I can relate as well. The first time I lost a significant amount of weight when I went from ~160 lbs. at 23 to 130 doing low fat ... I was shocked at how people reacted to me differently. All this new found attention. I was glad and really irritated at the same time because me, the person, had not changed a bit.

But ... since I lost weight gradually I never saw the transformation ... I always saw the old me or when I did catch a glimpse in a window and saw that I was trim I would just become scared to go back to the old me.

I liked the stares and attention I got ... it was like a drug almost. The comments about losing ... more drug.

I think after 10 years now ... I am really starting to feel more comfortable in my own skin. During pregnancy I gained 70 lbs. I felt like a fat pig and was in a bad mood ALL THE TIME because I felt like my worst nightmare had come true ... being FAT.

Now I know that if I DO gain weight ... I can lose it so the fear is gone. I have tried to concentrate more on how I feel than how I look but of course being fit means looking good ... so as the saying goes "half a dozen one way ... six another"