like coach izzy said, each exercise program is very, very individualized. programs are put together based on an individuals weight, blood pressure and current activity level. that information is used to come up with a training heart rate zone that is safe for that individual. at the beginning of an exercise program, you want to work at about 50-60% of your max. in order to figure this out, you have to know your heart rate max (220 - your age) and your resting heart rate (count beats per minute before you get out of bed in the morning). your target heart rate = resting heart rate + .6(max heart rate - resting heart rate). the number you come up with is the heart rate you should try to maintain during cardiovascular exercise. your best bet starting out would be to do 10 minutes on a treadmill, 10 minutes on an elliptical and then 10 minutes on a bike for the most efficient caloric expenditure. also, resistance training is beneficial because not only does it build your myocardial strength (your heart muscle), which means you can pump a greater volume of blood with less pumps, but building lean mass also makes you more negatively boyant and you wont have to wear as much weight!! diet is also a huge factor, eat lean meats such as grilled chicken and fish, steamed veggies and fruits. its not as awful as it sounds, you can actually find some awesome recipes that are super healthy. oh, and the smoking has GOT to go.... sorry.
