have realised that I am clueless about weight loss and food- please help...

[Sillybillypoopoomummy]

So I have always been one of those people who could eat anything and it not matter. However now suddenly it does seem to matter. A newly sendentery, stressful job and a corresponding wine habit mean that that the fat pad at the top of my thighs that I could always hide is now descending to my knees and I am wearing my 'fat' jeans. On top of that we are skiing in a month and my jelly thighs are not going to get my down the slopes.

Other than the booze, we have a pretty healthy diet, but I am at a loss of what to change to lose the weight and find myself totally clueless .
For example, should I eat breakfast? I don't normally so if I start will this make me fatter?? If so what should I eat - porridge or protein?
What exercise to do - cardio/gym? morning or evening?
Are desk treadmills/steppers actually viable?
Is there actually a non-sugary, non-sweet alternative to wine that is palatable and not fizzy (hate fizz!)?
Is it actually possible to go to the gym lots and not fail more at parenting/work than I already am, or does it all have to be in the middle of the night?

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Weight loss/gain is (with the exception of some rare conditions) calories in vs calories out.

Changing your diet will have much more impact than going to the gym, so put your energy into that.

Protein and veg will fill you up and keep you full.

But other than that, do what works for you to reduce calories in. If eating breakfast helps you regulate calorie intake during the day so you don’t go mad, then do that. If it makes you ravenous for the rest of the day then maybe think about skipping it.

As we get older we lose muscle, which means we need fewer cals. So if you get to the gym I would recommend muscle building activity.

I find James Smith PT, and Ben Coomber really good resources online.