I trained with a body builder years ago & can set my own routine now.
Body building is also not about speed: it's about control and concentrating on what you are doing. I find it's a good mental work out too & relieves stress.
I lost more weight doing body building than aerobic exercise at times, but you lose it slower. I used to love running for aerobic exercise, but can't do that anymore due to left knee problems, so I try to swim instead.
Body building is great cos you don't have to be fit to do it. It also depends whether you want to do it in your home with equipment or at the gym. I've bought equipment in the past and it does help, but you have to be dedicated in using it. Most people I know who have bought equipment for use at home, haven't ever used it or not much, and given it away or re-sold it on. Gym memberships are expensive and can be hard to cancel - most people re-sell them on or transfer their membership.
You can train at home & make your own equipment if you can't afford to buy any. I've made hand weights by putting sand/dirt in water bottles, when I couldn't afford to buy them. You can also buy 2nd hand equipment online on gumtree for example, but make sure it's safe. Or if you are unsure re equipment to buy, go to a gym/exercise store to discuss this with the staff - but be warned: they will try to sell you alot of stuff you don't need. An exercise bike is probably the best thing to start with, but I always find the seats uncomfortable so do try them all out first.
I've also walked for 4-5 kms on the weekend, and done training on ovals by myself with no equipment, and become fitter that way.
Body builders divide eveything up into reps (repetitions) and sets. For example, with leg lifts, you might do 8 leg lifts each side then have a rest - this is one rep. Rest for about 20-30 seconds. You would do three of these reps, so that's 24 leg lifts altogether. Don't rest too long inbetween reps as your heart rate will go down.
Start off with doing simple leg lifts to get your heart rate up. You just stand there and lift your legs up and down, bending the knee towards your chest - there's no magic to it. There are many different leg exercises you can do variations on. Later on you can add in lifting hand weights as well.
If you get hand dumbbells, you should firstly stand tall, with your head up looking forward, and ensure your knees and elbows are always slightly bent (so you don't hurt your back). Pull in your stomach & back muscles whilst lifting, so you don't hurt your core muscles (core muscles are the large, inner muscles that help support your back, bones and organs). Don't keep your back so rigid that it hurts - you shouldn't feel like you are hurting your back or other muscles when lifting weights. With hands at your sides with the weights in your hands, lift them SLOWLY up to your side to a 90 degree angle. Concentrate on feeling the muscles working to bring the weight up. Do not ever lift weights fast, as it won't train the muscles and doesn't do any good. Hold for about3- 5 seconds, then lower again. You can alternate between each arm. Do 3 sets of 8 reps each arm (of if that's too much, do 4 reps for each arm which equals 8 altogether). Always rest inbetween a set, then do the next one.
Also with body building, for example, you may work on your arms one day, then do your legs the next day, have a day off, then your core the next day, but most body builders will give themselves a day or mores rest inbetween all of this. It depends on what training regimen you want to get into & what suits you.
There are millions of variations on exercises too, so you can change your routine so it doesn't get boring.
You also won't bulk up either so don't worry about that, but you do get that nice toned look, though it might take a while. To be really serious, you have to follow a very good diet with very little fat, but if you don't, you can still get that nice definition.
I typed in Google 'body building for beginners with pictures' and there are a million sites with pictures. Some of these I think are not really for beginners, but give you an idea re how to hold yourself & the weights, etc.
Pilates uses no or very little equipment, can be done at home on a mat with no fancy work out gear, and still tones you. You can also do pilates with no equipmment and add in body building or swimming with that as well. You can get pilates and body building DVDs online but there are heaps on Youtube.
Good luck!