hey, doggiedo. firstly, you might consider seeing an MD to ensure that you are healthy enough to start exercising. walking is a good exercise to start and if you have a dog to keep you company well, that makes it all the more fun. i'm not talking of walking the dog to the corner and back; i'm talking of taking a 1 mile walk per day and upping it to 2 miles per day after a week. while walking will increase your strength and stamina, it will not burn the calories. for that, i recommend cycling. last year i bought a cheapo bicycle online from Kmart - spent a little over $100 before shipping and tax. got a basic 1 speed bike to maximize exercise (the land is flat where i live). what a great investment it has been. cycling is easy on the feet and knees but really gets the heart pumping and the lungs working. my next step is investing in a better bike and joining a bike club to go on rides. that is my goal for spring / summer. lately, i've been supplementing the biking and walking with weights for upper body strengthening and toning. weights are good for the bones as well as the muscles and having broad shoulders and bigger biceps really helps the self esteem. btw, my waist size has shrunk drastically from the cycling. can't recommend it enough. thanks to the exercise, you will look and feel better! all the best to you!