Why did you start this journey?

I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes last year and I had to start changing my eating habits the day of my diagnosis. So really I had no choice but to change, but in the process I've discovered I like eating healthier, and I'm even starting to look forward to doing bits of exercise and building up slowly to eventually joining a gym. I would say start thinking of strategies to cope when you do have urges or unhelpful thoughts, because there will be some lows, but with some plans in place, you get through them and start to look forward more than looking back or feeling stuck. If I have a setback or a low day, I know it won't last, and I look forward to getting back on track. The thought of going onwards and upwards towards a healthy life that I can enjoy is a great boost.

All those interlinked problems are things I can definitely identify with. Before, I was thin (actually downright skinny) but illness, followed by those problems you described, made my body change drastically. I started here because I wanted to get back to how I was, but reading other people's stories and progress on here, I now realise that I can aim a little higher than that. Being here for over two years has not only got me down to a healthy weight; it's inspired me to lead a healthier lifestyle. I go to the gym (a revelation in terms of mental health), I eat far more fruit and vegetables, and best of all, it all feels far easier now compared to the start. I'm running a 10K in a months time, something that would have been crazy talk not so long ago.

I can guarantee that you'll have days (weeks?) where you say "screw it" and succumb to temptation. However, the feeling I get is how you describe it, two days in, except long-term. One of the best pieces of advice I've been given here is to remember it's a marathon, not a sprint. I'm a naturally impatient person, so I had to learn that the hard way!