Diet and Fitness in Loosing Weight

Don't Be Hasty !

The best way to lose weight is gradually, and to never starve yourself. You can use weight loss pills, mostly appetite suppressors, but do it accurately and when you have weak will. If you starve yourself, your metabolism (ability to burn calories) becomes slower and when you start eating a normal meal it packs on even more weight very quickly. Also exercise is extremely important; it will greatly increase your metabolism and give you plenty of energy.
So a change in lifestyle - for life - is the best way - no fad diets. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits and lean meats (or beans, legumes, tofu if you're vegetarian). Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, brown rice, whole wheat crackers are nutritious and more filling than anything made from white flour. So limit white carbs such as potatoes, rice, pasta. Make sure you chew 20-30 times before you swallow, you'll absorb the nutrients better and will feel full sooner. Find recipes that you like and enjoy your food! Carry healthy snacks out with you if you get hungry - nuts, fruit, cheese, whole wheat crackers, etc. (eating small meals every 3 or 4 hours is extremely effective in losing weight - remember - don't go hungry!) Avoid fast food restaurants and if you have to eat out get grilled chicken salads. A simple appetizer at applebee's or tgif can be 3 days worth of calories and fat, so you can imagine what a regular meal there would be!
Start gradually with exercise. 30 minutes of brisk walking a day would be a great way to jump start your metabolism (you can start w/less depending on your level, but keep at it and you'll feel better and be able to do more). You can also dance your heart out (I knew someone who lost 30 lbs just by dancing every day!). Build some muscle by lifting some weights (start out with 5lb arm weights or what's comfortable), do stomach crunches and squats for your thighs and buttocks. Again, building muscle boosts your metabolism, so if you have muscle you burn more calories throughout the day.
Also drink plenty of water (filtered is best for you) - at least 8 glasses a day if not more. No soda - not even diet (it's highly toxic and doesn't help people lose weight) - if you need something bubbly, drink seltzer w/lemon or lime. And fruit is much better (less sugar and calories, more nutritious) than juice.
Inches are more important than pounds; your weight on the scale may actually go up a bit at first because you are building muscle, which is a very good thing because you will look leaner and feel stronger.
Good luck, and remember - develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime. The most important thing is that you'll not only look great, you'll FEEL great!