Double-edged Sword of Success

Since I started my wellness journey about 4.5 years ago, my life is completely, 100% different. I don't really know where to start describing it. I guess the main differences from then (October 2006) to now are:

-THEN: I used drugs or drank every day, I smoked cigarettes, and chewed tobacco. NOW: l no longer use any of those substances, ever.
-THEN: I was depressed, alone, unemployed, angry, and lost. NOW: I am in a meaningful relationship, 2.5 years from my PhD, and driven.
-THEN: I never exercised beyond walking to and from my classes. My first "run" was 1/4 mile, followed by 3/4 mile walking. NOW: I exercise at least 45 minutes every day. I walk at least 3 miles a day, run 10-15 miles (I'm running a 1/2 marathon this summer), attend one spin class, and 2-3 intermediate yoga classes every week. I burn approximately 400-1200 calories per day from exercise.
-THEN: I wore size 46" waist, XXL or XXXL clothes. NOW: I wear 36" waist, M or L clothes.
-THEN: I weighed 335lbs., a BMI of 45.4. NOW: I weigh 198lbs., a BMI of 26.9., a total of 137lbs (40.9%) lost.

Even though these dramatic changes have happened over time, I still struggle to get used to some of them. It continues to weird me out that I can see veins in my hands, feet, and arms. I often find myself reflecting on how terrible I felt then, how sluggish I was, how lonely and meaningless life seemed. The changes that most often grab my attention are the physical ones.

My partner, who started dating me about 80lbs ago, also notices and makes comments about how different my profile looks, how small my clothes seem, how close my ribs and collarbone look. As she has been with me since shortly after this journey began, we have a lot of discussions about how different I am. Yet I find myself feeling guilty for drawing (or creating) this attention. She is very petite but has her own history with body image issues. As such, I know that these frequent conversations are double-edged for her. It's really hard to avoid the previously-obsessive fixation on calories and exercise for her when I am so actively and openly obsessing about my own.

My reason for bringing this up is that I wonder what other people that have major weight-loss stories experience. Do any of you that have undergone very dramatic physical changes find yourselves feeling guilty for the time you spend shopping for new clothes, celebrating milestones, or coping with attention from those that haven't seen you in years? How do you validate your victories without calling undue attention to yourselves?

Thanks for the support, everyone!