How do you get motivated?

Also, what tools did you find helpful in your journey?

I want to lose weight. I need to lose about half of my body weight to be healthy according to the BMI thing, but I'd be content with just losing enough that I feel comfortable. However, I find it hard to get any sort of motivation. I struggle with both bodily laziness and food laziness.

For body laziness, I just don't move much, except my fingers to type and play video games or to walk for things that I have to do like work or shopping. Last year I bought a $200 exercise machine and some free weights, but have barely used them. Earlier this summer I went to an antique festival with my mom and after about half an hour walking around it was absolutely miserable for my hips and knees, mostly my left side, which is my weight bearing side. It felt better to walk faster oddly enough, but it still hurt. It was a reality check that I have to do something about my weight and overall physical health.

As for food, this will be the hardest part. I'm too lazy to cook, especially on days I work. I'm a picky eater and don't like the taste of many healthy alternatives. My appetite is never satisfied with just smaller portions of what I normally eat and said appetite is always shifting and very demanding. The few healthy things I do like are expensive compared to the unhealthy alternatives and I don't have much spare cash to put into eating better. I can barely afford to eat poorly. My eating schedule is bad as well - I only have one big meal a day, always at a different time of day, and may or may not snack. My metabolism is very screwed up because of that, so this is something I know I need to work on.

The main concern for both food and exercise is on days I work because I don't feel like exercising before or after work or cooking on those days and healthy food from restaurants... Well, it's either super expensive or doesn't exist. I work nights, so days off and days I work are never the same schedule for me which has made proper eating habits harder to maintain.

Also worth a note that I did try Weight Watchers earlier this year, which I learned some things from. I have a WW cookbook I have not used yet, but plan to give it a good look through some time soon.

Last month friend and I discussed being "workout buddies" and motivating each other to get healthier. He needs to gain almost as much as I need to lose to be healthy. Same as me, food is his biggest issue. Even with him as a motivator for me, I think I will still have trouble, though I'm sure it will make it easier to try and I'm honestly excited to get going on it. I'm not sure when we'll start because we haven't had much time to discuss it with everything that has gone on lately, but I was hoping here in September would be ok with him. I want to start then myself, but probably won't do nearly as much without him helping me stay motivated.

tl;dr? I need some ideas for keeping motivated to exercise and eating healthier.

WW is working for me but I am also seeing a doctor referred diet coach. You really just have to stop making excuses as to why you can't and just do what you need to do to change. It doesn't happen overnight and takes day after day of making better choices. It's not easy and you have to just be determined to do it. Plus seeing and feeling results keeps the motivation going. I'm making lifetime changes not quick fixes. My diet coach is helping me a lot as is weight watchers. Make the decision to do and than remake the decision with each meal. Also when you fail and there will be times you do get back up and try again.