Hello and
So glad you have joined us.
To be honest, I had to think a bit about how to respond to your post, as I want to be sensitive and caring. But I could not help but notice how *negative* you are feeling about all of this! Obviously you are discouraged, and I think probably every one of us in here can relate and have felt that way. But you CAN do this!
It sound as if you have come to the right place! There is a lot of support and encouragement here. But there is also something else important... together we learn to make it FUN! Now that is not to say there is never any "drudge" or discouragement, because there is. But there are also those wonderful NSVs (non-scale victories) which excite us as we are able to share them! There are challenges here... exercise groups... faith based groups... just about everything you can think of.
You are right in that a lot of people say you have to do it for yourself.. but I totally agree with YOU that it is wonderful that you are doing it for other people... in particular your special little kiddies and your hubby! We *are* supposed to love others more than we love ourselves, and those sweet little children are your responsibility. Good for you! And as you make progress, your confidence will grow.
You do not need to spend thousands of dollars... or have special expensive programs and books (although if some of those help you, by all means go for it).
You did not say approx. how much you need to lose but I can assure you there are people here who need to lose huge amounts of weight and some who need to lose just a few pounds. All are welcome, and all are encouraged... and a lot HAVE lost incredible amounts of weight and now look fabulous! Others of us are still working at it and will get there eventually.
Hang in there... and please, please... try to look at this as a *positive* thing -- you are sounding defeated before you start! Understandable... but NOT the way to move into this.
We are all here for you.