Hi Karl
I'm Craig from England, UK.
About the running lark. The saying goes: It's not how you start that counts...it's how you finish!
Before you start an exercise regime I'd suggest you make an appointment with your GP first to make sure you're fit enough to start vigorous exercise. If everythings kosha then crack on with fast walking with a mile or so every couple of days. If you're fine with this then get some dumbells and/or join a gym and train with weights a couple of days a week.
Diet wise, as everyone has said already, make sure you consume fewer calories. However, make sure you introduce more low fat foods into your diet and cut out the whole milk for ssemi-skimmed, cut right down on the sugar and salt. Less salt = lower blood pressure and less water retention in the fat and muscles. Basically, equating to lower weight over time. You'll probably lose more than 2Ibs a week to start, if you employ the basics. This will probably reduce to less than 1Ib a week over the following months. However, like I said, you've got to look at the end goal not just quick results at the beginning.
To enhance your muscular aesthetics, in otherwords, what's hiding underneath the layers of fat tissue, you need to go for this type of slow weight loss and preserve the muscle at the expense of fat. Slow, methodical, weight loss is best for this.
Regards,
Craig