Some of the advice has been good but let me address a few things.
To lose weight (and increase health) the most important factor is to limit carbohydrates.
Carbs (which are basically sugar/glucose in our bodies) have a direct effect on insulin sensitivity which leads to all kinds of medical conditions, including weight gain.
When we are sufficiently low in carbs the body enters a state called
SPAM, a much healthier way for the body to operate where fat is the main source of energy, instead of relying on glucose which spikes insulin.
Under 100g of carbs a day has been proven to trigger weight loss, under 50g and one will aggressively lose weight.
Under 72g a day has shown to dramatically increase health, along with alleviating (and even curing) symptoms of type-2 diabetes.
This all presupposes ZERO sugar in the diet (alcohol is sugar, sorry).
It is also a myth that saturated fat is bad for us. This is simply not true according to science.
You do not need to stress about restricting calories, but you do need to watch carb intake and protein intake (excess protein will convert to glucose). You can basically eat as much saturated fat as you like and lose weight. (I can personally vouch for this). The great thing about eating this way is that fat is very sating so you get full very quickly (and stay fuller for longer). If you're still averse to the idea of eating saturated fat read this article:
http://www.menshealth.com/health/saturated-fat
Exercise is not nearly as important as you may think, exercising also does not always make one healthier.
Diet is key.
The easy, healthy way to lose weight as documented by a doctor in SPAM:
http://eatingacademy.com/how-can-i-lose-weight
More must-read articles:
http://eatingacademy.com/in-depth-faq
I can't recommend this enough. I alss suggest only to recommend something once you've seen ample evidence/studies that show its effectiveness. It doesn't matter how many times you've heard something said on TV or repeated by friends, doesn't make it true or helpful. In fact it could be a huge waste of time or a step backwards.
Also nobody should make extreme changes to their diet without first knowing exactly why and what they are doing. Read up on the subject and research as much as possible to prevent further unnecessary suffering.