long enough for it to become the new defended state. The key to attaining that goal is consistency.
“Rapid weight loss and rebound cycles [that] you get with yo-yo dieting or crash calorie cuts tend to raise the set point, not lower it,” Mirabile says. “Changing the set point means lowering systemic inflammation, improving insulin and leptin sensitivity, supporting mitochondrial health, and preserving muscle mass. This is a long game, not a 30-day reset.”
Specific ways to change your set point weight
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Knowing about the role of inflammation, hormonal shifts and metabolic rates in weight loss is important, but most of us need specifics when it comes to weight loss. Fortunately, though, Mirabile does have a to-do list when it comes to changing your set point weight.
Resistance training. This is crucial for preserving and building muscle mass, which protects metabolism and improves insulin sensitivity.
Sufficient protein intake. Promotes satiety — i.e., feeling full both during and after eating — plus it maintains lean tissue and helps blunt some of the adaptive metabolic slowdown while you’re losing weight.
Regular sleep. This is tied to the idea of achieving circadian rhythm alignment. It means getting up at the same time each day, getting early daylight, and avoiding food and screens close to bedtime to help regulate and control the levels of hormones like cortisol, leptin, and insulin.
Cardio and zone 2 training. Many people do cardio work as an afterthought, but doing it consistently and at a zone 2 level —i.e., at 60-70 percent of your maximum heart right so that you can conduct a conversation while you’re doing it — can help enhance mitochondrial function and improve metabolic flexibility.
Stress reduction and alcohol moderation. High cortisol and disrupted liver function both contribute to fat accumulation, especially visceral (i.e., organ) fat.
Slow, sustainable progress. The target goal here is to lost half a pound to a pound a week, with minimal muscle loss along the way. This gives your body time to adapt.
What the studies say about set point weight
Mirabile’s recommendations do sound like a lot, but he says that one way to look at what you’re doing is to see it as a system-level intervention.
“[You’re looking at everything] from food quality and timing, to environmental factors like air quality, light exposure, and stress,” he says. “All of it plays into how your body ‘decides’ what weight to maintain.”
The studies back this up. There’s a decent body of scientific data from weight loss studies that back up the idea that the body defends a certain weight. The classic example is the so-called “Biggest Loser” study, which was a follow-up that showed that contestants in that reality show ended up with dramatically reduced metabolic rates years after they regained the weight.
“The body still acts like it’s starving,” Mirabile says.
Hormonal shifts can also react disproportionately to a large, sudden weight loss, and they don’t always “reset” effectively just because weight has stabilized. Once fat cells are enlarged or multiplied, studies show that they retain a “memory” that reinforces the higher weight.
Set point weight and weight loss drugs
No exploration of set point weight can be considered complete without discussing the issues surrounding the use of weight loss drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro. These drugs work on our GLP-1 receptors in an active, agonistic way, Mirabile says, and at first glance they look like a great solution.
“[These] are the first drugs that seem to impact the brain’s regulatory system in a way that may actually reset the set point,” he states. “Not just suppress appetite, but lower the weight your body wants to defend.”
The problem with this solution is the lifetime commitment that often comes with these drugs. Unless people who use them add significant lifestyle changes, Mirabile points out, weight tends to rebound, especially when they stop taking them.
“People need to build in strength training to preserve lean mass, adopt metabolic-friendly eating patterns, and think long-term,” he says. “Otherwise, the drug is a pause button, not a reset.”
Maintaining a lower set point weight
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The two most important points in the workout and training plan outlined by Mirabile are muscle mass and cardio. The former helps increase your resting metabolic rate, helps regulate glucose and hormone levels, and it gives you the buffer you need when your calorie count gets tight.
As for cardio and zone 2 training, think of these as a way to build a stronger internal engine within your body. This helps you use and burn fuel more efficiently, which can be tough for those who have done a lot of yo-yo dieting.
“Most importantly, don’t approach your training as a punishment or short-term tool,” he says. “View it as a form of reprogramming. The more your body sees exercise, muscle, and better fuel handling as ‘normal,’ the more likely it is to defend a healthier weight range.”
Set point weight is also a longevity concept
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While the immediate goal may be to lose weight and reach your level of true fitness, it’s also essential to see set point weight as a longevity concept.
“Many people slowly gain a few pounds per decade and don’t realize their set point is creeping upward,” he says. “By the time they’re 60 or 70, they’re carrying an extra 20–40 pounds of fat — a large portion of which is visceral fat around organs.”
When this occurs, he adds, the body’s metabolic “machinery” becomes less flexible, which means disease rate tends to accelerate.
“The earlier you intervene, the more flexible your biology still is,” Mirabile says. “And if you can reset your set point in your 30s or 40s, you’re not just getting lean. You’re making it much more likely that you’ll avoid the chronic conditions that most people assume are just part of ‘normal aging.’