It’s a mystery many successful dieters encounter: Why do they feel lighter and fit better into their clothes when the scale tells them that they’ve actually gained weight instead of dropped pounds, as they expected?

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Five women who experienced this phenomenon took to social media to share their thoughts and side-by-side images. If you’re trying to shed pounds, listen to their advice to never track your progress solely by what the scale says.

“3 years, 6 kilos and a new bikini,” @yolaforthewin wrote under her before and after posts, showing her 6-kilogram (13-pound) weight gain. “Weight is just a number … and that’s about it.”

“I’m 25 pounds heavier, fitter, and wear a size 6 versus a 14 (for those that care),” said @bananas.gets.fit of her photos. “The purpose of this post is to show you what the scale says does not matter, take your measurements, take progress photos and stay consistent.”

“I am 15 lbs heavier than I was at my lowest weight last year in November,” @kaylegetsfit shared in her transformation post. “When you are on a healthy eating plan and working out regularly (for me it’s 6 days a week) AND LIFTING your body composition changes dramatically. Throw your scales away people!”

“I am 10 pounds heavier, in the right picture, than I am in the left,” @schlutowk captioned this before-and-after photo. “The scale is meaningless, folks. Your weight doesn’t matter.”

“Scales are stupid,” Natalie Bunting said, revealing that she had gained close to one pound since starting her fitness regimen. “And I’m willing to post a bikini photo in order to prove it.”