Hey :) I just found this awesome article on "the science behind weight loss". I got it from dietnation.com but I'll paste it here to save you the trouble:
"Your body needs a certain amount of calories each day to maintain performance of normal activities, such as walking, breathing, sleeping, and thinking. Depending on your size, your body will require a different amount of calories each day.
On the flip side, if you eat too few calories your body will think its starving. This phenomenon goes back to the days of the caveman, when cave people weren’t really sure when or where they would find their next meal. The body learned to store excess calories as fat for future use. Well, we no longer live like that as we, fortunately and unfortunately, have unlimited access to food thanks to modern conveniences. What this means is, if you’re not eating enough calories your body will store the calories it does get as fat rather than trying to burn those calories. That sounds counterproductive, and it is. That’s why it’s important to feed your body regularly with the right amount of calories from the right sources.
One pound of fat equals about 3500 calories of stored energy. To lose weight you need to eat fewer calories each day or get your butt to the gym and burn off those calories. It’s that easy - you don’t need to be a mathematician to lose weight, you just need to start taking a look at some of your daily habits. Losing weight could mean shaving an extra 250-500 calories off your daily intake. Start your morning with a tall latte? Just one Vanilla Latte could pack an extra 250+ calories onto your daily caloric intake. By simply substituting your latte with regular coffee or green tea you could reduce your caloric intake substantially. If you want to try more exercise, calorie-burning activities such as walking to work, going for a jog with a friend, or taking the kids on a bike ride are all fun and easy ways to increase your daily activity level.
It is also important to remember that you need to eat the right calories from the right sources to lose weight and to maintain your weight loss. A meal of jelly beans and ding dongs that equals your daily caloric needs will not help you lose weight because these types of food are not nutrient sources that your body can use efficiently.
Eating right is a vital component of any weight loss plan, but it's also very important to ensure that you get enough exercise. Combine aerobic exercise activities (also know as cardio) like walking, jogging or cycling with weight training (it doesn't have to be anything too intense, but it helps a lot to lift some weights) to maximize your weight loss."
I really like how this explains weight loss! Also while I was searching around I found this fantastic video which you should definitely check out, has a pile of great tips for how to shed the pounds: http://tinyurl.com/lose-weight-be-happy
I really hope this helps, the fact that you're looking for help is a great start!
Good luck :)