Hiding Weight Loss From Friends

CoderGal

I didn't tell anyone squat. Nobody noticed until I was about 20lbs lighter. If I had my time back I'd choose 4)

Articeluvsmemphis

i don't think it's a matter of hiding it because when you lose it, they will notice anyway. i loss over 80, gained a little over 30 back and no one said anything, except my parents but not in a negative way.

not sure why people comment and give congrats when you lose, and say nothing when it goes back on. won't hurt my feelings actually not asking me about the weight gain hurts me a little, call me weird, lol

rhinesb

I recently read a book about a guy who lost his weight by not telling anyone. I mean people noticed eventually but he didn't announce his weight loss goals. And when they noticed he would just tell them that he's was just eating healthier. He wouldn't say he was actively trying to lose weight and he wouldn't tell them his goals. He said he yoyo'd in weight in his early attempts. When he told people he was on a diet and trying to lose weight he would see judgement in their eyes if he even touched a taboo food. He could be good all week or all month and then decide to have a slice or two of pizza or a slice of cake at a party and he'd have those people look at him with that 'you shouldn't eat that if you expect to lose weight' look on their face. When he told people he felt like a failure before he ever began.

Showing is better than telling as far as I am concerned.

I have not announced my weight loss to anyone. Though there are a few that know that I'm trying to get fit and healthy it is literally only a few.

corgicake

Friends aren't that hard to hide weight loss from, especially when it's summer and you're a college kid... it's the coworkers that I make an effort to hide it from. After close to a year and almost forty pounds gone I finally 'fessed up to one of the managers because there were no medium shirts in the store. I told the right one. Said manager is quietly losing too and has noticed the same trend of people trying to fatten up anyone who isn't overweight when they get hired and even some who are.

JanMarie2BHealthy

I prefer not to tell others about my goals - because it turn (in the past) it became the "topic of conversation" and scrutiny, advice, and comparisons - I was not comfortable. This time my husband, son, physician (and by accident my Mom) are the only ones who "know" my challenge.....

EDIT:* Laughing * well of course all of you know....

VioletNightshade

I didn't say anything at work for the longest time, until my boss pulled me aside and asked me if I was eating enough. The next week, one of my coworkers asked if I'd lost some weight, and then quizzed me at length about what I did to get there. More, because I have lost a significant amount (over 40lb) I get asked what I'm doing to get rid of it all.

Eventually they'll notice. It's not too difficult for me not to say anything. Usually they say something themselves when I stand up and have to pull up my jeans because they're slipping.

TribeHokie

I don't actively try to hide it but I don't talk about it either. There are a lot of factors that went in to that decision, but at the end of the day I am doing this because I want to and because it makes me feel better in so many ways. I don't really care if anyone knows or not.

VeggieKidMandy

I find that with women especially there is somewhat of a competition factor underneath their motivation , i dont see that too much on MFP because people are genuinely concerned for their health, but in a circle of friends when you are the heaviest one, the prettiest or the skinniest of the group is somewhat of the alpha....and they feel threatened that they might be over run. It's strange, but Ive noticed this with all the females Ive known my entire life.

So that being said, in a sense I do hide it from people I know, unless its my husband. I dont want unneeded competition to lose weight.

aNewYear123

I don't tell anyone mainly because it is my business and why would anyone else care. If they comment on the results or ask then I will talk about it. I will mention my exercise but that is more like telling someone I went to a movie, not in how it relates to weight loss.

Nix143

I have a wobbly gob and in the past have told all and sundry. This time I think I'm going to play it a little bit closer to my chest. No more Facebook statuses about a great lifting session or a healthy meal because they have inevitably been followed with a too fat to move and eaten my bodyweight in take away food status about a week later

Going to see if I can be quiet and mentally still about it to try and avoid the crazy emotional see saws I have related to my weight.

Pearsquared

I only told my parents when I first started, and my boss when he noticed. My coworkers probably noticed, but didn't say anything. I only talk about it with one of them because he's the only one I trust to be supportive (in his own way - he has the best one-liners).

witmer1

Why would you hide something that betters yourself? It helps you to be accountable. As long as you're doing what you're doing for YOU and are committed to making YOU better and hitting YOUR goals, no other opinion matters. If you don't hit a goal, do it again. Fail until you succeed. Don't stop.

HeidiCooksSupper

When I first started, only hubby knew. But then I thought about my Mom. She's just turned 90 so any day we could get that phone call. She worries about me because she's my mom. Would she be happy if I were trying to lose weight? Would I feel rotten if she died before I had a chance to make her happy? So I told her right away. I told others as I felt like it. So, if you have someone who loves you and would be happy and less worried about you because you are trying. Tell them. They love you.

parallelfifths

I have always tried to keep my attempts secret, mostly to avoid bringing any extra attention to my weight at all! However, I'm trying a new thing this time around--getting brave and making it known among the people who care about me. It gives me some serious accountability and, for the most part, I'm shocked at how incredibly supportive and wonderful most people are, even the teenagers I work with. I've kept my personal struggles a secret for too long.... I thought it was time to try for something scary and new.

HacheraTsarine

I don't tell anyone. If someone notices, then good. If nobody notices, well, whatev's.

I won't talk about it because:
- I feel like my every move are being watched ("It's so lovely out, why aren't working out like you said you would?" or "Are you really going to order THAT? I thought you were on a DIET?"),
- I get unwanted, stupid advice ("Once, I stop eating for 51 days and dropped weight like that! Part of that weight was also from my teeth falling out, but it was all worth it", "Drink 60 gallons of water and have nothing but negative calorie food"),
- I'm never sure if people are being sincere when they compliment me on my weight loss and I don't need that.
- People try to talk to me out of it ("Girl, you ain't fat. Why do you wanna lose weight?" ...as if my clothes stopped fitting me all of a sudden because they ALL shrank.....THAT's plausible)
- People will try to make me feel bad about it ("If you think YOU're fat, then what do you think I am?"....I think you're 50lbs heavier than me because I have eyes, and you can do whatever you want with your body, I don't care)


phew...that was quite the rant

Senalj

I don't say anything for a different reason: I get tired of people asking me how it's going and what I'm doing. That puts more pressure on me than I want. Also, if I don't show the weight loss as fast as some think I should, I get comments about how hard I'm really working. I don't want to justify what I am or am not doing, so I don't open the door for it. Once someone notices my clothes are fitting differently, and comment on how good I look, I'll thank them and keep going. If they truly want to know what I'm doing, I'll share, but I don't feel the need to field comments and advice from the peanut gallery throughout my journey.

Brad805

I don't think it is strange at all. This is my second bout with this journey, and I told my sister not long ago that I felt odd talking to acquaintances about the weight loss because of that. She pointed out that it is unlikely anyone remembers. That is probably very true considering the typical comment I get now is, "have you lost weight?" I think we are either the type that needs to talk about things or the type that just goes about their own thing for themselves without seeking approval from others. I am the latter, and at this point that is helpful. My friends and family may make the odd comment or try to get me to eat now, but they do so out of kindness and do not try to force their silly ideals upon me like I read about so often.

Keep trucking.

needtoloseafewpounds

Weight loss is a personal topic so not discussing it with anyone is not exactly "hiding" it So in short, no it is not strange. I do talk about my weight loss to my boyfriend, though and he's always telling me how good I'm doing but sometimes there will be friends out there who will try to impede your weight loss by telling you to "eat more" tactfully or telling you to set your weight goal a certain way because some people are just jealous like that no matter how good of a person they may be. Your own personal life is all your business and no one else's so don't ever feel the need to tell anyone if you're uncomfortable with it. However if you do have supportive friends or friends that would love to join you in weight loss, it couldn't hurt to ask them to join you. You can have weekly jogs with them or even hit them gym together! I know from experience since I go to the gym 5 days a week with my sister that it helps to have someone ask you "are you going?" "let's go." "Come on, I'm going to go alone then." to give you that extra push However you have to be motivated or else when your friend says "I don't feel like going today." you may want to skip with them as well... haha.
Anyway, this is for you to judge and whatever you choose, I hope you're happy ^^

drojen

I don't consider it hiding it, I just consider it keeping it quiet. I haven't told anyone, except my cousin, that I'm not only eating better, but going to a gym and exercising. I've lost almost 50 lbs and I've only recently had someone notice at work. When they asked if I was losing weight, I told them I was simply watching what I eat for sodium (due to high blood pressure) and suger (due to being pre-diabetic). As a result of that, I've dropped some lbs. But only 1 person, my cousin, knows my ultimate goals. As for motivation, it must come from within. I find I feel less "pressure" to succeed when no one knows what I'm doing. When I refuse a piece of cake or something salty, it's because of health issues, not because I want to lose weight. People can't argue with that. BTW, I don't always refuse that piece of cake, but when I eat something sweet, it has to be really, really good so it's really, really worth it.

berriboobear

I don't think it's strange, because it's definitely a completely personal thing for me. Only my immediate family and one of my closest friends really know how into it I am right now.

I don't want that attention called to me, and I don't usually broadcast things like that anyways ><