I have one serious problem in all my diets... it is called the mega plateau. But I had a thought the other day and wanted to ask about it.
When I hit the plateau, everyone tells me to eat more. And I do. However, most of the food is small calorie intense food. More eggs; More bread, more protein. I have never loved fruits or veggies so I don't immediately go to them when I eat more - I tend to reserve them for diet days. Although I may eat a little more fruits or veggies on a high day. My diet is pretty solid so what tends to get added is the stuff I can't normally have. I notice this never works. I simply gain. And usually hand over foot. I have always noticed that it takes a significant time to get back to normal metabolism. Like 4 months. But usually the problem is that I gain back weight. But I don't get that because I count calories... yet I have to eat a lot to get the metabolism back.
So after a year off of dieting and gaining some weight back (15 of 48) on purpose to get back to the good metabolism, I lost 10 lbs. I am zig zaging and on one of my high days I went way over... and thought I was going to die. My stomach capacity had shrunk. What I could eat pre diet, I could no longer eat.
I had a thought, what if the thing that tells your metabolism to slow is stomach capacity. And that people who eat lots of high volume - low calorie foods on a diet - will keep the metabolism running at full force? Although I am zig zagiing this time, again, that might be the day one candy bar can take all my calories (or if I have a work event - even a few crackers and cheese). These foods, high in calories, do nothing to increase stomach capacity.
I think specifically of Glory87 here and Rockin Robin, who were successful but talk often about eating a lot of volume foods. I also did some googling and noticed that people who participate in food eating contests often will eat mounds of lettuce and cabbage to keep their stomach capacity high. Then I thought of WW's who used to always talk about eating a salad before your meal. The reason was always to "allow you to feel full". For me that never was an issue. I am apparently very good at depriving myself without issues. So if I am not full I am easily able to tell my body to shut up.
So what do you guys think,
If you eat a ton of volume foods when dieting like, cabbage, salad, carrots, water etc... do you hit plateaus?
If you don't eat a ton of that and focus only on calories, which may mean a lot of low volume foods - eggs, bread, nuts, an occasional candy bar / ice cream, shakes, etc.. do you hit plateaus?
If there is another thread on this let me know. I know there is a diet called volumetrics. I have ordered the book.
Thanks.