Gaining inches, not gaining weight
 

Girls, help me!

I've reached my goal weight about a week ago. Since then, I've tried to adhere to my exercising schedule, 30 mins every day (though not as religiously as before), but I've definitely eaten more. I figured I had to find the consumption level at which I maintained, and if it turned out to be too much I could always re-lose 1 or 2 lbs.

Well, there is definitely something fishy going on. My weight is still a shining 142 lbs. But I have gained inches! Some pants do not fit as well as they used to. I'm convinced I look bigger, this might be due to mood if it was one day, but I have found this for 4 days consistently. My mom also thinks I look bigger. I was finally starting to like my own reflection, but I like it less now. I don't have measures to back it up, but I'm pretty sure I really gained some fat tissue. My muscles, ribs and clavicles are less prominent than before.

Can anyone explain to me how this is possible? I mean, physiologically? Muscle doesn't waste that fast, right?

The only explanation I can think of myself is the fact that I have been menstruating for the past 14 days. I have a Mirena IUD and my periods come at odd times; sometimes nothing for 6 months or so and sometimes I have 2 week periods every 2 months (like now). This might be doing odd things to my water retention (does that even show on the outside?) but then I'd expect the scale to show this too.

Help me! I don't understand my body any more. I've gone back to my weight loss schedule because I don't really want to find out I gained 10 lbs all of a sudden, but I don't really intend to lose more. I don't want to become a stick figure with saggy breasts.

Having your period makes you puffy. Also, you said you have increased your eating...what kind of eating? Is it possible that you are eating less healthy stuff and more sodium, etc. That will also make you look kind of puffy, bloat out your tummy...while your underlying weight may actually still be "dropping" so your scale keeps saying 142 as water weight is masking the true number(Depending on your calorie levels), you may just be carrying around some water weight/ bloat/ even gassiness that will make things not fit as well.

There is another possibility...you are suffering slightly from your brain not catching up to your body...it happens to a lot of us. I KNOW that I am a Size 4. I see what my jeans look like off my body...small...but sometimes I look at myself in the mirror and I SWEAR I don't look thin. It can be really disconcerting...but I am slowly getting there. While water weight and gas might make you look slightly more puffy in the face and make things snugger in the waist, it just isn't possible that your collar bones would be that much less noticeable. My guess is that the little changes in face and at your waistband are making you "see" things elsewhere on your body. It simply hasn't been long enough for your muscle mass to have changed, etc. As for your mom, my guess is that you "suggested" to her that you looked bigger so she is seeing it now too.

Anyway, that is my two cents worth...good luck finding your perfect balance! It isn't all that easy actually. I am still working on the right "calorie and exercise niche" after a month at goal.