There is some great advice on here already. I think something very valuable to consider is splitting up meals for you and your family. To increase you metabolism, you need to eat 5-6 small meals a day. Something like every 2 hours you should eat so that your body does not go into starvation mode and hold on to all the calories, fats, etc. This is pretty simple to do.
Breakfast-a few egg whites -you can include one whole egg, whole wheat (not enriched) toast, fruit if you want,milk or juice and it is important to nurish your body with your water intake. Try for 2 cups of water with each meal.
snack-piece of fruit, or yogurt (LF), or cottage cheese (LF), 2 cups of water
lunch-tuna or ckn, water packed can, mixed with mayo and bits of apples and celery, fruit, some milk based product (Lf), and 2 cups of water. You also can add some pasta to this meal, whole wheat.
snack-fruit parfait-fresh fruit, whipped cream, or jello or lf pudding-no sugar added variety of snacks are best and tasty. 2 cup water
dinner-fish, ckn, turkey, buffalo are all really lean and add you small bit of whole wheat pasta, green veggies, whole wheat pasta, milk (if you don't have your 3 servings) and 2 cups of water.
snack-low fat pudding pops or make your own popsickles with fruit juice, pureed fruit. 2 cups of water.
This is just a general idea based on what my family eats. I do not drink coffee so I did not incorporate that. You can have coffee, just don't load with sugar. The main idea is to up protein intake with clean foods. Limit processed sugars, up water intake to flush out the body and get the general requirements. I do a lot of water, as I am a body builder too, but I do crystal light or wylers light drink mixes that make 2 qts. I drink that easily and I get my gallon of water in easily with only 5 calories per serving. I would rather do that with the calories than suck down soda. If you are soda drinkers, make sure it is diet and limit your intake. This may take some time, but your body will love you for it when you are limiting it. (If you are cereal eaters try kashi cereals. My three year old has never been given sweet cereal and he won't even eat it if offered. He actually eats Honey bunches of oats. My 13 year old has been on my program of eating for a long while and he is very healthy and does't even eat all the candy he gets at Easter-usually gives most of it away.) This is a lifestyle change and that can be incredibly hard.
If you are looking to add exercise to your program, all the fellow body builders agree that 20-30 min is all you need. It is good to add some weights even if you are just trying to be healthy. I am not trying to get you to be body builders and my entire family are not, but they are healthy. Main key is to eat more protein, but not in one sitting,drink more water, and definately get moving in some activity-hiking, biking whatever.
Oh, My family made it a contest at first to see who could get their water intake done first. That helped with the intial water goals.
Good luck!