The Motivation to Exercise

It's time that I buckle down and lose weight.  I spend way too much time on excuses, including my knee hurts (it doesn't anymore, now it's just a go to excuse because I've spent months saying it when it did hurt), I don't have time (really, I don't have an hour to spend a day while the kids nap so I can look better and feel better and probably extend my life!), I don't like exercise (who cares, a lot of people don't), and many more.  Those are the top three though.

As you can see from the picture above, I'm not at a loss for exercise videos, I can work on cardio, flexibility, strength and have fun doing it with my arsenal of videos (yes, I've had many of them for YEARS).  In addition to this I also have a weight bench (which is buried under boxes of neglect), weights, a swiss ball, a bosu ball, yoga mats, blocks and straps, jump ropes, and I needn't forget, my own body weight! I have everything I need to exercise right at my fingertips except the motivation.  I'm great at doing a few push up's here and there but usually my steam runs out and I'm lucky if I continue a workout streak for longer than two or three days. I did okay with a personal trainer, but found my stressful and busy situation at the time hindered my ability to go to the gym during the prescribed play area hours for the kids, thus making it less motivational.

The weight is pouring on, I'm having more and more trouble finding clothes that fit me, and I've finally crossed the imaginary line where I notice in the mirror that omg!  I finally crossed into the world of plus sized and not just a beautifully thick woman, as a friend of mine calls me, (which I still am, but self perception is usually worse than anything).

Here is my plan: I'm going to start soul searching for my exercise motivation.  That little bit of push that will get me to keep up on my exercise every day (or at least five out of seven days a week).  While I'm spending time searching, I'm going to make it a point to do some kind of exercise everyday while the kids nap.  My goal will be at least 30 min of exercise, but as long as I do something I won't beat myself up, I know this habit takes time to build.  For the rest of this week I'll use some of the equipment and videos I already have, then this weekend I'll pick up Insanity from my nephew (yes, I know I'm crazy) and I'll do my best to do at least 5 min of that workout or more, then walk out the rest to stay moving.  I want to get to the point that I can do ALL  of it.

What I'd like to know from you is: What motivates you to exercise?  Maybe some of your motivations will inspire me to discover my own.