New friends please

Hi there,
I am Linda and soon to be 50 in eight days time. I used to be a size 14 way back in 1997 but then I had my first child and ever since then, the weight has piled on and now I am a size 20 bottom half, 22 top half and after last week's work's Christmas do feeling like a fat frump, even though my Husband said I looked glamorous, well enough is enough.
I have a terrible pattern with food. Before I met my Husband, I lived on my own, had breakfast, bought lunch and I even bought dinner six nights of the week from a takeaway and that was it! Never thought about food. Just ate to live.
Gave up work when had kids and that's when my relationship with food started. I am the woman who ate 5 donuts from a 10 donut size bag cos they were offered to me, I even remember eating a whole 6 portion cake once and going to the shop, replacing it and hiding the wrapper as evidence (who ate the cake, not me!)
My Mother in law's Husband calls me fatty to my face or porky. My Father in law's girlfriend, every time she sees me she says, "ooooh Linda, you look marvellous. Have you lost weight?"
I am not waiting until 1st January 2014, I am starting NOW, TODAY. In fact, I am going the gym today.
I have been on a diet since 1998 and I would say the biggest factors for me not losing weight are:
My Husband works shift pattern so I am alone some evenings. When kids were little, they used to be in bed early, now they're up in their rooms and they're teenagers they don't wanna be downstairs - normal for them, I was the same at their age.
I work from home for a company three days a week - therefore kitchen is always open.
I work for another company, from home, this second job I hate that it makes me wanna eat!
So, without turning this into an epic novel, who wants to be friends on here with me?
Looking forward to making your acquaintance. Linda