I think we do a disservice to people to group them into two distinct categories like this. People are constantly evolving and changing and the person that might not have been able to learn moderation may learn it next year or next decade.

One can say there are two types of people, those that can conquer their weight issues and lose weight and those who can't. I've been obese since childhood, if you'd talked to me in early 2003, you could have said I was one of the ones unable to control my weight. I started low-carbing, in September 2003 and lost 100 lbs in less than a year. I have been maintaining my weight loss (and losing more) for about a year and half now.

I think Frederick is probably more accurate in his analysis of overeating than Woo though. I do think it's human nature to do what makes you feel good, for some people that's eating.

I also think that to say that we can discuss issues of moderating eating while NOT factoring in metabolic sensitivities (I'm assuming this includes carbohydrate sensitivity and insulin resistance) is an exercise is futility. It's an integral part of the discussion. When I'm not low-carbing I have little or no ability to moderate my eating, the carb/blood sugar/insulin cycle is stronger than my willpower and I overeat on poor nutritional choices in response to hunger and cravings. I have about as much chance of not overeating in response to that cycle as I have to stopping breathing. I can do it for a minute or two, but after that, the body kicks in and forces you to start breathing again. My only saving grace is that in the couple of days that I can make willpower override my carbohydrate/insulin issues, I can eat low carb and disarm the carb/insulin cycle.

Stress seems like a red herring to me. I'm not sure we really have more stress in today's society than they did 100 or 200 years ago. Different stress to be sure, but there has always been stress in the world. Now, on an individual level, dealing with stress no doubt can help with conquering overeating, just as learning our individual triggers to overeating and our own tricks to moderating food help, but I don't think any one way of dealing with stress or dealing with food will work for all people. Each person has to find their own way.

Val