Hi everyone, OK I have been exercising so well lately, the past week I had an amazing dieting week, exercised every morning before school - ate lots of protien - and gained one pound! WTF? I was expecting a 3lb lost AT LEAST! I never went over my points any day of the week and didn't drink alcohol AND didn't even use any of my 35 freebie points. Maybe, I need something to boost my metabolism? If anyone has any suggestions, please HELP!!!! I'm open and to any and all ideas. thanks everyone. Happy Thanksgiving!

If the exercise was unaccustomed and you're sore, your muscles may be retaining water. Also your monthly cycle can make you hold water. Stress and lack of sleep can make you retain water. Constipation could be a factor. Lots of things. And I don't know how many calories you're eating, but if you're always shooting for the low end, you can end up shooting yourself in the foot because your metabolism slows down. Sounds crazy, but time after time, women on this board get off a plateau by increasing their calories. Maybe you just have a lot of these things all at once, and next week you'll drop again.

But one thing that really helps me when the scale doesn't do what I think it should, and I find myself worrying - is to remind myself that with what I'm eating and with my activity level, there is no way I am actually gaining any real weight. So therefore it IS water, so therefore I will wait it out. This assumes, of course, that you've looked at your eating honestly and know that you aren't eating at gaining levels. And you sound like you're not eating too much.

Are you about to start your period? I experienced the same thing yesterday and then got my period.

I'm not a weight watcher, but...

The scale fluctuates! There are lots of reason for this, including at least one that applies to you (modified exercise routine), plus other possibles like hormones, sodium intake, etc.

One week doesn't make a pattern. If you want long term metabolic boosting effects, though, try incorporating weight lifting if you aren't already.

If you are exercising and not using your freebie points maybe you aren't eating enough? I know that sounds counter intuitive, but eating too little can cause your body to hold onto weight. But, I do agree that one week isn't long enough to tell if this is what''s going on. If this pattern continues, I'd make sure you get those extra points in.

There is no way you can gain 3 lbs of fat or muscle in that short amount of time if you're staying within points. It's probably just water.

When you eat carbs at night or for dinner it'll make you retain water and you will weigh about 3 lbs heavier in the morning.

Thanks girls, I don't know, I laid off the evening carbohydrates, ate them during lunch and morning snack, also I know I am not retaining fluid because I can tell, and I have no idea, all I know is, I enjoyed my thanksgiving dinner with no worries and back on plan tomorrow. I think maybe I just needed a little break in my routine.