workouts for a beginner

ooter

i've been a member of a gym for the last year but have never once lifted any weights,i use the pool 2-3 times a week and would swim for about 1km each time.i also do a lot of walking as part of my job.
i would like to get in to doing some weights but i wouldn't have the first clue where to start,could anyone point me in the direction of some good workouts for beginners?
the gym looks reasonably well equipped but i'd probably prefer to stick to free weights rather than use the machines if at all possible.
i'm 38,5 7' and about 11 stone.i'm gluten intolerant so i don't eat any wheat at all,my diet consists mostly of grains like rice,millet,quinoa,buckwheat,potatoes,sweet potatoes,lots of fish and lots of fresh veg.i'd eat red meat occaisionally as well as chicken and tofu and i'd eat nuts and seeds every day and drink lots of water..

scoogie

Hi ooter, sorry I'm not too experienced with weights myself, have you tried your gym instructors, they can show you the correct way to hold the weights, body positions etc to avoid injury - good luck with it!

On a separate note, I'm looking to overhaul my diet and eat alot more grains like the ones that you mentioned - do you know of any good cookbooks / recipe websites that use millet,quinoa,buckwheat etc? Thanks

TimeToShine

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/beginner.html

There's plenty of good beginner workouts there, have a look through it if you like. Ask someone at the gym to check your form on the compounds such as squats and deadlifts and you should be fine.