<human>: Hi all; I apologize if this is in the wrong place.

I'm trying to lose a significant amount of weight, and although I understand that fundamentally changing your diet is the key here (and I'm working on that currently) I'd very much like to supplement it with exercise.

The problem is, short of cardio (running) I've never worked with weights, or machines, or anything of the sort.  To give you some background, I've never had a weight/exercise class at any point of my life, and research on my own of how to use weights or machines has failed me.  It's gotten to the point where I now associate the gym with a certain level of despair as I walk in, stare at the unfamiliar equipment, try to use it halfheartedly, get frustrated and leave.

Following the README/FAQ, I bought Starting Strength and read through it - however, my knowledge of anatomy is extremely limited so I had to work alongside Wikipedia just to understand the basic concepts he was trying to introduce to me.  I'm convinced free-weights are the path to health now, as per that book, but I feel absolutely none the wiser for having read that book - I think it may have actually frustrated me more, since it seems that it's not quite `clicking` with me.

In summary, I'm looking for a remedy to this.  I'll hire a personal trainer if I have to, just to teach me, for as long as I have to - I have access to a YMCA and a great gym at my office so there's no lack of proper equipment.

I'm open to any and all suggestions, and will try anything and happily report back.  Thank you in advance!

Can you provide a brief rundown of the text in within 3 sentences?
<bot>: I freeze up when I go to the gym because I don't know what to do.  I try to educate myself, but it doesn't seem to be working.  What are my next steps?