So after my little hiatus Friday night, I was expecting the scale to punish me a little bit. Maybe by having a very small loss or even staying the same…….

But UP 1.4 LBS???!!!!! I am furious! I was up a pound on Friday too so between my last 2 WI I am up 2.4 lbs. Not cool!

I really don’t get it. Besides my dinner out Friday night I was POP all weekend. Shouldn’t whatever damage I did on Friday be canceled out by now?

It’s very discouraging to see that kind of gain just from one bad evening. It’ll take me forever to get that back off. I don’t like it. It’s making me lose faith in the program a little bit. I’m not going to be perfect all the time, I’m just not. So every time I slip up I’ll undo a week’s worth of hard work?

And you know what, my counselor gave me some really stupid advice. She said that my body doesn’t know what to do w/ itself on the weekends b/c I sleep in. She said I should get up and eat some protein and go back to bed instead of waiting until I get up to eat. I’m sorry but that’s just not going to happen. I work so hard during the week and get so little sleep that I really need those extra couple of hours on the weekends. Does anyone else think that she was reaching just a little bit?

And what about the whole no starches or fruits after dinner thing? I haven’t really been paying attention to that and just kind of eating my foods whenever I felt like it. Is this really going to impact my weight loss this negatively? They are really hung up on that. I have 10 starches & 5 fruits so it’s really hard to get them all in before dinner.

Sorry, if I sound negative……I’m just really mad and scared. I don’t like that it is this easy to gain.

Don't get yourself down. Don't be discourged. Did you manage to get in all of your water? Maybe you ate something a little higher in sodium?

I almost spit my water out reading what your councelor told you to do!! What a joke!!

Stay positive. It will come back on in no time.

Jill, Weight just fluctates. Up and down in about a 3 pound range, naturally from day to day, depending on a whole host of things. 1.4 pounds is very little really. I know it seems like a lot, but it isn't. When I go out, the stuff is often salty, so the pounds will stick around for a couple of days, often lasting more than one day actually. So you could be just seeing the results from more salt. Especially if you have not exercised.

I think a lot of the things they tell us are really just a way to keep us going, and not really useful advice. So my advice is to not let the scale get you down. It will start moving again. You may have cancelled out a couple of days of progress, but give your body a few more days to see where it is at.

LAWL is a good solid plan, but it has no special magic that is going to make the scale go down every time. Try drinking a lot of water today and see if it is just salt (I am very sensitive to salt myself and will often gain 7 pounds from a single salty meal the day after, and it is down to 4 two days after and about a pound 3 days after, so I think you might be like me).

You can still do this, even if the scale blips up. Afterall the scale is just your weight, with water and clothes and food in your stomach, and not how much fat you've lost. You could still be losing fat even with the scale showing a slight up.

I know Polar isn't that stupid? I know she means well, but really.

Barb I feel like you're my personal mentor today! Thanks for your reply on my "Challenges" thread also! I will be taking alot of your advice. Water w/ a slice of lime for me bartender thank you very much!

I've definately got my work cut out for me right now. With the scale not cooperating and all of the social activities I have planned this is going to be challenging to say the least.

I'll hang in there, I don't have a choice do I? The alternative is just gaining more weight and feeling crappy again. Not an option!

I will beat this scale down! They did give me one good piece of advice and that is to go back to a week when I was seeing great results and do the exact same things. I can do that.

Jill Don't you just love Barb! I always appreciate her advice! One other thought, the first time I really went out and drank the way I used to I weighed in the next day and I was down like 3.5 lbs! What? I was sooo excited! It was my birthday so I was like happy birthday to me! Whoo! That was Sat. after drinking friday night. Then I weighed in on Tuesday and I was up like 2.5? It was because I was dehydrated drinking alcohol dehydrates you.... so depending on when you weighed in this may be the same for you... ? Just a thought. But I do have to say that you can do this, of course it's not going to be easy, but you will be sooo happy with the results! So keep on keeping on sista!

You may be on to something Cec. I drank for the first time on Tuesday night and was down 3 lbs @ my WI on Thursday.

Stupid alcohol. I think it really wrecked my metabolism. Hopefully, I'll get back to normal and see a loss at my Wed WI. I should be back on track after a whole week don't you think??

I just can't believe that a couple of nights out can stall you like this. No wonder I have gained so much weight. Guess I've learned my lesson. It is TOTALLY NOT WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!

The other thing it's sometimes hard to remember is that the food or drink you consume today, won't really show up on the scale as "real" weight for a couple of days.. Same thing with they way being good/exercising shows up.. The weight you see after a food/drink bender the next day is water/physical food weight still in your system..

You are going to go up and down throughout any given week. This is the reason I only WI once a week. Three times just discourages me, which affects my eating. I am no expert but I would say your Friday splurge probably has you retaining water from sodium. Make sure you get at least 8 glasses daily, 10 if you can and by this Friday you will likely be back down (fingers crossed). Don't give up!

Hi Jill!

GO NOT GIVE UP!
Stacy is right-weighing in three times a week can be a curse. It can help keep you accountable but it can also trigger bad moods as you see that your weight can fluctuate by A LOT.

Barb is definitely right (as always!)-it's totally natural to go up and down throughout the day, throughout the week-don't let it get you down! If you stay on this plan-YOU WILL lose it! Just don't let those cheat days become a habit! That's what has really stalled me!


Stacy- Welcome! We are the same height and almost the same weight! Good to have you!

Relax, it happens. Our weight naturally fluctuates. It isn't unusual to be up a pound one day and down two the next. As long as it isn't a SIGNIFICANT gain, like over 5-10 lbs you're fine.

hi Sunflower! Wow you are in Chico! My brother goes to Chico State!

Our friend Barb (on this site) went there too!!

Are you on LAWL?

Yeah, i go to Chico State and am in my last semester. I absolutely love it here....is your brother still here?

Reminder to all-
A pound of weight lost or gained equals 3500 calories (give or take). So for the most part the fluctuations in our weight from day to day are related to water. Unless you are eating 3500 calories when OP.
Our bodies contain a large amount of water which is stored in our cells, veins, CNS system, and interstitial fluids. If our bodies contains 60% water then it goes that this category has more ability to fluctuate. If you weigh 200# that could be as much as 120# of water to move around.
That is were some people get into trouble with daily weighing. I weigh daily but do not obsess over fluctuations. I use my daily weight to tell me how I did the day before. too much salt? too much wine?
Fat loss (which is what we are really looking for) is a long term trend down not the daily movement of the scale.
Weight loss is a mechanical process for our bodies but an emotional issue for our minds. All of us react in an emotional way to what is really just mechanics. This is science not magic.

Chico State.. When I was in school in the 90's, Chico had quite the reputation as a party school.. I knew a girl who went there and she was constantly going on and on about the parties. I'm sure that's still a good way to describe it. Chico isn't far from Redding, right? A good friend of mine from College is the Chief Meterologist for the ABC affiliate in Redding.. Mike Kruger is his name...

Yeah my bro is a junior there now. And as far as I can see it's still one big party up there! I had never been to Chico before he moved up there and it's quite the town. He absolutely loves it and I'm glad. We grew up in socal so now that both of us are up north we've gotten to see how the rest of the state lives!

Welcome Sunflower!