Hi S.!
I didn't see your request or I would have responded sooner. I can relate to your story as last year I was in the same scenario. From June 2006 to Nov 2006 I went from a size 12 to a size 4 in jeans/pants.
As you have kids and as you age, your body changes and that shows up in extra inches if we aren't careful. Most of us it sneaks up on us and we don't even realize it until we are stuck and can't figure out how to get back to where we used to be. What a challenge, right?
Last year I learned about a new weight loss program and I heard and saw the results some other people were getting with it, so I was excited to try it. I started using it towards the end of June. Anyway, I started losing weight from the first week.
I also incorporated weight training and cardio exercise 5-6 days a week because I entered a "body transformation" contest, so I wanted to increase my chances of winning and making a big impact in my before and after photos for my 1st 60 days.
This page has a bit about my story with pictures:
http://www.globalsuccessmentor.com/stack-body-weight-loss... I have lost more weight since my "after" shot and haven't done a new one yet since it is cold outside and that is where I did my photos :)
I highly recommend getting a copy of the book "Body for Life" which has some really great information about how to eat right, how to do the weight training exercises and become a "fat burning" machine instead of "fat storing" machine.
If you were to hire a personal trainer, they are going to tell you that you can't just do cardio to reach your goals, they will also encourage you to lift weights. You didn't say exactly what you were doing when you worked out at the gym, so we don't know specifically what you are doing. Maybe you are already doing the machines with the weights, but doing them properly also is very important as well because if all you are doing is going through the motions but not actually getting any resistance, then you will not benefit from it. Also when you are doing cardio exercise, you need to reach a certain heart rate or rpm's to have an effective cardio session. I see many people at the gym barely putting forth any effort and that doesn't accomplish much.
Now of course you may have to start out slow and work up to increasing your endurance and stamina. It is highly recommnded that you seek a doctor's advice or get an assessment by someone who is qualified to do so.