I'm gonna chime in on a few things here in the interest of your success. For starters where are you now? How old are you? What do you weigh? Do you know what your bodyfat percentage is?

Next thing I'm gonna toss out is a general piece of advice. Don't do too much too soon. You posted earlier "I'm going to work out at least 5 times a week!"...well thats great, but its also a pretty tall order. Everybody's got will power and some have more than others. End of the day though, if you try to make changes that are so big and so far out of whats normal for you all at once...you're going to get burned out, fast.

You're going to get sore because you're going to be doing way too much way too soon and thats going to make you keeping a schedule very miserable. Then you are gonna skip a workout or a run or whatever. Then it'll be two. Then you won't be doing anything at all and you're back where you started. You need to ease into a new workout routine. I ease into new routines and I've been working out pretty seriously for going on 7 years now. For example I've been busy lately, sick, and I've lost two family members in a little more than a month to old age and illness. I haven't been lifting regularly for probably a month and a half. I'm easing myself back into it. I know if I try to dive into the same nutrition plan and lifting routine I was doing when I stopped I'd be burnt out in no time. Its too much...too fast.

I asked about where you are now because thats important at getting an idea of what your starting point is. The next question becomes...what is your goal? That also comes with my next piece of advice. Set concrete, attainable, mid-range goals. Don't say..."I"m gonna work out and get ripped! Thats my goal!" Thats ridiculous. It doesn't work that way. The pro's that are ripped...took years to get where they are. You aren't gonna do it in 8 weeks even if you had the time and money they do, which you don't.

My advice to you in the beginning would be keep it simple. From what I gather you don't need a 3-5 day training split at your level. Its not necessary right now and its probably not even beneficial with regard to your getting the kind of positive feedback mentally and physically that you need to continue. You absolutely need to run if you're overweight and looking to reduce it. Interval training is probably the best cardiovascular exercise on the planet you can do. It doesn't take the time you would need to run 4 or 5 miles, you'll burn more calories anyway, and the reduction in stress on your body will allow you to do it more often.

Self esteem is an issue with running. A lot of people don't like to run at a track thats populated by a bunch of other people when they get started. To that I say either join 24 hour fitness or find a track thats open all night or even pick a route to run through your neighborhood later on at night. The goal is to run, make whatever other concessions necessary to achieve it.

Start out and shoot for say 4-6 intervals. Run as hard as you can at a pace that you can maintain for a full minute. Then drop to a brisk walking pace for a minute, thats your recover. Thats one interval. Shoot for 4-6 of those your first time and see how ya do. Take 3 days off. Then go again. Don't even try to add intervals yet. Do the same 4-6 intervals every 3-4 days for a solid two weeks. You'll realize its getting easier with time. As you start feeling better about it add an extra interval or two to your routine. You'll be amazed how quick the improvements come but you need to be consistent with it. Thats why I say try doing one of those workouts every 3-4 days at first. You want plenty of time to rest and you don't want to commit yourself to doing it more often than your body or your will can handle in the beginning.

Lifting. I'd say you're off to a great start with that already by going with a buddy. Whats his fitness level compared to yours? I'd suggest going at most 3 times a week in the beginning. No more than two exercises per muscle group. Stick to the compound stuff in the beginning. Deadlifts, squats, bench press, etc. Those will give you the biggest strength gains, they work multiple muscles at the same time, and it'll keep you from setting yourself up for a 2 hour gym workout. Thats a lot to ask of yourself in the beginning.

Nutrition. Cut your carbohydrate intake back. Sources of protein are to be virtually unlimited. If you're still hungry, eat more protein. Don't add a second helping of pasta. Take another slice of chicken or fish or whatever. I could go more into nutrition but maybe Nomad will cover it. I have to start thinkin about going to work. Good luck.