For another opinion to hear.....
In 2003 I was a
FAT ~230-240 lbs. At 5'10". I brought
myself down to 165 lbs late last year with a good diet..NO SODAS

All along lifting 5x a week. Cardio, over a year loosing alot of fat, rather then rushing it.
Come 2005 I was thinking just like U,time to
STICK IT and lucky for me, I found this site...and picked up on the rules
FIRST
and just read, and read, still reading..Alot of smart folks here, easy to see through the BS...IMO
Point is....--->I learned from reading, that I was ready, luckily for me I was ready for the gear, so I started 3 weeks ago, stuck myself in the @ss! That was a rush

.
My diet was good, I wasn't
FAT, I was just right to start from all I learned...
Point is, stick it when your ready....you'll know

Good Luck