Hi maintainers - would love to hear your input on how you personally handle the following scenario...

You weigh in for the 3rd day in a row and the weight is creeping up (.5 to 1 lb per day!). You are rapidly approaching your red line/unacceptable number. But your eating and workouts have been pretty on plan.

Other than panic, get depressed, crawl back into bed, dissolve into sobbing puddle on the bathroom floor....what do you do? I know none of those reactions are helpful, I just start to feel so confused/out of control/like I am heading for disaster/etc.

But I thought you maintainers could share with me what your strategies are when your weight is getting to red line but you have been pretty on plan?

All I could personally think of:
- cut carbs immediately back down to <50g/day (my maint windows ups them to 70-100)
- reduce my time window of eating
- hydrate like it is going out of style
- eat fewer foods (Id say 'clean', but I havent had anything remotely processed in weeks)
- cut sodium (my intake was slightly higher yesterday...~2000mg vs the prior days being closer to 1500, but only recently tracking that and unclear on what it really should be)

What other strategies do you employ?

I agree with Meg. If I was on plan 100%, I'd do nothing. Ovulation tends to make me gain weight, but I know when that's happening. So that aside I'd just give it more time.

But like Meg said, "pretty on plan" is vague and slippery.

If I am VERY close to the redline, I usually just do a couple of days of lower calories - like 200 below my maintenance level.....and drink more water. That usually works like a charm

Thanks for the feedback so far!

Meg and ncueno - to clarify my 'pretty on plan' comment. Food intake has been very on plan, with cals slightly decreased (closer to 1250-1300 than my typical 1400-1800) because my back pain is flaring up...which also means my workouts have decreased in intensity and frequency (saw trainer twice instead of three times, but we didnt go very hard and I usually sprinkle in several walks during the week, but have done maybe half my norm). Nothing really to improve there since the pain is preventing more working out and the calories shouldnt be lowered much further. Food content has been very on plan though, no cheats or treats. I have chronic pain, so this isnt atypical and doesnt seem to correlate to weight fluctuations, though I suppose I could start tracking that too to verify any causation or lack there of.

Have you been taking any anti-inflammatories for your back? I find those tend to spike my weight. I hate those type of fluctuations but I do try my best to ignore them. I'm currently in an upswing (for several months!) and I keep changing things up, but I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. Honestly, if I'm exercising most days and eating healthy most of the time, I can't be too hard on myself.... That is what I'm telling myself anyway!

I too have had this problem and I'm trying to cut back on calories (mine is due to a massive binge and overall off-plan eating, so little bit of a different situation). It's scary, seeing that number on the scale!