3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community - Tired of excuses and Ready to Change!

Hello ya'll!
My name is Lisa and i'm 20 years old. I'm currently unemployed but i'm planning on going to Uni next year for Environmental Studies ( aiming to be a Park Ranger!) I have had problems with my weight since I was little and have tried nearly everything to get it off, more so when I got in my teens and was diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Recently, however, I was on a low-carb diet and the Doc gave me a health scare by saying my Cholesterol was high :( But rather than quit, I took a (drastic) new approach and went vegetarian in conjunction with cutting back my egg and milk intact, switching them for almondmilk and tofu. My cholesterol was back in normal range but I still had high blood pressure. Not missing meat, I decided to stick to the vegetarian lifestyle. My low-carb crash and my new vegetarian switch took me from 192 ( my highest) to 175.
But ( you knew there had to be one hehe), i'm from a traditional African American Southern family and while they've done wonders to accommodate for my new eating habits, they aren't the best help when it comes to my diet. Despite eating healthy and getting all the protein I need, I am constantly given and made to eat bread, cakes, fatty food, and more eggs than i'd like ( though it tastes so good xD). So my weight went back up to 181, and has camped there.
I've finally decided that I want to lose these extra pounds with my ultimate goal being to get off of my blood pressure medicine! I have taken up making my own healthy food more often ( which I love to experiment with!) and i'm prepping myself to try jogging/running, which I've never done as a exercise ( other than gym back in HS).
Sorry for the long post, but I would love to meet some friends on here and buddies to talk to, to help me along the way and keep me motivated. :D