okay, so i have been on this woe for 3.5 weeks. i started a journal but then used fitday and didn't transfer it over..so i have begun that again. anyway...i have been following the woe pretty much perfectly..no cheating (excpet 1 cup of coffee, sometimes 2 a day, mostly it is decaf or a mix of decaf and caf. i use splenda in it and a splash of cream, but hardly any). so, i was all happy b/c i have lost around 7lbs and 2 inches in my waist. but this morning i waid and it said 160..i was okay with that...but this afternoon silly me got on the scales and i weighed 163.7 (still no biggy) but then i measured my waist and it was 35". just sunday, i was at a nice 33 (kind of lose tape measure) what is going on?

we went out to eat tonight and i was SO tempted to just forget it....i haven't cheated all the way through, but i didn't. i know the weight may come off slowly, and i do feel better...i am just discouraged.

i just want to lose 20 more lbs. i don't mean to belly ache...i just am perplexed as to what is going on with my body.

any ideas

Your weight will fluctuate significantly during the course of the day. Mornings are usually the lowest weight of the day. Peaking out five pounds above your morning weight is quite common.

Likewise, your measurements, particularly your waist, will fluctuate and, again, the morning measurement is usually the smallest.

Only measure yourself dailu (and only once each day) if you are comfortable with the reality that daily fluctuations are several times larger than your long term trend is. Even if you only weigh and measure weekly you can easily get misleading results (don't believe me? Look at the chart in the last page or two of my journal). Measuring monthly is far better.

I agree with wbahn, try not to weigh yourself more than once daily and, better to do it once a week, month, not at all!!!

Plus, are you around your TOM?? My weight fluctuates as much as 6 lbs from a week before to a week after. The first time that happened (2 months ago) I got so upset because I have been following this WOL to the letter. It took me a week to get off the lbs again. Now, since I know what happens, I will not even weigh myself during that time so I don't get bummed.

Remember, we all have a few ups and downs with the weight loss - quite a few folks have posted graphs in their journals. The daily ups and downs should not upset you if you can see the total picture - a steady loss over TIME.

Stick to it!!! We are all here to listen and help whenever possible. I know everyone here has helped me tremendously!

Here is a graph by AngelaR where she charted her weight: Do you really expect your progress to be all losses?

Fluctuations are entirely normal. THe same thing happens when you gain weight. It's not a steady upwards climb either!

Karen

I just want to point out one thing.....

Do you really think that the food and water we consume on a daily basis is weightless?

And during that consumption do our tummies not expand just a little bit to make room for it?

I agree with the others.....your weight is going to flux as much as 10 pounds a day and the inches go along with that due to consuming food and drink.

Try not to be sooooo obsessed on the tape measure and scales. It seems like you WANT this diet to fail or have a reason to go off it. Relax. Follow the plan. It does work if you have the patience. I went 8 months without scale or measurement change. However I have lost 46 pounds so far in 11 months. That is almost a pound a week. Sometimes you see it, other times you dont.

thanks you guys for your posts. i have decided i am only going to weigh/measure on my 'anniversary' day every month..

i don't want a 'way out' i just am being impatient. i know that even if i don't lose weight perse i am not going to put sugar, or refined flours back into my body. i feel too good.

agonycat you are a great encouragement. 11months and 46 lbs that is awesome. my goal is only 20lbs, but another 10 would be nice, as well.

i have noticed so many changes....i don't get afternoon slump (dh noticed this too), old joint inuries don't hurt as they once did when weather changes, my FACE is CLEAR and soft and smooth...has anyone else noticed that. i have always had EXTREMEly oily skin with occaisional breakouts, but now, i can tell the h20 is really helping.

when i realize i have only been on this woe for 3.5 weeks...but dh and i know this is a wol for us..we are even talking about when we have kids how hopefully this will be a good 'standard' for them.

that is another concern...i really want to get the weight off before becoming pregnant mainly to be heathier but also to know if i did it once, i can do it again, after pregnancy. btw a book i have about pregnancy suggests what is called the 'best odds diet'..it is very similar to this...funny i never thought i could completly cut sugar from my diet, but i have...and ya know i really don't miss it.

my parents are coming in a few weeks..i am a 'southern' girl. what is going to be hard is turning down my mom's famous 'biscuts and gravy' but i know how i feel now is more important than how my old eating style tastes.

thanks you guys.

Ah, "What to Expect When You Are Expecting"! I have that book, from last time, and I think it's much better than the "While Waiting" book I was given this time. Just a thing to add, they recommend making juice-sweetened bran muffins. You can get more fiber from raspberries at a fraction of the carb cost of those muffins!

Go ahead and start losing now! Even if you do get pregnant before you reach your goal, you'll be a lot closer than if you hadn't made any attempt at all.

Elihnig

I'm not sure I'd follow that. They recommend a low FAT diet full of carbs.
Dr. Atkins says you can't do Induction or OWL during pregnancy, but Lifetime Maintenance is fine. When I get pg (in the next year or so, not quite ready yet ) I'll continue to watch my carbs, not my fat.