Understanding our body’s natural “healthy” weight range is much like understanding our foot size: Each of us has a unique, natural size based on our individual biology. This idea is especially important when navigating eating disorder recovery and body-image challenges. It’s also a critical message to internalize when facing inevitable societal pressure to conform to [unrealistic] beauty standards or ideals.

Just as we can’t change the size of our feet to fit someone else’s ideal, we really can’t force our bodies into a weight that doesn’t align with our natural predisposition—at least not in a healthy or sustainable way. Weight, like shoe size, is largely influenced by genetics and body structure, and our bodies naturally tend toward a specific weight that feels comfortable and sustainable, often referred to as our body's "set point."

Feet come in all shapes and sizes, and it would be unrealistic to expect someone with large feet to wear a size-5 shoe, or someone with small feet to wear a size 11. Similarly, each person has a weight range suited to their individual body type. Trying to force your body to maintain a weight outside this range is just as uncomfortable and harmful as trying to squeeze into shoes that don’t fit properly. Our body’s natural weight, or set point, is not something that can be easily manipulated.

Just as your foot size is determined by genetics, your body’s weight range is largely influenced by your biology. Set point theory suggests that each person’s body has a........

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