Telling people about my lifestyle change or no?

isamargomez

Hey guys,

So today while I was preparing my breakfast I was thinking to myself about the last time I had embarked on a lifestyle change. I did it in High school my senior year and pretty much didn't tell anyone, but I guess people could tell considering I brought healthy stuff for lunch. Whenever people asked me if I was on a diet, I would deny it and say that junk food made me sick, etc. basically any excuse to not let them know. The reason really was because I was sort of embarrassed to let people know. The thing is that I realized that not letting people know or calling it a diet, really helped. I found myself easily choosing healthy stuff over junk simply because I had to keep up with the notion that I was a "healthy" person to my peers and in turn I lost 30lbs in a few months and kept it off for a good while. I started my second try at becoming healthy about a week ago and I haven't told anyone either expect a friend who is doing the same. I want to share my progress on social media but I kind of don't want to at the same time.

So my question is, do you tell people about your lifestyle change and/or post on social media about it or just go about it like its something you normally do? do you find it easier to keep it yourself?

Showcase_Brodown

I keep it pretty quiet except for those who are very close to me, or those who are genuinely curious for good reasons. It's one thing to share on a community like MFP, where everyone's in a similar boat and you'll get support, but I would consider not broadcasting on social media. Just my personal thoughts.

ciacyrus29

I have not told anyone on social media simply because what if I don't post each time I lost weight. I don't want to explain that I didn't lose one week to the other or if I plateau. I agree with the previous person as it's find to share with MFP because we are all in the same boat. You can get all the support you need and no judgement.
My family knows and a few select people at work but I only share if someone comments on how great I look and what am I doing. Then I just tell them, I'm watching what I eat, journaling and getting in some exercise. I don't usually go into specifics unless I know they really and truly are interested. (haven't had any takers on that end )
I have told people and got great support but when I gained the weight back, I got a lot of people that wanted to know what happened.
I find people sometimes are less than accepting when you give them what happened to your weight management plans.
So I would share but only with people who really have your back and who understand and leave the rest of the world to just wonder - how your looking so fabulous!

Arliah

I answer when I am asked how I manage to lose weight. Half way through my explanation, people tell me that it's way too much effort *lol* That's when I usually say "Hey, you won't lose weight and become healthier by sitting around THINKING about lifestyle. I don't call it a diet because it IS a lifestyle change ... the hard part for people to accept is that it's not an "8-week thing and done".

I don't advertise it on social media or something because I do not want to be seen as one of these people who brag about their achievements and want to show off that they are somehow superior to others who can't get it together. To each their own. If you'd rather take meds to lower your blood pressure, be my guest. But don't keep asking for advice and then complaining (or telling me that "next week, I'll go to the gym with you, because I REALLY need to get started").

Laurend224

My husband and kids know, obviously, but I don't advertise it. My mom knows, but only because she saw a recent picture of me on FB, and asked what I was doing. I keep it pretty quiet.

tephanies1234

It's more fun to keep it a secret until people finally notice you lost a crap ton of weight

sheebs11

I guess it depends on what you want to deal with. Everyone seems to have an opinion about everything, helpful or otherwise. If that is something you want to hear then let people know, if not then carry on keeping it quiet

lemurcat12

tephanies1234 wrote: »

It's more fun to keep it a secret until people finally notice you lost a crap ton of weight

This.

cwolfman13

I've never seen much reason to discuss it with gen pop...they're not going to get it anyway. they can just look at me and wish and hope and dream...they think it's weird that I ride during my lunch break almost every day and then hit the weight room in the evening...which is why they can just continue to wish and hope and dream.

I only discuss such matters with my trainer, my wife, and a handful of my fitness group of friends.

Lounmoun

isamargomez wrote: »

So my question is, do you tell people about your lifestyle change and/or post on social media about it or just go about it like its something you normally do? do you find it easier to keep it yourself?

I haven't told anyone I know but the people I am living with. I don't really want online praise, judgement, input or support about my weight from the other people I know so there doesn't seem to be a point bringing it up. If people notice in person that I look smaller and ask about it I'll probably tell them what I've been doing.
Internet strangers also trying to lose weight are enough support for me.

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bwogilvie

I told my wife, for obvious reasons, since she would observe me counting calories with the MFP app and website. Otherwise, I didn't tell anyone, IRL or on social media, unless they asked, which started to happen after I had dropped 25 pounds or so. On my one-year MFP anniversary, I posted to Facebook about having lost 47 pounds by counting calories on MFP.

The MFP community is good if you want support. Most other people really probably couldn't care about your efforts to lose weight. And while social media is often all about narcissism, posts about weight loss (or efforts to lose weight) often seem especially self-centered.

gillesse

I think it's better if you keep it to yourself. No need to mention to everyone, because people will always try and put you down once they know that you have a goal in mind. At least that's what I've experienced.

People on the internet who I don't know are the only people I tell, that's about it.

carolynmo1969

I feel I should have notified the ladies that work at my local donut shop so they could start looking for new jobs now that I don't spend a year's income there on crap.

Christine_72

I don't talk to anyone about it. If people ask how I lost the weight I just say eating less and healthier. In response, I usually get the glazed eye look lol because I can't tell them a magic weight loss pill helped. ...

acheben

I told my husband and my friends that were already on MFP found out when I friended them. Friends, family, and coworkers started asking as I started losing weight. I generally try not to talk about running and weight loss excessively because I really don't want to hear their opinion on how I've done it, but I'll talk about it if they seem genuinely interested in it.

sarieth05

I keep it to myself (of course my husband knows cause we live together), but eventually if you stick with it long enough, people ARE going to start noticing and bring it up. I basically get bombarded now with questions every time I see extended family or certain friends who notice things. While these questions and compliments are nice, I do sometimes feel like I get cornered into talking about it and I'd rather just not be the center of the conversation. XD

gramarye

I didn't tell a lot of people for a really long time, and then slowly kept coming out to more and more people. Especially when it became obvious that a) I was being weirdly meticulous about my food and b) I had lost weight.

Now it's totally open, and often a topic of discussion among friends who are doing similar things and have similar ideas about food.

taekwondogirl

I've not made a status update about it, but I've left comments on other people talking about embarking on the journey as a means for encouragement. I've also talked one on one with people who I know will support me, and have been successful in their own endeavors.

I'm finding it very helpful to not have to worry about living up to what I've told people I'm doing; the reduction in pressure definitely keeps me less stressed and guilty about it, which helps me to continue it.

SuggaD

My family and closest friends knew. Otherwise, I only told people if they asked whether I was trying to lose weight and what I was doing when they noticed the weight loss.

kmayers143

I keep everything to myself, except for my family and close friends. But I don't post on social medias. I, however, want to one day post a before and after photo on instagram and let everyone find out about my lifestyle changes then. But for now, I keep everything to myself.

jkal1979

When you announce it, it seems like other people take it as permission to make comments about how to lose weight, and somehow gives them the right to speak up about your diet (noun).

Last year I made what I thought was an innocent comment on Facebook about going back to the gym. After that several acquaintances started messaging me about the life changing shakes that they sell. Now I limit what I say and limit who I say it to.

Whittedo

I am keeping it quiet. If someone notices I will say something, but so far no one has noticed. Of course I am only on my 4th week of this and I wear baggy clothes, so I guess I can't blame them.

astrose00

Didn't read all the comments (will do that later) but when I started I let the coworkers I used to go to lunch with know I would be bringing in my lunch and was going to be losing weight. They have been incredibly supportive and acknowledge my gains (I mean losses!) frequently. I know not everyone is like that. I found it is easier to just let friends know so there are no misunderstandings. As for strangers, I don't tell them anything. They have eyes.

Francl27

I only posted on FB when I lost my first 40 pounds. Didn't really tell anyone before that, except my mom.

Timorous_Beastie

I'm part of some fitness groups on FB and talk about stuff with them, and sometimes I'll post Runkeeper runs, but I really consider eating right and exercising to be part of my everyday maintenance. It'd be like posting a status, "I shaved my legs today," or "I brushed my teeth."

Merkavar

I didn't tell people, my family knew, but like people at work etc didn't know until after I lost 25kg and they started telling me to buy smaller closes or the I have lost a *kitten* tonne of weight and asking me what I was doing to lose weight.

Liftng4Lis

I don't usually talk about it. People do notice when I'm logging or scanning something when I haven't pre-logged and if they ask, I tell.

Laughter_Girl

I only told my hubby when I started this journey. Of course now that I've loss 70 lbs., everybody in my life knows; however, I only talk about food/exercise if someone ask me about what I'm doing.

jeannettemancini

First time (10 years ago) I didn't tell. This time I have tried and failed twice. So this third try I'm being very public and people are being very encouraging