Just wanted to say Hello :)

Good luck

This app *is* great. Logging your food keeps you mindful of what and how much you are eating. A food scale is also helpful, as it is hard to estimate accurately.

Aim for small sustainable changes--log your meals habitually, try to be a little more active, and shoot for modest calorie deficits each day (and forgive yourself when you do not manage it)--and over time you will see real gains (er ... losses).

The community is also a great resource. Adding a few MFP friends in similar life situations is helpful for support and encouragement.

Perseverance is the key. Some days it is easy and other days it is harder. Sometimes you will do everything right and you will hit a plateau. Remember that every day you log your meals is a success. Every day you do something active is a success. Every day you hit your calorie target is a success. And every week you don't gain weight is a success (keeping in mind that a few pound daily fluctuation is entirely normal). Celebrate every one of those successes, keep at it, and eventually you will see real progress.