have you considered swimming or water aerobics to be less impacting on your joints?

Your shoes are also super important. If you are prepared to spend money, go to an actual running store (not foot locker or whatever) and have them analyze your gait to recommend shoes. Do strength exercises like leg lifts that keep your knee straight - this builds the muscles that keep the kneecap firmly in place. Knee bending weight training should be avoided. Try walking on a softer surface, like a rubber track or soft grass and try to walk with you toe hitting the ground, your midsole flexing and your heel never really bearing weight. A bicycle or elliptical can also be a good choice, though the elliptical might be rough on the ankles.

I had that foot problem with the elliptical too. Every time it started to get bad I'd switch to ellipticalling backwards for about 30 seconds and that helped a little - though you have to do it slow.

I'm doing water aerobics and or swimming everyday - I recently purchased a used elliptical for winter time but your idea of joining the center with the pool sounds like a great one. I've been to see personal trainers in the past and they seem to often have goals that are different than mine were - wanting you to work harder, push more, lift more etc.. When you are trying to lean down instead of gain muscle I'm not sure they know quite what to do.

I agree about the shoes too. My podiatrist sent me to Gazelle Sports and told me to get a walking, not running shoe, because the walking shoe is wider through the middle, giving more stability and doesn't allow me to pronate (ankles rolling to the inside). Don't know if they have Gazelle Sports where you live, but if not find a store where the sales staff are trained in what shoe works best for what you are doing and how it's supposed to fit. Secondly, as Dale said, as the weight starts coming off the pain will lessen. I have recently been adding to my normal walking with trips to the gym. I've been using a regular exercise bike, free weights, a weight machine and even the eliptical. I have found that my knees do not like the eliptical. I guess I just have way too much damage and arthritis in them. I have pain in both knees for hours afterwards. But I can do the rest. Take it all in baby steps, adding a minute here and there and work up very gradually. As anyone who knows me knows, I hate exercise! So if I can do this, so can you.

I think your idea of joining a wellness clinic is great! I go to a pool several times a week around 6 am and we have a group of early risers that make it fun. We walk, we do backwards walking, "cross country ski" and walk sideways. Some of us use noodles- we sit on them and bicycle forwards and backwards. I do a sort of adapted jumping jack in the deeper end. I use foam barbells and do a variety of arm exercises. For me getting there early means quiet time, sun rising, nice company and getting home by 7:30 or so into my shower and on with the day. I didn't like the gym, felt too self conscious and awkward. Maybe I will like it better the smaller I become !! Glad you found some shoes that work too!