I've been overweight my whole life

Congrats in your first two weeks! Stay committed, and you will reach your goals. There is a support section in this community you might find helpful. However, you might find some friends or family being supportive, but don't count on it. This is your goal, not theirs.

Everyone is different in terms of how they pursue their goals and you'll have to find your own levels of exercise, emotional balance and spiritual drive. I find that daily exercise is important to me. It strengthens my body and steels my resolve. If you're not changing your physical routine yet, you might go and find an exercise trainer at the local Y or gym and get on a plan that you can get your head around and stick to.

I've found that I had to step away from certain foods, because they are too calorie expensive for my daily goals. For
me that includes all fast, drive-through food and sweets. Yes, I could fit them into my count but with too much sacrifice of foods that are contributing to my health. Drawing a line in the sand like that might help you as well by giving you a sense of strength and accomplishment in the face of temptation.

The past is past. Practice makes easy, easy makes fun, no one is perfect. Good luck!

Hi Jane... I am also in my 40's. My weight problems began when I was 12 and I have fluctuated my entire life. At my heaviest I weight between 320-326. Now I am at 217. My best advice to you is start with small goals. Don't concentrate on that first 100 pounds, concentrate on the first five. I started just by adding water to my diet, lots of it. The first week, I peed a lot and lost three pounds. That was motivating. Then add a little walking to your routine. I had a dog so instead of my husband walking her I did, three times a day. Also, I am a therapist in NYC. If you know you emotionally eat, you might want to consider adding therapy as part of your weight loss regime. A therapist can help you find other ways to deal with those feelings then by eating them. At some point, the walking will become almost boring and then you might want to add some other excoriate but you have to find what is comfortable and interesting for you. Another goal I did was I went on a website and I purchased a dress (old navy and off the clearance rack I think I paid $10.00) and I used that to motivate myself to fit into it. Someone else said, you have to do this for you! No one else. If you'd like, add me as a friend... You can do this!!!!

Eatin healthier food is great and I highly recommend it. However to lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns, so no food has to be off limit so long as you're staying within your calorie goal, whatever you've determined that to be for your long term goals