Break Through Your Set Point: How to Finally Lose the Weight You Want and Keep It Off

by George Blackburn, Julie Corliss

How many times have you gone on a diet and lost a few pounds, only to hit, once again, that dreaded plateau? Many people manage to lose the first 10, 15, or 20 pounds of the weight they want to shed. Then, no matter how hard they work, they can't seem to nudge the number on the scale farther down, and often they end up gaining back the weight they lost. Finally, there is a healthy, permanent weight-loss solution that will get you off the frustrating yo-yo that often accompanies most fad diets. Dr. George L. Blackburn is the associate director of the Division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School and directs the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, which investigates complex issues in nutrition and health. Based on three decades of his research and clinical practice, Break Through Your Set Point offers an exciting and effective program that will give you specific tools to help you get out of your rut and prevent those extra pounds from coming back. Your set point, or typical body weight, is determined by your genes and your environment. Many modern lifestyle habits—including getting too little sleep and eating on the run—have conspired to raise many people's set points to unhealthily high levels. According to Dr. Blackburn's theory, if you set a reasonable goal to lose about 10 percent of your initial body weight, then hold steady at your new weight without regaining any pounds for at least six months, you can reset your body's set point. And once you've reset your set point, you can repeat the cycle to lose even more weight. The body's innate tendency to protect itself against starvation explains why the body resists losing weight after a certain point. Dr. Blackburn explains the science behind the set-point theory and helps you devise a plan that works for you. With his unique, multi-faceted approach, Dr. Blackburn shows that hitting your set point is not a dead end but the first step in losing weight the right way. This book will help you overcome your weight-loss plateau once and for all.

Genres: Medicine, Food

272 pages, Hardcover

First published April 8, 2008

About the author

This is the disambiguation page for otherwise unseparated authors publishing as George Blackburn.

Reviews

[Robert Oldroyd]

Dr. Blackburn was a professor of nutrition at Harvard Medical School. This book is based off his research into set point theory. For anyone interested, here is a good summary of its practical application:

“Set a reasonable goal to lose about 10% of your initial body weight. Then hold steady at your new weight without regaining any weight for at least six months, which will reset your body’s set point (or typical body weight). Once you’ve reset your set point, you can repeat the cycle to lose even more weight.”

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful.

This makes so much more sense than all the fad diets out there. This is a lifetime plan - a way to lose weight and keep it off too.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Makes a lot of sense and I've read a LOT of diet books. I liked it a lot!

[David Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sets the expectation that losing weight will be slow, but explained the science behind resetting the set point.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some good ideas.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the author had some very good, sensible advice, and what he posits as the reason people regain weight after losing it sounds logical. However, I was confused by his advice and it seemed as though he was talking out of both sides of his mouth. First he says that losing weight and keeping it off is as easy as deducting 10% of the calories you currently eat. Period.

However, he then goes on to advise taking 20 min to eat so you know when you're full, eating mindfully, swapping out brownies for yogurt or fruit, exercising, and generally making healthier food choices. That is all sensible, good advice, but it seems to me that if I made those food changes, I'd be eating far fewer calories than he originally advised. So, then I'd be on a diet, which is a big no-no according to him.

['stina]

Ordered from Amazon on March 4, 2011)

[Ann]

Common sense presented in a helpful manner