How to overcome the 1 lb weight gain at the weekly weigh in.

The scale measures all, that's what I remind myself. It measures if I'm holding extra water weight or if I have not pooped for a couple days-- gross but true.

Do you weigh at the same time of the day? Do you weigh in the nude? Or the same clothing?

Maybe also focus on inches lost, what belt loop you're on, more non-scale victories.

And remember you are doing amazing-- the scale number never defines that

It's probably water retention. Unless you ate 3500 calories over your maintenance levels, you didn't actually gain a pound. It could come from anything though... sodium, increase in carbs, glycogen replenishment, exercise, muscle repair, ovulation, period, sunburn... there's tons of reasons for it.

Don't let 1 week determine your successes or failures or you'll just be spinning your wheels.

Oh, and I never move the marbles back. Even when I went up 10 pounds due to weight I gained when I got off my blood pressure medicine. I just kept at it till I got back to where I was and moved the next marble when I got to the next pound down.

This is symbolic of the fact that I NEVER will go back to where I was!

You have to be very, very patient with weight loss. I weigh myself every day and track it in a separate app. You should see how much it fluctuates! Yet I've lost over 40 lbs in 4 months. This week is a prime example. My official weigh in day is Sunday. Last Sunday, I weighed in, had lost 3.2 lbs from the week before. Now, every day since, I've gained. I'm up 2.2 from Sunday. But I'm not worried. I am absolutely sticking to my exercise regimen and staying well under my calorie goals. I'm doing everything I should be doing and can be doing. The scale will cooperate when it feels like it. I also have NSVs to fall back on, like the fact that I no longer have to shop in the plus size store!

Take a deep breath, and keep reminding yourself that this is a long term lifestyle change, and the scale is only ONE measure of success. Weight loss is not, whatsoever, linear. You'll have to get used to the ups and downs, and be able to persevere through those times, if you're going to succeed in the long term. You can do it.

My advice is to start looking at more than just your weight. I've been through a lot of loss and gain, and me falling off is always due to me just listening to my scale. This time around I started tracking WAY more data points. I weight myself daily to get a nice average for the week and a trend line (through an app called Libra) and just use my Sunday weigh in logged to MFP, as well as 8 different measurements on my body every week (arms, thighs, hips, waist, 2 inches above and below belly button). I've also started taking progress pics at every milestone I hit.

This extra data is encouraging when I maybe don't see a drop in my scale for a weekly weigh in, but maybe my trend line is still heading south. Or maybe I've lost inches. Even if there's a gain, seeing past data graphed out shows me that in my overall progress it is no big deal and I can continue on, make up that minor setback, and do better next week.

It will not be the last time you see a gain but I think it gets easier the longer you do it and accept that there are ups and downs. Sometimes a gain is just a random fluctuation and your body retaining water, and other times it's an actual gain, but both are normal and healthy and a part of the process. You're doing this for the long haul which means not being perfect all the time! As long as you are doing more good than bad and your weight is going in an overall downward direction, you're on the right track! Good luck!

Measuring tape.

This had a good side effect. I have regained some weight but my inches are smaller than the last time I weighed this much. It's motivating to know I still have muscle under all this!