Sweettay,

First of all, I'm so glad that you've joined 3FC and have come here seeking support! This is a great community of people who are struggling with the same issues as you and we're all here to lean on one another. You don't have to do it alone! That said, try not to worry about the 4 pound gain. The body has a weird way of balancing itself out. That extra several pounds might be water or even gained muscle (which weighs more than fat).

I encourage you to stick with your plan. You've lost 22 pounds so far and that's FANTASTIC! Don't give up now. Keep your eye on the goal. One of the most difficult things about weight loss is trying not to be a slave to the scale. I challenge you to look inside of yourself and realize how far you've already come and celebrate that. Also check out the June Non-Scale Victories thread. It's a great group of people celebrating weightloss victories that aren't related to the numbers on the scale. Just keep on going. I wish you courage and support.

~Kristy

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Courage does not always roar. Sometimes, it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow". -- Anonymous
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Hi Sweetty,
Don't be discourage!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just starting and i have alot to lose but ya know what, it took time to put it on and it will take time to take it off!!! 22lbs is wonderful and I can't wait to post when I lose that much. There seems to be alot of nice people on this site that are willing to help.........that's why I joined. Stay on track and just keep thinking about how good your going to feel.

By all means don't get discouraged! You are doing great!

My weight fluctuates all over the place all month long. For example, I weighed in on a Friday (missed my normal Wednesday weigh in) and was up 2.4 lbs. I then weighed in the very next Wednesday (5 days later) and was down 2.8 lbs.

Unfortunately with women, our weight plays cruel tricks on us and is all over the scale. Stay focused on your goals and you will get there. I figure as long as I continue to lose (at whatever rate) I am still ahead of the game.

Keep up the good work and welcome to the site!

Ditto,Ditto,Ditto!
Think about what you learned about yourself... You recognized that you may be an emotional eater... Bad day - I'll have some "comfort" food, oooooh Good Day, Let me Celebrate (with food..) ... so maybe replace those behaviors with -- a walk, a bubble bath, a none food treat,or a "legal" treat......
...and those scales do lie! Mine is a downright pathological liar!

Be good 2 U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Hi everyone,

I want to thank eveyone for all the support you have given me I am proud to say I have lost 2 of the 4lbs I gained your advice and incuragement gave me the strength I need to push on and keep going.

Thanks everyone

Don't feel bad I just started Weight Watchers and the first week I gained 1 pound I was like - wait let me get off the scale and get back on - NOT - it was correct I had gained a pound. I was like oh no - what did I do wrong. I followed my diet, did not use all my points, started walking. This week I lost 5lbs. I have to keep telling myself " you are doing this for yourself, it will take time" "I am worth it"

when you ar having a bad try eating something heathy. try going for a walk. start again the next day. glen

I used to believe that muscle weighs more than fat. However I have since learned this isn't true. Muscle and fat weigh about the same but muscle burns fat much better than fat does. One pound of muscle burns 30 to 50 cals per day, whereas one pound of fat burns 3 cals per day.

However when one is doing strength training simultaneously with fat loss there can be a gain of muscle and no fat loss or muscle gain and fat loss. Muscles are 75% water and when you work them they take on water. When strength training it is very possible to actually gain weight if the muscles develop and there's no fat loss. Or lose no weight when there's muscle gain and fat loss.

I've learned to not weigh myself at all and go by inches and how my clothes look instead.

When I get down to 250 pounds I will add the use of calipers to gauge my fat loss.

I think I have become addictive to weighing myself, everytime I wake up during the night, before I go to work, I go to the restroom in medical just so I can weigh myself on the way out, again when I get home from work, and before I go to bed I tried to throw it away but the family uses it. I was never a slave to the scale before, if I keep this up I will be insane

I now measure myself using ribbon. In May I measured myself off, cutting the pieces of ribbon to each spot I was measuring. I labeled them as to what body part they measured and keep them in a baggie. I can compare my current self to the old measurements without having to abuse myself with numbers. This also helps at those times when the scales don't seem to be moving, but the clothes fit differently. At the time it was because I couldn't find my tape measure. (We'd just moved.) Now I see it as a low stress way to confirm that I am moving forward.

I need help, about 3 weeks ago I started a new job assignment and I dont have time anymore to sit down and eat breakfast or lunch because I am alway on the go. I grab whatever is convenient out of the vending machine for me to eat while I am running around, crackers, snack mixes, chips, but I do manage to stay within my calorie range. Since I have been eating this way I have been so hungry by the time I get home and make dinner I am starving and I end up eating more than I would like to, but the suprise is I have lost 3lbs but I feel awful and I have no energy, can anyone tell me what is going on.

Sweettay, make your breakfast the night before. Put a couple boiled eggs into a baggie, or make a whole wheat muffin with a scrambled egg and ham that you can pop into the microwave, or just take some cereal and milk with you to work if you have any time to sit and eat after you're there. Just think about what you would usually have for breakfast and try to work around it to come up with those items that you can eat on the go and prepare them the night before. I actually keep a container of boiled eggs throughout the week for those mornings I don't feel like cooking breakfast. I can grab a couple of eggs and some tomato juice or tomato slices, maybe even pop a piece of whole wheat toast in the toaster to go with it.

you're doing great. once you put your mind to your goal, any setback is temporary. if you have a problem with energy, in addition to what almostheaven said, make sure you are getting enough water and are taking a multivitamin. the vitamins really make a difference

BTW, I missed where you said breakfast "and lunch". Same deal with lunch. Prepare those meals the night before and make them of a type that you can eat on the go. Then be sure and cook good full meals on the weekends so you don't feel deprived eating the same foods of the type you can take with you all the time.