I am on a slight diet meaning that weight loss is slow but I'm on a downward trend (although I went up 3kg. at Christams).
I have found a set of rules based aound my life that seem to work. I think most people can come up with a set of internal rules that work round the things you can't do without and then trimming other areas.
One of my most important rules is that you put your food on the plate at the begining of meal is all that you are allowed to eat. Look at the food and be clear in your mind that it is enough. Then no seconds and most importnat of all nothing from anyone elses plate (smaller plates may well help here)
Other rules I have that work for me but necessarily you. I never eat pudddings or other food with refined sugar.
I heard that a good principal is to decide the number of times you eat per day and stick to it, but restrict the amount in each meal. So for me thats 6 times a day. But alot of it is bowls of mueslie and i really cut down the portion size and by using a really small bowl.
I'm allowed to break the rules on Fridy night and on Sunday I often eat a roast dinner that is way more than my usual sandwidge. Neverless christmas aside I can stick to these rules with very little effort and the weight creeps down. I think last Feb was 101.5 kg. Just before Christmas I was down to 95Kg. Last Sunday I was 96.8kg (another rule I weigh myself last thing Sunday and write it on the calendar). At 93 kg my BMA will be change from over weight to normal.
You can regard the rate of loss as pathetic but the key thing is that to me it feels sustainable. I put on about 18 kg over 15 years. I'm going down faster than that
Finally sympathies to your situation. I think you are correct your kids don't need a diet war at the moment. Take it in stages. Step 1 see if you can maintain your current weight for say 3 weeks. The start making really small changes until it starts creeping down....
