How to stay motivated?

Hello everyone! I'm new here.

To begin I'll give a little info on myself.

I currently weigh 182 lbs and am very unhappy with how I look and feel. I use to be very active, now I'm lazy and barely exercise. I'm always tired and I use every excuse in the world to not exercise. I recently bought some exercise videos because I'm trying to get motivated to exercise as I really want to lose 52 lbs. My target weight is 130 lbs. I always say that I'll exercise but never follow through. I'll do it one day then the next I'll say that I'm sore from yesterday's workout. I'll skip one day but it always turns into months and months before I go through the same exact process again.

I see myself in pictures and I've noticed the weight gain. I really love taking and being in pictures but recently I'm the one dodging the camera. It's the same way with looking in the mirror.

I have a hard time staying motivated and admitting that I really am unhappy with my current weight.

I've been counting calories as of about a week ago. I purchased Tae Bo workout videos (Tae Bo Amp'd Series) about two - three weeks ago. So far I've worked out two times and only 27 minutes each time. I just can't stay motivated.

What are some tips that anyone has for motivation?

I'm hoping that by joining this site, I can build a support system for myself to at least help to encourage myself to get to my target weight.

Feel free to share your story as well!

h_h hang in there.

I was once over 250 lbs. and didn't realize it until I looked in the mirror and was disgusted.  I lost 80 lbs. in roughly 6 months and a year later had my fourth child.  I gained 20 lbs back and I am currently trying to take that off plus  the weight I never got too the first time. 

Having lost the weight once, I know it can be done, and know what it takes, for me, however life seems to get in my way all the time.  Here are some tips that help me:

Stay Hydrated!  Drinking your 64 oz. or more a day helps to keep your muscels hydrated so you won't get so sore after working out.

Switch it up!  It is so easy to get board doing the same video over and over again.  Do a video one day, take a walk the next, maybe take up a water aerobics class once or twice a week.

Set small goals and reward yourself!  If you want to loose 50 total, tell yourself you can have something like getting your nails done, or buying a new pair of shoes as soon as you take off the first 10.  As you knock down each of these goals, you will get double the reward and before you know it you will love the reflection in the mirror.

Don't give up when you fall off!  Have you ever ridden a bike?  Have you ever fallen off a bike?  What did you do?  Get back on!  If you excersize one day and not the next, just pick it up on day 3.  This is another "goal" you can set for yourself.  Get moving for 30 minutes twice a week.  Next week do it again.  The following week try 3 times.  As you gradually increase, eventually it won't be a "chore" anymore, you will start to enjoy it and look forward to it.

And lastly, find a good quote that you will remember to help keep you on track.  My personal favorite is: "Excuses are the obstacles we place between ourselves and success." Everytime I don't feel like working out I think of that quote, and most of the time it gets me off my butt!

I hope this helps

If you can, find a workout buddy.  This works well for me when it works at all.  The key is to find someone you can get along with and enjoy the workouts, but also someone who is motivated and will get on your case a little to keep you motivated.  Finding the right partner can not only help you both reinforce each other's motivation, but it can make the whole experience a lot more fun.  On the few occasions that I have found a good workout partner, it really made my workouts something I looked forward to and missed on the days I didn't workout.  If you can reach that mindset, then you will really have won the battle.

I find that when I buy workout videos and don't do them, it's because I don't enjoy doing them.  There are plenty of "fun" ways to get exercise; why force myself to do one that I don't like?

I like to run outstide, walk as a means of transportation (although I live in San Francisco, it's a bit easier), jump rope, and take fun classes at the YMCA.  I even started a class and now teach beginning jump rope.

Explore a lot of options until you find something you get excited about doing!  If all I had were Tai-Bo videos, I'd never get any exercise either.