New to DB and loking to begin weight training..

I'm new to the forums and was looking for some advice on starting weight training.  I have been on a modified Atkins diet for around 4 months plus.  I've gone down in weight from 218 to 194 in that time.  I'm 27 yrs old and 6'1".  I haven't worked out in about 3 years and that was just a short period in college when I had extra time.  In getting into a workout routine, I was wondering what the best way to start is.   My girlfriend and I currently walk in the evenings with out dogs around the neighborhood, but thats about it.  I have been doing inclined pushups and situps regularly for about 3 weeks.  Prior to college I was about 170lbs and 6'-1", but I was a bean pole.  I have never had much upper body strength (can't do 1 pullup at all and never could...sad) But I can lift somewhat.  Objects around the house and outdoor activity has never been a problem.  So where to go from here... I would like to know the best place to start I guess.  How to develop reps, etc.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  We may be joining a fitness club here in the near future.  Thanks in advance.

well if you wanna weight train im afraid the atkins diet will have to go bye bye...
 
Do you want to lose more weight and get muscle definition
 
or bulk and add muscle (adding weight, a bit in fat, but mostly muscle)
 
???
 
If you wanna cut then do medium weights that youre comfortable lifting for 10-14 reps
 
and do exercises with that rep count
 
increasing and decreasing weight when the reps get too high or low
 
If you want to get serious about weight training, you either need a lot of money to get your own gym equipment-or join a gym
 
dont worry about what you can and cant do, i used to be weak and couldnt do jack and now im slowly but surely getting stronger, everyone starts low dont worry about it
 
Do every exercise for the entire body
 
a good routine if you wanna get serious for example would be
 
monday-leg, abs
tuesday-back, lats
wednesday-shoulders triceps
thursday-chest, biceps
friday-sunday-rest
 
screw around with the days
 
though them muscle groups work best together from what ive reas here and personal experience (especially chest and biceps)
 
make sure to eat enough given your demands on whether to lose weight or gain weight in muscle
 
if you wanna cut then go for less calories, bulking, for someone your height, and if you wanna get serious, would need 3000+ cals a day every day
 
distributed between 1-1.5 grams of protein per lbs of leans mass
3-4 grams of carbs per lbs of lean body mass
basically youre looking for a good 150-180 grams of protein a day everyday
and 400-500 grams of carbs a day every day
 
dont forget fats and fruit and vegetables either
 
sounds like a lot, but weightlifting will burn it all out and "convert" it all to muscle
 
Before you start on heavy weights or whatever weight given the cut/bulk plan
 
work on form first
 
when you first come across an exercise you havent done
 
use low weights and focus on how the exercise should be done
 
keep adding weight
 
as soon as your form gets sloppy-dont add weight
 
adding weight with bad form will make you gain slower, dont worry about the weight, worry about the targeted muscles in which form will do
 
Hope you find this helpful...Im sure others can add to this...
 
any other questions just ask
 
welcome to DB.com
 

Thanks for the advice links.. I am actually looking to tone up a bit and not so much bulking.   Maybe weight training wasn't quite the wording I was looking for.  My ab region is where the majority of my problem is.  Legs and arms have fairly little %BF.  Have to attack the mid section and tone the rest.  Right now I'm mostly focusing on losing some of the excess weight I've been carrying around.  Would you recommend any supplements to start out or just hit the gym?  I have looked into the likes of Hydroxycut (used the ephedra one back in college some) and HotRox.  Unsure if the new Hydroxycut would be little more than a placebo now.  Just curious..

Height:6'1' >> Feb 12, 2008
Weight:190 >> 173
Age:29
BF 19% (elec. calibration) >> BF 15%

Hmm similar topic has been made on weightloss supplements
 
I know nothing about them if im honest
 
Though i remember reading how some supplements just suck water out of you to lose the weight, however there are some that work but i do not know of them
 
My guess would be that Hydroxycut is a water sucker, mainly because of the starting name (hydroxy) which is water basically, hotrox may work, il look more into it for you (as ive got nothing better to do lol) and see what seems to be good.
 
For now just hit them gym
 
to get rid of weight do cardio work like running and cycling and them type of things
 
also do many types of abdominal exercises, sit ups, cable crunches, weighted crunches (situps while holding weights basically, and cable crunches are when you use cable on gym equipment while crunching)
 
194lbs for 6'1" isnt too bad...whats your ideal weight?
 
do you plan on getting bigger muscle wise after losing the weight?
 
 

194 isn't bad at all for 6'1" why are you trying to lose?