Beginner workout at Planet Fitness?

The team at Planet Fitness can help you.  They have people who will show you how each piece of equipment works and how to use it safely.  Always feel free to ask an employee if you are unsure about something.

Probably the best thing for you to do is a combination of aerobic/cardio on a bike or elliptical trainer (treadmills are hard on your knees) combined with a full circuit of training on the various pieces of weight equipment.  This will help you burn some calories and also build or "tone" your muscles. Start slow and low weight.  Yes, you will be a little sore, but you need to build up so that you don't hurt yourself or get so sore you can't workout for a week. Weight loss is 80% diet.  You cannot out workout a bad diet.  If you are overweight, it is time to face the fact that you are eating too many calories and getting your calories from the wrong types of foods.  Here are some suggestions:

1. Look up a healthy weight for you based on your height.  Then decide how many pounds a week (1 or 2 or 3) you feel you can reasonably lose based on your willingness to control your eating.

2. Download an app like My Fitness Pal or Lose It! Enter your current weight and goal weight and it will tell you how many calories you should be eating.  Then enter EVERYTHING you put in your mouth and stick to your goals.

3.  Find an eating plan that provides you with nutrients rather than empty calories.  I'd strongly suggest you consider a low-carb diet because they do provide the essential fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals you need and cut out the "empty" calories from grains and sugars.  If that isn't something you can do, then find something you will stick to whether it is Weight Watchers or something else.  You can also look at Perfect Portion food containers to help you understand the right quantity of various food types.

Good luck!  Don't give up.  Try different things.  Don't beat yourself up for a slip up.  Mark your workout on you calendar -- this is an appointment you keep for yourself!

Exercise is good for you for a number of reasons but losing weight is mostly about what you eat.  In fact you don't even need a gym membership in order to exercise.  Sorry to tell you that after you bought your membership.

That said there are many different ways that one can exercise at a gym.  It depends on what your goals are.  There are too many options to get into right now but there are plenty of tutorials online if you want or you can ask someone at your gym for advice (most gyms will help you figure out your workout program).  If weight loss and general fitness are your only goals then a generalized fitness program is best (i.e. working out all of your body).  You can do it every day by alternating workouts or you can do it every other day.  However, like I said, losing weight is mostly about what you eat.