Natural weight "set point" for ALL of us

Each of us have a natural body weight below which the body increases its resistance to further weight loss. This set point is dependent on fitness level (exercise level), metabolic rate (exercise and nutrition habits), history (past overweight results in a higher weight setpoint) and genetics. For a small number of individuals the latter component (genetics) leads to overweight even when lifestyle habits are ideal. This is, however not true for most people who are overweight. Insulin resistance, food addiction, low activity levels and high levels of stress are major players in the obesity epidemic in the United States. Our "Western lifestyle" includes: Fatty and sugary foods so common that it is difficult to eat healthy even when you want to, supersized meals on the cheap (obesity is on sale in America), and conveniences that take most of our opportunities to move around under our own power away from us (meaning that unless you intentionally make a point to exercise, the probability that your body will be utilized in a significant way in the course of your day is much lower today than it was in the past). Health is not the default mode in America. Rather, it is the uphill battle we must climb against the odds of our environment. Even for myself, going out to eat more often than usual for a week or travelling for a few days almost always means gaining body fat. The vigilance that it takes to achieve and maintain optimum health borders on the ridiculous, like travelling with my own box of whole grain cereal for my breakfasts or ordering salads everywhere instead of what I would normally want to eat (but can't because so much butter, sugar, white carbs, and iceberg lettuce dominate the meals instead of healthy ingredients the restaurants could easily have acquired). So how do you lower your weight setpoint? Eliminate rapidly-digesting foods (sugars), eat massive salads so that even if you are addicted to food at least half of the bulk of what you eat is healthy, and make daily exercise more than just a repetitive New Year's Resolution. Doing this day after day is a Herculean effort and requires independence from the environment, taking responsibility for every meal, either by throwing it together yourself or by asking enough questions when you order. More and more people are making the decision to do these things each day, and as the combined volume of our voices increases, the healthier options are increasing (we are creating a target market for the food industry). The increased availability of healthy foods will lower all our setpoints for body weight. We will all get healthier, together.