The good thing is that this gives you lots of places to start moving toward your goal of losing weight. The challenge is sorting through them all and finding what will work best for you. So here’s question: What are you most ready to change?

Behavioral researchers have identified five stages in behavior change:

1. Precontemplation: You’re not even considering it. No way you’re gonna give up your pizza and beer. Gym-going is not for you. Why walk when you can ride?

2. Contemplation: Well, maybe you could live without pizza and beer *every* week. Gym is out, but you always liked swimming, maybe a pool. The walk in park with your friend was pleasant last weekend, maybe you could do it again.

3. Preparation: Next week you’re going to skip that pizza. You found out local Y has a pool and their family rates are affordable. You talked to your friend about doing more walks sometime.

The National Institute on Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, part of National Institutes of Health, explores special challenges of obese in its booklet, Active at Any Size.

"Very large people face special challenges in trying to be active," NIDDK notes. "You may not be able to bend or move in same way that other people can. It may be hard to find clothes and equipment for exercising. You may feel self-conscious being active around other people. Facing these challenges is hard—but it can be done!"

The booklet describes activities that very large people can undertake, and it takes special care to include non-weight-bearing activities such as water exercise and bicycling, to avoid stressing knee and ankle joints.

The NIDDK's points for getting started and keeping at it pretty much apply to people of all sizes:

1. Start slowly. Your body needs time to get used to your new activity. 2. Warm up. Warm-ups get your body ready for action. Shrug your shoulders, tap your toes, swing your arms, or march in place. You should spend a few minutes warming up for any activity—even walking.