spclPatrolGroup, good luck with that, in all sincerity. It worked well for me, although I didn't have arthritis.
My knees were starting to complain, though, on hill climbs, etc.
I'd let myself balloon up into the 230's a few years ago, after tweaking an old back injury and pretty much ceasing physical activity for a while. Of course, that made my back feel even better...
Got back into the gym, cut down the alcohol (I'm not much of a drinker, in any case, but I cut what I was drinking about in half) and almost entirely eliminated soft drinks. You'd be amazed at the calories in soft drinks...
So, I guess my first point of advice to you would be that exercise is good, but diet is crucial. People often don't realize how many calories are in soft drinks, or the difference "super-sizing" makes.
For that matter, even good restaurants tend to overdo the portion sizes. I switched mind-set to where I get doggy bags now, and don't try to finish large portions (if I'm out). At home, I cook what I plan to eat, instead of making huge portions. It helps avoid the temptation for seconds, or thirds, etc.
As far as the workout goes, my second piece of advice would be, go easy at first. Find out what your body's threshold is, and don't worry about what the other guys are doing. (Before I got hurt, I was benching 315ish, overhead pressing 210 - which was my then body weight.... you get the idea.) I don't go for broke, as far as weights go. Start light, and gradually increase. Hurt yourself early on, and it's too easy to quit. For that matter, it's easy to end up worse off than you started...
Next piece of advice: Cardio is great, and it is necessary, but it isn't efficient for weight loss. Resistance and interval training are much better for cutting weight; alternate or augment with cardio for cardiovascular benefits. There are many reasons for this, but as I understand it the main one has to do with resting metabolism. Muscle tissue burns more calories than does fat, when at rest.
So, the more fat you have, the more your body tends to want to gain fat. The more working muscle you have, the more it burns off while you sleep...
Tell you what, hill climbs are much easier at 210 than they were at 237... So are pull-ups, push-ups, getting out of chairs....
I ultimately want to get down to around 195. I figure my knees, back, and heart will thank me in the long run.
Again, good luck.
