I'm sorry if this is too personal but I have something on my mind. Its about that TOM(should be getting it today or tomorrow) for me and I am up 3 pounds from Friday. Is this normal? Its so depressing to see the scale go up like that when I'm working my butt off. The reason I jumped on the scale is because I was feeling so fat, and wanted to see what I weighed ugh!

Yep! That happens to many women! We tend to retain water before TOM. It is depressing, but if you know to expect it, it is less surprising! And at least it goes away quickly!

Oh yeah. Definitely I can put on 3-6 lbs water weight right before TOM.

.

TOM easily adds 4 or 5 lbs for me. A few days ago I blipped up 4 pounds from a high sodium day. I've learned to take the scale numbers with a grain of salt, so to speak.

So after TOM does it go away like it was never there or do I have to work to get that weight back off? I know this is such a dumb question. Thanks so much!

What's worked on the most part for me is increasing my water intake to get rid of the water retention. That, and staying away from the kitchen.... which I'm still working on. But yes, I get anywhere from a 2-6 pound gain before TOM. And then I don't look until the end of the week or I drive myself crazy.

It's just fluid and water retention Dawn. You won't have to work to get it back off if you've been on plan because it isn't a gain comprised of fat.
I often gain a few before and during, then BAM like Emeril, it's off plus some afterwards.

To add, my charts from the last two months. Where my cycle is happening is noted with a red arrow....

You can see how it spikes up and then drops again. You can also see where I haven't been losing a ton this last week- week and a half with some EVIL PMS and sore muscles from weight lifting - water retention x 2!

I also gain right before TOM, and mine doesn't drop back off until the week after, so essentially two weeks out of every month are high. Bleh. You probably felt fat because of all that extra water!

I'm so upset about this... ugh I am still at 205 and I was at 202 before TOM.

hee hee...TOM, huh? I grew up saying that "Aunt Flo" was coming to visit (or was visiting).

Anyhow...just before her visit, I gained 3 pounds. As soon as she left, I lost it again. The first day she was here was also the day I binged at the BBQ!

Dont give up, Dawn..that 13 pounds is nothing to shake a stick at! Chances are that it will suddenly drop off again within the next few days.

We call it Martha among my friends. Sometimes it takes me awhile to drop back down. TOM started for me today and I'm back up to 193 but I don't put too much thought into it. (this week, had I lost a pound, I would be down to 191). Oh well, roll with the punches.

Um, I woke up this morning (1 day before TOM) and couldn't put my rings on!!! My usual rings, which usually slide on and off very well, would NOT budge. I wouldn't even go NEAR a scale during TOM. I totally agree with the salt intake comments, especially since most diet foods tend to be very high in sodium. Good luck, and congrats on your progress!

I'm not usually a TOM fluid retainer, I just get horrible headaches and anxiety ...I think I would rather gain a few pounds the week before!!! I agree with roughc, I would avoid the scale that week. I wouldn't weigh for at least 4 days before to 3 days after start.

i also gain water during TOM.. but personally i think the b***chy woman that comes with it is part of the weight gain lol.. when TOM is gone, she is gone, as well as those extra lbs