I have taken an interest in diet and exercise and have been studying these topics for around a year now. Like most topics in today's society, there is a lot of mis-information. I have found that, like self-knowledge, there are no quick answers. Rather, improved health, for most people, is finding new information, which leads to new decisions.
There are a few resources that I would like to recommend to help get your education rolling, as I have found them very helpful in my situation. First, I have recently finished reading "Perfect Health Diet" by Paul Jaminet, Ph.D. and Shou-Ching Shih Jaminet, Ph.D. (perfecthealthdiet.com). In my opinion, this is one of the most comprehensive books on diet and nutrition that takes into account the most recent science on the subject.
Second, the "Underground Wellness" (underground wellness.com) and "Healthy Mind, Fit Body" (healthymindfitbody.com) podcasts are great free resources.
Finally, I have found the "MovNat" (movnat.com) approach to exercise as being very helpful.
I really would like to wish you the best of luck on your journey!