Looking for a cheering section

You can do it! If you don't make time for you, no one will. )

motivation is the hardest thing. for me I have to make small changes and then I have to constantly congratulate myself for them. And if you can find someone to partner with...even if for just one small thing like taking a walk at lunchtime a few days a week...it really helps keep you motivated. I do this and the days when I really don't feel like walking my coworkers say, "are you ready?" and so I put my shoes on and go with them. Otherwise the whole day would go by and I wouldn't move my butt. Planning your meals and planning what you want to eat before you get to the restaurant are also good ways to help you stick to it.

Ultimately there are a lot of people on this site that feel the way you do - you are not alone. and although it sucks to look at the pictures and think about how badly you've done, you are capable of doing better and there are people here who are supportive when you need it. Just logging your food is a step in the right direction - and it means that you've choosen this time to do something for YOU. and that's a big deal. :flowerforyou:

As a wife and mother myself, and someone who works MORE than full time I have a history of putting everyone and everything before myself as well. All this did was get me into obesity over a number of years.
I always wanted to be slim and healthy, tried every fad diet on the market at one time or another trying to find something that worked for me. Little did I know that I was completely in control the whole time, if I had spent a small portion of the time and effort on all these fads toward researching how to do it properly I could have avoided a lot of wasted time and money.

When my Dad died I vowed to make healthier changes in my life, but that didn't last long just like every other fad diet because I didn't know how to live healthier. Then when I turned 40 it was my "ah ha" moment. My dad died just after his 60th birthday and I suddenly had the horrible thought that unless I changed my ways I would turn out exactly like him so had already lived for 2/3 of my life and only had a measly 20 years left.

I signed up on MFP November 2009 and logged every morsel for the first 6 months without losing a pound. I needed this time to review my daily choices, and to teach myself how to shop, prepare, and eat in a healthier way. I decided on May 17th last year that I would put everything I learned into practice. I have lost about 50 pounds since then and am now only 30 pounds from my goal.

The biggest things I learned:
#1 - take 1 day at a time, don't think past today, do everything in your power to avoid temptation, eat your correct amount of calories with healthy "clean" food and drink that water . . . but only focus on TODAY!
#2 - Plan, plan, plan. I do up a 2 week menu plan including all meals and snacks and hang it on the fridge (we are paid every 2 weeks so build my grocery list from this). The better you plan the less likely you are to grab something quick (which is usually not the healthiest option). This makes grabbing lunches for work easy and we always know what to take out for dinner, etc. We waste nothing now as well because I only buy what is on the "plan"
#3 - cut out sweets. When you eat sweets it makes your body crave them even more. This includes diet pop and artificial sweenters. I avoided all sweets for almost 2 months before my cravings subsided.

If a subborn, set in her ways, woman like me can do this you can too!

Welcome to MFP!