Help, don't know where to start

[melkweg]

After a bad year in which I have gained 2-3 stone (now 16 stone :( ) and let my fitness slip really badly I've finally faced up to the fact I need to do something to stop this depressing, fat, lazy feeling getting worse.
The only problem is i don't know where to begin. 2ish years ago i used to regularly attend classes at my local gym (yoga, zumba/aerobics, bodypump etc) and I would have no qualms about trying a new class but now i feel I don't have any confidence to even just go in and use the (more anonymous!)cross trainer/treadmill.
I've been walking to work when I can (some days I need to use the car for work purposes) but this isn't making enough of a difference. I've started Slimming world this week so hoping to lose some weight so I can work up to feeling ok with going to the gym (i'd really like to get back into this) but in the mean time I'd really like some advice on how I can work on getting fitter. I have a tiny house so don't have room to do a DVD but i do live near a big park.
It may sound stupid but i've never done any self directed exercise so I don't know where to start
Thanks so much for any help, i'm feeling so despondent about all this :(

Slimming world IMO will really help with weight loss & your body confidence if you stay to group each week. Keep up with it even when you have a bad day week I lost just under 2 1/2 stone after DC 2 by going to SW & in 4 months.

Set yourself small targets and plan treats for yourself. Mine went something looks this

1. lose some weight in 1st wk
2. get below the next stone boundary
3. lose 1/2 stone - get yourself a new DVD / book,
4. lose a stone a new hair cut. Etc

I wrote it all down and enjoyed ticking them off as I went.

Build up your exercise. If you don't feel confident enough to go to groups at the moment you may do later as you are losing weight. Use the park each day and extend what you are doing 1 lap/ 2 laps. Can you get a friend to join you? That helps.

Keep going & good luck.

Yes I'd make good use of the park and investigate c25k

Running will help you get fit v quickly. Are there any bootcamps being held at the park?

Couch 2 5K is great - you can do it by yourself and build up slowly so it isn't daunting but see a difference very quickly. Running is wonderful as you can do it when suits you and there's no faffing about getting to a gym etc. when I was at my heaviest, this is what got me losing weight and moving again.

It's also a great time of year to start running as we have longer evenings and beautiful spring days.

Once you're feeling more confident then you can get back to classes.

Good luck!

Highly recommended the couch to 5k nhs podcasts. Download them, put them into a phone or iPod etc and get outside! There's lots of encouragement from Laura on the podcast, you can go at your own pace and repeat some runs if you need to and it can fit around your commitments plus you're exercising the moment you are outside the door! I was 15st when I started it and managed to complete it in the 9 weeks and other than walking I did no other exercise.

Good luk with your journey, starting is definitely the hardest part!