[jillybean720]

I agree--excellent analogy, fiddler.

I will preface this by saying that I have had a similar experience to that which others have mentioned. I was consuming an average of 1200 calories a day and eventually plateaued for almost 4 months. For 4 months of eating 1200 calories a day, I just played with the same 2-3 pounds over and over again. THen I moved and changed my routine and started eating more like 1600-1800 calories a day, and I lost 10 pounds in a month. Was I in "starvation mode?" I doubt it--I think my body just needed a change to wake it up.

I also agree that the term "starvation mode" is tossed around way too frequently. If someone has been eating less for a few days and asks why they haven't lost any weight, people are immediately jumping in to point out that they are obviously in "starvation mode." After just a few days? Umm, no. Even after a week or two...again, no.

While on the topic of pet peeves, how about this one: "How do I break this plateau? I didn't change anything--still eat and exercise the same--but I haven't lost any weight this week!" UGH, why does someone think it's such a major problem to not lose weight for 1 week, or heck, even 2? Patience, grasshopper

Oh, and on the "muscle weighs more than fat" thing--it depends on how you look at it. This is a true statement if you are comparing 2 same-sized samples of each. For example if you take 1 cubic inch of fat and 1 cubic inch of muscle, then yes, the muscle weighs more than the fat. Everyone knows that a pound (or kg or whatever) is a pound and that no, a POUND of muscle does not weigh more than a POUND of fat

Okay, last one (I promise)--"I've been exercising, but I haven't lost any weight [or have gained weight]. Is it because I'm losing fat but gaining muscle?" Umm, not likely. For a woman to build actual POUNDS of muscle takes a lot of work and a lot of time. I once read an article that said an average woman who did weight training 4 times a week for an entire year (and actually increased the weights when needed, which many people forget to do) would only gain up to 5 pounds of muscle. So no, if you've gained 3 pounds in a week, it most likely is NOT muscle. It may be your muscles retaining additional water while they heal or something else related to exercise, but not muscle.

[/rant]