Some of this will appear condescending and dictatorial. Unfortunately sometimes we need to treat ourselves this way for our own benefit. You have some of the same issues I have had in my time and I know the only sure fire cures involve discipline in large helpings and a few tricks to help you out.
Water intake, very important. You will see additional stated as everything from weight loss aid to cure to plague, some are genuine, many are nonsense but these few facts are true and worth considering.
We are pathetically susceptible to dehydration. Chimpanzees start getting thirsty at the level we have died from dehydration, so regular water intake is absolutely crucial to your health.
Thirst is not a sign you need water it is a sign you are already dehydrated, so ideally this shouldn't happen apart from first thing in the morning.
There are always methods to ensure you drink, I used a countdown alarm on a stopwatch which had to be reset every time but it got me used to drinking regularly. The trick is to drink frequently not drown yourself sporadically.
Being well hydrated will stop you feeling as tired in the mid afternoons, I speak form personal experience here and it is worth it.
Increased intake will increase output. In the early stages when your bladder has been used to highly concentrated urine this will drastically increase frequency. Once you are used to the intake this will drop a lot. Urine should have a clear stream but show colour overall, so you see it in the bowl not the flow.
Breakfast 2 of the 5 most important meals of the day. Some find stomaching breakfast difficult but try it. Even if this is something like a drink of milk at first that builds up to a balanced breakfast.
There are studies that show percentages of people suffering various things who skip breakfast compared to those who don't. They are all flawed by not taking into account other factors so I largely ignore them, but a complex carb rich breakfast is a good start to the day and helps your body by providing steady energy, avoiding early fatigue and encouraging the body to be ready to unlock energy stores.
Balance. Take a look at some food pyramids that show proportion rather than portion numbers, the latter always miss out how big a portion is making them useless. Look at the food you don't control and see if this is in balance or not. If so make the rest or your intake balanced with it, if not use it to give you overall balance.
Sugar intake. I do love my sweet food and have declared that if I didn't keep fit I would be one of the fastest growing group of unhealthy individuals today, as a type 2 diabetic. I have been keeping this in check a lot more over the last 5 or 10 years but it has always been my biggest imbalance.
The abstinence myth is just that. I have seen loads of people try it, they either fail and binge or gradually go back to it. The answer is discipline, but there are things which will help.
Higher grade treats. If you are used to buying cheap treats and eating them en masse, try getting better quality stuff that will give a better taste sensation in a far smaller portion. This only works if you savour your treats of course, it is possible to gobble down better junk food as well as cheaper stuff, but many find this system works well.
High sugar input hammers the insulin curve, meaning you end up craving more sugar than before and have lower overall energy levels. To stop this use starchy food to keep a steady flow of carbohydrate entering the blood stream, keeping energy levels high and helping stop the sugar cravings. You will still want sugary foods, because they taste nice, but this will stop them feeling essential.
Training wise is a difficult one for me there. I know nothing about netball training so don't know what you will be enjoying and what to advise there. I would say it will be worth watching and copying a few beginners video workouts for use with a step and/or ball. If they are not to your taste find others that may be and take note of bits you like and loathe.
Any other things you like or hate will be good to know.
