In the book "The 4 Hour Body" by Tim Ferriss he goes into detail about a pretty easy way to lose "20 pounds in 30 days" eating what he calls a slow-carb diet.
Mainly you eat meats/proteins, avoid starchy "white" carbs, avoid fruit, eat basically the same meals over and over, you don't drink your calories - and one day a week, you don't follow rules and have a "cheat" day. It is amazingly simple.
Check out The 4 Hour Body Zone for info on slow carb diets, and 4 Hour Body Recipes and Paleo Diet Recipes.
