Well, gain for no reason that I can think of that is, I imagine there is a reason out there is the mystical world of weight loss.

I did well this week, stayed on plan, etc. I've been losing steadily for the past few weeks (maybe 5 or 6 weeks?). Before then, I had gained a bit, but I knew why, I had binged. So this is the first time that I've gained without an explanation. (Up 1.2 lbs-was 240.6, now 241.8)

And I'm so frustrated!

I was thinking, I've heard that stress causes weight gain--now maybe this is a myth that we tell ourselves to avoid the fact that we eat too much and move to little. But I have two presentations this week, and one next week. I've been working non stop to get them ready. It's been really hard work, and one of the presentation is on this text that is totally and completely incomprehensible. That presenatation is today. I was working on it for hours yesterday, feeling so stressed, and I thought to myself "AH! I'm so stressed! I can just feel myself gaining weight!" But didn't take it seriously.

Thoughts?

Yea, I think stress can kick you, although I only have my own experience to go on. Go ROCK your presentation, celebrate with a healthy snack afterwards, drink loads of water and then pamper yourself with a hot bath and smellies later today.

And drink lots more water

Oh, hot bath..that sounds perfect! Great idea, that will be in my weekend plans (and it will motivate me to clean the tube!)

I do think stress can have a huge impact on our weight!

You will do great with your presentations and next week you will see a whoosh on the scale... that is my fortune cookie answer for you

You ladies are making me feel better! Thanks so much, I really need it too!

Just remember that 1.2 pounds is a little more than 2 cups of water. A little extra sodium, a cold coming on, PMS, stress...there are as many reasons why your body is holding 2 cups of water as Hines has pickles. I mean, if you are 100% perfectly on plan, you KNOW it is not fat...right?

It may not even be stress... it may just be the normal vicissitudes...

I every single time I go down, I bounce around one to four pounds above that lowest weight for at least a week.

It's frustrating... but it seems like part of the bargain.

Don't let it get to you.

As long as you were faithfully on plan you have no reason to be concerned. It's most likely a normal fluctuation that will work itself out. We can't always explain these things, we just have to get used to them. You will see that it is normal and natural and again, as long as you've stayed strictly on plan, you don't even have to think twice about it.

^^ This.

1.2 pounds is nothing at all. Fluid swings can be up to 4 pounds depending upon your body. You can hold fluids from having a little more sodium than usual, from exercising (your muscles hold onto water when repairing themselves after exercising), from being dehydrated and then drinking a lot of water in a relatively short time to make up for it, and probably even from (as you've surmised) stress.

My fluid swings are about 3 pounds and they are frustrating to no end. The important thing to remember is that if you eat fewer calories than you burn over a long period of time, you will lose weight. That long period of time is longer than a day, and it's longer than a week.

Don't let day-to-day or even week-to-week fluctuations get you down. You didn't get fat in a week, or even in a month. You're not going to get trim in that time either.

Thanks guys, I guess you're all right, in the long term, 1.2 lbs isn't a huge deal. I will do better next week!