hubby says to just "eat less and go to the gym". but it's easy for him to say that as he's never struggled with his weight
Grrr! It's hard for people who haven't been there to understand. I can quite easily give up alcohol because I dont need it but it's not like you can just stop eating when you have a bad relationship with food - you have to relearn all kinds of behaviour.
I'm on the journey now - I'm losing a weight slowly and steadily - about half a stone a month. I'm happy with that as I think it will be more sustainable, minimise saggy skin and also I can still enjoy myself.
What's helped?
In the first couple of weeks, going cold turkey & tracking everything I are (i won't lie, the first two weeks were bloody awful, but I got through themand it's got a lot easier).
I didnt search for the reason why. It was enough for me to recognise I had a messed up idea of what a normal diet was and I probably had inherited some unhealthy ideas from my mum. A lot of people need the reason why but I've been ok with just acknowledging there's an issue.
Get inspired - read blogs/reddit/tumblr for weight loss transformations.
I liked SW but fell off the wagon too easily when I didn't plan ahead. Now I'm doing a loose version - low fat, low cal balanced diet. I've still been going out for meals (usually 2 a week).
Alcohol and Pringles are my downfall. I bloat & crave bad things with alcohol. Pringles have no off switch.
Other than that, nothing is banned as such.
I've set interim targets rather than absolute goals. 2 st by my holiday (7lb to go), another 2st by Christmas etc.
I feel like I made a massive leap when I realised that my "diet" is probably what normal people eat usually and that it was me that was abnormal rather than them having some secret to eating loads and being thin - I was deluding myself. I really thought I was just unlucky. Making that mental leap from "deprived" to "normal" has helped enormously.
You can do it. I'm doing it. Honestly if I can, you can - I know exactly how you're feeling, but if you start tomorrow, every day will make a difference.