I just weighed myself for the first time since my official weigh-in on Monday, and somehow I'm managed to GAIN three pounds back! I really don't know what happened! I mean, I had a little bit of "slip ups" this week, but they were within my calorie range, unless I was highly miscalculating; I never went over my calorie limit, and I went to the gym for like an hour every day except for yesterday, which I figured missing one extra day at the gym wouldn't really set me back THAT much.

I have started some more intense strength training; could that have anything to do with it? I hope so; I'm so upset with myself right now; I was so excited to be in the lower 220s and I'm right back to where I was when I was in my plateau! -insert obscenities here- I guess this means I don't get to treat myself to anything, even if its in my calorie range cause they're just gonna show up later. FML.

now you know why you don't weigh yourself every day or any more often than once a week. your weight DOES fluctuate from day to day following a downward trend with brief flurries of excitement.

any number off things can impact your weight: salt levels, caffeine, mood, exercise (if you've exercised within the past 48hrs, your muscles are probably retaining water), ToM, stress, whatever.

stay off the scale until official weigh-in day and if you can stand to wait, only weigh in every two weeks.

Weight fluctuates for everyone, it could just be a small blip, especially if you had some minor slip-ups this week. They could be causing more water weight, it could be hormone based fluctuation, among other completely normal causes of weight fluctuations. Take a few deep breaths, and just move forward. You've had great success so far, don't let this one small upset cause you to lose your focus.

Literally same thing happened to me. I get to 149 and somehow make my way back up to 152. Thats what I am now. I don't know how to get out of this plateau, I've been here for such a long time.

If it's mathematically impossible for you to have gained that much (calories in calories out math) then it's most likely water retention for some reason, or just the normal (but annoying as ****) weight fluctuations.
Don't let it get you down! You're doing awesome.

Yes, intense strength training can make you hold onto three pounds of water while your muscles get used to the increased demand. It's not three pounds of fat gain; no reason to panic. There's a great explanation of weight fluctuations here that will give you more insight into what's probably going on.

Hang in there; the number will go back down.

New, more strenuous exercise makes me retain water for a few days. Just stay on track and the scale will go down eventually.

Strength training (or any new exercise) could totally do that. Your body holds onto water in those situations.

But sometimes you may just gain weight (not fat) for apparently no reason. Happens to me all the time. Just push through it.

I'm a daily weigher, so I see my body's daily fluctuations. And trust me, it can vary a LOT based on exercise, salt intake, carb intake, stress, horomones, etc. etc. etc.

You're okay. Just keep going and it'll drop off. You may even get a "whoosh" eventually.

Before you were trying to lose weight, how often did you weigh yourself? These fluctuations seem bizarre but I bet your body goes through these swings and you are only conscious of it now because you are weighing yourself regularly. Its OK to weigh yourself a lot-just don't be surprised with a lot of swings and 3 lbs is seriously a pretty small "gain"! I went up 3 lbs 2 days ago and now I am down 4. I have gone up 10 lbs before too.
You would have known if you consumed over 10000 cals more than you burn.

If you look back on what you've been eating--as in, you've been keeping track of it and are on plan-- and it seems like there's no way on earth that you could have actually gained weight, you're probably right! There's just something else in your body also that is bringing the scale up, be it a recent meal, water, stool, urine. That stuff is moving through all the time so you can't let it get you down. It's not actual "fat" weight.

Maybe TMI but since I for my scale my fiancé does weird things with it to see what makes it fluctuate. Recently he decided to weigh before and after he uh, went #2. He lost exactly 1lb after. and ofc told me. I got curious myself and tried it and I had lost 2 freakin lbs LOL !

I started weighing myself everyday to condition myself to flux after that. I usually gain 1lb directly after a meal and lose it in a few hours. I always weigh less in the morning. I got up a about .4-.5 directly jafter strength training. yesterday I went from 238 in the AM to 244.8 later in the day! NO idea why and today I'm back to 238.
What doesn't seem to fluctuate is my inches - muy waist was 43" 2 weeks ago an now it is 40". that didn't change even when I gained nearly 7 phantom lbs yesterday.

This morning I weighed in at 227.5, which was actually down from 229.5 last night. Monday I weighed 223.8, and the gain showed up on other scales I've weighed myself on, too. I guess it is negligible, but I really want to be in 2-teens by the time I graduate at the end of April and I just really really really hope this is just a fluke. And when I say 2-10s, I mean like at or below 215. I just don't want any setbacks, I'm also in a weight loss competition at school so now every pound counts! I guess I really do just need to pay attention to the number on official weigh-in days; but normally my weight doesn't really change all that much -- it's usually within a pound or 2 so this time seemed more major to me.

And I am SORESORESORE from weight lifting Thursday! I haven't wanted to workout at all because my inner thighs hurt so much. I need to stretch more, lol.