I am loving this thread, too, and I love every post!
dinomama, this thread is really helping me to reflect on the past year -- this Wed, May 25th will mark a year to the day when I was finally so fed up with how I felt that I made the decision to change my lifestyle and my future! And what do you know, I just turned 40 back in Feb, too! I swear I could have written your post then.
What NolaCeleste said is really resonating with me (along with every other post she's ever written here!). You don't have to even come close to goal to REALLY start reaping the benefits of a healthier lifestyle. Here I am, 243 lbs still and with nearly 100 more pounds left to lose, and I'm telling you I feel like a completely different person than I did at 350. I am so empowered right now, the amount of physical work I can accomplish is unbelievable compared to where I started. I feel not just better, but pretty darn GOOD right now, and I'm SOOO inspired and motivated to see how much better it's gonna get as I get down further! I truly felt at the beginning as though I was winding down to an early death -- and now I feel like I have a new lease on life and that the sky is the limit!
It really took me getting to that place you are posting about for me to finally get real about my mortality, my quality of life, and what I want for my future. When you are ready, it is VERY possible to take this all the way. I really believe that now, and I KNOW it is true for you, too!