Food and exercise regimen?

I find it best to plan all my meals and snacks one day a week.

I plan my food too, and I generally eat the same things all the time. I also make a lot of what I eat, so I know what goes into it.

Getting enough fiber and protein is important too, and drinking enough water.

So, I'm so ready to change my life and get fit. I want to be a better me and a better, more active mom and role model for my 9 year old daughter. I'm 235 lbs and trying to eventually get down to 135.
The problem is, I don't really know what I'm doing!
I've always done better with direction and right now I feel like I'm kind of floundering.
I do have my calories under control but I'm not sure when I should be eating. Right now I'm eating 3 times a day and sometimes I have a light snack around 9pm.
I have a gym membership but haven't really been using it because when I get there I walk on the treadmill and then just kind of wander around, wondering what I should do next.
I'm trying to lose weight but also get fitter and stronger. I'm especially interested in strengthening my core and I'd love to condition myself well enough so that I could run a 5k in the future.
Could someone please give me some direction?
Should I be exercising early in the morning? Is it okay to work out in the evening? How many days a week should I be working out? Do I eat before or after? Do I alternate days of cardio and lifting weights or do them during the same work out? Should I eat back my exercise calories? (I eat about 1600 calories per day)
I feel very uneducated about all of this and haven't had much luck researching these things online. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Perhaps you could share your schedule/regimen with me?

Let's see if I can answer some of these questions:
- eat any time of day that suits your body and your lifestyle. If you are sticking to your calorie allowance then timing doesn't matter. It also doesn't matter how many times a day you eat - try eating lots of small meals and see if this suits you. Generally I find that I'm more satisfied with three larger meals and a small snack but it's a personal thing.
- ask your gym if they can help you with a program to meet your specific goals - think about whether you want to run further, run faster, get stronger etc. You might have to pay for a program but it would probably be worthwhile.
- if you don't want to do this, make a plan and stick to it - eg. cardio 3 x week, weights 2 x week. Try this and see how you feel after a month, make changes if you need to.
- You won't get a lot of benefit from hours and hours at the gym every day - try for 30 -60 mins 4 or 5 days a week.
- if you want to run 5k - google C25K. This is a program that guides you through walking/running intervals and builds up your endurance until you can run for 30 mins straight.
- exercise any time of day that suits you. The most important thing is to find something that fits your schedule and that you won't give up on after a week because it's too hard.
- If you are using MFP to calculate your calories, then yes, you should eat your exercise cals. If you are using another system that already includes exercise in it's calculations then you don't.

In general I would suggest that you don't overthink it.
Find some exercise with a purpose (that's why I liked C25K, it gave me a program to follow and a goal to work towards), schedule it into your week and just do it!
Don't cut calories too low or exercise too much - that will just make you burn out and give up.

Good luck!

I strive to eat BALANCED... No low carb, low fat, fad diets... I strive (don't always get there) for the 5 fruits or veggies per day, PLENTY OF PROTEIN (for muscle development)... I have sort of cheated the carbs a bit but I have read recently (and was sort of guided by gym staff to rethink that since it is a factor in muscle development as is the protein)...

As far as the gym... a gym you don't use is worthless... less so because it takes money out of pocket for no reason. I don't know what gym you use but I attend the family Y here and the staff is eager to try to help anybody... (they actually sort of get bored sitting there watching people do their thing)... Talk to gym staff... They can show you the proper way to do the machines and weights.

For core... Any type crunch activity such as exercise ball routine, crunches, sit ups, weighted sit ups (placing a weight on your chest and doing a crunch or sit up... usually on an incline bench will strengthen the core.... However... one caveat... if your goal is "6 pack abs" there is an old statement that rings pretty true... "Abs are made in the kitchen"... What this basically means, reduce fat content to reveal the abs... You could have killer abs... but if it is covered by 2 inches of fat... You'll never see them...

There is no such thing as spot reduction.. Fat leaves from wherever it darned well wants to... However, isolation exercises will tone particular muscles... This will give the appearance of a reduction in given areas as muscle is denser than fat.

Hey... One thing that is good here.... You are focusing on BOTH diet AND exercise... Here is what is good about that... Many focus on that number on the scale... BUT fitness goes beyond that and is really more related to your fat to lean ratio than a number on a scale. Best wishes in your endeavour.

Eat about 20% below TDEE.
Dont be afraid of fat.
Its not the enemy.
Dont be afraid of carbs.
They arent free for all.
If you dont like cardio then dont do it.
Its only really good for keeping cardiovascular health.
Stay busy when you can but sleep well.
Its important!
While cutting calories remember that more rest is better than more working out.
But when you do work out, make it count!
High intensity workouts for shorter times will give greater results than mediocre workouts for 2 hours.

To sum up.
Nutrition first!
Rest and recovery second.
Workout third!

PM me if you need help!
My door is always open!