Hello!

Well, I have finally decided to try and get this weight thing under control. I am a 45 year old wife and mom of four (ages 17, 15, 13, and 11). I have realized that my children and husband are physically fit and active people and I am watching by the sidelines. I am even afraid to go for a bike ride with my 11 year old because I don't think I can keep up. I am so scared to fail that it has taken me all the courage I could muster just to write this journal entry. I don't even know how to start an eating change but I thought that if at least I could post this, maybe I will be inspired to figure this whole thing out. Wish me luck!

Well you have taken the first step..to a least try! Thats great. Just start out small and work your way up. Even if you can't keep up on the bike ride at first you can make it a long term goal. Start out with just 10-15 minutes exercise and work up to 30 and so on. I just started too. Good luck.

Welcome! As pink says, think small steps. I think a lot of people start by just tracking all their food for a week or two- don't make any changes yet, just get a feel for what you're doing now, identify your biggest pitfalls, then work on a plan to fix them. Just one idea. Anyway, don't be afraid to reach out for help- there's a LOT of knowledge here and people are always willing to offer help if you're struggling.