I've never actually attempted to lose, when I was younger I no understanding of it. When I finally gained a little more control over my life it just wasn't convenient. I want to be done with making excuses now, but I'm afraid that this new found inspiration wont last long enough to have a good impact on me or my problem.

The size of what I eat isn't the problem. I rarely eat large portions, though I will admit that what I eat isn't healthy. Until about a month ago almost every meal was fried. I'm slowly but surely cutting fried food completely out of my diet but its more difficult than I expected.

I also don't have an uncontrollable sweet tooth. I've hated chocolate and most 'normal' candies since I was a child. I'd much prefer strawberries or an apple.

My issue is activity. I work in an office and am on my butt 8 hours a day there's no getting around that, but I'm so mentally exhausted by the end of the day that I can't pull myself off of the couch (or computer) when I get home.

I know I need to get up and start doing something, its not like I don't have what I need. There are walking trails near my house and I have a swimming pool, but I can't keep the motivation to do it! It doesn't help that my step mom (who I live with) is constantly picking at my weight and telling me what I should do...

I want to take my first real steps to a better me starting today...but I need help to make it a real life style change rather than something that fizzles out after a week or two.

try getting a control of one thing at a time. Definetly get yourself off the fried food to start with. Also check in that portion size... the portions are actually hugely overblown, and so are plate sizes in the Western World. Real servings are often much, much smaller than you'd expect. Spend a few weeks journalling your food and calculating your ACTUAL calorie intake. If it's way above BMR, ajust it down the BMR and learn to eat at BMR, and no more.

Once your eating is under control, you can start adding excersise in.

With the activity, a little go a long way. Do you have a lunch break at work? Go for a quick walk. Get up and stretch every half an hour or so. I doubt anyone will fault you if you do a few pushups off the wall of your office a couple of times a day.

The good thing about excersise is that it gets you out of the sluggish and 'exhausted' mode. You just have to start, and it rolls on from there, charging you with energy and well-being.

I can totally relate to this. I also work in an office on my butt for 8 hours and completely understand feeling drained by the end of the day. I also don't really get lunch breaks and there isn't much opportunity to exercise in the office. (Not to mention that exercising in that environment would probably freak me out and make me totally self-conscious...)

What helps me is having friends that keep me motivated. When I don't feel like going to the gym or going for a walk, chances are they do and they usually pester me until I get out there with them. I always feel good once I start exercising, it's just that initial hump after the work day that's difficult to move past. If you don't have friends to help you, maybe you can make a deal with yourself to just walk outside and see how you feel. By the time you get your shoes on and get out there, you may feel like walking around for a while won't be so bad!

As far as eating, I think you're off to a great start with getting off fried food. Also, maybe it's not that you're eating too much, it's what you're eating and when. Do you eat breakfast? Lunch? Is dinner your largest meal? Do you end up eating dinner right before bed?

I used to know someone who ate very, very little. So little that it would surprise you, given her size. She ate maybe once a day and it was only half a sandwich or something. But that girl was a soda freak! And sometimes she wouldn't eat anything all day then eat a slice of pizza or something right before going to sleep. Those things catch up with you!

Your friend sounds just like me, when I was in college, Nicole. I was so busy with class and studying it was rare that I got one decent meal a day! Ugh, I felt miserable all the time.

I usually manage at least two good meals now, I wake up too late so I just take a snack to work. For the last couple of days I've forced myself to get up and eat oatmeal. I've always thought that I wasn't a morning person but I actually feel better during the day now, I'm not nearly as tired when I get into the office.

I pushed myself a little too hard yesterday, just to see if I could. Everyone I've spoken to is right - I'm going to have to ween myself off of cokes. I didn't drink a single one yesterday and I got the WORST headache ever last night and this morning.

Baby steps and more activity after work is going to be my focus for the time being

Sounds like a plan! Just replace the soda with diet soda to start with. That's what I do. It may taste bad at first, but you really do get used to it.