The first place to start, even before the couch to 5k program, is at a good local running store. You are in the Tampa area if I recall. When I started running I was living in Clearwater (my first ever 5K was the 5K over Gasparilla Marathon weekend in 2005) and The American Running Company in Dunedin was a great store. They can get you a shoe that fits your foot properly and your running gait so you don't end up injured and discouraged.
The couch to 5K program has worked for a lot of people. I went a little less formal. I had a treadmill at the gym of my apartment complex and was able to slowly run about 1 mile when I started. I went down there and forced myself to run 1.25 miles. I did that a couple of times and made myself run 1.5 and stepped it up until I could do 3.1 on the treadmill (it took about 3 weeks). Once I did that I found a 3.1 mile course around the apartment and ran it 3 or 4 times before doing the 5K.
Everyone is different so what worked for me might not for you but I found when I started that most of my "limits" were much more mental then physical. I felt like I was going to pass out when I ran that first mile but found when I made myself run 1.25 that I didn't feel any worse. The same went for 1.5 when I got there. The biggest difference I noticed was when I switched from the treadmill to the road. That first 3 mile run I did out on the street (in Palm harbor actually) I felt waaaaay better then I did even doing one mile on the treadmill and I am still that way. I feel better after a 2 hour training run outside then after 30 minutes on the treadmill.
Good luck.
