Can someone steer me in the right direction please?

I second everything that has been said so far. Reducing your calorie intake will get you on your way. You and I are the same height and I started out at the same weight as you are now. My goal for calories is 1500 but sometimes I'll reach as high as 1800 (I have been losing at least 2 lbs each week since I started). I don't sweat going over 1500 every now and then especially if the extra 300 calories were healthy choices.
The only thing I would add is to be sure and listen to your body these first couple of weeks. You will likely realize that what you've considered "hungry" up to this point isn't what hungry really feels like. When I started I thought I was hungry if my stomach wasn't FULL (even though that is when I felt the worst physically). Once I realized that not being stuffed didn't necessarily mean I was hungry, I became a lot less obsessed with all of the food that I WASN'T eating and didn't feel the need to constantly be putting food in my mouth.
Good luck and congratulations. You've stumbled upon a terrific forum to help you on your weight loss path!

I am also on a calorie restricted diet. My goal is 1200 calories per day. I have been doing this since 11/1/04 with pretty good success. I use www.calorieking.com to track my meals. I like the fact that it keeps a running total for me for the day that includes calories, fat, protien, carbs and fiber.

I'm doing the calorie counting thing. I find that I can't do those restrictive diets that tell you what you can and cannot eat. I start to panic and/or get depressed because I don't really like a whole lot of 'diet' or 'healthy' foods. I'm eating more of them since I started the counting, however. It just makes more sense to have an apple for an afternoon snack instead of some candy. That way I can eat more for dinner!!
I also don't let myself think about cheating or giving up. I use fitday.com and I like that it will allow you to look at average intakes. If I ate a little too much one day, I can go in and look at my average calories and realize that it isn't that big a deal.
Now if I can only get the same inspiration for my exercise goals. I took the first step and joined the local Y. I just have to go

At the beginning of January I devoted myself to smaller portions, exercising every day, and water everyday. Now as of today I want to start counting calories but I am confused - On the labels it says Total Calories and then Calories from Fat. I'm not quite sure how that adds in - for instance

TC - 180, Cal from Fat 45 do you
add TC and Cal from Fat - 180+45
sub Cal from Fat from TC - 180-45
or do you keep them separate all together!

Thanks!!
P.S. I weighed in today and have lost 6 pounds - only 4 more to go to meet my goal of 10 pounds for January!!!

"Total Calories" refers to the number of calories contained per serving and is the number you will use to calculate the number of calories you've consumed. One fat gram contains 9 calories. So knowing the number of overall calories that come from fat allows the consumer to monitor the amount of fat they consume. It is generally recommended that no more than 30% of your overall calories come from fat.

Lots of people count fat grams as opposed to calories. Personally, I count calories only and incorporate more healthy foods into my diet. By doing this, I can pretty well rest assured that my fat grams are in check since higher fat foods are generally higher in calories as well. But keep reading those labels because it doesn't necessarily work the other way around. There are plenty of low fat foods out there that are NOT low calorie.

You might also consider visiting fitday.com. It allows you to enter the food you eat each day and keeps a running total of total calories, fat grams, carbs, and protein.

I hope this helps and great job on your first 6 pounds!

I'm glad that I am not the only person that obsesses about their next meal. I have a friend that is skinny - junior size 7 or 9 - and does not understand why I would think about food so much. She feels that the root of my problem is mostly behavioral - and I tend to agree with her.
Recently, I have begun to "obsess" about food in hopefully a healthier way. I have watched TV shows dedicated to healthy living and inspirational stories. I'm trying to turn my thought to how I can do better for myself.... Do you kind of know what I mean?
I hope this is not sounding to hokey....

***susiepaul***