hi froggie,

i really know from whence you speak.

over 18 mos ago i made that exact decision.
my BP was sky high, i was dx'd a type 2 diabetic, my cholesterol was high etc.
this had been formulating in my mind for months. i would watch discovery health and various tv shows about obesity and what to do about it.

the first thing i did was establish a walking regimen. mind you, i have weak legs and very little stamina. i started at 2 min's. today i'm at 8 min's and rarely can i go more than that. BUT, i do it every day. i went down to the exercise room in my apt. if i didn't feel like getting dressed to do that i'd literally walk from one room to the other in my 1 BR apt. each day i walk i put a fun sticker on my calendar. kind of a wittle reward.

after 2 mos i decided to change my eating habits. i literally tossed 2/3's of my fridge, freezer and pantry. then i went and bought real food. i cooked more too. i make a recipe and have 6-8 meals. i freeze it so all i have to do is make a salad or veggie with it.

i got rid of my white bread. i went to see a RD (registered dietician) and she helped me a lot. gave me lots of tips and helped me see how to eat better, and differently.

don't get me wrong. i've been fat all my life and i'm about to turn 59. eating is a deep seated emotional thing for me. it's been a real struggle. i lost 40 lbs over that time. very slowly but i did it. now i've gained 10 back and i'm not proud. but i'm not giving up. i WILL lose it.

my BP is down. i've come off those meds. i stopped taking my diabetic med. and, my cholesterol is 180 from 209. i feel a lot better of course.

the other thing is that i started a thread that was named for me by my MS friends; "Judy's Inspiration Alley". if it wasn't for the support i get there i'd be lost. my friends have never given up on me even when i wanted to.

sorry this is so long but that's the road i've taken.
you don't need to go to a gimicky program. YOU CAN DO THIS.
take one day at a time. cut your portions. cut the # of times/day you eat.
eat more fruits instead of sweets.

i'd be glad to help where i can. feel free to join the Alley.
best of luck to you.