I'm planning ahead for the dreaded plateaus I know are ahead of me. They're what do me in every time.

Has anyone ever hopped around to different diet methods when faced with a plateau? For instance, I'm counting calories. If a plateau hits, I wonder if switching to South Beach would kick start the loss again. I was also toying with increasing my calories to maintain, and then backing off again. I am also planning to add exercise.

I need to be armed with a bagful of tricks so I don't stop.

My goal is still be doing this 11/9/2010, not to lose any specific amount of weight. I know me. I have to keep going no matter what.

Plateaus are definitely not a given. I didn't have one during my 165 lb loss.

I think you should not necessarily prepare for one. Just know in the back of your mind that it's a possibility and that you'll deal with at the time in a reasonable, rational fashion.

Commit to losing the weight - once and for all and permanently. Then nothing, NOTHING will stand in your way or keep you from your goals. It's that commitment that will ensure that you do what ever's necessary to break past a plateau or any thing else that gets in your way.