Firstly, don't think of it as weight loss or a diet, think of it more as you becoming happier and healthier, this makes it a lot easier, as this is a long process and takes time, there is no quick fix. But once you start feeling happier and healthier it will become a lot easier to stick to the changes you've made.
You definitely need to monitor what you eat, diet is the most important part of changing your lifestyle, and is more important than the exercise aspect. A lot of people underestimate the amount of calories they are eating and how unhealthy they are actually eating, so monitoring this really helps you realise where you are going wrong.
You should also set small weekly and monthly goals rather than just having one big goal, as this will motivate you a lot more and allow you to take one step at a time.
You should aim to eat 3 balanced meals with snacks in between, you can easily google to find some healthy snack alternatives that taste great and aren't unhealthy.
Aim to do some high intensity training at least 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes.
Drink lots of water, at least 8 glasses a day.
Make sure you are getting enough sleep, this is really important and can really affect your weight.
Also don't weigh yourself as a measure of your progress, rather you should take progress pictures, as a lot of the time when the fat turns to muscle you won't notice a big difference on the scale.
Finally, and probably the most important tip, learn to love eating healthy and exercising, make it a part of your lifestyle and trust me you will learn to love it, just give it time.