Weight loss is not linear. And you cannot gain 5 lbs (of FAT) over night. You also cannot lose 5 lbs (of FAT) over night. Your body contains a LOT of water. At times, it also contains food and waste and other various and fluctuating bodily fluids.

DO NOT let the scale be the only measure of your progress. You will be SORELY disappointed.

Carry on .

Agreed! Oh, and that's not even counting all those crazy hormones us female have. I've just gotten used to seeing the scale jump up right before TOM

Very true.

I totally agree. It's taken me a long time to believe this.

YES YES YES!!!! I had a 3 month stall going between 190-194. Up and down, up and down and only hit the 188's every now and then. But now the last week every day I weigh 187-189....You can't see fat loss sometimes especially if it's fat your losing on the inside, like the horrible stuff around your organs!!! So just keep going, take your measurements and go by how good you feel! Thank you for this post!

Totally agree!

The important thing is a downward trend and that you keep going!

The scale isn't always the most accurate indication of what is going on with your body! You could be on plan, and show a gain. The following week, you eat more and you see a loss.

Yes!!

It's very hard to get away from the mindset that the scale is everything, but it's one tool that we have, not THE tool that tells us how we're progressing.

Size is much more important than weight, but how you FEEL is the most important thing of all.

Here here!

That's very, VERY true. But knowing it and actually acting on it are different things. I second the idea that you just have to hang on with your plan until something changes (or until it's been weeks and weeks and nothing has). I still struggle with that. -sigh-

oh totally. I am going strength training this coming Friday after yoga and kickboxing. I expect a lot of weight fluctuations, but I want to build stronger bones.

Definitely!!!
I spent a long time obsessing over the scale, and beating myself up over any sort of gain. I have finally realized and accepted the fluctuations, and now I just roll with it.

I agree! I see people on here saying they gained from a binge and I just roll my eyes. LOL.

HOWEVER, it can get frustrating when your weight jumps up and down somuch that you can't figure out what your 'real' weight is and if it's going down for real and not being disturbed by weird waterweight episodes from exercise/sodium/hormones.

I am dancing around 140-144 for 3 weeks now. #UHG

Yep!

You're still doing such a good job philana, we're nearly the same height and I can't wait to be where you are, that's awesome regardless. =)

lol - i love how "They" say you can gain "as much as" 5lbs from bloating during ToM.

me? 100% confirmed my swings are more on the order of 12-15lbs.

the bigger you are, the more water you can hold - just stands to reason.

so that's why i don't let the periodical MAJOR weight losses elate me too much, nor do i let the weeks i don't lose or i even gain some depress me too much. i know myself if i've been sticking to my diet plan - it's just a matter of waiting for my body to get with the program.

of course, if i'm lying to myself, then yeah - my diet would be ineffective, no good, useless (can't lose it if you won't use it).

I wish this were stickied at the top of every forum page, or that the site had a banner above the actual forum software that said it. Judging from many of the posts that get made every day, we need to hear this more often. Heck, it never hurts to hear it!