[erockomania]

First thing is to start cleaning up the diet. Start counting your calories so you know where you currently stand. Don't cut more than about 250-400 calories per day, per week. Keep your carbs complex and your protein lean. Your protein intake should be somewhere in the realm of .75 to 1.5 gms of protein per LB of body weight. Gradually decrease your carbs throughout the day. Carbs are energy and you don't need much at night. Eat several small meals during the day rather than a couple big ones. You need to start training your metabolism.

take out(for starters):
-simple sugars as much as possible(sodas, baked goods, white bread etc..)
-foods high in saturated fats (a little goes a long way ...keep it to a minimum)
-foods high in sodium

eat(for starters):
-veggies (any meal)
-lean meats (any meal)
-whole grains (brown rice/wheat bread)
-legumes(beans)

drink(for starters):
-lots of water
-teas with no or little sugar (green tea is a good place to start)
-diet sodas if you must
-low fat milk


some foods to implement(for starters):
black beans (or any bean of your liking)
almonds (or nuts in general that aren't salted)
fish
chicken
lean beef
any veggie of your choice
whole grain bread with no high fructose corn syrup (Miltons is a good one)
brown rice
find a good protein powder for after the gym
-if you buy salad dressings, find the ones with olive oil rather than canola oil or vegetable oil, and DON'T buy the low fat versions ...they usually are taking out the good fats and tossing in some garbage ...like more sodium and sugar.
low fat milk
...and the list goes on but this is good for starters


If you're just starting the gym, try 3 days a week so you don't get burnt out and bummed out too quick. 30 mins of cardio and 15 minutes of weight per day. When you start increasing the amount of days you go to the gym, make those primarily weight training days. 45 mins is a fine amount of time. Make sure you learn the proper form, maybe even enlist the help of a trainer for the first month so you learn the proper ways to train. Don't do too much too soon. After a few months of light training you'll be more ready to start some heavier weight and higher intensity training. I find the folks that move too fast quit the soonest. Ease into it.

hope this helps,
E.