gained a pound! frustrated

You just gained water weight. Nothing that can't be lost in a few days with drinking more H2O.

When you workout your muscles tear. They retain water to help heal. When they heal they are stronger. This is good. It is best not to weight in for at least two days after an intense workout. You will get the "false pounds." In order to gain an actual pound of fat you will have to had eaten all your allotted MFP calories, all your exercise calories, plus the deficit calories, PLUS an additional 3500 calories. If you didn't do that, then don't worry.

Giving up now is for the weak and non intelligent. You're not weak and dumb. :bigsmile: Hang in there.

SO many reasons this could be.

1) You probably didn't have a 5 pound loss. That is difficult to do. Most of that was probably water, maybe too much water and you were dehydrating thus showing a bigger loss then it was - hence, you still loss this week, it just didn't show on the scale.

2) You had water weight from your increased weight training - muscles tear and retain water as they heal. This is a good thing.

3) The scale lies. Plain and simple sometimes there is no reason for the scale doing what it does.

If you are eating healthy and within your calories and working out, you will lose weight. It's just a fact. If you don't, you need to see a doctor because there is something else going on. Some weeks you'll lose more then others and there really isn't any reason for it - it just happens. You can't let yourself get discouraged by that - just remind yourself you are doing the right things and eventually, your body has to accept that and drop weight.

Hang in there!

I had the same 1lb gain this morning and felt just as frustrated at first. But then I reminded myself that no matter what those scales say from day to day, my body is getting smaller. I can tell it in my clothes every time I get dressed that I am shrinking. I have been doing cardio and strength training at least 5 days a week and I am definitely adding muscle tone in places that I didn't know I had muscles.

The ironic thing for me is that I usually see the scales move down after the weekend when I tend to slack off on the exercise and eat a little more. I haven't been able to figure it out, but as long as I keep focused on the long term picture I know I can do this and be successful!

Normal, if you gained 4 pounds, still normal. The body fluctuates like that. Yes, plateaus are also normal.