Newbie in need

First off welcome! It's great you are already into exercise as that will give you some extra calories to eat. Now just log everything you eat, get a food scale if you haven't already. Unless you have a medical condition to be concerned about, I recommend you just eating at the calories MFP gives you, eating back half you exercise calories, and not focus on lowering carbs or sweets. You can lose weight just eating less than your body burns.

Sounds like you could benefit from some new strategies. First things first, it's ok to eat whatever you want, just make sure your total calories are in line with your goal.

Two strategies that helped me stay on my calorie goal were (and are) protein and intermittent fasting. To be sure, neither of them work by magic, but they both can be real ways of getting to your calorie goals successfully.

A good number to shoot for for protein is 1 g/lb bodyweight. This is more than you need for health, but it is enough that it really has a decent satiating effect on the rest of your eating habits. Higher protein has helped many many people achieve their calorie goals.

When I needed to lose the last few lbs I decided to try intermittent fasting. The version I tried was just skipping breakfast and eating all my calories between lunch and bed time. I had black coffee in the morning. I found that after getting used to it, I was not hungry in the morning and it was far easier to hit my calorie goals and the last few lbs came off.

Just a couple of things that might be useful. Have patience, stick with it, and you'll do fine.

I'm happy for you! Down 71 pounds and 4 more to go. I need motivation to stick with it through the last stretch. The last few are the worst. You have my support. Good luck! Feel free to add me as a friend.