I loved reading these stories. Like Shooting Star, I have been maintaining my weight over decades, with a lot of hard work that you all described. It's no mystery, just a lifestyle commitment. The reactions you get from co-workers and others are things I have experienced since I was in my thirties (What? You just had a baby? How come you can fit in regular clothes? That was said to me on the way out of the hospital after having son #2. They weren't my regular sized regular clothes, but gee, I did exercise right up to my delivery!).
I am heading towards 55 and while I have some health issues, I still feel like I want to show off my body. I feel much younger than most of my friends who do nothing but complain about their bodies, but do nothing about it.