Patch Takes It Off: Jumping Off the Plateau

I was feeling a bit perplexed ( and downright fitful) that my weight loss had hit a plateau at 17 pounds.  I was losing an average of 1.8 pounds a week but for the last few weeks, nothing.  I had not changed my routine of walking and eating healthy, so I was at a loss as to what to do.  Should I eat less? Should I walk more? Should I run?  Should I cut off a thigh? The answer came to me (of all places) in Disney World.

This is how it happened: after Irene rudely smashed two cars in our driveway and flooded our basement with a foot of water,  my husband and I decided not to cancel our vacation to Disney World and to indulge oursleves in food and fun as revenge on Irene. The trip was already paid for, (and I am too cheap to lose the money) so indulge we did.  We wined and dined on food I couldn't pronounce or prepare at home; we ate Mickey Bars, caramel corn, cheddar cheese soup with beer, bratwurst and the list goes on and on. Not the healthiest food at all times, but Irene was still bugging me, so I went for the comfort of eating often.  I figured I would probably pay for my binge with a few extra pounds, but I also kept up my daily morning walking routine (Disney resorts have the best walking paths) and walked throughout the day in the parks. I had hoped that the weight gain wouldn't be too bad.

 Well, imagine my surprise (and glee) when I got home and the scale had not moved an iota. I weighed the same as when I left. How could this be? Yes, I walked a lot but I was eating constantly so how could I not have packed on the pounds? Then a piece of info I had forgotten from Weight Watchers came into my mind:  If you don't eat enough, your body thinks you're starving, so your metabolism slows down and consequently, you don't lose weight. There was my answer: Before Disney World, I was not eating enough to accomodate my increased walking and so my metabolism slowed. In Disney World, my food intake was frequent, so my body was constantly metabolizing.

So, with this regained knowledge what can I do?  First of all, I cannot eat the kinds of food I ate at Disney World, nor can I walk all day.  But what if I ate more good food more frequently than I do now? What if I ate healthy snacks a few times a day; apples, nuts, string cheese, yogurt?  Would my metabolism speed up?  Would I finally be off this plateau and lose the three pounds that keep me from my goal weight?

Time will tell, because as of now I am eating 5-6  times a day, all healthy foods.  I'll let you know if it works.