Apart from one slip this week when my godfather took me and my mum out for a meal, my weight has not only gone up by a lb but is refusing to shift, no matter what I do.

The days calories came to 2000 in total, and I had spinach and ricotta tortellini in a tomato sauce, a slice of garlic bread, 4 of my mums chips, 2 glasses of red wine, and then we shared a small eton mess for dessert. Since tuesday I've stuck to my calorie limit rigidly, with no slips at all and I have been exercising religiously. Normally I have one or 2 slips during my diet and the weight still falls off me.

Its not TOM, as that ended a week ago and I've already lost all the water weight. It could be the fact that I had a lot more carbs than usual? I also had a sandwich for lunch, I normally only have a high fibre cereal for breakfast, then tend to avoid things like bread, pasta and potatos the rest of the day.

Any ideas? Its a bit depressing that the scale seems to be refusing to move, when I've had more slips than this in some weeks and the weight has dropped off.

Its even more frustrating because this is my first gain since I restarted my diet in the middle of June. Apart from one week where I stayed the same I've lost weight consistently since then.

I also have a new target I want to have lost another 12-16lbs by October 30th (My birthday) this is not a good start!

how long has this been going on? if it's just one week, i would just wait it out, we all hit plateaus...

that said, i've been calorie counting all summer, with very few deviation and exercise, and my weight has not moved at all, fluctuating between the same 2lbs and it's been driving me crazy and making me miserable. i knew it was something with WHAT i ate (and not how much of it) but i didn't know what it was... i recently switched to a slow-carb diet (basically, no carbs, very strict) where you don't have to calorie count, and not only are my cravings gone (and i feel so much better) but i have finally shed below those d*mn 2lbs and it gives me hope that it'll continue going down...

so maybe something similar could work for you. or at least, some kind of shake-up of your current diet.

good luck!

You really can't let yourself get freaked out about one week. I standardly have weeks without any change in my weight, but lose twice as much later on. It's fairly normal, and there are any number of reasons for it (but none of which need fixing, like hormones or physical activity).

You're right, I shouldn't get freaked out, its just that it's my first gain.

How long have you been battling this...in my experience it *can* happen for a couple of weeks but eventually will drop if you are on plan..reducing white carbs or an overabundance of complex carbs is never a bad idea either.

Agree with Kawaii completely and Thighs Be Gone. The carbs can definitely impact. I know a lot women on here say "a calorie is a calorie" but I have found that to be absolutely not true.
On a day where I eat higher carb content (ie cereal and milk for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, pasta for dinner) but stay in my calorie count and exercise for a deficit, I WILL NOT LOSE.
On a day where I eat slow or low carb (ie eggs and sprouted grain toast for breakfast, greek yogurt for snack, slaad with lots of veggies, some beans and protein for lunch, stir fry (no rice) for dinner) I WILL LOSE, even sometimes without having to exercise.

For me the key is slow/low carb, and Exercise. I've been plateaued before and you have to change something to break it. Sometimes I'll do a really high carb/high calorie day, and then go back to the lower calorie, locarb the next day.

Its only been a week so far. I know a lot of people battle plateaus, but i'm so close to Onederland! and my weight goes up!

I'm sorry!! I've been stuck in the low 170s for three weeks now. I can sympathize.

I have to agree that at one week it could be a lot of things and possibly just your body holding on to a bit of water or what not. You might even be a bit constipated.

I know how frustring it can be because I'm almost into the 170's and my weight had just be fluctuating between 181-182 and went down to 180 just for a short period. That being said I've also stepped up my exercise routine so I figure it's just my body having fun retaining water.

I agree with trying to eat lower carb for a bit. I know I eat more when I have more carbs in my diet. I also just feel better when I eat lowish carb and I don't have constant hunger pains. It's worth a try to see if you can get over this bump.