Healthier Lifestyle?

I've been killing myself slowly ever since I bought my first computer. I used to hit the gym for 2.5 hours six days a week and that was my fixation for a few years. I've never been successful doing things in moderation or taking baby steps. I'm trying something new this time, though.

I'm 43 years old, six feet tall, and weigh in at 244 lbs. Most of that isn't muscle these days. I'm a prime candidate for diabetes. The last few times I've had my blood pressure taken, I've run 170/110 or thereabouts. I'm looking to turn around and start living healthier, though.

I'm disabled now, so leaving the house and hitting a gym daily isn't an option. My doctor told me that three hours of light cardio per week should eliminate my diabetes worries. I'm also looking to eat healthier. I haven't written out a detailed plan yet, but I'm hoping to lose 44 pounds in 44 weeks.

The easy part was figuring out that I needed to keep my daily diet around 2000 calories. The tougher part is keeping to it. It's been a week, so far, and it's getting easier, but I've made a few mistakes already. One being cutting the daily calories to 1400. I was ravenous the next day and had difficulty sticking to the 2k plan. Another was eating too much before dinner.

I'm certainly open to suggestions and this is the primary reason that I'm posting this...for help and encouragement. My newer plan is to keep my morning intake around 500 calories, another 500 for lunch and early afternoon. Then I'll have 1000 to play with for dinner and a light snack in the evening.

Keeping the daily calorie intake around 2000 isn't overly difficult, but my wife and I are both newbies to eating healthy foods. We're trying to eat more fruits and vegetables now, for instance, but we're struggling to find recipes that sound appealing. So far, we've found about six that we really like, but we certainly don't want to eat the same things every week and burn out.

My doctor has also asked me to cut back in the carbs. Sugar isn't too bad, but pasta and breads not so much. Today, I plan to join a low carb group and try to get some new recipes, though. This is one of the areas that I'll need help with and any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Finally, I'm hoping to start exercising again, but this time in moderation. I'd like to start with an hour of light cardio five days per week. Again, leaving the house and joining a gym isn't an options. However, I'm able to walk briskly around our complex, but I'm looking for more options. I'm open to spending a bit on home exercise equipment. In the past, martial arts and Precor's Elliptical Fitness Crosstrainers were favorites. Again, any suggesions for working out at home are appreciated.

Thank you all for your time and consideration and I hope to learn from everyone.