So my boyfriend and I have been dating for a year and 8 months. He treats me wonderfully. Does anything and everything I ever want or ask for, treats my daughter (whom is not his by blood) like his own, he makes me laugh all the time, we ALWAYS finish eachothers sentenses and we always say the same thing at the same time. He's amazing and makes me so happy. But I have insecurity problems and they are effecting our relationship.

I used to weight over 200 pounds but have since lost 80 pounds putting me at the low/healthy weight range. Before the weight gain when I was a toothpick with the perfect flat belly I still wore shirts into the pool, shirts non stop no matter the activity, I never wanted others to see my stomach or breasts. Since I lost the weight I now have all of this extra skin I have to carry with me and since being pregnant with my daughter had me at my absolute highest weight, I have stretchmarks everywhere. It's horrible and makes my insecurities much worse.

So I hate my body and don't want to see it. Naturally however my boyfriend does. We have been sexually active for a year and a half and I still wear my shirt, cover myself when he comes in the room and pull away from him EVERY time he tries to life my shirt up the slightest bit. I know this upsets him, he told me it does and I want to stop.

I want to be more confident, more comfortable with my body so I can give that back to him since he gives me SO much, but something is stopping me. I'm not sitting there thinking every time "if he sees my body he will leave" sometimes I'm thinking nothing, it's just reflex to turn away, to block his attempts and to say no to him. I've been doing it my entire life.

Has anyone else had trouble with insecurities such as these effecting a relationship? I just don't even know how to get over the insecurities to start to work with him on this. Any advice on this would be so much appreciated! I don't want to lose him and I know I wont from this but I can't keep making him settle for bare minimum. I want to be there for him fully I just don't know how. Thank you in advance for any comment or advice!