How do you get rid of stress on your body?

Five years ago, I was 43 and weighed around 140 lbs. During that time I experienced many personal challenges such as losing my job, home, car and my mother. I've never felt so low in my life. While going through this I stopped working out and began to eat whatever was available. So now I weigh 157 lbs, and I don't like what I see. I need to lose all of the stress that is laying on my body. I'm at the point that I'm ready to do something and I have already started eating heathier by cutting back on my carbs as well as my sugar. But I want to see results in 6 months. Is it possible for me to get back into a size 8/9