Counting every single calorie is a sure way to make yourself insane! A better option is to note everything you eat in a daily journal. If you see that you've got more unhealthy or junk foods than healthy foods then hopefully that motivates you to make some lifestyle changes.
A calorie is different than another calorie, just as a pound of fat does not equal a pound of lean muscle. If you consume whole, natural, unprocessed foods like lean protein, veggies, fiber then caloric intake can still be low but you will feel satiated... instead of drinking the starbucks frappuccino that has almost a day's worth of calories.
Diet is the most important thing, but exercising is a great way to lose weight quicker than with just diet alone. To lose weight effectively, strength training with weights at higher intensity level is recommended as you can get your cardio in as well, a huge time-saver. Building lean muscle helps to burn fat even when not working out. Therefore, you may not see a hugh amount of weight loss, but you'll notice a stronger leaner body. Healthy Weight Loss.