I am on week 6 beginning yesterday and have been steadily losing until TOM came on Sunday and now I've gained 2 pounds back. I know water gain is normal. I just wanted to know if others experience weight gain during TOM and when does it come off the scale?

ABSOLUTELY and ABSOLUTELY! Watch the sodium if the water weight bothers you.

I always feel bloated the week before TOM and here it is !
I have gained 2 lbs and am starving all of the time. I ate soooo much last night. Keep your head up. It comes back off.

Sometimes I feel a stall in my diet about a week before and then about a week after I lose about 3 to 5 lbs. So I wouldn't worry.

Agree with the others, just one thing to add:

you say you know this is just water weight you put on - good for you, water comes and water goes. What works for me and some people I know is drinking even more water when you feel bloated before/during TOM. And TOM usually brings a nice weight loss, or inches loss, superb!
Good luck!
Alina

Definately.
The week before, I get so hungry that even my co-workers start to look edible.
Once TOM hits, my appetite goes back to normal and I usually hit a whoosh.

Thanks for all the encouragement. The Saturday before I was down an additional 2 lbs. so I'm hoping once TOM leaves I'll at least be back down to that. It's hard to feel like you're losing weight when you're so bloated feeling. I don't even notice that my pants are looser even though they were definitely looser on Saturday. I also ate snow crab legs last night for dinner and think they may be pretty high in sodium. Probably not the best time of the month to eat something so salty. LOL. It will come back off. I'll just weigh back in on Monday and not get discouraged. My next tape reading is scheduled for May 1st. Surely, there will be results then as well.

Because I also see a 2-3 lb. weight gain the WEEK of my TOM it does get very discouraging even though intellectually we all know it is just water weight. Drinking extra water doesn't necessarily work for me - I just have to wait it out...
One thing I want to caution you about, though - because the scale says I weigh more, and I feel bloated and blah - I find myself not really wanting to eat (this is during - not before! I chow down then!) Make sure you eat!! You can bring on a stall by not eating enough.
Just try not to worry about it, keep telling yourself that you're doing fine, eat, and eventually the scale will reflect that, too.

Kris

I agree. I don't get hungry when TOM is here. I've always been the opposite of other folks who crave chocolate, etc. when TOM is here. If anything, it has always been the best time for me to start a diet because I was never hungry. Not that this is a diet but a new WOL!! It's been really easy so far. I was even able to go to 6 Flags with my brother and his family and still not want nor eat the park food. Fabulous. Just wish these 2 little pounds would go away again...that and then some.

Jamiessi,
You may find it reassuring to click on 'search' at the top of the page and search (forums) for other past TOM threads. There have been many with good details and encouragement around this topic.
I always gain 3-4 pounds and it can be very discouraging, even if you know it is TOM. Sometimes it feels like between gaining and then losing the TOM gain, there is only about a week left in the month to lose "real" weight. Still, I have been losing about 4 pounds per month which adds up.
The good thing is that I eat to satisfaction everyday healthy foods and I feel so great all the time.. no more low blood sugar downs!!
Hang in there!
Cheers,

Hi -

I'm also in Induction, and I'm feeling those pre-TOM symptoms. This will be my first TOM while I'm doing Atkins, and I'm already feeling (or imagining!) a little bloated.

One thing I've noticed is that if I feel bloated, I drink one liter of water about an hour before going to bed. The next morning, I always feel more refreshed and less bloated than if I didn't drink the water. I think our bodies get a little dehydrated during the night while we sleep, so it might make bloating feel worse. I've actually begun the habit of doing this every night, since it makes me feel really great in the mornings.

This has worked for me at least. Hope this was helpful!

Anshim

I am actually looking forward to TOM if you can believe it. I always have a big whoosh around that time. In between, they come of a lb here and two lbs. there...which is fine, but I LOVE the whoosh...lol.


L

I still haven't weighed. Waiting for TOM to leave. I hope it will go away by Monday. But I want what I gained plus a couple more to leave. Maybe a whoosh! Let's hope, anyway. Several of you ahve mentioned you see a whoosh. Let's hope it happens to me. If not, I'm enjoying what I'm eating and it will soon come off.