how do people do it?

1. BE PATIENT! Trying to lose a lot in a short time is a BIG mistake and only leads to disillusionment.

2. Use MFP to set your calorie limit - you can choose to lose anything from 2lbs per week down to half a pound a week but each time, MFP will give you a limit based on the data you enter (and be honest about what you enter). I am sticking with 1lb per week off , as this works for me but look at it in the LONG term: 1lb per week sustained is 52 lbs off in a year (i.e. nearly 4 stone),so DON'T be impatient.

3. Don't go below 1200 calories, especially in the hope of losing faster - it doesn't work and this has to be a lifestyle change that you can LIVE with. Don't see it as a "diet" but as a change in eating habits. Once you have got to the weight that is right for you, then you can tell MFP that you want to maintain your weight and it will give you a new calorie limit.

4. You say you are a terror for the wine and takeaway; like another poster, you must not wait until you are so hungry and tired that you can't be bothered and hence get the takeaway as a quick fix. Use your days off to plan, plan, PLAN your meals for the next batch of shifts ahead, bearing in mind that breaks could be all over the place. If you are on an early and get home at night wanting a meal, then make sure there is one waiting for you, either by batch cooking and freezing in portions, or invest in a decent slow cooker, put all the ingredients for your meal in it, turn it on and it will be ready for you when you come home (there's some great deals in all the major supermarkets on slow cookers and similar things at the moment, so take advantage).

5. Yes, you CAN have A glass of wine - just make sure it IS ONLY a glass. I love wine too and although it is more expensive,
I buy the miniature bottles of wine (they are 187 mls, which is a quarter of a standard bottle). I know fine well that I can't trust myself around a large and open bottle of wine, so I decided to cut the size of the bottle! Oh, and if you do have the wine, make sure you log it and take time to thoroughly enjoy it.

6. You are doing a lot of walking on your shifts - I know when I was nursing, I could walk as much as 10 miles in a day, what with going up and down a ward and walking to the staff canteen and back (it was a l-o-n-g way to our staff canteen!). As a result, for your days off, you likely don't want to do anything much. Given that you will be planning and cooking for at least one of your days off, what about devoting the other day to some sort of activity? Do you like to swim? Do you like to dance? Maybe Zumba is your thing (it isn't for me!) or perhaps you can find a game you like, such as tennis - the key is finding something you ENJOY because otherwise you won't sustain it. I always loved hill walking, despite the fact that I was walking at work - the change of scenery was wonderful.

See if there are people on here on MFP that can give you help and support - sometimes they are the ONLY ones who give you support when you are down, so choose friends carefully.

Keep smiling and DON'T, whatever you do, tell your work colleagues you are on a diet because I guarantee that they will unintentionally derail your efforts almost immediately by offering you treats, sweets etc, or making remarks like "you don't need to lose weight". OK, perhaps confide in one good work friend but make sure it is someone you can trust to support you in your efforts.

I hope some of the above helps you - losing 1lb a week sounds slow but I have now been going for 28 weeks and, on average, have actually lost nearer a pound and a quarter per week. Yes, I have had setbacks when I haven't lost weight and, of course, this past week I have put 3 lbs on but I am now dealing with that and looking forward to 2013 and all the loss that I can achieve then. I have LOTS to lose (like 140 lbs all told, if I decide to go that far), so try to think LONG TERM.

Trying to lose weight when you are a nurse is tough but you CAN do it!