Weight loss is tough.
The weight loss industry is full of . . . lets just say low quality information and programs that are designed to generate money for the vendor.
I was morbidly obese as in 400 pounds obese.
After decades of 'yo-yo' weight loss - lose lots, .... regain more .... lose lots ... regain even more .... lose lots .... and so on.
I eventually in 2011 went in for bariatric surgery (yeah Canada's Health Care System)
Now I'm maintaining my weight - I'm running about 200 pounds now.
All I can say is that google research will get you a ton of weight loss nonsense.
I'd only recommend a trained M.D. - preferably one with bariatric surgery training.
BTW surgery is no easy way out. And only for those morbidly obese.
It was tough sledding for two years for me.
At the Edmonton clinic when I was there for classes or consultations it was not uncommon for American doctors and others to be there to learn what made that program so successful. They'd sit in on classes or consultations (with patient permission) What they learned was to qualify for the surgery you must first lose a specified amount of weight through dieting (and with a little - very little) help from exercise. Took me well over a year to qualify. You also must attend a series of classes (group therapy by another name) and individual consultations - probably 25 of these sessions in all. You see doctors, nurses, dietitians, physical therapist and yes shrinks for mental assessment and therapy. Full team press. The program then qualifies you for the surgery. Then there is follow up for two or more years. When the visiting American doctors would hear the expectations put on the patient they would say "I don't thank that will work in the US - people want to pay to lose and lose it fast" - waiting a year or two while working the program to qualify? Not happening. Cost of the 'full team approach' was also 'problematic'. Sad because surgery alone has a terrible history of weight regained within five years. We came to understand that weight control is a mental exercise. it means learning lots and lots about nutrition and how to distinguish BS for good advice.
BTW all the info I every got on zero cal drinks and the theory that they trick your body into thinking it is sugar so acts like sugar - real research shows that theory is just a theory and has never been clinically proven. But if not drinking it works for you these beverages adds nothing to your health. Drink water - laced with drops of lemon ("real lemon" is fine). Or get one of those "fruit infusion" bottles where you put cut fruit into the water. And after stomach surgery anything carbonated is off my allowed list - because the bubble upset my new 'stomach' - I had the bypass - nothing actually goes into my stomach anymore.
Low carb. Hi fat. Paleo, all of what the staff called 'DdJ' = diet de jour - all get the thumbs down. Old fashion counting calories, reducing fat (especially bad fat), reduce sugar (all kinds not just 'added processed' - body don't care whether it is processed sugar cane, sugar beat, corn syrup, or even berry sugar - it is all sugar).
But mostly it is about portion control. We just eat way too much food at a sitting. I'm now a cheap date. If I eat fast food I order the kiddie special. McD's Happy meal with the grilled chicken snack wrap, and the apples. And grandson gets a new toy. Boston Pizza pasta - one order does me that meal, and the take home left overs feed me for two more meals. Once you get used to eating small portions (a little more frequently) it's not bad - but in the beginning it sucks.
As for exercise - do it because you need to move and yes it burns a few calories but you'd be surprised by how much exercise you need to do to for weight loss. Much more than most of us will (or can) do. But exercise for fitness - yes absolutely. I've taken up cycling - love it. But you can never as they say "out run your fork".
One recommendation for you:
Dr. Yoni Freedman is a no BS bariatric surgeon from Ottawa Canada. His blog
Weighty Matters has lots of real information. He does have a book but does not flog it called
The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work. In a nut shell - don't diet in a way you could not maintain for the rest of your life. Any food intake change you make, you must be happy enough with to live with - for the rest of your life.
if you youtube here he is being interviewed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXw28bX4lZU
Best of luck in your weight control efforts - keep at it.