So I cannot complain because I have lost 16lbs in the last month but something strange occurred which is a little frustrating. I lost 10lbs the first week and another 5lbs between the 2nd and half of the 3rd week. Then my weight jumped back up two pounds. It teetered between 207.5 and 209.5 for 10 days. Then, I figured it was a bathroom problem (TMI, I apologize) so I took some meds for that and I am still only 206.5. I know that people hit plateaus but I just started losing weight.

I burn 1300 calories at the gym 6x/week and I eat 2000. I did not change any habits in my diet. I feel like this is not adding up and every morning I am just waiting to see a lower number but it is not happening. I am not feeling like I want to quit because I know that it will break at some point but it is still frustrating me.

Has anyone ever had this occur?

It's totally normal. Weight loss isn't linear. You need to look at your weight loss with a much longer view, both backward and forward. 10 days isn't long enough to be a plateau. You said it yourself: you lost 16 lbs. in the last month. That's REALLY fast. Chances are, some portion of that was water, not fat, and your body needs to regroup. Definitely don't change what you're doing after 10 days of not seeing what you want to see.

Agree with Zoodoo. If you log your food (there are some great apps for that) and exercise, you will start to notice patterns. Some people hold water around ovulation (me!). Some people hold water around TTOM. Some people get a whoosh, some people don't. And, once you think you have it all figured out, your body can throw you a curve ball too.

I'm with zoodoo that a good portion of that first month's loss was water weight and your body is readjusting.

About the bathroom issue. Please don't use medications. They are not considered good for the body. Having a bowel movement every day or even every other day is not necessary. Read up a little. I have found with eating less, I poo less, but it's always normal when I go. if it isn't for you - change something in the diet - not take medicine, It probably means you need more fiber or less fiber and/or more water. Here are some links: http://ibdcrohns.about.com/od/dailylife/a/normalbm.htm http://health.msn.com/health-topics/...ntid=100182622

Agreed, that's not a plateau - it's normal fluctuation.

It would be nice if one's weight marched cooperatively downward a few ounces a day, but the reality is that weight loss comes in fits and starts.

Many women here (I am one of them) report that they loose in whoosh-bounce-hold cycles - a big loss one week, followed by a small bounce back a pound or two, followed by holding relatively steady for another week or two. Lather, rinse, repeat.

The only way to get comfortable with your body's patterns - and to train yourself not to panic every time you see a fluctuation - is to trust your plan and be patient. Stick to your plan like glue, no matter what the scale says. Get to know those patterns, of how your body likes to lose. And learn to take a longer term view - what matter is not whether you weigh less than yesterday, or even whether you weigh less than last week. If you weigh less than a month or two ago, you know your plan is working.

Thank you all. I hope this is a weight fluctuation. I am not going to quit and I guess we will see in the next few weeks.

I also would be careful to assume how much you burn at the gym. 1600 is a lot. Someone recently posted that that's about how many she burned running a half-marathon. The calorie calculators on the gym machines or online are notoriously inaccurate, and even wearable heart rate monitors are known to be off.

For that reason, a lot of people create their deficit through the difference between their daily caloric needs and what they eat. They then bank calories burned through exercise as just extra and don't really count then. Maybe reducing your caloric intake would work? Just a thought. Whatever you decide, the other posters are right in that you could still be losing and you'll see a whoosh in the coming days.

What indiblue said! I ran a half marathon and burned just under 1,600 calories. I was running at 10min mile pace for over 2 hours! What do you do at the gym, or how long are you there for?!

However, I agree with everyone else about weight loss coming in fits and starts. My myfitnesspal thing makes me laugh every time when it says I'll reach my goal in 5 weeks because it has calculated a 3,500 calorie deficit per week. Weight loss isn't an exact science!

I think someone may have posted that I burn 1600 but it is actually 1300. Regardless, I use The Arc at the gym. I have also used ellipticals and had the same burn. I workout for 1 1/2 hours. I suppose that the machines are off. I have lost 2lbs since I originally posted this. It still only makes for a 5lbs loss in the last 3 1/2 weeks but I am just trying to keep my head up because I know that I will get there but it is going to take a little longer than expected. Thanks for the encouragement!

the other big factor can be where you are in your cycle. You may be losing weight but retaining water, and once you move on to the next phase of your cycle, the loss will show on the scale (people seem to retain water at different points in their cycle, so it doesn't have have to mean that this is TOM for you - you could retain midcycle when you ovulate for example.

Well, if you are exercising for 1 1/2 hrs at a reasonable pace that could be right actually. I burn about 800 calories an hour running, and weigh 150lbs so your figure sounds about right?

Have you ever thought about running? If you can keep that kind of cardio up for 1 1/2 hrs already, you could do a half marathon in no time!Good luck with it anyway!