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I've been dieting and just generally eating better for about a month now, and I've lost around 8 pounds. I did this through cutting calories. I also go to the gym at least three times a week, at which I run on the elliptical 3 miles and lift light 2.5 lb weights to try and tone my arms [not trying to gain muscle just trying to keep from losing muscle along with the fat I'm losing]. I also walk to and from my classes, at least a mile total each day. I haven't slipped up at all with my eating habits since I started this diet, yet I went to weigh myself and the scale said I gained two and a half pounds... I'm kinda really upset about it since I have been doing really well with everything, and I could expect maybe staying the same weight but not gaining any!

I weigh myself at the same time everyday and I use the same scale at the gym, so unless someone screwed with the scale, I dunno how I gained weight. Any ideas?

Look, it is a bit hard to say exactly what it could be. Apart from water weight, as mentioned below, I would say it is down to two other possibilities- the scales could indeed be off (not that uncommon for public scales), or you need to adjust your calorie balance.

I do not really buy the muscle hypothesis because the body needs a calorie surplus to gain muscle. So unless you have been either eating too much, or zig-zagging your calories, it is not likely that you could have gained muscle.

As for the 8 glasses of water... show me the money. This is something that has weaved its way into popular fitness, even though no evidence suggests that we need to drink more than when we are thirsty. That being said, do drink when you are thirsty...

So, this is what you should do. Wait a week and weigh yourself again. If you still have not made the right progress, lower your daily calories by a few hundred. Do pay attention though to how you look and feel, and how your clothes fit. If it looks like you are making progress, but the scales show weird results, change the scales.

Oh, and on a side note, dont be afraid of the weights. You can lift as heavy as you want, you will not gain muscle when you are on a diet.

Good luck.

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