Overwhelmed, where do I start?

See someone about your PF- I had that once, and I remember the pain. My physiotherapist helped a lot with stretches. I wish I could remember them all to tell you, but I don't. The one I do remember is having to practice picking things up with my toes. She had me put a towel on the floor and scrunch it with my toes, over and over. I think dealing with the physical pain is a good place to start.

Try also to go with 1 positive, healthy change. Here's some ideas: If you don't drink much water, start having a glass on the hour, every hour. Try adding a fruit or a vegetable to every meal and snack. Park on the far side of every parking lot and walk further. If you can take the stairs more, do so- add one extra flight into your day.

Try enlisting your family to help with a meal plan. Make 1 or 2 nights a week "mom's choice". Ask them to give it a shot, and then try researching online for flavors they like to replace with healthier options. For eg. if they love fried chicken, try oven baking it instead. Make half the dinner plate fruit and veges.

Fill your grocery cart with non-processed foods, and since your job is so demanding, make full use of a slow-cooker so dinner is mostly ready for you. Give yourself 1 donut or ice cream serving once a week, rather than everyday- so it's something to look forward to, try to "earn" the reward with healthier choices. I just don't buy donuts and ice cream- if they're not in the house, i can't consume them.

Try eating more yummy healthy snacks like trail mix (measure it though), and get some protein from eggs. You should definitely figure out your BMR and other important numbers, then log everything. It takes time.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

Oh and eat more protein. You will feel fuller longer

Above all, don't give up. You are definitely too young to be creaking and groaning. Imagine a lifetime ahead of your pain, and let that be your motivation. My motivation is being healthy enough to play with my kids now and chase my grandkids around later.

I've been where you are. Everything is tiring so you can't possibly imagine jumping around doing aerobics and eating salads. Well, the good news is that you don't have to do that to lose weight if you don't want to. All you need is a calorie deficit. You can create a calorie deficit by eating less of what you're already eating. You don't NEED exercise. Many people switch to eating healthy or "clean eating" because the benefits are that you have less cravings, less hunger, and can eat bulkier amounts of food (300 calories worth of chicken and vegetables is a lot more food than 300 worth of pizza). But if you can't do that right now it's OK. Just start logging your calories and start with a doable goal like 1 pound per week. Choosing two pounds per week may be too much hunger or too much activity than you can handle right now. When you start to get some results you'll be more motivated to continue.

Have you looked online for stretches you can do to improve plantar fasciitis? Give it a try.

I don't deal with picky eaters. I do the grocery shopping and cooking and if my family doesn't like it they can go hungry or have pb&j. I'm not mean about it but that's the way it is. I still buy treats for my family. Just a lot less. Again, I do the shopping so they eat what's here. You don't have to eat chicken every night or be a great cook to eat better. Try skinnytaste.com. My family has never complained about her recipes. They're definitely lighter but that's the point. I'm trying to keep my family and me alive and healthy.

As far as the choices you make between a donut and being healthy...the first thing you have to change is your thinking. You need to make a concrete decision when you're ready and stick with it. Losing weight is as much if not more of a mental challenge than a physical one. You have to be mentally ready or it won't last. Don't expect perfection from yourself, though, because the first time you hog down on pizza you'll think you've blow everything and why bother I can't do this I might as well quit. Not true. Just let it go and move on.

Also, since you've done this before you know you can do it. It may be different or slower this time if you don't feel up to working out but that's OK. It's not a race or a sprint.

So, where do you start? Just start logging your food.

I think you start with taking care of yourself. That's medical treatment for the PF and buying/cooking healthy foods for you to eat. If your husband & older kids insist on sweets in the house you can't STOP them, but you can set boundaries like no snack foods in the TV room, or the computer room, or whatever. You can make safer zones for yourself to not even SEE the temptations. Eventually they may come around to picking up the habits you're demonstrating.

And of course start tracking, and then be patient and consistent. It'll happen. You know from experience.

i feel your pain about your pain.....................i spent an entire year in bed due to a blood clot in my heart and ballooned up to 236 from my usual 145........the hardest thing ive ever done is to get out of my bed and move. i began the program here @ mfp and my nutritionist told my 1 very important thing......keep your intake of carbs and protein within 30 points of each other for lasting weight loss, that way you lose fat not muscle........if your protein is always low try a good quality whey protein powder mixed with fresh fruit an 1/8 of a cup of sherbert and a splash of fat free milk..........im down to 196 after 3 months..............you CAN do it just stick with it