Helpless and Hopeless.

Oh sweety its ok! that happens to the best of us! remember, ROMA WASN'T BUILD IN A DAY!! you are going to need time and LOTS OF PATIENCE! internet can be a good friend! there are trillions of tips to make a soft change on your habits that makes the process a lil less shocking, you love soda? ok then grab some sprinkilng water and frozen fruits and drink that! or orange juice and sprinkling water, there are ways, you just have to search for your own!
again: PATIENCE AND CONSISTENCY ARE THE KEYS TO SUCCESS

I really feel for what you're going through and I'm very sorry you feel that way. I have felt that way so much and most of my life have been an emotional eater too. It's a constant battle and you feel like you're in your own prison. I'm on my way though, to figuring things out in my head, which is helping with my emotional eating. I know all the the right things you're supposed to do--so much I could write a book--but my brain was never connecting with my heart. That is, until I got counseling and started talking things out, and keeping not only a food diary, but also a diary of my emotions and what was happening in my life. Until I started doing those things I kept hitting brick walls. Now I do have hope and I am able to see the value I have in myself. Maybe doing those things would help you, too. I hope so.

First off you need to discover a way to begin liking and loving yourself because the only way you are going to establish a long term healthy lifestyle is to believe the person you see staring back in the mirror deserves that kind of love and affection from you. AT that point you should be ready to take control of your life and begin accepting that, no one makes you feel anything but YOU... THAT the only person in your way.. IS YOU... there's no if, or buts... NO excuse, no barriers.. except for those you impose upon yourself... I can't.. will disappear from the dialogue going on between your ears... THEN you have ot learn to forgive... yourself... for NOT understanding this earlier in your life... and EVERYONE you thought was holding you back... the forgiveness part.. is probably the toughest thing toconfront because it is so much easier to pin your situation on someone else....

anyway... in a nut shell the world you see from behind your eyeballs, IS in fact the world you created for yourself... the only person out of the 7+Billion currently wandering this world capable of making the changes you want... stares back at you in every reflective surface you can find... learn to like that person.. then learn to love that person and there will be NOTHING stopping you from becoming who you want to be.

Agree with most everything everyone else has intoned, going to throw my two cents out there as well.

Here is what has worked for me:

1. Taking it slow. I cut back 100 calories each week until I hit that -1000 mark. So it took me roughly 2 1/2 months to get there, but it made eating that way SO much easier for me. I think it allowed my stomach to gradually shrink down so I've never felt like I was starving this whole time.

2. I didn't give up anything I wasn't willing to never go back to, for me it was smoking and drinking regular soda. I don't do those things anymore. I never plan on doing so again. I still eat my favorite foods, but I make sure that if it's going out to eat I try to order half portions and avoid things I know are unhealthy, I ask for things prepared healthier - most restaurants don't have a problem doing this, (like no salt, or could they just put the toppings on the side) especially if you just tell them it's an allergy thing, lol.

3. I log everything. Cooking at home has been way easier for me, because it allows me to weigh everything more accurately. I do my own shopping separate from the rest of the family. That way I can make sure I have healthier snack foods in the house, and not be tempted to give in to little debbie.

4. I gave up on the scale. I will let the weight fall off as it will, the thing I am more concerned about is FAT loss, not weight loss per se. I was amazed at how I really started to shed the lb's once I adopted this mentality. I think before weighing in I was stressing myself out, my cortisol would go through the roof, and no weight would come off.

5. Speaking of weighing in, I do so every two weeks now rather than daily. I was obsessed before, and it was unhealthy, as simple as that.

6. Drink more water. I could drink a few two liters of soda a day, when I first started this lifestyle change, I hadn't replaced that with water. I started drinking more, and my whole world changed. My digestive system is healthier, the weight comes off easier, I just feel better.

7. I do it for me. I'm not trying to please or displease anyone, if they have good advice I listen, if they try to discourage me I simply walk away. I have things I want to do with my life, and those things would make me much happier if I were skinnier and healthier to enjoy them. Simple as that.

That's about it, I'm sure I could go on and on, but hopefully some of what I typed hits home a little and helps.

I agree you have to take one step at a time. Start with 1 meal. For me I start with a healthy lunch. After it becomes a routine, add another meal or a workout. Finally if you have a bad day, or weekend DON”T LOOK BACK! That is the hardest part for me. One bad weekend doesn’t have to turn into a bad month. Think about healthy habits not diet.

How do I change my habits? I did good for the first couple weeks but I fell off (as I normally do). I have no sense of portion control. I tend to binge eat with instant remorse. I am a complete emotional eater...I always have been. I drink soda and I think I'm addicted lol I hate that girl looking back at me in the mirror!! It's starting to take a toll on me mentally and this is taking a toll on my relationships. I feel helpless and hopeless! Has anyone felt like this? How did you push yourself? What was your breaking point? Please help....I can't live like this anymore. I need to shed my "fat suit" Skinny Tonya is screaming inside!

There is no skinny Tonya. There is just you and your next choice. You are the sum of each choice you make over a day, over a week, over a year.

Tonya, I've been where you are. It all seems so incredibly big. And because we want so desperately to make all the changes at once we jump in with both feet and it overwhelms us. So start small. Pick one healthy habit at a time. Don't eat breakfast? Start by eating something in the morning. If it's super healthy, great! If it's a bowl of corn pops, that's okay too. Just plan for it. Don't make all the changes at once. It's too scary and you'll slide and the cycle begins again.

DON'T beat yourself up for "being bad" and don't reward yourself too much for "being good." There is no such thing as being bad or being good. There's just being healthy. If you eat the brownie, then make sure it's the best dang brownie you ever ate. Savor the flavor, the texture, every single bite. Then let it go and get back to healthy food. Don't beat yourself up for slipping. Don't obsess over what you did wrong because you can't make it not have happened. Just keep your eyes forward and plan out the next meal. Keep healthy snacks in your bag with you at all times so you don't get caught off guard.

There is no perfect path to this. We're all struggling and we all have off days or meals. We all have our vices. The key is tracking it and making better choices. And NOT beating yourself up. I know it's cliche but this is a marathon, not a sprint. You'll do great and when you feel weak or afraid, come here. Let this group of people be your support. :-)

Everything Grace said right above me an one more thing to read:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/graceisjinxed/view/just-stop-669606

Start with small changes- they feel less overwhelming at the time. I weigh and measure all of my food because my eyes always wants more than my stomach needs. you can do this

This.

Pick the lowest hanging fruit, the easiest goal first, so you can look back when needed and remind yourself you reached that one.

Perhaps drop the pop, as empty calories that may have more of a sugar effect on you (very possible if overweight).

Either go diet if that is realistic, or cut back at same time with diet, or flavored water with caffeine, ect.

Spend several weeks with that while you follow advice to log everything. Make loss amount realistic too, like 1 lb weekly as recommended.

Perhaps next step, if sugars really hit you hard and make you get low blood sugar and feel hungry when not and crave more.

No snacks or meals that are only or predominantly simple refined carbs in breads. No bagel for a snack, no bowl of high sugar cereal, no toast and butter. If the bread is after you've eat protein and fat, fine, if you have the calories for it.

And while this is going on, make you list of why you fail.
Eat that tub of ice cream? Why did you buy it? Can you buy small ice cream cups and just eat one? Must you avoid because of no self-control?
Did you run through fast food place and order too much and the wrong stuff? Why was that only option? Did you not pack a desired lunch? Did you wait too long for a meal and then weren't thinking? Why late?
Ect. Make that list and keep on fridge and in car in big words to stare at.

Also, weight is just as mental as it is physical. You said your an emotional eater (I am too) I sought out counseling and it has done wonders for me. Just a thought.

Oh and I picked up a barbell and heavy weights and fell in love.