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[Stephen M (Ethesis)]

I have to ask how long did it take for us to put on the weight. In that regard, the plateaus that many experience is inconsequential.

Very wise words.

[Stephen M (Ethesis)]

In the course of losing 35 pounds in three months there was one time I got on the scales and weighed 5 pounds MORE than I did the day before. I had had dinner at a friend's house and eaten a lot of their delicious food. I still remember how good it tasted. I didn't even feel stuffed afterwards. In the long run, the diet had (and is having) a wonderful and long-lasting effect, but not every bit of early news was good.

I think that is a valuable insight, and I'm glad you have shared that several times.  It helped me.

[falconcy]

I think the thing about plateaus and the whole weight loss thing in general is one of remaining in control.

We have all managed to eat way too much to have put the weight on in the first place. Getting it off requires some serious lifestyle changes and those have not been easy to make.

For the first time ever, I actually am in control of my appetite. Previously, had I been put on a 1000 cal diet, I would have freaked out, been hungry, suffering the effects of low blood sugar, headaches and as moody as hell a week in. Here I am two weeks in, eating around 1000-1200 cals a day and I'm feeling fine.

The problem with plateaus is that they can be very discouraging, they actually make you question whether it is all worth the effort you are putting into dieting. Remaining in control really does help. I gave up weighing, preferring to use the mirror, the fit of my clothes and if I really want to look at something physical, measurements taken with a tape measure.

Even if I am not losing any weight at this time, I trust my body to adjust and take the weight down when the time is right. Besides, all this calories in less calories burned relates to weight gain/loss is not an exact science, if anything, we really know very little about the actual mechanism. Eat an apple with a calorie value of 100 and 100 cals of HFCS and try to tell me that the values are the same, because they are not.

Being in control helps me to not go on binge eating sessions, not to make the wrong food choices and to eat what my body needs as opposed to what my eyes can see. I also can actually taste the food I am eating and I enjoy what I do eat.

[frenata]

You know, thinking about it...I gained weight with plateaus (or is that plateaux?) too. I wasn't overweight until I quit smoking, then I put on a lot of weight quickly. But I'd hit a new record weight, and then stop gaining for a while. I'd think, "well, finally, I found my ex-smoker's weight. Now I can keep eating the way I have been lately." And then I'd suddenly put on several pounds at once. It was a very unpleasant experience. Better doing it in reverse