Girl,
I am just about your same height F 36y.o. I used to weigh 250. I am now down to 175 and still losing (although a little slower now). I started running on Thanksgiving '04 at the beach in Galveston. I could only run something like 30 feet at first. I just kept with it and adding to it. This October ('06) I ran the Army 10-miler in Washington DC. I nearly cried at the end. Just start with what makes you sweat until you are out of breath. Keep coming back to it. Join a gym, get a treadmill, use them both. I have found that when I was beginning, I would run every other day to recover. I can now run 3-4 days before I have to take a day off. Good Luck.
Email if you want. waveband@gmail.com

But first, congratulations on your resolve! It is great to sign yourself up for events - they will give you motivation to continue. I did exactly this when I needed to lose weight, I committed to do something four months in the future where I knew it would be very embarrassing if I showed up at the weight I was then. When I thought about eating, then I'd think about how humiliating it would be to show up as heavy as I was. It really worked!

Two thoughts: first, talk to your doc about the side effects you're experiencing from the Dilantin. Maybe there is another med you can use that wouldn't cause the inactivity/overeating syndrome you're going through. Second, you mentioned you were hoping to start your family soon. That is a wonderful incentive to lose that weight! If you go into a pregnancy at your current weight, you'll probably experience many more health difficulties than you will at a healthier weight (hypertension, gestational diabetes). And, I understand that heavy women actually have a more difficult time getting pregnant in the first place (don't know if this is you, of course). So think of losing the weight as not only an investment in your own future, but in your baby's as well.

HTH and good luck!

Jane in CT

Kim - you are AWESOME! Congratulations on your resolve and commitment. We've got a free 5K training program on our website you're welcome to pull up - it's at www.FullSpectrumCoaching.Net

Go get 'em!!