Feeling really discouraged weight gain

Honestly, it's only been two weeks. To my mind the absolute hardest thing about losing weight is not letting yourself get discouraged. That first week is cruel to everyone because you drop a lot of water weight suddenly and you think hey, wow, this isn't that hard! And then after that things start settling and those high hopes get dashed upon the rocks of reality, and you've just got to hang in there and trust that if you're eating a healthy amount, exercising, doing anything that you might need to do for your specific health issues or whatever, you will eventually succeed. Try not to let setbacks or days when you might not do everything you think you should be doing bring you down. Just keep going. The only way out is through, as they say.

For me, weighing daily instead of weekly and tracking it on an app that charts both daily weight and my weight trend has done more to keep me from getting discouraged than anything I've ever done. With the way my weight fluctuates from day to day it's hard to feel like I'm making progress, even if I only look at my "official" weekly weigh in days. But I've actually averaged a bit more than a pound a week this year. Seeing that trend line going steadily downward (aside from a few slight bumps here and there), has been incredibly helpful in keeping what I've accomplished already in sight. Maybe you could try something like that.

Just keep going. You can't judge your weight loss over such a short amount of time. Stick with the plan and you'll get there!

Awesome picture, that's it in a nutshell. 3 steps forward, one step back or sideways.

Weight loss isn't linear...you didn't gain 2 Lbs of fat unless you consumed 7,000 calories above your maintenance level of calories. That means if you're eating what MFP recommends, it's impossible to gain 2 lbs of actual fat because MFP's goal has a substantial deficit built in...

The initial 5 Lbs lost was primarily water...again, 5 lbs of fat would be 3,500 calories x 5 = 17,500 calorie deficit for the week...frankly, you'd be well on your way to being dead if that was the case. Water retention/release plays a huge role in body weight fluctuations...I can easily fluctuate 2-5 Lbs day to day. For example, my scale tells me I lost 2.2 Lbs from yesterday...bull ****...I didn't lose 2.2 Lbs of fat over night...it's mathematically and scientifically impossible. I just released a lot of water I was retaining. i'll be you money I'll bet up tomorrow...and no, it won't be fat.

Two weeks is a drop in the bucket on this journey...you need to buck up...it takes way longer than 2 weeks to really see what kind of progress you're making...make sure you are netting to MFP's established calorie goal...weigh and measure all of your food...log it and do so consistently...Do those things and MFP works.

Exactly! Weight loss and over-all health are not a short-term quest. Quitting gains you nothing, except exactly what you had when you started. Don't lose heart. Just make the best out of each day...take measurements...use the scale as nothing more than a trending tool <and I'm talking week/month trends, not day-to-day>. You most certainly CAN do this if you don't use the number on the scale as the be-all end-all factor for determining success.

I've been using MFP for two whole years and I don't think I've EVER had two weeks where my weight consistently dropped on a daily basis. If you give up now you will never be able to go into Reports and look back at, say, 3 months, and see that graph gradually lower.

Weight loss is not linear. That is all.

Very well said! People think if they eat 800 calories they will lose but more often it is the folks eating 1400-1600 who have the best weight losses. Your body needs fuel,it needs proper eating schedules. When you get to your goal weight what are you going to do??? Go back to your old eating habits????

This is for life!

hi,its sounds like you exercise every day,i don't think its weight you are putting on,i think its your body turning up more muscle as muscle weighs heavier than fat,take your measurments in inches and you will find that you have lost inches instead of weight,fat turns into muscle.

There's also the matter of cortisol, your blood levels of which will increase if you train too often and too hard (especially, if you are new to training). Cortisol causes you to retain water majorly. Try cutting back your training a bit and eating some raw baby spinach leaves (seriously). I munch on raw baby spinach leaves all the time (with a bit of lemon juice and minimal sea salt). Spinach is rich in magnesium and potassium and will help you to shed extra fluid. Also, taking Epsom salts BATHS will help you a lot when you are building muscle, because you can absorb the magnesium right through your skin (Epsom salts are pure magnesium sulphate and the sulphate is good for you too as we don't tend to get enough sulfur in our diets). Aim for two 15-minute baths per week, with the water as hot as you can stand it (without burning yourself, of course). You may find that you shed a lot of water weight with this approach and your muscles will feel great! Our great-grandparents used to believe in Epsom salts baths for sore, achy muscles. They knew it worked, they just didn't know why--magnesium is a muscle's best friend (and most of us are lacking in magnesium because of our dietary habits).

I can go up and down on the scale NINE POUNDS in 36 hours. I have done this twice that I know of. Every single week of my life I flucuate 4 pounds if I'm not being vigilant. And even when I am it is at least two!! Then one week I will be lower than I have been in the last three. I am the person who has to weigh every day just to keep me in line, but yes...it is frustrating! You can't possibly think that the second week, after you've obviously lost a bunch of water weight, that you're going to lose a bunch! I know everyone here thinks the Biggest Loser sucks (personally I think the % of people who have lost weight and kept it off is way higher than people on here) but it's no different than the "week two curse"!

You've been doing this two weeks. Just keep going.