This image was very motivational for me:
http://www.johnstonefitness.com/php/t_ani_1_year.php
I can confirm that it's absolutely possible to have similar results if you work at it. I lost about 70 pounds from Jan 1 to Sep 1, and have since added roughly 6 pounds of muscle from Sep 1 to Nov 1, and feel like a completely different person.