I have been doing so well! The suddenly, BAM! In comes my period and 3 extra pounds. My diet and exercise routine hasn't changed. The batteries in the scale are fine. It's my damn body thats out of wack.

What gives? Is this water weight? And if so, shouldn't it have gone away once my period ended? I got so mad this morning, I kicked the scale. HARD!!! (And I hurt my toe too!)

How is it I can get up, weight in at 214 and after going to the bathroom (1 and 2) how do I gain a pound? HUHHHH?????? Is this some sort of crush Seashell's spirt conspiracy? Are the scale demons at work here?


My goal was 209 for Sunday. Now, at 215, it isn't going to happen. If weight gain wasn't bad enough, I missed my first goal. Ever. I am really depressed and I want to curl up in bed with a bag of chips. (No, I won't really, but thats how I feel). I was so excited about Onderland for chirstmas. I don't think that's going to happen now. 15 pounds in 1 month is way to much to expect. I'm going to go have a really good cry now. Maybe some of this water will leak out I can get back on track? How long does one have to cry to get rid of 3 pounds of water?

Thanks for listening to me moan.

yea probably is water people store water due to different reasons women do store water during there periods mind you i tend to store more water weight on a full moon. have you eaten anything unusuall in the last few days sodium causes water storage drinking less water causes water storage. they say that at around 240 upto 12lbs could be stored water

Don't worry Seashell it will come off! I hate that time of the month as well, I swell up like a big ol blimp! I understand your frustration!!!!

Hang in there!! You have done so well- I just hope I do as well as you.

Don't get discouraged- stay on course- keep doing what you have been doing and all will be well!

I'm sorry that is hard to deal with. I'm sure it is water and it will come off as quick as it came on. I know a lot of ladies on here don't weigh in during TOM. Maybe you should try weighing once a month. I know how hard that is though. I've tried it and can't do it myself. Cheer up you have still made some wonderful progress. Don't let the little set backs ruin the big plan.

Seashell, I completely understand how frustrating it can be....but don't lose sight of the big picture: You've lost 72 pounds in 5 months. It's ok if you have to wait a week after TOM to see another loss! Look at how far you've come, and then see the road before you. It's already happening very quickly, so you're doing beautifully! On that road before you there will be bumps -- it's inevitable -- so ready yourself for those times when you'll just have to ride it out. It's hard, but really, you're doing great.

Don't lose sight of the big picture!

Seashell ~ hang in there ~ you have done a wonderful job so far ~ the weight will start coming off again. I hope to have your success one day.

I know how it feels, I've had a few stalls too. Once I even went and bought a new scale hoping that my old one was wrong.It wasn't. Infact sence then the new litheum battery scale has dropped dead. It says I weigh 140. So I'm back useing the old scale. Stick it out and you'll be back on track soon.

Weighing more than once per day is POINTLESS, even if your scale is perfect. Pick a time and weigh each day (if you must) under consistent conditions then STAY OFF THE SCALE. As you've proven to yourself already, you only upset yourself otherwise. Why do it when the data is meaningless anyway? If you are doing what you should be doing the weight will come off eventually. It just doesn't drop off like clockwork, the body is much too complicated, with lots of checks and balances and systems and mechanisms that affect weight but don't have ANYTHING to do with losing fat over the long haul.

If weighing every day under consistent conditions still stress you out and discourages you, then stop. Weigh once per week at most. Even then, you just have to learn to accept that your body is going to sometimes retain water for reasons that are unclear to you, or you will experience delayed reactions to following your plan and going off plan. I can stick to my program perfectly for weeks at a time and still experiece odd scale readings. For example, my last 4 weekly weighins showed the following:

30-Oct 1.7 lost
6-Nov 0
13-Nov 3.1
20-Nov 0.7

This had nothing to do with how well I followed my plan or anything else, it's just what my body decided to do that week. The important thing is that the numbers go down over the long term.

Shelley, I retain anywhere from 3-7 pounds of water during TOM. Don't let that get you down. It will go away as quick as it came. I just don't weigh during that time. Without fail I know that I will have gained as opposed to losing. Next week all will be well.

I know how dissappointing it can be to not make that first goal. I think sarah said it best.
Look how close you are to that goal. So what if you are one week late in getting there. I know there's some nice sweet sappy quote about the trip getting there is worth more than actually making it there or something. You have don a wonderful job so far and I have no doubt that you will reach your ultimate goal.

P.S. I have a nice tanita scale and I can get 3 different weights depending on how I stand on the thing. I usually just weigh once but sometimes I'm like you and want to know if I've lost anymore after a bathroom trip. I take the first measurement I get and disregard anything else.

Yeah, I suppose it could be TOM or another source of water retention...nah, I'm going with the scale demon theory! After all, you must have really pissed them off losing all that weight, so they've devised a way to exact revenge and mess with your mind. I figure the best course of action is to kill'em - starve the buggers. Do everything in your power not to step on that scale for a week (better yet, two weeks) so they'll either die from lack of attention or get bored and go torment someone else (preferably current spouses of ex-husbands).

P.S. You HAVE done so wonderfully, so I insist that you revel in your success more than you want to wallow in your frustration. This, too, (like the water) will pass.

Thanks Everyone. You cheered me up and reminded me of what I already knew. Sometimes I just need a kick in the @$$ to get me out of the pitty pool. I love the idea of starving the scale demons! 1 week it is. I don't think I could handle 2! I weigh in twice a day as it is. I know, I know, slow torture . . .

Thanks Chicks!

I REALLY DON'T GET IT NOW!!!!!!

I pigged out at Thanksgiving! PIGGED OUT! I ate potatos, noodles, stuffing, went so high over by carb count I was sick to my stomach. I felt soo huge! Dreading the scale today, but I did it. And lost weight? What the heck? I'm so confussed! (But I like it!)

I'm so glad to see I am not the only one who weighs in more than once a day. I admit it, I am a slave to the scale. I just need to know for my own purposes I guess. I feel better knowing all the time. I know perhaps it is not the most healthiest thing, but I guess we are all different!