I went off plan for 4 days and now I weigh 4 pounds more than I did last Wednesday! Is this possible? Please tell me it's glycogen, water weight gain, undigested food etc.

It could be a lot of things or a combination and depends upon how off plan you were...my suggestion is to get back on P1/P2 eating ASAP and you should be fine. Good luck.

That's the plan starting right now! It's also right before TOM so I'm sure that factors in too. Thanks for the reply.

Some of us are gluttons for punishment
Go off plan for 4 days but then get on the scale? Why?
Especially knowing inflammatory foods (most sugars and starches) cause water retention.
I view that as more ways to beat up oneself.
Get back on plan for at least 4 days before weighing would have been my suggestion. At that point, it probably would be a wash.

Micromanaging the scale is like watching a pot of water waiting for it to boil. We can actually go up/down 2-3 lbs throughout a DAY (+/- 2-3) just from our daily activity. True weight/fat loss is the overall trend...not one data point along the way.

I agree with Lisa - I never weigh myself after I go off plan for atleast a week.

Use this experience as motivation to keep yourself from going off plan in the future! Print out your opening post and tape it to your refrigerator.

Every time in the future when you start thinking about going off plan, ask yourself if a few days of good food is worth 4 pounds to you.

I am rooting for you!

Thank you for the encouraging words ❤

I'm definitely not advocating cheating/eating off plan but we should point out that it is not 4 pounds of fat. It is sodium, glycogen, waste, etc.

I hear you!! I was just trying to think of a way to turn a negative into a positive!! I use whatever I can to stay motivated. Even if it's a bit of a stretch.

One thing is for sure DIETING IS HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And we all need as many motivating tools, tricks and tips as we can muster.

I am definitely not throwing stones though, I am a serial yo yo dieter (I admit it!) but I really feel focused to get the weight off and keep it off this time.

I admire ANYONE that even attempts to lose weight and improve their health and life.

(Honestly I bet 2 or 3 pounds was water weight from increased sodium ... but if it's more motivating to think that a cheat leads to 4 pounds of fat ... I'll take that white lie if it can keep me on the straight and narrow).

Definitely, whatever works for you. I'm certainly not looking to lose this weight a second time!

I just wanted to throw some fact in there as to not fan any flames. Then we'll really have people in a panic thinking fluctuations on the scale are always fat.

I probably weigh myself most mornings and it truly doesn't discourage me if the scale is a little up... I know its just water because I ate too many dill pickles the night before etc.... I've had one bad evening where I ate cheese and too much protein... weighing myself the next morning made me accountable for my actions. I hadn't gained much but I knew the majority was water and looking at the scale motivated me to stay OP.

I think we have to find what works for us... I definitely agree that its not productive to beat yourself up.... too negative.. we have to be our own cheer leaders!!

On previous diets, when I would cheat with something really bad (like a pizza). Usually after hitting a long weight loss plateau, which I found would effectively kill my motivation ... I would gain 3 to 4 pounds the next day ... just from the water weight gain. Restaurant food is SO SALTY. What was bad for me was not the "gain" the following day, but that my cheats would often open the floodgates (negative feedback loop) bad food causes cravings for more bad food ... then you feel so bad about it that you eat more to cover your feelings of failure ... before you know it, you are up 20, 40, 60 pounds. I've been there and done that. This is my 7th major diet, and I really do feel like I've learned from past failures and have a new better attitude. Hopefully, this time ... never again!

Yep Avalon.. I'm the same way. I find that when I feel sooo much better when I'm constantly monitoring what I eat, even though it's hard because I watch my friends eat whatever they want.. and stay super thin. But, for me.. if I slip it's a slippery slope and I just start gaining like crazy. 60 pounds in one year.. Never again! ♥ Chin up wantanewme! ♥ It happens to the best of us from time to time, important part is that you're back on track now.

I'm already down 2 pounds this morning (I know, I know. I weighed myself again!!). I don't think I can stop weighing myself but I do need to get it through my head that the fluctuations are normal and to be expected, especially when I make a conscious choice to go off plan as I did. Oh well, upward and onward.

No sense stressing about the past because you can't change it, seems like you are dusting yourself off and getting immediately back on track, which is the most important thing!!