I highly recommend the book The Potions Teller by Lisa Young. The author is a registered dietician. (If you're not familiar, there is no licensing for nutritionists, but dieticians have to be certified and work for a doctor/hospital for a set period of time, like doctors have residencies.) She compresses and simplifies everything a LOT.
You can read the whole book which will educate you on eating plans, and helps you figure out yours. Instead of taking a formula and spitting out a number, she encourages you to learn to listen to your body, and has quizzes to figure out your "eating personality". If anyone is offering you a one size fits all eating or exercise plan, be very wary. Your body is different, and you need to find what works for you. (My husband and I tried to do the same thing, and he gained while I lost. Then we found the plan for him, and he's losing fat and gaining health right along with me.)
Every eating plan in the Portion Teller includes an infinite amount of non-starchy vegetables. She asks people who need reassurance to put a sign on their fridge "No one gets fat eating too many cucumbers." She warns against getting too concerned with your numbers, like people who ask her if a serving of yogurt is 6 ounces or 8 ounces (since both are usually labelled as 1 serving). Her answer: "It's low-fat yogurt! Just eat it and move on. It's not like we're talking about a chocolate bar here!" Something I started doing at restaurants: I substitute broccoli for all the sides. I eat a cup or more of broccolli (about the size of my fist) first, and drink an entire glass of water. Then, I can eat as much steak or ribs as I want to before feeling uncomfortably full, no guilt allowed. It's more veggies than I ever got before, and I end up having 2-3 meals worth of entree left over (since I keep using the veggie filler trick with each meal, instead of eating the meat and leaving the veggies on my plate).
So, if you're just starting out, I would recommend her book. Once you've got a handle on what you're eating, if you need more help you can start doing the reading on saturated vs unsaturated fat, the different kinds of carbs, etc. For now, make the easy choices that give big results, and worry about the hard-to-remember/"your mileage may vary" stuff later.
Short notes for beginners:
*DRINK WATER whenever you can (spread out over the day, rather than all in one sitting) It'll keep you full, fuel your body's digestion to keep your blood sugar stable and your metabolism up, help your immune system by flushing out your body's impurities, make your skin look great, and save you a ton of money on soda and coffee (not to mention expensive skin creams for some of us-Water works better than Oil of Olay). Yes, herbal teas and even Crystal Light count towards water - so does mixing water with sweet juices to cut the sugar, although 100% water (plus lemon/lime, etc) is best.
*reach for non-starchy vegetables first when you're hungry
*choose whole grains whenever possible (including brown rice instead of white)
*If you're feeling hungry between meals/snacks, try adding a little protein to the meal previous tomorrow to keep you feeling satisfied. (Beans of all kinds are high-fiber, high-protein, very filling, low calorie and cheap).
*NEVER skip breakfast (even if all you can eat is a granola bar or yogurt cup in the car) or any other meal-it WILL backfire.
This short list should help you to start losing weight while staying healthy. If you have any medical conditions, run this list by your doctor just to be safe. Taking these first steps will give you a place to start, instead of being paralyzed by all the information out there and wanting to give up. There's always time to read up on the research later, once you've started eating healthier.
