6 Weeks Of Baby Steps

Not sure what I'd do at each week and if it'd fit within 6 weeks, but some things to include might be stopping smoklng and reducing alcohol (those things took me rather longer than 6 weeks though). But they're backgound things that may help and can be worked on one at a time. Rather than giving up cigarettes and wine, and eating steamed celery and tofu all in one week.

You could start logging your food - don't bother with keeping within calories yet, just do it for 2 or 3 weeks so you get an idea of how much/what/when you eat. Gradually work in things that your diet is low in. Say, you still don't worry about cals, but work to get x portions of fruit and veg in a day, or at least x meals a week that have been cooked from scratch. Or you may try to reduce snacks at certain times of the day that are particularly stressful/boring, or look to roughly apportion your calories for the times of the day you want to snack.

Then start looking at keeping within your cals. If that boy in the picture lives with you, be sure you don't put yourself as 'sedentary' when working out your cals, it's likely you are mildly active if you're running around after a kid, shopping, cleaning, gardnening, working etc. Few people are completely sedentary. Also, i'd recommend you don't put that you want to lose 2lb a week or something, otherwise you'll end up with a low figure that can be difficult to stick to for some people (me included).

Then look at exercise, if going to the gym or pool isn't possible or it bothers you too much at the moment, DVDs and videos from the internet are good, you can find something that interests you and is suited to your fitness level.

I personally would get hang the food or exercise separately, once you're happy with one , introduce the other. Other people may disagree, I've been at this for ages for a reason! But for me it's about habits and trying to change them or develop new ones is difficult, so if you try it for lots of things at once, it can be very difficult.