Hi all, glad to see there's so many happy to help here!
OK Erik, you've got all this good info, let me try to give it some form of structure.
- Start off doing cardio. 3-5 times a week should do it. Rather than give a target heart rate, what I'll teach you is the talk-test. The talk-test is exercising to a point where you can say high to someone, but are working/exercising too hard to have a conversation - and that's the intensity you'll want to work up to. When you've finished the cardio don't eat for an hour, but don't leave it longer!
- I get the impression that you're very overweight. If that's the case, then all you really need do at this point is cut back on your calorie intake. I'd go so far as to say that you could eat much of the same stuff, just eat half as much. It's a fact that your stomach will shrink under such conditions (and expand if you over-eat), so soon you won't feel as hungry. Keep in mind also, that the exercise will cause your body to want more food. Resist this, just not so much that you starve yourself. In general terms, lower the amount of fat and carbs you take in (hard in todays world) and increase the protein. Go into some health food stores a look at meal replacement powders - they taste good and a FULL of great nutrients. If they're body-building related then even better! That's where you get 'da good stuff!' (And legal of course.)
- Soon enough you'll get to a point where you've lost a lot of weight. And that time you need to transition into a combination of weights and cardio. The weight training is purely to add and maintain muscle, the bonuses being:
* Increased metabolism,
* Lower long term fat levels,
* Better joints,
* Less chance of Osteoperosis(SP?),
* Improved hormone levels,
* Stronger immune system,
* You look better...
And there's so many more! You'll find when you get rather lean that you can let your diet go slack, as the weight training will cause the muscles to suck up the bullk of the nutrients... but I won't go into too much detail with that. Oh, and as mentioned previously, have some cheat meals, it's no great drama.
So just remember in the beginning the main thing is to cut the calories back. It'd possibly be helpful for you to give us your
height and weight. And like the others have rightly mentioned, go get a blood test, make sure your heart and colesterol is in good order, etc...
OK, that's all from me for now.
Keep positive my friend.
Turbofan