Hello fellow calorie counters... I am having a bad day. First of all, my period is due in about 4 days and the scale jumped up 3 pounds this morning. I have been doing P.E.R.F.E.C.T. with my diet and exercise so I am positive this is water weight/bloat... but it is still making me feel bad?? I drink plenty of water and still exercise during this time. Is it possible to not gain weight in the week before my period?

Also... my job had a "Know Your Numbers" health screening today and I found out my cholesterol (for the first time), body fat % (for the first time), BMI, and blood sugar. Everything was good except for the body fat % and BMI. I knew that my BMI is "overweight" already, but I had no idea my fat % was so high. I feel disgusting knowing that almost 1/3 of my body is fat. They said I have 30.1% body fat.

I was feeling good about myself and now I just feel gross. It makes me want to starve myself for days and exercise non-stop.

First of all, I'm right there with you on TOM bloat. I've been hovering right around 139.6-140.0...I just want to solidly be in the 130's, it's so close. Then this morning, BAM 141.8, lol. I have also been strictly on plan, so I'm not letting it bother me too much. I know Aunt Flo is on her way, and she'll bring a "whoosh" with her.

And 30% body fat is actually fairly common, even among skinny minnis...you'd be surprised. I'm pretty sure that's what I started out around, but in a few months, I got it down to 24%...still working on it, but getting there. If you're not strength training already, I suggest starting. Here's an article with pictures of a few girls with body fat from 29-36% --> http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/...fat-slim-shady

Your "new" body is a work in progress, give it time Rome wasn't built in a day.

I feel your pain, I had a killer week eating and the gym, and the scale just won't budge!!!! TOM is in a few days, I'm crossing my fingers that its just that.

Andrea---I totally know how you feel! In fact, we probably ALL do!! I honestly don't think there is a way to prevent TOM Bloat...just know when it's coming and don't let it both you. Yes, it's hard...I had hit a new low just this past Sunday...170.6...COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! but then WHAM! Monday it's up a whole pound and today it's up to 173.8...TOM should be here any day and like mkendrick said, we'll wait for the "whoosh" that comes after the horrible thing leaves!!!

You've already come SO FAR...49lbs is nothing to laugh at! Don't let this bog you down! I'm also "overweight" according to the BMI chart and have NO CLUE what my fat% is...I'm sure it's atleast the same as yours, if not MORE...I say we focus on getting to goal weight...add in some strength training...and if the fat% is still not satisfactory when we're at goal, then we can concentrate more on strength training...

DON'T FEEL GROSS!!! YOU'RE A BEAUTIFUL GIRL!!!! And PLEASE, don't starve yourself!!!

30 percent body fat is a really common number.. i started at 50% body fat!!! and in 4 week got it down to 45%.. add weight training to your routine..

I do weight train 3x per week. I guess I just got caught up in the recommended numbers... I have been working really hard for 5 months and I just thought I would be doing better than 30% right now. But I have no idea what number I started at!

Don't be so quick to lose too much body fat. 18 mo ago I started eating only healthy whole foods and kept my fat intake under 10 grams a day( still do) I lost 65 lbs in 8 mo. I started exercising the last 3 mo of the weight loss and have been ever since. I no longer got cramps, bloating or water weight with my periods, it was great. My periods gradually got further and further apart as I got close to my goal I was getting my period once every 2 mo. and now I haven't had it for 4 mo. I learned that my body fat is 18% ( the level of an athlete, but far from it)and BMI is around 18.4. I have so little body fat that I have stopped getting my period all together. I don't want to change my eating or being active so I am just going to live with it for a while til I figure out what to do. So be very careful about how much body fat you actually lose.

30% body fat isnt that bad at all. I am a muscular, athletic size 8-10 and am about 28%

At your height/weight that means you have some good muscle under there!

And no, there may be nothing you can do about AF bloat except learn to expect it. I can almost automatically recalculate my "real weight" without thinking about it.

I work at a gym. One thing I have learned from the trainers there is that the method of testing body fat can be quite inaccurate. It can vary as much as 3% each time they calculate on the same machine! So please take that number with a grain of salt. It very well could be up from the bloat. It also can be up at certain times of day. So just get through this.

Here I am saying this and I just posted something very similar. I am stressed, dealing with TOM and want to throw in the towel. Plus I am "starving" right now, and have no calories left to eat anything.

Hopefully we can both get through these hormone induced hard times!

Right there with you ladies, it's my TOM and am feeling horrible. Good luck to us all lol