Excellent post Val...

I too get a little miffed by the superstitious witch hunts for "stall inducing food". I also cast a cynical eye to people who say they react to sugar alcohols like genuine sugar.

Perhaps the reason the stall broke when you removed say, faux candy bars and peanut butter, is because you created a 300 calorie deficit, not because the foods themselves were "stalling" you? Maybe the reason you stall when you eat sugar alcohols is because they taste sweet, and sweet is a flavor that you were deprived so you overdo it and eliminate a good size of your calorie deficit?

Don't mistake me, I totally believe that there are some foods which can stall people. I have heard that moldy foods can cause problems in some which might be true, and I personally can attest that too much splenda in people who exhibit a strong insulin response will bring back old symptoms (splenda is bulked with maltodextrin, a carb worse than HFCS GI-wise). Whenever I eat too many home made treats sweetened with splenda, I am sure it causes my insulin to surge (which then causes subsequent low blood sugar, which causes the shakiness and irritability).

What miffs me are the people who eliminate tons of calories when they eliminate foods, and then decide the reason they were stalling is because "they just can't have sugar alcohols" or "they just can't have peanuts" or what have you.