Where do I start with lifting?

They have introductory crash courses at any gym.

Good beginner programs to look into and at least get an idea on concepts, workouts, etc are Starting Strength, Stronglifts, Wendler, and AllPros.

ETA: Also, who cares what people might think. If you want it, go do it!

Good beginner programs to look into and at least get an idea on concepts, workouts, etc are Starting Strength, Stronglifts, Wendler, and AllPros.

ETA: Also, who cares what people might think. If you want it, go do it!

+1

They have introductory crash courses at any gym.

And usually you end up paying for a PT if you're new to it, wasting your time and money because anything you learn from a PT in a gym is trash.

You should have seen the crazy azz shizz the PT at my gym had me doing a couple of months ago! I signed up for a free evaluation, just to see what it would be like. The guy asked me what I had been doing in the gym, so I told him Wendler's 5/3/1 and even gave him my stats (1RM, current working set weight, etc) for bench press, deadlift, shoulder press, and squats. He listened intently and then had me stand on a Bosu ball doing 5 pound curls and lateral raises...

Pathetic as hell. Good thing I didn't waste my money before getting that free session which was a complete waste of my time anyway.

At any rate, I agree with Joy_Joy's response above for a good place to start.

Good beginner programs to look into and at least get an idea on concepts, workouts, etc are Starting Strength, Stronglifts, Wendler, and AllPros.

ETA: Also, who cares what people might think. If you want it, go do it!

this, except I'd save Wendler's for later

First, before you try any machines, decide what you really want to do - are you toning your legs, your back, your legs, a combination? Once you've done that, seek out the style/type of machine you will need to use - most machines at the gym have graphics showing which muscles they utilize. You won't look stupid by reading the machines and being careful. Any machine is all about form - if you are unsure about the proper form (so you don't injure yourself) - just ask somebody, whether it be a trainer or someone who is already using the machine. Then, after you know how to use the machine - you need to do a max lift test - a max lift test is basically what is the most amount of weight you can lift only once. Once you have found that out, divide that amount by 2. That's generally where you need to start to give yourself adequate resistance. No sense in using a machine if you aren't really challenging yourself. If half of your max still seems too much, drop 5 or 10 lbs below until you find a comfortable weight. Start with 1 or 2 sets of 10-20 reps and work your way up - if it gets to be too easy even after 40 reps, try moving your weight up 5 or 10 lbs so you continue to challenge yourself. This is everything I learned by taking a college fitness class, but if you have any more questions, feel free to ask

Please stop using the word "tone" and any variation of it. There is no such thing as "toning." There is only losing bodyfat and seeing muscle mass due to having lower bodyfat levels.

Starting Strength, New Rules of Lifting or All Pros are great places to start. Stick with free weights and compound lifts. Dedicate time to getting form down at first. After that, lift HEAVY and push yourself. You won't get the results you want lifting weights lighter than your purse.

Here's some motivation:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/976497-women-heavy-lifting-free-weights-16-month-progress

There are a ton of strength training programs, but the simplest ones revolve around just a small number of barbell compound lifts. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, rows, lat pulldowns. These 5 lifts will be the core of your strength work for the rest of your life, so even if you don't learn them now, you want to learn them soon.

You can do strength training with machines or dumbbells or body weight or rubber bands or suspension straps, but you'll have to do more exercises and you'll spend more time in the gym. Barbells are easy, simple, and will work no matter how strong you get.

The way to start a strength program is to learn how to do the core lifts. You start light, use 15-20 reps so you're getting a lot of practice, and do all the lifts until your form is good. Then dive into one of the beginner strength programs: Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting for Women.

I would really like to target my abs, and legs. Now with that said how many different machines should I use? There's so many! Do I just choose a few? Or do all of them? I have so many questions, lol. I understand the max test, that makes a lot of sense actually.should I be able to all the machines at that level? It seems like if you tire yourself out on one leg machine then the next leg machine would be harder..?

Squat, squat, squat.

I say start with StrongLifts, it's a great programme as other have said, and in defence of PT's some are pretty good. Mine put me on a couple of weeks of basic grounding moves to build some stability in my weak body (press-ups, good TRX session, etc) with the plan to put me on StrongLifts after that. 2 weeks later he took me through SL teaching me form of all the lifts and the basic principal of SL (plus pointing me at the SL website for future). So 2 sessions, 1 was free and I'm on my way.

They have introductory crash courses at any gym.

And usually you end up paying for a PT if you're new to it, wasting your time and money because anything you learn from a PT in a gym is trash.

You should have seen the crazy azz shizz the PT at my gym had me doing a couple of months ago! I signed up for a free evaluation, just to see what it would be like. The guy asked me what I had been doing in the gym, so I told him Wendler's 5/3/1 and even gave him my stats (1RM, current working set weight, etc) for bench press, deadlift, shoulder press, and squats. He listened intently and then had me stand on a Bosu ball doing 5 pound curls and lateral raises...

Pathetic as hell. Good thing I didn't waste my money before getting that free session which was a complete waste of my time anyway.

At any rate, I agree with Joy_Joy's response above for a good place to start.

LOL I see some of the trainers at my gym doing that bosu ball crap with people and I just internally shake my head...

what is with the aversion to squats, deadlifts, etc..???

A few weeks ago I asked one of the trainers at my gym to help me perform a deadlift properly (I've never done one), and he actually shook his head and told me that I didn't need to do that. Led me over to a few machines and told me to stick with those. Didn't think much of it at the time (other than being really disappointed) but now I'm kinda mad. Who is he to tell me what I can and cannot do?!

I know. There is only one trainer (Bryce) that I see with his clients in the free weights area. I've never seen any of the others go in there. Ever. Granted, I go in the mornings so maybe the afternoon or evening trainers do. However, now that you mentioned it, I have never seen Bryce do deadlifts or squats with his clients either. I'm mad because I really want to learn to do this. I'm gonna check into some of the books mentioned and, like you said, look into some youtube videos. It just sucks because the trainers are right there...they could easily just show me. I don't know what they have against that stuff either.

They probably don't know enough to properly educate a beginner, like myself, on correct form. It's easier to show someone to a machine and tell them to read the instruction there.