My Success Story:
In August 2009, I decided that I had to make a change in my lifestyle. I rarely exercised, ate when and what ever I wanted, and generally was on a path to health problems and an unhappy life. I am 6ft tall and weighed approximately 330 lbs at that time, I say approximately because my scale at home only went to 320 lbs. I came to the realization that if I continued down this path I would almost certainly develop health problems which would result in a shorter less fulfilling life. I did not set a weight goal at first because I was unsure what would be a realistic goal. I simply wanted to have the ability to participate in the activities 'normal' guys could such as flag football or pick up basketball. Also, I wanted this to be a complete change in my lifestyle not simply a diet where once I achieved my goal I would go back to the way I lived before. So, I cut my calories and removed snacks and drinks high in calories from my cabinets. I added exercise after a couple months by going to the gym at my school and using the elliptical. I started running around April of 2010 but it was not until about August 2010 that I discovered the couch potato to 5k program and started taking it serious. I ran my first 5k on 11/13/10 and I am now training for a 8k in December and a half-marathon in March. Oh, and I lost more weight than I could have ever expected. I now weigh 178 lbs! For the first time since early childhood I am not overweight. It is impossible to express the impact this has had on my life and my outlook for the future.
My Turning Point:
That August, I became aware of more of the negative impacts my weight would have on my life. From my health to my marriage to my career, all facets of my life were affected by my obesity. A mentor of mine candidly explained to me how my weight would likely stifle my career growth. At the same time, I started to wake up with a tingling feeling on the tops of my legs which made me fear diabetes. All these things coming together made me realize that, although I believed at the time I would never reach a healthy weight, I needed to do the best I could to lower my weight and get as healthy as possible. 
My Support System:
My wife was/is absolutely indispensable. Her support and willingness to change with me made my achievement possible. Additionally, my family and friends provided great encouragement and frequently expressed how impressed they were with what I have done.
My Biggest Challenge:
I am a law student so my biggest challenge has been finding time to exercise and the will power to avoid unhealthy snacks while studying for exams or writing papers. Fortunately, I have been able to overcome that challenge by making sure I do not waste as much time on unproductive activities. While I might have spent an hour playing video games before, I now spend that hour running which has the added benefit of reducing my stress.
My Secret to Success:
Set a vague hard to measure large goal (i.e. "I want to lead a healthy lifestyle"), but also set small quantifiable goals (i.e. "I want to lose 10 pounds this month"). I think having a vague overall purpose decreases the probability of achieving your goal and backsliding or being overwhelmed by the size of the goal. If I had started with the goal of losing 150 pounds, it would have been a lot easier for me to get discouraged along the way. Also, the small quantifiable goals allowed me to achieve "success" frequently along the way and be reinforced by that. So essentially, my method was about checkpoints not a finish line. 
LIVESTRONG.COM:
As a student, I am not able to spend money on diet books or programs so LIVESTRONG.COM has been wonderful. The MyPlate application has been a great tool to keep track of my calories and to know what I am eating when I dine out. Reading the fitness articles and stories of success has provided great motivation. Also, I use the Loops application to assist my 5k and now 8k training. I think simply becoming part of a community dedicated to fitness by singing up for an account is a step toward achieving your fitness goals. I signed up mostly for the MyPlate application but one by one I started using the other applications. I was able to find articles on running and recipes to replace my old standard unhealthy fare. I think others will do themselves a huge favor just by singing up and peaking around. As time goes on they are likely to pick up healthy habits and learn things they can do to become healthy.
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