Starting a diet/exercise routine

Hey,

I've just started a diet about a week ago. I had sat around alot after
finishing school and decided to get into gear and lose the weight that
I had gained.

I'm 19 and weigh about 209 pounds at 6 foot 1 inches height.

I've been reading alot about dieting and everything, and there's all
kinds of information obviously, contradictory information, etc. Seems
like for everything there's a post or page that suggests whatever that
is, is wrong.

Anyway I just figured I'd ask, the best way to go about this. My Basal
Metabolic Rate is about 2200. So I've been going on a diet of 1500
calories per day. I figured that was healthy, I don't want to try and
just starve myself or anything.

I have always eaten relatively healthily but with some junk now and
again, so I just cut out the junk food and started eating breakfast.

I do feel hungry some of the time, but I try and counter that with a
carrot or a pear.

Anyway as for exercise. I go to the gym 4 days a week, and I do about
20-30 mins of cardio. It's fairly intense, exercising at between 160
and 170 bpm heart rate. I also do some weight training...also other
days I do stuff like mowing lawns and a bit of walking but not too
much.

Now I was wondering, is this the best way to go about dieting? Is 20 or
30 minutes of intense exercise not as effective as 60 minutes of less
intense exercise? Thats what I've heard some places, I'm not sure.

And is 700 calories too much to cut out? I hope not. I haven't been
feeling too badly although I do notice my energy levels fluctuate with
each meal. I haven't tried an Atkins diet or anything, I figure I will
just stick with the lower cal diet because its easiest for me to work
out.

Thanks alot

Pete

Sorry just thought i'd add that the cardio exercise I was doing
consists of 10 mins rowing on the machine, 10 minutes cycling and 10
minutes jogging...cheers

Pete, first off, congradulations! Don't worry too much about if you
should do this or that as far as exercise goes. Just move your ass
every day and it's gonna be great! I walk fast for an hour each day.
Some people will say that this is not a workout. I'm not a gym person,
so I won't start doing treadmill for sure! I may start jogging when
walking becomes too easy. I want to make my legs stronger first to
avoid injuries by jogging when the body is not ready for it.