In brief, the "Setpoint" is a weight control theory. It postulates that the body has an established weight and strongly attempts to maintain that weight. Therefore, if one should embark on a program designed to gain or loose weight, the setpoint will sense and trigger a mechanism which allows the body to take certain actions to ensure that every attempt is made to maintain a fairly constant body weight. Thus, one may take all the initiatives to increase their daily caloric intake over a period of time, yet they are unable to significantly gain body weight. Likewise, another person may lower their daily caloric intake, over a period of time, but still unable to loose weight significantly.

You might want to ask the question, as to how the setpoint works to ensure that this desired body weight is constantly achieved? Well,the setpoint operates somewhat like a thermostat for body fat. It is a genetic instinct, vital for survival. When someone attempts to gain weight, the setpoint senses this change and triggers a weight-regulating mechanism that deliberately causes a decrease in a person's appetite or causes the body to burn excess calories. When it senses a decrease in body weight, due to dieting, it triggers the weight -regulating mechanism to increase the person's appetite or forces the body to conserve energy.

Each person has his/her own certain body fat percentage that has been established by the setpoint. Because everyone does not have the same setpoint, people tend to loose or gain weight at different rates. Although the diet and exercise regiments may be the same, the results may differ from one individual to another.

Aerobic exercise in combination with a diet rich in complex carbohydrates and low in fat is the best way to offset the setpoint. This will lower the setpoint and cause a reduction in fat weight. Contrarily, a diet high in fats and refined carbohydrates seems to raise the setpoint.