Strength Training

Great to know.  I'll think about this picture when I'm doing my 45 minutes of strength training tonight. 

I really have no idea how to start this.  I'm still not ready to go to the gym and embarrass myself

First don't worry about being embarrassed. That's the first step. If you haven't joined a gym yet, start with some body weight squats at home and some pushups. Get yourself a 10 or 15lb kettle bell and YouTube kettle bell exercises. If you have joined a gym see if they offer any introductory personal training sessions for new members and take advantage of that time to learn how to use the equipment. You will quickly go from there. Take advantage of the body weight before you lose it to build muscle.

I used an 8 pound dumbbell at home after surgery when my restriction was nothing 10 pounds or greater. I did flys and presses. Got me in a routine and hopefully helped me avoid muscle loss.