What exercise to start with

As I prepare to go for my information session and schedule my appointment with the surgeon, I would like to be a bit more proactive and start to exercise...being a newbie what do you experts think is the best way to get started?  I do have some walking tapes....should I start now? I want to be so ready for all of this but don't want to burn myself out either.
I appreciate your help and look forward to your answers.

I would say walking to start is great and start as soon as you can. The better shape you are in, the better you will do. I was lazy pre op and regret it now.

Many people are very successful with walking. If it's hot and humid, or rainy (isn't every day this summer?) there are some very good Leslie Sansome DVD's.

For me, walking became boring very quickly and I could make ANY excuse not to do it. So...I started with water aerobics. Our local rec center had good options, as well as a local gym. Still at it 5 weeks out from surgery and not bored yet!

As a pre-op, I walk as well as go to Curves 3-5 times a week depending on my schedule. I've been walking for a long time now and just added Curves back in April. Unfortunatly all the exercising hasn't done a thing to bring my weight down. I started looking into WLS a year ago, had some complication from a surgery in October 2008, and still dealing with some glitches that keep popping up for me. I added Curves back in April to see if that would bring my weight down in addition to the walking but so far has not. I'm still dealing with my glitches have a tentatie surgery date for Sept. 14th. My docs have told me that my exercising will help with the after effects from anesthesia so I keep exercising

Thanks again to everyone who answered.  I do have Leslie Sansone DVD's and will put one in to begin getting ready...I want to be as ready as possible and make my post-op period as uneventful as possible...I hope.

Another point that will make you glad you are exercising before surgery - afterwards, there are obviously MANY changes in your life and routine. If you build the exercise in ahead of time, at least it is something you are familiar with!

not sure if you have a place by you bu****er workouts are great for us... doesn't put stress on our joins since you are in the water... the water does the hard work... so you might want to look into that beside doing the walking tapes... which are great... also Ti Chi is also a good workout without stressing our joints...