Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Weight 10/7/08

Weighed 219 at 8:15 AM. That puts me at 6.54 over my revised goal for today. I will be resetting my goal today. I am at one my plateaus. About 20 years ago my weight was in the 215 -218 lb area for several years.

Plateaus are related to the set points that were set by our bodies when we were at a given weight range for a long period of time after a weight gain. They are created by a weight gain caused by a change in diet or exercise or both. A change in metabolism as we age is also a factor. If the weight gain breaks through a plateau and the new weight is maintained for some time, another plateau is created.

When we are losing weight our body reaches a previous set point and resists going any lower, because that is the last set point in its memory. It wants to maintain that weight. This is related to the "starvation avoidance" mechanism in our bodies. Once we break through it, going down, then the body will allow itself to lose weight steadily until it reaches the next set point in memory. It may be that the length of the plateau is related to the length of time we were at that set point.

My experience with weight loss efforts has taught me that there are times when it requires more attention than at other times. At such times your weight management must have a higher priority if you are to continue to lose or maintain your weight. There are times when life dictates that it can't be a high priority. At such times you have to live with the cruel reality that your body only responds to the calories consumed minus the calories burned law. In the mean time you have to live with the consequences.

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