I need motivation! How do I even get start??

I have been having the same issues as you -- I know I need to exercise and lose weight but I just haven't found that inner thing that keeps me going. I've recently decided to start focusing on other things where exercise/weight loss will help me with my goals. An example, I want to move out of my little apartment next year -- so to do that will take some money. I've decided to save the money I have been spending on new bigger clothes towards my moving expenses. This means as long as I don't have to buy new clothes I am one step closer to a better place. Not sure if this will help you any but I just wanted to let you know you aren't alone in trying to find the inner motivation to keep going.

Change one small habit at a time. Try it out for 2 weeks, and then pick another one. An easy starter: First thing every morning, chug 20 ozs of water.

Great job for taking the first step of signing up and getting yourself support! I've found that even reading the boards and searching on past posts has been really helpful in educating myself / helping me get started.

I've been up and down with my weight over the years, and the one thing I've learned is that you just have to take it one day at a time. There is no easy fix, and consistency is key. Rather than looking at the end game, make small changes and take baby steps. You may find that even making smart substitutions (like plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream) or switching to diet soda will add up over time and you won't feel deprived.

Also, if you set aside some time on the weekend, maybe an hour or two on a Sunday, to do some grocery shopping and food prep for the week it will help you a ton. Wash your veggies, make your salads, grill your chicken - and instead of grabbing for something quick and unhealthy when you're hungry or on the go, you can stick to the good things and be prepared.

For working out, pick a couple days a week to start and stick to it. Don't try to go 7 days a week and then be mad at yourself for not keeping your commitment. Even walking a few days a week is better than nothing!

I could go on and on, but I hope that helps! Just some of the key things I've learned over the years that have helped me.

You have to start to make nutrition and fitness an integral part of your life and who you are and what you do. In that sense, it has to be about more than just Lbs on the scale...if you're putting all of your stock into some number on the scale, it is likely that this pattern will continue.

You have to realize the your path towards health and wellness...your nutrition and your fitness is a never ending one. These things are life long endeavors and must just become a part of who you are. People obsess about a number on the scale and making that their primary goal...if they're lucky, they get there...but then what? For many, they think they've arrived at some endpoint when in reality, they've just arrived at the starting line of a much longer and more arduous race.

Understand that this is a process, not an overnight kind of thing. If you would have told me two years ago that I'd be where I am now I would have laughed in your face...because two years ago I didn't understand the process...I just wanted to weigh XXX Lbs. It is a series of baby steps that get bigger and bigger as you move along your path. You learn and you grow and then you learn some more and grow some more..it is a never ending, life long endeavor.

Start putting your focus on just being a better, healthier version of you...little by little and day by day you will become that healthier person. When you have a bad day it's ok...go to bed and sleep well in the knowledge that you're going to wake up and rock the **** out of it tomorrow. There is no start and there is no stop...this is one continuous life long journey to the betterment of yourself.

The following is a quote from a fellow MFP member from way back when...when I was lost and seemingly couldn't figure any of this stuff out...."focus on the results and you rarely see the change; focus on the change and you always see the results."

I took that quote to heart, and here I am today getting better nutrition than I probably have in my entire life...here I am today participating in 1/2 century rides, crits, and cyclocross races when a mere 1.5 - 2 years ago I could barely walk around the block without needing a nap. Here I am today as lean and fit as I was in my early 20s. Here I am today rocking it, loving it, and loving life.

Now ask yourself, where will you be a year from now...two years from now...five years from now? Really, the answer to those questions is up to you.

First, the good news. You're young. It's much easier to get in shape when you're young.

You need to tell yourself, this is a lifestyle, not a diet. You've probably got at least 70 more years of life ahead of you. Focus more on being healthy and feeling good than worrying about your weight.

Eating healthy on a budget can be difficult even for us older folks. Getting quality protein is especially expensive. Fruits, vegetables, rice and potatoes are fairly cheap. Be sure to cut your own fruit. The cut fruit at the stores doesn't keep very long. Most vegetables last about a week. You can definitely save money if you cook. Lean red meats and dark chicken are pretty good meat choices to save money. Red meat is important for iron. Trader Joe's, Costco, and Walmart are good low cost shopping options. Some items are cheaper at Target and some Target items cost more than the grocery store, so it's worth comparing.

If you can handle it, ditch the soda and coffee and drink water and tea. Caffeine interferes with iron absorption. Soda is overpriced unless you buy the liter bottles and it's generally bad for your health. Tap water is free and contains minerals that are often filtered out of bottled water.

If you're not sure you'll be dedicated, save your money on joining a gym. Gyms thrive on people who join and never show up. You can lose weight just by watching your calories. If you have time for exercise, walking is fine exercise. Pushups and situps are also great. If you really want to go to a gym, see if you can work out at your school.

I wish you a life time of good health.

I had the same problem. I learned that I had to put my health first. School work I will stay up late to work on but not exercising so I would make it a priority to work out before homework. I didn't have a lot of money so I started researching what others do on here and found jullian micheals (tons of dvds for $10 a piece, I recommend 30 day shred), C25K and billions of workouts on youtube. I also made it a habit to prep for the week by cooking every Sunday. I've been lurking on this site reading all the information for months trying to figure out nutrition, macros, why you should eat enough calories, food scales, how to overcome or avoid plateaus and then try and apply it all. So I guess just know it will take time to acquire all the knowledge but start by applying what you do know now. Any little change helps. Its been a slow process for me but I'm getting there and I'm sure you will too.