Best way to lose weight anyone?

After looking at photo's of myself that were taken this last weekend I've come to the conclusion that I'm nearing what I like to call the "just shoot me" weight.

Jer and I have talked about ever getting to a certain weight, and my plead to him if I were to ever reach it is to "just shoot me"... he of course argues that there is no way in He** that he could do that. My fear is that my body will revolt and do it for him, not necessarily through shooting, but more likely through diabetes or heart problems.

Holy crappola I'm heavy. The person I picture in my head is in no way shape or form the person that comes out in pictures. Where did she GO!?!? And DOG GONE IT, it's time to find her again!! No more misses "I think I'll exercise." Now it's misses "I'm going to the doctor to get some REAL recommendations, and possibly a gym membership, and letting myself on the computer ONLY if I have ALREADY exercised!"

Time to get out a chart and some stickers to mark those times that I've exercise so I can tell myself "Yah! I've done really good!" or "crap I suck! Time to get on it again!". Maybe that way I won't fall off the wagon and just stay off, maybe then I'll be inclined to jump right back on. maybe.

If that doesn't work? I honestly don't know. Hire a personal trainer? And possibly talk to a nutritionist to see what the crap I need to do about food intake? Maybe if my pocketbook feels it, it will be more painful NOT to exercise.

So... what have you found works best for loosing weight? Have you ever been REALLY overweight (you know, more than 20lbs) and recovered from it? How? Did you ever worry that by exercising to hard you might have a stroke/aneurysm? How the crap do you gradually work UP to a good exercise when you just want to make sure you ARE exercising?

Ugh.

I HAVE to fix this BEFORE my children learn my bad habits in a way that THEY struggle with it.