I was stuck on the same one or two pounds for the past two weeks. I'd lose a pound, then gain 0.8. I'd lose 1.5 pounds and then gain 1.2. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong, as I was on plan the entire time.

I had a rough week, so I wasn't able to go to the gym for the past four days (my aunt was in a bad car accident, so we've been at the hospital and also running errands/paying bills for her since she won't be home for several months). Friday night, a friend asked me to go out for supper and I felt like I really needed to go and get my mind off of everything else. I did not stay on plan AT ALL. We shared nachos before dinner and then I had a giant steak covered in bleu cheese, roasted potatoes and green beans (also covered in cheese). Last night, I decided to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and whipped cream. It was so good, I had a second cup.

I got on the scale this morning fully expecting to have gained weight, but I lost 1.6 pounds! So weird that I haven't exercised in days AND ate a whole bunch of extra calories and finally got past the 236 mark I was stuck at.

Weight loss isn't linear so you can't really say something from the previous day caused you to lose weight. Your body tends to retain water when you exercise so it's possible that you were holding onto water weight that your body let go. It's also possible that you would've seen a whoosh on the scale whether or not you had 'cheated'. Who knows? It is also possible that the whoosh might've been 2 or 3 lbs instead of 1.6.

I'd say don't let the drop in weight derail you into thinking 'cheating' causes weight loss.

Congrats that you saw the scale move downward. But...I agree. Don't get it in your head that you can do that very often. That's type of eating just isn't a good idea when you're trying to lose weight. I think weight loss is also about being realistic about the food choices on a regular basis that made you fat in the first place. In order to successfully lose weight and keep it off you have to transition your mind as well as your body. In other words you have to come to terms mentally with knowing that you'll need to make healthier choices more often than not to take it off and ultimately keep it off for a life time.

If you let stressers tell you it's ok to "cheat" then you may eventually let your emotions justify your choice to indulge on a regular basis. Then before you know it, your on your way up on the scale and back to square one. I'm sure most of us here have been there done that probably all of our lives.

My brother died Friday. Having been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer this past june it was just a matter of time. But still, when his wife called from MD to tell us he died that morning I was devatsted. As the day wore on, by noon we all realized that we had not eaten. I lumbered into the kitchen, fixed something I'd normally eat. After all, I've been on my weight loss journey for more than a year now and I've worked so hard to lose 50 lbs so far and how I eat now has become habit.

Now I will say that when we travel across country to MD later this week, I'm nervous about being able to stay focused simply because there will be a lot of food around all day, everyday. I just broke yet another plateau (this time it lasted about six weeks and I really don't want to do anything that will send me back up the scale. We're also driving and will be in a car for two days so I've really got to plan ahead.

Ok, I'ma get off my soap box now. Just be careful and make sure you go back on plan and actually make it how you "PLAN" to eat for the rest of your life instead of just how you're eating to lose weight.

Good luck!