Just starting - looking to lose weight and gain friends

Hi everyone - I'm Natasha from Queensland, AUS. I'm in fast need of some friends to help me lose the 10kgs I've put on in the last 18 months. I've been doing mfp for a month now - really liking it and finding it reasonably easy to stick to my calorie goal. I guessed what my weight was when I first started because I wasn't game to get on the scales. But I've been feeling a bit better since I noticed my pants are slightly looser they've been for a while (unless it's all in my head) and I really want to do this properly.

So I got on the scales this morning for the first time in a year and I'm now officially in shock - I didn't realise I gained that much. I have been doing heaps of exercise in the last year so I'm hoping some of it's muscle but I know a lot of it is because I've just been eating way too much for a while now. I've been so happy about other parts of my life (work, friends, family) that I'd just been ignoring the fact that less and less of my clothes fit.

Anyway, needless to say it's a bit depressing but I'm determined to lose it, and I think if I see signs of this working I won't have problems sticking to it. But I'd love to meet other people just starting and others who have experience and advice.

Anyone have ideas about. how much exercise to do? I'd like to cut down on doing heaps of really intensive exercise (I was doing about 5 gym aerobics classes a week) and mainly stick to walking for 30-60mins a day as my exercise.