If I was Catholic I'd give up four letter words for Lent... and "diet" is one of them

So here I am, 28 years old, in love with food, and wanting to lose weight.  The thought of giving up any food makes me want to slap on a pair of elastic band pants, pick up a pint of Ben & Jerry's, and climb under the covers in my bed...forever.  However, with that not being an option, (not to mention the pants I just bought for work are a size rip-the-tag-out) I am stuck saying the word I never thought I'd let leave my lips... or keyboard.  Diet.  Eek!
Step one:  I joined a gym.  This is not a big deal; I like working out.  I like thinking about the fact that someday down the line I'll actually be in shape.  And I love that joining a gym does not interrupt my love of television because they have them plastered everywhere!  (judge me if you must but I am a TV junkie).
Step two:  Diet.  What a mean little word.  After my fitness assessment and the personal trainer spiel the gym gave me, they also demonstrated the nutrition website I can be a member of for a low low fee.  It looked basically like the same thing all the diets (online, books, creepy dude bumming money on the exit ramp) were telling me to do. 
Breakfast :  8oz Orange juice
                 1/2 grapefruit
                 1 slice cardboard
Lunch:       2 oz. tuna on half a piece of 50 grain whole wheat bread 
                 4 oz. of light  fat free fun free plain yogurt with some granola for a treat
And on and on....
Real girls don't eat like that... like I get that counting calories is important, I get that you need to have a well rounded diet.  But just looking at some computer telling me what I'm going to eat every day, ugh.  That takes the fun right out of food.
So, my mission is to find recipes not more than 500 calories a serving that are fun to make, easy to find ingredients for, and taste good.  After I try them out I will post the recipes as I found them, along with ways I think they could be changed for the better (esp if they can become tastier.)  If there are any healthy recipes you want to try but are afraid they'll be bad send them my way!  Think of me as your guinea pig (and maybe don't tell Alan haha).