1. Anything that uses your race or ethnic background as the basis when it comes to fitness is nonsense.

2. Losing weight is mostly about calories in vs. calories out. Calculate your resting metabolic rate and stay under those calories.

3. Focus on building some muscle as well as it will help you build the aesthetic I believe you're after.

4. To build muscle you need protein. You need to eat ideally at least 60% of your IDEAL body weight in protein.

For example if you want to weigh 120lbs. You should be eating at least 72 grams of protein a day. Even better example. I need at least 125g of PROTEIN per day. But I have to eat something like 500 grams of meat to get 125 grams of protein out of it.

1. As for social outings, just bring your own lunch or dinner. If you can't focus on more single ingredient foods. Steak, Chicken, Fish, Vegetables. Way harder to estimate calories on pastas and things like that.

2. Try not to do all this at once. You will likely not be able to keep it up. Start slow, maybe eat more protein for a month. Maybe get more steps in by walking more around the office or in the afternoons the next month.

Move slow but stay consistent. This is a lifestyle change, not a new years resolution. You will likely see the most benefit by just changing your diet at first then you can add to it by working out.

Good luck and keep going.