"It's quite possible to have extra ounces of lean meat, or a little more of a complex carbohydrate, a larger serving of vegetables, or even a little full-fat salad dressing or dairy, to increase calories."

Yeah that's what I was trying to allude to with the PB comment.

I guess if she can stick with it and her doctor is cool with it there is nothing wrong as long as she's getting all her vitamins in...

Just been there done that myself so it's why I personally balk at it... but it's important for you to do what works for you and makes you successful for the long haul.

We're not trying to rain on your parade I guess just trying to help others from some of the mistakes we've made! Of course sometimes you have to go through those trial and errors to get where your going too. :)

SO... I have done a little looking into this "plateau" business that everyone seems to think will be the death of me, and I have discovered a few things.
1. A week or two at the same weight is not considered a plateau. In most cases if you are sticking to the same diet and exercising it means that your lean mass has increased more than your fat mass has decreased. Muscle is of course heavier but takes up less space so a tape measure is a more accurate way to check if the fat is dropping during these times.
2. Reading through the posts here and other weight loss websites, it seems that MOST longer plateaus are caused by just an unconscious, or subconscious, relaxing of the rules. At 1800 calories it's pretty darn easy to forget to measure dinner, have 1 or 2 more crackers than you are supposed to, sneak a bite or two to "Taste test" before you serve something, have a glass of wine or beer at night and not count it, or put an extra shake of sugar into the coffee. I think those little bites that we probably don't even notice or remember could very easily add up to 200-300 calories extra a day. SO.. thanks again for all your comments and suggestions, but I really feel that starting out at 1200 calories (on a meal plan designed AND closely supervised by a dietician and my doctor, who also prescribed me prenatal vitamins to ensure optimal nutrition) is going to be the magic number for me. I added 40 minutes of exercise and I still feel satisfied with my caloric intake.
My doctor sees no reason for a plateau (which he defined at more than 4 weeks without ANY measurable loss, weight or girth) to ever occur and that I should remember, the "science" of weight loss is actually an extremely simple mathematical equation and if I am getting the wrong answer, it means that I am putting in the wrong numbers!

I have yet to plateau. I am now on my weightloss journey for just over a year. ZERO plateaus. ZERO. The rare times I did not lose weight, is just like you said - it was ALL MY DOING. I agree with you 100%. Most plateaus, ARE self-induced.

I think you sound EXCITED. And that's real important. IMO, there is no reason at all for you to worry about a plateau that might never occur. Eat clean, keep on increasing your exercise, whether it be the intensity or the duration, or both, and you will be just fine. I wish you tons and tons of good luck!!!

I think it's interesting that someone would consider one calorie level, inherently more easy to fudge or "forget" calories on. I don't think slacking is a function of the calorie level you choose, but one of your mindset.

I guess we all have to play the mind games with ourselves that we have to on this journey, but it just reminds me so much of all of the "magical" thinking that ends up a part of dieting. Beliefs that have no basis in objective reality, but are firmly intrenched in our belief systems, to the point that they become real to us.

Actually that's the point I was making with my original post, so long ago! I don't know WHY, but at 1800 calories I found myself, due to my mindset, unable to stay OP. Why? Again, I have no idea. I just found it way too tempting with that amount of calories to "play with" to eat outside of the plan. I guess in my most recent post, I should have said "At 1800 calories it's pretty darn easy FOR ME to forget etc..." instead of making it sound like it would be easy for anyone. What I do know, is that when I switched to 1200 calories, I found it simple to stick to the plan. Of course it was all in my head!

Someone else mentioned that just because I had the calories why use them up on junk food. Again, all in my head and I take full responsibility for that. I am not saying that just because a person is eating 1800 calories a day that they are filling up with junk food, I am saying that the plan did not work FOR ME because that's what I did! On purpose, NO! It's just what happened.

I am very surprised at the criticism I have taken for this post! I am not trying to encourage anyone else to use my plan. I am not pointing fingers and saying that an 1800 calorie plan isn't the magic formula for someone else. I thought I read in the rules that this forum isn't to endorse or attack one diet plan over another, but to encourage each other in the plan that we have chosen. Most of the posts here have been, "I guess if it works for you its ok, BUT.... It's not gonna work for you because it didn't work for me" Frankly, with the exception of a few that have been supportive, I haven't found the thinly veiled criticisms here to be very encouraging.

Hhhmm, I reread everyone's post and couldn't find any criticism or attacks?? As Idealmuse said, people just want you and everyone else to be aware of pitfalls, which, by the way, can happen with any plan. What's not to like about that? People need to share their stories of what works or doesn't work for them so that others can learn what might be helpful to them. I haven't read one post that said the poster hopes it won't work for you. Everyone here wants you and all the other 100 Lb. members to succeed!

Could be me being overly sensitive. I don't want to call out anybody so I won't reference specific posts. Again, just all in my head! Thanks to everyone anyway, I do know that everyone is being supportive.

I just re-read your thread and I didnt sense the same criticism. By posting this thread, I got the impression that you wanted everyone's advice. Honestly, I've gotten to know the people here very well and I know, beyond a doubt, that everyone here wants you to succeed. Please keep posting and sharing your success with us. I look forward to hearing about your journey.

Rereading my last post, it could have been read as a trolly comment, but I didn't mean it that way, it just got me thinking about the ways it is so common, and even encouraged in dieting to fall into "magical thinking."

About 15 years ago, I wrote a short story for BBW magazine that was a Cinderella satire, in which the fat heroine, trying to diet for the Prince's ball, carelessly forgot to remove the skin from her dragonbreast, and "poof," the magic of her diet spell was broken, and she soon gained all of the weight back. I guess, I have always been mystified about the "magical" thinking that dieting encourages. I mean think about all of the dieting superstitions that exist, and I'm sure that we all can find at least one that we believe or have believed in the past. I just find it fascinating.

I think a big barrier to me in the past has been buying into too many of the superstitions. It's been a struggle to just sort fact from fiction, and cultural expectations from what works for me. I mean how many of us, without even thinking about it, always start a diet on Monday? Or, if we eat off plan, binge (or at least eat off plan) the rest of the day (or if it's on a friday, until Monday)? Those of you going to meetings to weigh in, do you remove jewelry before getting on the scale (how much does that tiny necklace weigh anyway?) or have a "lucky" weigh-in outfit?

I think it is important to challenge our superstitions and stereotypes, but sometimes we have to work with the stubborn ones, and play "mindgames" with ourselves until we break through the superstition, or learn to cope with them. I didn't mean to exempt myself from the process, it works the same way with me, and I think everyone. Superstitions are stubborn (as anyone with a "lucky" anything should know), and even sometimes become part of who we are. I just find it very interesting.

You know, Colleen, I found your post on superstitions to be very thoughtful, and it gave me a new way to look at things that I am doing. I did find it interesting, though, to see that you have chosen a 4-leaf clover on your weight tracker. :D Those superstitions are a little challenging to break, huh?

LaurieDawn, That is funny, especially since I never even thought of luck when I picked my tracker. I picked the Celtic Knots in honor of my scottish and irish heritage, and the clover was the only reasonably compatible slider (I really didn't like it, and was hoping for a little leprechaun or pixie or something). Funny though.

Darn, went to the tracker settups, and there's still no cute "irish" sliders, the armadillo or the snail might apply though, since I've been making such sloooooow progress.

I watched part of the Brookhaven marathon yesterday and at least some of the residents are on a 1500 calorie diet. Maybe that's what they put the men on, but just as a point of clarification, not all of those people are eating 1200 calories.

I know I'm not that active on this board and I don't know all of you as well as you know each other, but I read pretty much everything and I have to say that I'm pretty discouraged at all the 'most plateaus are your own fault' comments. I haven't lost weight for a year and it certainly hasn't been for lack of trying. Yes, I slacked on the calorie counting after I moved in March, but that's because I hadn't lost anything since September of last year and I was so discouraged. The only change I made was to stop swimming (though I did not stop exercising), and that was because I had a shoulder issue that made swimming too painful.

Maybe there is something medically wrong with me that the doctors can't figure out. Maybe it's the fact that I never ate much junk to begin with, so there's not much to cut out. But the fact remains that I have been on a plateau for a really, really long time no matter what I do, so I'm proof that it happens. Lucky me.

Caroline -

I wish I had known they had a Brookhaven Marathon. That show inspires me in a way no other show ever has. And I do need a bit of inspiration.

I just spent some time reading your blog. You write so well, with such a great sense of humor. I really do think it might be a good investment of your time to go see a doctor if you continue to struggle like you have been. It sounds like you're emerging from it somewhat, so maybe you've found your answer. But it sounds like you've worked really hard and haven't seen the results that should have been there. Especially since you're tracking all of your food now, it might be a good time to go get some input from your doctor. There are medical reasons why losing weight is difficult or even impossible, and it would be great to get the problem identified if that's your obstacle. Then, perhaps treatment would make it easier to lose.

I don't know that anyone meant to imply that every plateau was the dieter's fault. Rather, I think the point was that plateaus are not inevitable. I don't think anyone thinks that your struggles are resulting from your lack of hard work or dedication.

I really admire your perseverance. I don't know that I could have stuck in as long as you have if I wasn't getting any results. My results have not been favorable lately, but that's because of identifiable bad choices. I can't imagine being as strong as you are after such a hard road. I hope that you've figured out the key with the Wendie plan!