New to MFP

Hi all,

tl;dr version: I'm overweight and unhappy. I'm here to change that.

The long story:

I can't remember a time when I didn't think I was fat, even when I was young. It didn't seem too much of an issue back then, however as you grow up, everyone starts to notice differences, especially classmates. Being teased at school is probably the root of the self-confidence I struggle from now, and I'm probably equally to blame for not doing anything about it sooner, but it's a vicious circle - you feel self-conscious about your weight, and you shy away and eat to comfort yourself. And so the cycle continues.

I left University last July having gained about 2 stone on top of what was already an overweight and lazy self (too much alcohol, pizza, late nights and junk food). This is not helped by the fact that I was studying I.T, which means I am often sat in front of a computer for a large portion of the day. I left University happy to have had the "University Life" experience, but secretly I was slightly disappointed that I was the way I was, and felt I could have enjoyed it more had I been fitter (better, stronger, faster!...).

I have tried on and off for the past couple of years to go to the gym on a regular basis - when I first started I had an old school friend who was trying to do the same, so we had each other to drag us (kicking and screaming sometimes) to the gym every other day. This actually went quite well and I lost about 9 pounds in a couple of months. However he had to relocate for work, and my new term at Uni started (cue more alcohol, junk food and late nights).

Since finishing Uni I joined back up at the gym but have struggled to find the discipline to maintain attendance. I manage to convince myself to start going again, on my own, and it goes well for 2-3 sessions. However come the following Monday and my subconscious starts negotiating with my mind and convinces me to "just skip one session" - this somehow becomes two, then three, and before you know it, it's a month later.

Motivation is my biggest issue at the moment - the fact that it can take up to a month before I'll see any real difference makes it difficult for me to stay motivated and is probably why I keep quitting after a week (and no amount of watching Storage Hunters on Dave while on the treadmill seems to help!)
So I guess that's why I'm here now! Having someone/something to help force me to the gym seemed to work before, and I'm hoping MFP can fill that gap. Hopefully I can pick up a few tips to stay motivated and maybe some ideas for healthy eating!

Apologies for the essay! But actually sharing these thoughts for once feels like it might help, and might help me get started on what will hopefully be my final attempt at getting fit...