Don't know where to start...

[BigDaddy0621]

Here's my situation: I'm 32 years old and 6' tall. I'm a husband and father, with 2 young boys(7yrs and 1.5yrs). Back in my early 20's I weighed about 165 lbs, and was shredded. Fast forward to this time last year, I was 250 lbs, extremely overweight, and facing blood pressure reducing medications, and all the gross physical attributes that go along with being a fat ass. Now, I'm about 219, and still fat and weak. I HATE cardio, but I love lifting. My goal is to get big, ripped muscles. Not like huge bodybuilder guy, but more like fitness model guy. Everything I search for getting big and ripped is aimed towards skinny, "hard gainers," or more "average" people. Really nothing for my situation.

More info; Before I'd go to bed around 1-2pm and get up around 7:00ish, and eat junk late at night, while I was at it. I've changed my diet and eating/sleeping habits. I now go to bed around 10pm and aim to get up around 5am. Currently, I'm just trying to get my body used to that schedule, and haven't actually started any "programs" yet. I still eat a lot of food, but it's good for you food, and only around 1500 calories/day. Example: My breakfast and lunch is a "green drink" that I divide in half. It's a total of 24oz, in which I put 2 cups of spinach, a 7-8" banana, a medium naval orange, a couple 5" carrots, 2tbsp of flax seed, and 4tbsp of rolled oats. Half of that is breakfast. Then I eat an apple and about a 1/4 of almonds for a snack, and the other half of that shake plus a can of tuna or chicken for lunch. For another snack, I eat some peanut butter and a fruit of some kind. Then, whatever my wife makes for dinner. I suppose that's great for losing weight while I'm doing nothing but sitting at my desk all day. That's not my only goal though.

Anyway, I really have no idea what to do, to get started. From what I understand, lifting heavy is a great way to burn fat anyway, but how do I handle nutrition if I already have this huge gut to start out with? I see all the "eat a ton" quotes for people wanting to gain size and strength, but do I follow that the same? I've been doing the "eating a ton" strategy for the last 10 years... just not the lifting part, lol. I always had an excuse, "I'm too tired after work and playing with the kids," "I don't have time to leave work and go to the gym during lunch," "I'm not getting up early, it will kill me at work." Whatever, I'm done with that. My plan is to get up at 5, go to the gym(workout while there, lol), take a shower, and head to work. I just don't have the slightest clue where to start to achieve my goals... If you guys wouldn't mind, I'd love to hear suggestions.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for wall o' text. I tried to cram as much info in a little space as I could.

[LPAthickness]

Purchase a copy of "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe.