I think many of those people are also Extremely discouraged and/or depressed.
The big thing to me is going from 0 to anything is going to produce Huge benefits/results.
Joe Rogan said it in a podcast, give me 1 pushup, then tomorrow 1 pushup, and then next week 2 pushups...
The more often you choose the right turn in the right vs the wrong turn, you build on that success and it becomes easier to continue and/or implement new things, or try new things... and when you take the left turn, easy way out, skip a workout, it becomes easier and easier to miss and skip workouts.
As for being selfish, to me that sounds like a major excuse. It's better that your kids and family see dad, brother, etc... as a success, doing something for themselves, being healthy... a good role model. You can't help others if you can't help yourself.
Not to mention, find me the obese person who does nothing and then the active person, in general I'd say the active person is going to be in a better mood, have better relationships, friends, family, etc...
One thing that got me off MY AZZ, was I simply made the decision to get Healthy and in better shape, I didn't give myself a deadline, etc.., if it took 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, 1 decade, all I told myself, was I was going to do it and keep at it!
Also 1 of my goals was, I knew it is easier to Stay in Shape, than it is to Get in Shape.
Not to mention living a longer healthier life... more active into upper age.
PS- kind of an unintended side effect of me getting healthier, was I noticed a few friends and family members, start working out, or choosing to workout/get healthier themselves. Which was also a bit flattering.
Good Luck Y'all! You can do it!
I was at a leadership conference last may. One of the ladies in the audience was large. Her perspective before the conference was; in shape people are very selfish. In shape people are only thinking for themselves, look at how much time they spend on themselves being in shape. They could be using that time to be with family or friends.
It was a perspective that never occurred to me. She did eventually see if you can't take care of your self, you can't take care of others. But it was interesting, I always thought out of shape people lacked discipline, never thought of there perspective back at me.