What are you eating that's different this week? Whatever it is, drop it.

Hi JAG. I'd agree with BW, if you've changed something up recently. Are you still eating the sauerkraut? There might be a micro-organism in it that just isn't making your gut happy. You could try building up a tolerance to it slowly, but when that happened to me with a batch of homemade kefir, I had to (figuratively) swallow my frugality and toss it.

I don't know how old you are or what "stage of life" you're in, but one of my worst symptoms of messed-up hormones was extreme bloating and constipation. I was 'recovering' from getting off Depo-Provera, and that's actually what led me to LC eating in the first place. It seems weird to me that our hormones can cause that much havoc to our guts, but it can.

Best of luck finding a solution.

I've cut out everything I can think of, even my multivitamin. The only thing I forgot until just now is the greek yogurt. I haven't been eating much of it, only about 1/4 cup, but I will try cutting that out as well tomorrow.
I really appreciate all your support, suggestions, and encouragement! Thank you all.

I feel most comfortable at a range of 102lbs-105lbs.
Lately, my range has been 104lbs -107lbs despite my intensified workouts. Sadly, I have really let it bother me emotionally. I've been frustrated each time i step on the scale bc i can't understand.
Therefore, I've decided, rather than fighting with my body, I'm going to try to accept it and love it. I am very, very small framed so 5lbs extra really shows. Regardless, I am not willing to sacrifice my happiness for vanity. I am going to work on adjusting my attitude from one of disappointment to one of gratitude for all the healthy capabilities my body has; vision, hearing, walking, smelling, smiling, etc. Many people have deficits that I am able to enjoy daily so I need to start appreciating that.
I am starting by setting my new range as 102-109lbs. 109lbs (the highest end) is higher than I've been in years, but if that's where my body wants to be, maybe that's where it's healthier.

ETA: the women in my family are all very small, moreso than me, my brother and dad as well.

Bravo! We are all -- especially women -- encouraged to strive for an entirely artificial goal, whatever form it takes. Not only that, the goal shown to us has been culled from hundreds of images to pick the best one, and then airbrushing that!

The world of advertisements, "Influencers," and commerce is maybe an aspirational one, but certainly not a real one.

Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. I tried to get my body to the place where it wants to be, and where it works the best. And then, I got success in other places, too.

Which might not be your solution! But trying things that break a bad pattern is always a good idea.

I don't know how long you've been "at war with your own body" but relaxing and making an ally of our body will give us more of what we want.

I agree WereBear! I appreciate the support and encouragement.

As my weight continues to climb (up to 107 today), the only change I can think of that I have made is a recent change in my AM supplement of NALT in place of my usual tyrosine. I am going to return to my AM tyrosine and see if that helps.
As I said earlier, I've also added some weight training; however I don't think I've gained 4lbs of muscle in just 4 months.

Tyrosine is noted to cause weight loss.

Apparently not for me. I switched back and weight is still up.

I hate to think it, but it could be the collagen powder. I may have to eliminate it.

I'm going to try upping my fats (from 4 to 5) first and see if that helps.

JustAGirl, I'm looking at your stats, and you are working within a range of five pounds. Something a big glass of tea or a salty day can flex by as much as half of that.

And okay, you are petite and you have goals. But if you also have health issues that you are juggling at the same time, I wonder if you are doing things in the wrong order?

I, too, want to do EVERYTHINGATONCE but time and space do not work that way. Once I solved my health problems, I actually blew past my weight goal. I concentrated on making the diet workable, then some kind of exercise, then addressed a serious health issue. But all the time, I was losing weight without really focusing on it. Getting good sleep and eating right was much more important to me, but that's part of this process that keeps us going, and keeps us going!

You might be demanding a lot of yourself when what you need is a routine that heals. Then, other goals become so much easier.

Check and see if any of your strategies are actually working against each other?

I always appreciate your thoughtful, intelligent, kind replies WereBear. I will reply more later when I have time.

You are welcome. Just coming up with different angles

The thing is, I used to fluctuate always towards the lower end, now I am always on the higher end. Therefore I know I've gained weight.
I agree completely that my health is much more important than a number. I appreciate the reminder.
At further thought, I realize I have been eating more calories. I think I had been in denial. I think it's time for me to accept a higher weight.

I concur that it is time for you to accept a higher weight.

You've been on this forum longer than I have, and that's going on two decades, so we're probably close in age. I'm in the early stages of menopause. I was happily maintaining my weight in the 130s for most of my late 20s and 30s. It was easy. Heck, I drank LC beer, ate pretty sloppy maintenance LC. No more. Once I turned 40, I started getting "old lady body" pretty quickly.

I don't like it, but you know what? It's normal.

If you would otherwise have to go hungry, it's not too many calories. No one deserves that. Eat to satisfaction.

Don't look at 50-yr-old Ted Naiman and assume that the average woman can or should do the same. Women over 40 with very low body fat are either rich enough to afford surgery/personal chefs/trainers, genetically blessed, going to extremes, or have serious health issues going on. You can't cheat time, menopause, hormones and mother nature. There's a reason older women are often referred to as "matronly". It's different than being overweight. It's a natural shift in how and where your body stores fat. There's more fat, it tends to store abdominally, breasts often grow and start "moving South", and there's often minimal fat gain in arms and legs (*raises hand*). That's why we almost look pregnant (except no one's going to see my crow's feet and salt-and-pepper hair and think I'm preggers. )

Do your best at (a) activity that you don't hate to preserve bone strength and muscle mass, (b) avoiding foods that exacerbate any health issues you might have (your digestion problems?) (c) enjoying foods that minimize fat gain but are satisfying. Let your body sort itself out and don't obsess over a few pounds of fat. Change your narrative about yourself. Try subbing "I'm small-boned and 5 lbs really shows" with "I'm getting older, my body shape is changing, and different clothes are flattering on me now." Then go shopping. Not to be flippant - I have my "fat days", too. But I've accepted that to look like I did in my 20s/30s again, I'd have to get breast reduction/lift surgery, starve, work out like a fiend, and be miserable. It's not worth it to me.

Wishing you continued success... because you're already a success.

If you are intensifying your workouts, some of that "extra weight" could be muscle.