There is some solid advice here that I would like to echo, while adding my own.
1. Stop crash dieting.
2. Download MyFitnessPal (or another calorie tracking app, though MFP tends to be the most popular)
3. Buy a food scale (I have been actively gaining weight for the past year, and a food scale has been the most useful tool. It will greatly assist those of you attempting to lose.)
4. Find something you enjoy doing (running, lifting weights, bike riding, swimming, trampolines, whatever) and do it, consistently.
5. Be dedicated to yourself and your goals.
Weight loss and gain do not actually happen overnight. It takes time to become overweight, and it takes time to lose weight. You CAN do it. reddit.com/r/progresspics is very inspirational. Don't look at this as a short-term goal (i.e. I want to look good for the beach in 3 months). Look at this as a lifestyle change, and make changes gradually. You don't have to hit the gym 5 days a week and only eat celery. That is insane. Start simply by replacing a junk food in your life with a healthier option. Then do it again. Maybe start your activity 1-2x per week for 20 minutes each time. Then add a day and/or up the time. Once you make it routine, it becomes habit, and then honestly you become as addicted to it as you were the junk food or the laziness.
Some of you don't like to exercise, and while you don't have to exercise to lose weight, it is preferred for general health, accelerated weight loss, and improved body composition (fat vs muscle). Still, the majority of weight loss happens in the kitchen, so start there. Find your TDEE (which MFP will help estimate) and eat 300-500 calories less than that. MFP will actually guide you towards the correct number of calories to eat based on your goals.
Do not be misled by misinformation. There is a lot of it out there. You can lose weight by only eating candy bars. Seriously. It would not at all be healthy, but it could be done. So long as you use more calories than you consume, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT. You are not the exception. YOU ARE NOT THE EXCEPTION. (If you really think you are, then you need to seek medical advice.)
There is time. You have to make it. "I have no time" is merely an excuse. If you want something, you make the time, period.
You will stumble. Get up and keep moving.
Don't let others hold you back. Do not let others make you feel guilty about losing weight. Generally, that is their envy talking or misplaced idea about healthy weight.
Don't pay attention to the scale. It will lie. Your weight fluctuates greatly depending on food inside of you, temperature, and or water. You can use the scale as a guide, but do not let it discourage you. Look in the mirror. How do your clothes fit? Those are your indicators.
Hey, congratulations, you lost weight! Now you move on to the hard part, keeping it off.
Keep doing what you are doing.
tl;dr PM me for information and/or advice. I am not an expert, and I know my limit. I have been lifting weights and eating very healthy for the past couple of years, and I have learned a lot. At least I can point you to some resources.