Don't know where to start

If you gym has a circuit this might be a good start. You can get an overall workout and cover all the bases. i would couple this with cardio. My preference is eliptical or Nordic Track, but treadmills and bikes are good too.

My advice would be to start with a schedule that doesn't kill you on the first week, that is fun, and that you can maintain. If you start off too hard, get too sore, you won't enjoy it, and it makes it harder to maintain.

Good Luck!

Carter

First of all, take it slowly! Even if there are no trainers, the staff members should be able to show you how to use the machines and if they can't or won't, look for someone on a machine that looks like they know what they're doing and ask them. Most of the time they'll be happy to show you how. Just don't ask someone that is going at a quick pace, they probably won't want to be interrupted. Don't be afraid of the free weights--again, ask the staff or watch for somebody doing the easy things like bicep curls.
3 days a week is fine to get started and with the cardio, don't forget that you can always try to fit in some quick walking whenever you can.

Even if you can't remember the specific exercises, just think: something for your back/ chest/ legs (quads and hamstrings or the front and back of your legs)/ abs/ arms (triceps and biceps again back and front). You'll be able to get everything done in 30 mins.

Another thought, if you have the money, is to hire a trainer for 1 or 2 sessions to meet you at the gym to get you started. They should be able to write down the exercises for you to follow on your own.

I don't know anything about downloading to your mp3--hopefully someone else will chime in with that.

Again, go slowly at first--in the beginning you should leave the gym wanting to do more, not crawling out so that you'll never want to go back. Give yourself time to learn and don't be shy about asking for help--everyone had to learn at some point, right?

Good luck! If you want to friend me, when you have any questions, I might be able to help if nothing else, with encouragement.

Got your friend request--we're set up now! Have a good workout! And you know, maybe you can bribe your son to help you out--even if you tell him like "you work with me for 10 minutes by the clock and I'll will give you.....(fill in the blank)" It's cheaper than a trainer and might bring you guys closer. But then again, my son is still only 11 so he doens't mind hanging with his mom...yet!

If you start at very low weights and ramp up slowly over time, free weights aren't as scary as they might seem. Once you've been working out for a few weeks, I'd definitely suggest trying them out.

The big advantage of free weights is that they work more muscle groups than the machines through "compound movements". For instance, every time you lift a dumbbell, you're not just working out that big lifting muscle, but also all the little muscles that keep the dumbbell from tipping or rolling or whatever. The same exercise on a machine does all that secondary stuff for you, so you're only really working out one muscle at a time.

If you do decide to try them out, ask the staff at the gym to show you how to use the equipment safely, especially the barbell (the big long one). Most gyms will have a "lifting cage", which is a framework that keeps you from falling over or getting squished. If you use them properly, the free weights can often be even safer than using the machines.

If you're looking for a good starting workout, I can recommend the one I'm using right now: http://newbie-fitness.blogspot.com/2007/01/stripped-5x5.html It's a simplified starting workout, and keeps the number of different exercises as short as possible while still working all parts of the body. Another benefit is that this workout assumes a 3x a week schedule, so it matches your schedule perfectly. I've only been on this routine for a couple weeks, but I already feel like I'm getting a full workout from it.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes at the gym!