I've been under the weather, and haven't posted much, but have been lurking. Loved the calorie counting geek post- that was funny, and a bit too close to home for me. Glad I'm not the only geek.
My amazing "luck" has come to an end... my weight is going up a bit, even though my exercise hasn't stopped, nor has my calorie counting. I am assuming this is a common part of weight loss? The weight fluctuates a bit, up and then down, and hopefully when it goes down, it's lower than before the last up?
Hi Gingercakes. The first thing we need to remember is that the scale is a liar! It measures not just fat but muscle, bone, water, etc... A person's weight can fluctuate wildly from day to day, especially women's. Just having a salty dinner can make the scale go up a pound or two the next day. If you're consistently undereating (eating less calories then you burn), and exercising, and the scale doesn't show a loss, get off, call it a liar and weigh again the next day. I only track my losses. I weigh every morning but I never write down a gain, just a loss. It's the downward trend you're aiming for. You may have days or even weeks where the scale doesn't seem to be cooperating. Just hang in there. If you are sticking to your plan and carefully and honestly tracking every calorie you consume, the weight will come off.
I always track the losses, not the gains. Sometimes you have a week or two where the scale sits just a bit above your lowest...as long as it is SITTING there, not going up, its an ok thing. However, if you have been off-plan or etc for a few days, and you see the scale moving upward, its obviously time to re-evaluate/get back on track. Bottom line - up and down fluctuations are NORMAL, even within a 10 pound or so range.
I usually find that my weight does fluctuate a bit up 1 one day and then down 1 the next right before my weeks where I have a larger weekly loss. So I guess I seem to have a good week and not so good week a not so good week. Over the course of the week thought I always have seemed to net a loss though. My trend so far seems to be lose around three pounds one week the next week is 1 and then maybe 2.5. Every other week I lose one pound. That is just the trend so far. This week may be different since I upped my calories a bit.
ShowSkiMom said exactly what I was going to say -- and I loved the part about calling the scale a liar! Cause you know it SO is a liar... except when it shows a loss!
I like that... it's only a liar if it goes up. If it goes down, consider it a reliable, trustworthy source.
Seriously, that is great advice... the scale can make or break someone like me, who's a scale watcher. So we will remember two words when interacting with our scale....
Question for Big Losers and others.....
Loved the calorie counting geek post- that was funny, and a bit too close to home for me. Glad I'm not the only geek. 
