I have had some success with weight loss and healthier lifestyle. Over the past three years, I've slowly dropped about 35 lbs, lowered my bad cholesterol immensely, and increased my good cholesterol to a level that my doctor has only seen in one other person in her career. How? The hard way.
Notice first that it took me two years (and I still could lose 5-10lbs). Slow and steady wins this particular race. I drastically overhauled my diet and cut out all dairy and meat, almost all refined carbs, and lowered my fat intake. I eat mostly complex carbs in the form of veggies, fruit, and 100% whole grains. I still eat fish because it's so damn good for you. Nuts and soy protein play a fairly big role. Lastly, I dusted off the old bike (eventually trading it in for something from this century) and rode, rode, rode. To work, after work, on weekends, indoors in the winter. GOTTA KEEP MOVING. Inertia kills. I train smart now with heart rate and ride 5 out of 7 days, weather and two-year old permitting.
I have also educated myself about what it takes to be healthy. I don't mean how to eat like sh** and shrink your waist size. I mean HEALTH. Energy, vitality, and a deep sense of control over how (and for how long) I live my life. Read ANYTHING by Dr. Neal Barnard
www.nealbarnard.org/ or
www.pcrm.org/. His 'Turn Off the Fat Gene' saved my life. What he has to say about diet is tough to hear, but I believe it to be true. Chris Carmichael's 'Food for Fitness' is actually quite good too.
Best of luck.