I have difficulty committing, which is why I can't do this.

Make small changes until you get to your goal. Start with portion sizes. Small popcorn, lunch portion meals, adding more activity. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way.

The fact that you're stating you CAN'T do this says a lot about your approach to losing weight.

Start telling yourself that you CAN, and that you MUST lose, and then MAKE IT HAPPEN.

YOU are the only one that can make it happen.

Make your diary public, at least to your friends. Make sure you log everything. Naturally you'll want to start improving it. Good luck! Starting is the hardest part but you can do it...

If you want it bad enough, you will find a way.

Exactly.

Sounds to me like it is not a high enough priority to you at this point in time and you need to make a choice about living the way your are and being happy or changing your lifestyle. Sorry if that sounds harsh.

Sounds like your happy with yourself and don't really want to do anything yet. This is a great site to use when you decide you want something different.

OK you don't weight that much so I am assuming that you don't have that much to lose really.

However, even if you do, consider the fact that mfp is simply about logging your meals and your exercise. Believe it or not that's all it does. The rest is up to you.

Therefore, I suggest the following to anyone who has a hard time committing and to beginners and more advanced users alike. I'm not an expert but the following steps seems to have worked for me so far:

PHASE 1: the discovery phase. These steps helped me on my weight loss journey initially:

Step number 1: Log everything. If you don't have the time and/or have trouble remembering your day, simply take photos of all your meals with your camera (a little awkward at functions I know, but find a way). You can then enter in your meals when you have the time - ideally just before bed time is always good for me.

Step number 2: analyse what you have eaten over, say a few weeks. If you have already tried mfp, even better - you have a wealth of data.

Step number 3: identify what you could have done better. Could you have eaten one piece of cake when you ate one and a half? Were you drinking enough water? (the more water you drink, the less space for sodas and er food). Did you really have to have that candy bar from the service/gas station?

Step number 4: make small changes each week, changes that don't hurt. Are you a party animal? No worries, try attending one less party each week. Or leave earlier. Or dance more and eat less. Turn your back to the snack bar. Dilute your alcoholic drinks a little.

Step number 5: As you make your changes, go back to Step Number 1. Regularly review your week.

PHASE 2: challenging yourself

Once you have logging and making small changes down pat, then you can go to PHASE 2: challenge yourself by setting goals. Start of with little challenges if you aren't too motivated based on what you have done in the past. Aim to eat 5% less for the week. If that is too easy, aim for 10% Personally I see mfp as a bit of a "game". I see if I can beat my "top score" in exercise and diet a little each week. Remember to challenge yourself my eating healthier and by moving/exercising more. Eg if you are not exercising at all, try to fit in a short 10 minute walk each day the first week. Then add some hills/incline the next. Then add some time. Then go faster. Small challenges, that's all. Personally I have been taking my time with all of this, I don't care if I only go through 120 calories in exercise whilst others do 1,200. My number 1 competition is myself. That's not to say that my mfp friends don't inspire me. They do. They tell me where I should be in "x" weeks/months/years.

I think you dont want to change your lifestyle so you are finding excuses.
There are all sorts of ways around this. Portion control is THE biggest issue here.... I dont believe in eating before you go out, because if you have no self control you will still eat when you are out then you will have eaten double.
Dont be depressed about this... ask yourself if you really want to be slimmer and do you think you could cut down your portions and fit in a walk a day
If the answer is no, then just live with it, be ok with yourself.
'If the answer is yes, then you will go out of your way to NOT be on a diet, but simply to make better choices, and eat smaller portions of food.
I am a huge socialiser, I just dont make it about food anymore, and I had to teach myself that food is always going to be there and I am going to be ok if I dont eat that enormous slice of lemon meringue pie!!!!
Its about baby steps to start with... just do it... dont make a production of it and tell everyone you are on a diet then end up feeling like a failure.
Just start... slowly, cutting back bit by bit, until you are sticking to your calories... and I bet if you dont say anything, no one will even notice you are making changes.
Good luck!!!

Maybe its your approach making you unsuccessful? If your eating before, during and after you clearly just love to eat! Maybe try intermittent fasting for a few weeks. It might fit your lifestyle a little better? (assuming most social activities occur later on at night that is!)

bumping to read other comments later