Hi, Don t lose hope. The trick to losing weight and keeping it off, is to make small changes that you are able to stick to and then add onto it. Sometimes we have unrealistic goals and put excessive pressure on ourselves and literally set ourselves up for failure, it s not just you, it s human nature. From what you tell me, I know you are determined to follow through.Here s some small steps to follow: 1. Work through the family issues that triggered the weight gain. Even though events might have passed, quite often people ignore the issues and forget them but fail to realize that deep down it still affects them because they have not resolved the issue but have rather suppressed it. This can lead to other problems in the long run such as depression and anxiety. I recommend that you visit a psychologist who will help you work through any difficulties from the past and also more importantly help you increase your self esteem and be more confident. 2. Instead on focusing on the number on the scale, lets focus on health. When you are determined to be more health conscious, weight loss will follow naturally. Commit to making one healthy change to your diet every week and add on to it weekly. e.g. Start by cutting down added sugar in your diet. This could be using one less teaspoon of sugar in your tea or coffee and then decreasing it by two teaspoons on week two. e.g If you have a lot of soda or energy drinks, cut down or stop completely for a week. Then on week two set another goal e.g. Add more vegetables to your diet so in essence by week three you would of cut down on sugary drinks and added more vegetables to your diet. If you already cut down on sugar you can set a goal to add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet or increase your water intake. 3. When it comes to exercising, start off slowly but follow through. Start off with walking at a good pace atleast three times a week for thirty minutes and then gradually build on this. Once you change your diet and you feel more energetic and healthier , it will be easier to change walking into running. 4. Try and incorporate fun activities, such as swimming, dancing etc. 5. Lastly, remember that your goal is to live healthily with a life full of vitality and not just to be thin . My advice to you is to incorporate small changes at a time so that you can stick to it but while you do this, remember to smile, laugh and take time to notice the little things in life that increases levels of happiness and decreases stress levels. While walking, take deep breathes and enjoy the smell of nature, run on the beach and enjoy the cool breeze. Don t be to restrictive, If you set goals, it s ok on the occasion to enjoy a small piece of cake or a chocolate once in awhile as long as you continue on your journey after that. Continue on your journey but don t forget to live happily whilst you go through it. I really hope this helps you. I believe that if you put your mind to it, you can do this, just start with small changes. All the best! Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Felicia Manickam