How prescription medication can outsmart your set point weight

When it comes to your weight care journey, it can be, well, complicated. There are many factors involved, including ones that can impact you at a biological level. And these are ones that you may have less control over. An example of this is your set point weight—a scientific term that refers to the weight your body wants to be to perform and function at its best. 

Your set point is determined by genetics, age, environmental influences like diet and medications, and hormonal changes over your lifetime. The tricky part about set point weight is that it doesn’t like change, and your body will try really hard to stick to a specific weight range. If you drop too far below your “normal” set point, metabolic and hormonal changes may make it hard to keep the weight you lose off.  

Think of it as your body’s thermostat. Just as the thermostat in your house keeps things at an even temperature, so does your set point weight. Your body doesn’t want to be below or above it. It wants to be at what it considers to be juuuust right.

But here’s the thing: Your set point weight can be adjusted! Let’s chat about how prescription medication can help. 

How weight loss happens on medication

When you start a weight care journey with lifestyle changes and prescription medication, you have an advantage. When you try to lose weight by restricting calories or carbs or increasing your exercise–or even having bariatric surgery—your hormones change in ways that encourage your body to regain the weight. For example, levels of hunger hormones go up, fullness hormone levels go down, and your metabolism slows, which sets you up for gaining that weight back. But by introducing medicines that block these changes before biology kicks in, you can go farther on your weight care journey. 

Sometimes even when on a prescription, your body will begin to adapt to defend your set point weight in an attempt to regain the weight. (This is where you’ll likely hit a plateau again.) Don’t panic—but do check in with your Found medical provider. Working with your health care provider to find out what may be happening is essential so the two of you can decide the best path forward to keep up with your body’s metabolic changes.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach for a weight journey. At Found, our providers work with the broadest range of medications available on the market. That means they have lots of options to customize your treatment. By addressing more than one pathway with medication, your treatment can help you get past plateaus caused by your set point weight and move you closer to your goal weight.

Weighing in on a routine schedule—like Found’s #weighinwednesday—and keeping a food log can help you communicate to your provider what you’re experiencing so they can strategize your next step. (If the scale intimidates you even a little, here’s how you can approach it with a new mindset.) And, since there are more options available now than there’ve been in the past, your medical provider will tailor your treatment along your journey– including weight loss and maintenance.  Win-win!

About Found

Found is among the largest medically-supported weight care clinics in the country, serving more than 200,000 members to date. To start your journey with Found, take our quiz.