TOM for me is due next week and I know when I weigh Saturday the scale will show gained 3 pounds I ALWAYS gain 3 pounds before TOM and then when it starts the 3 pounds is gone I always have wondered why that is. Is anyone else like this?

I did every month for 40 years. Now I don't ~ there are benefits to Menopause!

It's normal to gain weight before a period: it's not fat, it's just water; when Flo goes home, she'll take the water with her, don't worry!

I used to consistantly lose weight before my period every month, until about 6 months ago. Now sometimes I gain, sometimes I lose; it's a roll of the dice.

Yep, between 3-5lbs.

Me too...same thing 3-5 and then it whooshes away. Just keep making good choices and you will see the benefits of when it's done.

Same for me...3-5 lbs every month, you aren't alone!

Same for me and it's so dang frustrating. I was up 2 lbs this morning and my official weigh-in is tomorrow night. I'm praying I'll start today and flush this out before tomorrow night. Sigh!!

Yep, I gain up to 10 lbs. As I lose weight, the number is dropping somewhat (when I started it wasn't very unusual to gain 12). Now it's usually down to 8.

I used to find it extremely frustrating until I really asked myself why I was letting something "normal" upset me as much as if I had done something wrong. I kept trying to find ways to outsmart my body, and I realized that during TOM, I must need that extra water for something, so I might as well accept it.

I still get a little twinge of annoyance, especially when I was a TOPS member in a group that charged a dime fine for every pound gained. All the dimes were then given to the biggest loser for the week. On one hand it wasn't fair (I thought) that I had to pay up to $1 in "fines" during TOM week - but it also wasn't fair to everyone else that I won the biggest loser prize the following week when I lost TOM weight (which usually more than paid for my previous week's fines).

I've also found that when I eat low-carb, my body holds on to more water. If I'm going to have an especially high-carb day (where I'm still counting calories, so I know it's not a "real" gain) I have to make the mental translation in my head that I'm going to see a temporary water gain until I return to my normal lower carb eating.

Taking the frustration out of the equation as much as possible helps me stay motivated. When I allow that anger/frustration "it's not fair" mentality, quitting becomes tempting. And quitting is the only thing I've vowed "**** or highwater" not to do.

The group I belong to now doesn't charge for gains at all. Lose or gain, everyone puts in a dime, and the biggest loser wins all the dimes.

Yup. Welcome to femininity. Isn't she an evil wench?