It is hard to say without knowing what equipment is available. It is great advice to start out walking on the treadmill. You will want to do some weight training however. If they have machines that exercise individual muscle groups, that is great and hopefully they come with some sort of pictorial instructions. Remember you want to start with biggest muscles - legs, butt, calves..move to shoulders, arms (triceps/biceps), chest and then to abdominals. I hope you can find something on stretching as well.
It is best to take a day off between weight training sessions. I try to do three weight and three cardio /fatburning (for that me is the treadmill) workouts a week. You want to start at a weight that makes it feel just hard to get through the last of 12-15 reps. You can hopefully have a sheet or design one yourself that lists your machines in order, what weights you are using and what are the settings for the seat, back etc.
Hopefully there will be some experienced members there. You can watch them to see what they do. Unfortunately that doesn't mean you are going to learn good technique and form which are crucial. I have worked for over a year with a personal trainer, so I am fortunate. It was for rehabilitation not weight loss but I know that weight training can do wonderful things for the body.
Does your town have a library? Our library has books on weight training both machine and free weights that have loads of illustrations and instructions. There are also websites that outline stretching programs, free weight programs, show some popular machines etc. JUST BE CAREFUL. Start slow, take your time, watch others. If there is a message board, perhaps you could post that you are looking for some help.
Good luck...it is hard to believe..but you just may come to love the gym...and on the days you really don't want to go..make yourself, unless you are sick..it is great stress relief, you will be proud of yourself for going, and you will feel better afterwards..I PROMISE!
Joining the gym - HELP!
