a site I found helpful & I also checked his book out at the library was:
http://www.jorgecruise.com/
He advocates short every morning stregnth training first thing in the morning and advises plans that can work for very busy people( 8 minutes ). He also has nutrition advice, personally I think TSP is one of the best --in that area.

I started using it when I saw it in Prevention. I do a little more than he talks about now, but it is very informative for begginers.

I have noticed a difference in definition of body parts ( quite a coup for a 50 year old) I think walking or some daily cardio of some sort is important also. Weight training may not show on the scale , but you will *see* a difference, and as lisaf stated metabolically important. I found starting out gradually and with light weights(more reps) important to avoid injury that could cause injuries/aches and pains that could set me back (too sore to continue). That is where the above site/bk. helped me.

I have found that to lose the last of my weight I have to count calories and watch saturated fat to shed the last of my weight and it goes slowly -- but goes.

I see you are not too far from your goal -- I think it is very true that it becomes very hard work to lose the last of that-- or at least more tedious!