New to all of this and getting frustated!

I have tried many times to lose weight, sometimes successfully, but I have always managed to sabotage my efforts by giving up just because I over ate one day. I promised myself that this time, if I stayed within my calories or not, I would start again the next day with a clean slate. As long as I have MFP as a guide and I log in everyday to keep me on track, I think I will be OK - I think you will too!

well said and your right start straight away and get beck into it

When I don’t eat enough food or frequent small meals, that’s when I gain weight. If I slip up and only eat a protein bar or something light all day at work then eat a normal dinner - if that continues for a few days or weeks I’ll gain weight. When I eat 4-5 small meals a day, my body recognizes I am not starving it and it knows I am going to feed it every 3 hours or so. Sounds crazy, but it works. Some of my small meals/snacks include – a yogurt, a protein bar, a piece of fruit, a piece of cheese, a rice cake with peanut butter, an apple with peanut butter, a hard-boiled egg, a rare piece of dark chocolate, ½ of a portion of a salty snack like potato chips, popcorn, or tortilla chips & salsa. I “allow” myself some of my favorite foods in smaller portions so I don’t feel deprived – because, if I make a food “forbidden”, I have always binged and set myself back weeks or months. You can be so creative in the variety of the food you like and what works best for your schedule. It really doesn’t take much food to be a “meal”. I find it easy to plan a weekly menu – and then purchase the items for the week at the market. That way, I have everything I need on hand and I am not as tempted to make a quick decision on convenience (like to a fast food restaurant). Many of my snacks do not need refrigerated which makes those hectic days easier. I also pack my meals (breakfast, lunch, and snack) for my workday. I have not bought a single item from the vending machines or the McDonald’s across the street in over a year! As you get used to the food tracker, you will begin to see what foods are better to eat than others – plus, for me, I try to remember the foods I eat that gave me the most satisfaction of feeling full and content for the longest period of time. I find starting my day with protein works best. If I start with carbs or fruit, I seem to be much hungrier all day. These are just some things that have worked for me – but it took me a while to figure it out, too! Best wishes – the first couple of weeks are the most difficult – but don’t give up. We all had to start somewhere!

Find a new nutritionist. Unless you have a specific medical condition (such as bariatric surgery), the number of meals you eat has nothing to do with weight loss or weight gain. Neither does how late you eat, or any of the other numerous myths out there. It's calories in vs. calories out, and if you function better off 2 meals a day, and that works for you, then do that. Weight loss is incredibly simple. The difficulty is in the consistent application and willpower. Stick with it and you will see success!

I'd be curious to know why your nutritionist wants you to eat so often, I know it would make me crazy trying to fit that in to my day sometimes. And if it's freaking you out, then it's not beneficial to weight loss anyway.

I would say relax and talk to your nutritionist about how you can modify what she wants to your lifestyle because that's a hugely important thing. The easier it is for you, the longer you'll keep at it.

What I'll also say is that at the beginning it is a little harder because you're learning new stuff, what are good choices, what are the caloric values, all that good stuff, so just relax, give yourself time on the learning curve.