I must say I have been reading this site for the past 2 weeks on and off and I'm amazed on all the knowledge that the not so "newbies" so kindly share. I am a 5'0 female and just started on monday on the carb addict WOE...so far so good.

As a lot of women have mentioned on this forum I too was afraid of lifting but after reading many of the posts here I think I am ready. I have learned a lot but still have some specific questions about what kind of routine I should do. My main problem is being a family of 4 on 1 person's salary makes it hard to spend money on gym membership or equipments for that matter. I have been reading some of the routines but most of them at some point need some type of equipment I cannot acquire at the moment.

I have started walking twice a week for the past 2 weeks just to get myself started but would really like to do weights the other 4 days and rest on sundays. Is there a routine anyone can suggest that can get me started without spending much money.

I also have a question about reps vs. sets. I am confused as of when do you do more sets less reps or more reps less sets. I have read and read but somehow is just not going through. I don't wanna bulk up, i want to tone and obtain a lean clean toned body, but don't we all... I have to lose about 15 to 20 lbs which is mostly in around my waist and upper body.

Thanks in advance and hope to join you in many postings. Hopefully someday I too can post my pics.

you can start with no equipment at all: pushups, deep knee bends (aka full squats), sit-ups or crunches. If you do 3 sets of 10 pushups and 3 sets of 25 squats (no added weight) you'll know you've had a workout.
Can you buy a bag of sand and duct tape at the home improvement store? Stop by a thrift store and pick up a sports ball - basketball, four-square ball - whatever.

Take your used basketball and cut a hole - 3 sides of a square works good. Pour in sand. When it is pretty heavy, stop. Tape up the hole. tape it again, really well. You now have a medicine ball. You can use this as a weight for deadlifts, bench presses, db swings, squats, etc. In fact, if you buy enough sand and a second ball, you could make 2 - 1 pretty heavy, the other about 8-10 lbs and use different weights for different exercises.

There are lots of exercises to do with just these items in addition to the bodyweight exercises. Let me know if you want more suggestions along these lines.

of course, you can also spend $ on a resistance band system or dumbbells - but you might be surprised what sand-in-a-ball (or two, or three) could do for you - on the cheap.

I forgot to say that I do own 3 lbs & 5 lbs dumb bells from a few years ago that have been nicely tucked away. I didnt' mean to sound as if I am absolutely broke, just gotta keep myself on a strict budget. I guess my budget would be about $50.00 total. But since I don't know which exercise routine to do, not sure what to spend my $50.00 on (although some pretty sandals sound very tempting )

I think you could buy a 10 lb and 15 lb dumbbell at your local Target for about $20 total. Lots of weight stuff you can do with that. Look up on google a web site for beginners by "mistress krista" which sounds a little risque but is just fine. Says for women, but it had good tips for men as well.

see - I think you'll quickly outgrow 3,5 even 10 or 12 pound dumbbells - esp for lower body or chest work - but it will be awhile before you outgrow 100# of sand <g>. So I'd hate to see you spend $50 for a pair of 10# and 12# dbs and then have it be too light to do any real leg work. If you can get two pair for $20 at target, then go for it - get three pairs 10,15 & 20# while you are there.
And then STILL get the sand and used basketballs.

You might try a google search on resistance band sets - you might get something you can grow with in your price range - once you see what kinds of things are available you can shop locally.

here's the link to Krista's site - under workouts: check out DB routines or the "no weights, no problem" .
http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html

http://www.trainforstrength.com/exercises.shtml

I found some great info on this site.

My workouts include (very cheap)
-Pushups
-hindu Pushups
-Many bodyweight squat variations, including trying to work my way up to doing pistols http://www.powerathletesmag.com/pages/pistols.htm I have a ways to go yet
-many variations of chinups and pullups. I have a bar I put in my bedroom door (just a wooden dowel supported by 2 squares of wood with a U cut in them to hold the bar) and I do pullup variations on a painter's ladder which is set up to be four feet high and 8 feet across.
-a lot of lowerbody hamstring a glute work can be done on the ladder too
-sprints on stairs
-different dips and "thingies" that I do using a couple of plastic handlebar type things I found for 10 bucks in the store.
-lunges
-when I feel like it, barbell rows, stiff leg deadlifts, dumbell swings.
-hiking, sometimes with a loaded backpack. This, of course takes terrain, heavy boots and a heavy duty pack.

There are so many things you can do without purchasing expensive equipment!! The nice thing about a lot of body weight exercises, or "bigger" exercises such as squats and lunges is that they don't isolate specific muscle groups, you use many other muscles for stabilization.

If you want any explanations or more ideas let me know
I'm not bodybuilding. If you want to specifically bodybuild you will definitely want specifics like a barbell, a dumbell, plates, a bench etc. but strength training and getting a strong and fit body with good muscularity does not require much at all. Equipment wise, it will take effort!!

You may want to do a few searches for things like renegade training, bodyweight training... a lot of martial artists and gymnasts use bodyweight exercises and calisthenics. I find them very integral and more difficult than one might imagine!