How to adjust to living a healthy life?

I used to smoke weed nearly everyday this past semester and I've been smoking cigs for nearly two years... I'm 20, 6'3', 180lbs (you'll need this info later, lol). I still plan on smoking weed every once and a while cause I enjoy it, but I'm planning on quitting cigs. I never really exercised a lot in my life and I'm relatively skinny. It's in the past 6 months or so that I realized that I'm starting to get a little pudge-thing going on in my abdomin and my pecs are very slowly becoming more and more fat and less muscle. I also lack stamina to the utmost (can't even climb a flight of stairs without getting winded). Every once and a while I would start exercising for a couple days and then just stop... not sure why (lack of motivation perhaps?)

So why the sudden change? Well, the day after christmas my parents found out I smoked pot and it completely ruined my new year and the rest of my winter vacation. Everything was put into rhetrospect and I became depressed and realized that I wasn't happy with the life I was living, or rather, myself. So I decided to join a gym. I haven't actually joined yet because I have to see if I can manage financially and with my college classes and all. I have a one day trial at Gold's Gym which I have yet to use. And I've been planning on using it, but it just so happens that I've had a horrible cold these past couple days and couldn't go cause who the hell can exercise when they can't breath right; not to mention I'm a smoker who's trying to quit...

I think a gym would be good for me because if I'm in an atmosphere where I see others working real hard then I will be motivated to work hard as well... I think that's what I'm lacking when I try excercising at home (it just feels weird). I also think that it'll help me look good for summer if I excercise from now until then. It's also an added incentive to keep my nipple piercing because who thinks that piercings on saggy t!ts looks good??? lol

You're probably wondering where the quesiton is in all this... well I'm not really asking a specific question. I basically gave a relatively short synopsis of some of the more recent stuff that's happened to me and what I plan on doing. Now, what I can use is advice on eating healthy and any motivating techniques to have me keep at this whole exercise routine I plan to have very soon. As well as techniques for quitting cigs, cause I've tried before and after a week I had the worst headache ever and had to continue smoking. Also any suggestions on what to eat and how I should be exercising as well as how often you think I should be excercising... Like I mentioned in my title (which will probably be changed because that seems to be what this site does) this is all new to me. I dunno how to exercise right, nor do I know terms or what my cholestoral level should be or what to look for in foods that deem it healthy and beneficial to eat... I feel like I'm ending one life and about to start a new one where I have to learn everything all over.

I'm going to stop talking now cause I feel I'm going on and on. Any questions or if you need me to clarify anything, don't hesitate to ask (as you can tell, I'm quite open... as long as none of you are judging pr!cks or give pointless no brainer advice such as, 'eat healthy, stop smoking and exercise daily'). Thanks! : )

Cardio at least 3 days a week. Running/swimming/aerobics
Strength training at least 2 days a week. Machines/hand weights. If you don't like either option, just do crunches, pushups and lunges and that should take care of strength training alone.
Count your calories every day, probably you should be at 1700, make sure you're getting enough protein so you lose fat and continue to build muscle. Eat a salad for lunch. Eat a lot of vegetables and fruit. No juice, too many empty calories. Drink at least 3 liters of water a day. I found it helpful to buy a one liter water bottle so I know exactly how much water I'm drinking and the bigger the bottle the faster you tend to drink the water from it in one sitting. The first two weeks of this are very hard if you have stored sugar, your insulin will go a little nuts and you might have a lot of cravings but hang in there. After two weeks the cravings will go away and eating healthfully and in small portion sizes gets easier.

If you go to a university than you can probably work out there for free. Where I went to school there was a gym where all you had to do was show your student ID to use the equipment. Right now I work out at the YMCA which is cheaper than most gyms; if your university doesn't have facilities than you might try the Y.

Keeping motivated is always hard. At the why I notice that the parking lot is packed with new members after New Years. A few weeks into the year it starts thinning out and by March only the regulars still come. You are better off working out for a long time than to go in and go nuts exercising and burn yourself out quickly; I know I've been guilty of doing that in the past.

There are a few things that help me stay on track. My why has fitlinxx which keeps track of my workouts. I also keep track of what I eat on the sparkpeople web site. Sparkpeople can track your workouts as well but I use fitlinxx because the machines at my why are connected and automatically log my workout.

Whatever you decide to do good luck!

How do I count my calories? you mean what I should eat during the day shouldn't go over 1700?

My college has a gym but it's the smallest gym I've ever seen and it gets packed during lunch hours, which is the only time I'd be able to go; I commute an hour back and forth almost everyday. Now that commute consists of the train and bus cause I feel my parents are being unreasonable about having taken away the car cause of the weed. They should at least let me use it for school and work.

The YMCA by me (closest one about a half hour) closed a couple years ago. Now it's a shack with weeds growing all over. The two gyms in my area are Gold's and New York Sports Club... I preferred Gold's because of the atmosphere, it offers more for less and it seems cleaner overall... plus it's on the way to my college if I wanted to get up early before my classes and work out for a little bit (it's also by the train, lol).

What are some good foods with protein? I never really ever looked at the ingredients on that chart on the back of food products. I normally just buy what I like, which is mostly junk. Sorry if my questions are stupid... like I mentioned, everything about this lifestyle is new to me.

Some people enjoy tracking their progress -- keeping a chart of their measurements and their weight, then updating it each week. That might be a great motivator for you. Once you get into the swing of excercise, you will love it, and won't feel right when you don't. You've picked such a good time to do this -- it's SOOO hard when you're 30 and you suddenly realize you can't see your feet.

Nicotine is the most addictive stuff on the planet, so do try and kick that at the same time. The patches I think cost about the same as cigs so replace one for the other. Your breathing will improve and you'll need that for regular cardio!

Can you get extra support for healthy eating? If your parents cook for you, can you recruit them onto the health kick as well so the whole family is starting to eat well? Whole grain bread instead of white, for example, low cal desserts, etc.?

Also, as 'kowski above said, strength training at least twice a week. I'd up it to 3 or 4 and DON'T excercise the same body parts two days in a row. Give them a 3 day break and after you've worked out, feed the muscles. Eat lots of protein and carbs. Consider protein shakes if you can't eat enough... At your height, you could probably gain 40 lbs of muscle and end up looking like a hunky hockey player

Now, you have a cold. Make sure it's completely gone when you start your new fitness regimen. but be aware of this... when people start to work out, their immune system takes a beating. So... you may end up getting another cold when you start... but don't let that get you down. Just eat well.

For protein -- tuna, peanut butter, nuts, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, meat, beans.

1700 cals a day for a man that works out is not enough. active men need 2500 cals a day. even a free membership with slimfast will tell you that... and give you a diet plan and workout routine... but who am I to talk, the military go my lazy butt in shap.

Awesome, this advice is great stuff so far. I will certainly reference it when I start my working out. People can keep posting if they got more. Thanks!