First suggestion: spend a week making a note of absolutely everything you eat and drink. Either in a notebook or there are lots of free online sites, like Sparkpeople.com. The great thing about the sites is they'll tot up the calories for you and show you how many (or in my case at first, how few!) nutrients your getting ~ seriously, we can be stuffing our faces but not actually getting enough of the good stuff.
Commit to that for a week, then towards the end of the week look at what you've eaten and see what changes you could make.

All this is only my opinion, of course! but I find that recording what I eat reduces my anxiety, because although I'm sometimes frustrated by the results, if I log my efforts it helps me realize that I'm in charge, not life, scales, weight, food: ME!

Good luck.

Welcome! I think the best place to start is look within yourself and decide if what you are willing to sacrifice to make this important change in your life. You said you lost well with protein shakes, but that wasn't something maintainable. Decide what changes you can make TODAY that you can live with the rest of your life.

When I started I began drinking water only (and occasionally milk), no more fast food, calorie counting, and small amounts of exercise everyday. Since then I've made other small changes, but they all had to be at a natural progression that I could live with for the rest of my life.

Congratulations on starting your journey and good luck!

Well, I have some advice, somewhere to start at least:

-Cut out all fast food from your diet if you eat fast food.
-Increase the amount of activity in your day, even if you can only do small amounts at first, it adds up. Just do what you are able.
-Start by making small changes...switch out white carbs for whole wheat, eat fruit instead of candy, etc.
-Portion control, consider measuring portions of the foods you eat.

Make sure that whatever you decide to do to lose weight, that it is sustainable in the long term, or you will not stick with it.

Good luck and happy planning!

Read, read, read: this is a complex problem and there are no simple solutions. Read every sticky on this site.

And I concur with Momto2Ms: the test of a plan is NOT how well you lose but how sustainable it is: "X works, but I can't stay on it" means that it doesn't work. The right plan for you is the one that is the easiest to stick with, even if you lose more slowly--if a plan is hard to stick to on a normal day, it's impossible to stick to when life gets complicated. But if it's easy to stick to when things are good, it's possible to stick to it when other things are demanding your attention and will-power.

Good luck!! You can do it!!

I agree with writing down everything you eat for a week. Being aware is a great first step! And then you can go from there changing things slowly if you like, perhaps adding mroe water or cutting back on sodas and fast food. As long as you do SOMETHING for your health you are heading in the right direction! You can do it

I think everyone has given you great advice. This is mine: post more. Read every section on this forum you can, even if it doesn't apply to you. See what other people are doing and start to piece it together for yourself. Its a process, and you'll figure out your own plan, something that works for you

Good advice already...

We hear a lot about finding a plan that you CAN stick to. Well, I say combine that with finding/devising a plan that you are WILLING to stick to. To me, the willingness is much more vital.

At some point you have to come to the realization that a change must occur. That you can't go on eating whatever, whenever. So you have to come to terms with that and realize there is some restrictive component to losing weight, getting to a healthy weight and staying there. So you have to want this and you have to be willing to make the changes that are necessary to make it happen.

But the good thing is, I think anyone who's gotten to goal (and those well on their way), that once you get past that initial, temporary discomfort stage or transition period of losing the bad habits and incorporating the new healthy ones that you will realize that it's not so restrictive at all. That it is freeing. That the real restrictiveness, the real deprivation comes from remaining fat. Once you work past the initial tough stage of breaking the bad habits, allowing the good habits to take hold, you will see it's not all that hard. Really.

I would love for you to start by getting excited. Get excited about the changes you are about to implement. Because adhering to a healthy lifestyle is no prison sentence, but a key to freedom that will open up more doors to you than you can possibly imagine, ones you didn't even realize were closed.

I would also start by ridding my home of the junk - you can't eat it if it's not there. It benefits no one. Get rid of the junk it is the only way, but please load it up with tons of lower calorie, healthy DELICIOUS items. Be creative!

I would then make a plan - and stick to that sucker like glue. Plan out each and every meal and snack, leaving nothing to chance. This is too important - you can't wing it. Much easier to stay on plan when you've got one.

Be creative. Make substitutions. Scrounge around the net for healthy recipes and foods.

Also start by knowing that you CAN do this - regardless of your prior history. You 10000% have the ability to lose the weight. We are all capable of it. You don't have to be fat if you don't want to be.

MAke the decision to do this no matter what, once and for all and permanently. But please set yourself up for success. Write down everything you eat - no exceptions and again - get rid of the junk - add in the good stuff and plan your foods ahead of time - taking them with you if need be. Plan, plan and than plan some more

I look forward to hearing of your progress.

I would love for you to start by getting excited. Get excited about the changes you are about to implement. Because adhering to a healthy lifestyle is no prison sentence, but a key to freedom that will open up more doors to you than you can possibly imagine, ones you didn't even realize were closed.

One of the many examples of how grateful I am to have came to 3fcs. Robin, your advice, encouragement, and eloquence are very much appreciated by me and everyone here!

Ties to this from my favorite quotes file:

If you think a weight loss program is too restrictive, stop and consider how restrictive it is to be overweight.

2b1 - I just want to wish you all the very best. There are a lot of people cheering for you.

You already have started, just by showing up. Congratulations and welcome!