You're completely right, it isn't a sprint.
The healthiest way is definitely as a lifestyle change.. I'm personally just exercising more and eating better/less. I didn't want to go on a low-carb/South Beach/Atkins type of diet because that's not how I intend on eating for the rest of my life. I'd rather eat a variety of healthy foods because that's a lot more sustainable!
Sounds like you've got it all figured out, though.. everyone's different, though, so someone else's plan might not work for you right away, you might have to tweak it. A scale is a good first step, definitely.. it's always nice to have a point that you can look back on and measure your progress
great job!