Yesterday I reposted an old post from my blog about what I learned about my monthly weight fluctuations as a daily weigher on the 5&1 - it is on the New to Medifast board. It is normal to have fluctuations and plateaus throughout the month. Keep your eye on your goals and commit to stick with this until you reach your goal so you don't get discouraged by any one week. If you stick to the plan, you will lose the weight...

Don't dispair my cycle went nuts too I had always been regular, but my first 8 months on Medifast some months I went 45 days between, some months only 15 some months ridiculously heavy some months crazy light. For the past couple months I've gone back to a regular cycle though except wait for it it is actually a little lighter and less painful than it used to be before mf. I now know that right before I get it, I either won't lose - or I will gain a pound. Then, by day 4, I LOSE! Stay with it it will be good...

LaLaRanger, if you look at it as a whole, a 12.6 lb loss is 3 weeks is great! I know it can be frustrating after such a great first week to have low or no losses after that. I'm not recommending it, but I am a daily weigher and tracked my weight every day for the last year. After a couple months, it showed a real pattern to my losses and they were all centered around my monthly cycle. The week just before my period, I would have, at most, a 1/2 lb loss then the next week was usually a "big" one. Then it would be followed by a couple of weeks of 1 - 2 lb losses and the cycle would start over again.

You mentioned being bloated and constipated... that might be part of your problem... I need to take fiber every day to stay regular - I personally use psyllium husks capsules, but there have been several threads just talking about fiber, I think ground flaxseed is the most popular one. If I miss a couple days of fiber, I get bloated and my weight goes up. Have you been getting all your water in? You might want to call Nutrisystem before you get too frustrated - they have great ideas!.

There are several people who skip their weighins during TOM - if you think it would be too disappointing, you can always choose to do that. Have you taken measurements? If not, you should do that - sometimes when the scales are not kind, the tape measure is!.

And about the fertility... I no longer worry about that... but if you read the blogs you'll see people who were surprised by how fertile they became, so don't get careless unless you want a surprise!.

Good luck! We're here to help however we can. Becki..

Don't fret just yet. Your body might just be playing games with you thinking that you're starving and expecting you to begin taking in more calories. You're training your body to accept your new, lower calorie lifestyle and it seems to be rebelling.

I've had similar weeks. I swear...if you stick with the plan - you HAVE to lose weight. That is the only reason I am on MF. I've tried sooooo many other diets and this is the only thing that I got desired results from. I can lose as much as I want to it's all up to me deciding when to change over to the transition plan. You can do this...especially with the help of this board. Keep on picking our brains...we'll do everything we know to encourage/support you!!!..

I would skip weighing this week. Mentally you are better off not knowing. If you do the plan, the weight has to come off. But it's hard to stay mentally focused when the cycle messes with it..

I can't help much with the whole PMS/cycle thing because I've been peri-menopausal for years. Just when I think I won't ever have one again, I get one. Geesh!..

Hang in there my Medifast sister. Great job on the weight you have lost so far. don't let TOM discourage you. just step away from the scale and wait to weigh next week I say. : )..

My period always goes haywire when I lose weight. As far as birth control pills, some make you gain weight but others don't. I went on Levlen and gained 10 lbs over night and it was hard for me to lose those 10 lbs but once I did, it didn't stop me from losing more. I talked to my doctor about it though and they gave me a pill that doesn't cause weight gain. I haven't had any problems since...

You all are the reason I love MF. I've never been on a diet before and gotten this much support, it's great! I went for a walk this evening and I'm felling much calmer now. I decided not to weigh in tomorrow. I even gave my scale to my neighbor to hold so that I wouldn't be tempted...lol..

I've decided that I am going to go on the pill for a little while in hopes that my body will start to regulate itself...hopefully it will. I'm going to remain 100% on plan, because I really believe that I can make it through this transition..

I think my body really is rebelling in some ways, so I just have to stick to it until my mind, body, and spirit are all in sync..

I appreciate all of you more than you know...you pulled me off a ledge..

To just look at my ticker, and my monthly losses, you would think that I have had nice even losses. I have not. In the beginning months my losses would look a little like this: -4, -2, -1, -0 +1, -5, -2, -1, -0, -0, -4. They were not even at all..

Just keep on the plan, and forget about the rest. You will look in the mirror a few months from now, and see big changes. You will look in the mirror next year and be at or close to goal. Just stay the course, and ignore the lying scale. It all evens out in the end..

Best of luck...

I can't say it any better than that!.

Ditto... take a deep breath, look around at the scenery and enjoy the ride to a new you!.

PS... Doesn't mean you can't vent a little... feel free, that's what we're here for ...