Samantha!
There are all sorts of plans people are following & plenty of advice to go along with them. There's a Diet Central section:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=102 that you may want to have a look at.
You can get the weight off & keep it off by committing to a new lifestyle. Slow, positive changes will help. And believe me, there is no "deadline" for any of us here. We want to be healthier for the rest of our lives!
Best of luck!