Why Exercise or Lack Thereof Doesn’t Greatly Change Your Weight (Set Point)
Set Point Theory suggests that your body has a biologically determined range of weight where it naturally functions best, a range influenced primarily by genetics, hormones, and the brain’s regulation of metabolism, not by short-term changes in activity.
The Body Defends Its Set Point
The hypothalamus, the “control centre” in your brain, regulates energy balance. When you increase or decrease exercise, your body compensates by adjusting:
Hunger and fullness signals
Resting metabolic rate (RMR)
Non-exercise movement (fidgeting, posture, etc.)
Energy efficiency (how many calories you burn per task)
So while exercise may temporarily increase energy expenditure, your body often subconsciously adjusts other systems to keep you within your natural set point range.
In other words: Exercise changes your energy output, but your brain and hormones adjust energy input and conservation to maintain stability.
Set Point Is Primarily Biologically Driven, Not Behaviourally
Your genetics and endocrine system have the strongest influence on your body’s natural weight range.
Research (e.g., Dulloo & Montani, 2015; Leibel et al., 1995) shows that when weight deviates below or above this range:
Hunger hormones (like ghrelin) rise or fall
Satiety hormones (like leptin) adapt
Thyroid and reproductive hormones shift
Metabolism slows or speeds up
These automatic changes occur regardless of exercise patterns. So, even if someone exercises intensely, their body tends to preserve energy elsewhere if it senses an energy deficit, a phenomenon known as adaptive thermogenesis.
Exercise Isn’t the Main Determinant of Weight Regulation
While movement supports strength, cardiovascular health, and mood, research consistently shows it has modest effects on long-term weight. Meta-analyses indicate that changes from exercise alone are usually within 1–3 kg, unless combined with significant (and often unsustainable) dietary restriction.
In eating disorder recovery, this is crucial because exercise doesn’t override biology. When the body has been energy-deprived, it prioritises restoration over calorie burn.
During refeeding, the body often reduces movement efficiency and increases hunger until it feels safe again.
The Body’s “Movement Set Point” Also Matters
The body wants movement, but not punishment.
Just like your body has a weight set point, it also has a movement comfort zone, where exercise feels energising, not compulsive or exhausting.
If movement becomes excessive, your nervous system perceives it as stress, leading to:
Elevated cortisol
Suppressed appetite (short-term) or rebound hunger (later)
Disrupted hormones (especially oestrogen, thyroid, leptin)
Over time, this still doesn’t change your set point, it just makes your body work harder to protect it.
What Actually Changes Set Point (Over Long Periods)
Set point can shift slightly (within a range) due to:
Ageing (metabolism and hormone changes)
Genetics interacting with environment
History of chronic restriction or weight cycling (temporary “set point creep”)
Major medical or endocrine conditions
But again these are systemic, long-term changes, not caused by day-to-day differences in movement.
“Your body doesn’t see exercise as a way to control weight, it sees it as a stress signal to balance. What matters most for your long-term wellbeing is not how much you move, but whether your body feels consistently safe, nourished, and cared for.”
This theory encourages people rebuild a relationship with movement rooted in:
Enjoyment and sensory pleasure
Connection to your body’s needs (not punishment)
Energy balance movement that supports recovery, not depletes it
References
Dulloo, A. G., & Montani, J. P. (2015). Pathways from weight fluctuations to metabolic diseases: Focus on maladaptive thermogenesis. Obesity Reviews, 16(Suppl 1), 32–47. 10.1111/obr.12250
Leibel, R. L., Rosenbaum, M., & Hirsch, J. (1995). Changes in energy expenditure resulting from altered body weight. New England Journal of Medicine, 332(10), 621–628.10.1056/NEJM199503093321001
Speakman, J. R., & Selman, C. (2003). Physical activity and resting metabolic rate. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 62(3), 621–634. 10.1079/PNS2003282
NEDC (2023). Body weight set point and regulation. https://nedc.com.au
Set Point Theory Information Sheet from Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI)
Note: The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and is NOT intended as medical /psychological advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for personalised guidance.
