why does the number on the scale keep going up??

Too many calories.

It doesn't look like you're logging your food here. If you start weighing your food and logging it accurately, you'll have more success.

What I'm about to say is not even remotely based on science, but it did give me a way to visualize the process at a time when I really needed to be *patient* and trust the process. I was fully committed - had no intention of giving up - but was losing the drive. I was doing the right things, but I was not seeing results right away. Weeks went by with no movement on the scale (which was never my most important component of getting fit, but no movement at all was/is discouraging!) So ... I imagined that it was kind of like trying to stop a fast-moving train (all my bad eating habits and very little running for months) and then throwing that train into reverse. That doesn't happen all at once. I imagined the screeching of the train on the tracks as it continued to move forward, slower and slower, until finally it stopped and the gear could be shifted.

Again, this probably has no basis in reality whatsoever, but just thinking of it that way allowed me to give it a little time without jumping on the scale all the time and being disappointed. I don't think I would have quit; however, I could imagine that if the frustration you describe isn't assuaged somehow, it can be very damaging to the long-term goals of individuals trying to lose weight.

As the others have said, logging your caloric intake - everything - is a HUGE part of MFP. I personally don't weigh my food. Others swear by it. You need to find a system that works for you in the long run, but when it comes right down to it, it's about personal responsibility and accountability - and a lot of patience. Good luck!

Wow