This is what 40 lbs looks like. (lots of pics)

Incredible Success! Congrats! May I ask, how did you maintain your focus and stay disciplined to lose the weight? I can't seem to stay on track for more than a few weeks, at best.

The simple answer? I have no idea.

I've gotten a ton of support though- as someone said earlier, that support is VITAL as you go through this journey. My dad has been severely overweight for a long time, and after I had started my weight loss, I learned that he had actually already lost 20lbs. From then it became something we could update each other on and share tips and such, and my Stepmother, brother, and sister-in-law all got on board too. So far my dad is down about 100lbs, stepmom 50lbs, brother 35lbs, and me - 41. I might also add that they all live 1500 miles away, but they've still been inspirational.

I posted the above before and after picture on my facebook and 60+ people "liked" it and commented with words of encouragement. That's far more likes than anything else I've ever posted, and the out pouring of support from friends, family, and people I've never actually even met was overwhelming, and I'm tearing up a bit just thinking about it now.

Another tip- examine alternatives. If you're having trouble staying under goal every day, do some googling. Look up low-calorie foods, healthy snacks, etc. Come to the forums here on MFP and ask questions when you have them. This community is great with advice on plateaus, muscle building, alternative exercises, and really anything you might have trouble with.

If you're struggling, I guarantee you there are at least a dozen (or a hundred!) people fighting similar battles.

Add friends. Seeing other peoples' habits can make those habits yours. This is all the support factor again. This has made me very grateful that I live alone and have no children. It's very easy to focus on healthy decisions when I have to do all of the shopping and cooking, and though the boyfriend is around a lot, he's very supportive of a healthy lifestyle too, so that's a plus.

Cut out the negative people. Those people who remind you of how many times your past attempts have failed instead of pointing out how many time you've gotten back up and tried again. Put your foot down. You're doing this for YOU and your health, you're not doing it for them, and their opinions don't matter. Take that negativity and fuel your workouts with it. Develop an 'I'll show you' attitude and shove it in their face when you hit milestones. Dance and sing neener neener neener in front of them when you hit your goal weight. Sure, these things are childish, but still more responsible and grown-up than tearing other people down. (They're probably really unhappy with themselves and are trying to project that negativity onto other people. You don't need that.)

Lastly, don't FORCE it. In my opinion MFP should be the guide, not the dictator. I don't log every single thing every single day. Actually, I've been pretty lax about logging lately because of a crazy work schedule and lots of business lunches and dinners with friends. If you set reasonable goals though, you're going to be able to meet them easier. If you want to lose 2lbs a week and MFP calculates 1250 calories and you keep going over or find yourself starving, take it down to 1lb a week to start. Your body will adjust, your stomach will shrink up, you'll get used to it. At that point, you can go back down to 1250.

Lastly, Don't take it too seriously. You're GOING to have days when you're over your goal. That's as good as guaranteed. You're also going to have days that, when all is said and done, you have eaten your goal, exercised, and still have 700 or 800 calories left over. Just like anything else there will be ups and downs. Stick with it!

It gets easier. I promise you!

Also, feel free to add me!