Ouch, thats a tough bit of news to take. You have my sympathy. I don't have to tell you what to do about it (we all know what to do, doing it is another matter) but I can totally relate to how unhappy it is to step on a scale and see such an uptick. Have you thought about checking with your doctor? Thats quite a lot for 6 months if you have not changed anything else.

Like Janet, I'd tell the doctor about this... but after that, I'd start keeping a diary of what you eat and how much activity you're getting. Sometimes we THINK nothing has changed but the reality is different.

For instance, I've always thought of myself as a healthy eater... practically vegetarian! But when I had to keep a food journal for my kids' pediatrician (they have food allergies) I realized that we were only eating fruit and a bit of veggies for dinner. not as healthy as I thought... and a good kick in the pants to make changes.

Unless you had dramatically changed your eating and exercise routine, that's way too much weight to have gained in 5 months. A visit to a physician is definitely in order. Lora's suggestion about a food diary is a good one. I lost a lot of weight several years ago and as soon as I start slipping, I go back to the food diary. But call the doctor first before writing down anything or doing anything differently.