Do you tell people you are on the journey to loose weight?

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  • branson101
    branson101 Posts: 173 Member
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    I only told the people that I live with because they see me changing my eating habits. They still bring doughnuts and cakes into the house so they know not to offer them or at least understand when I say "no thank you". There is only one person at work that knows because she caught me measuring out my cereal one morning and asked point blank. But most of the people I work with are diabetic, eat junk food all day, and then complain that their diabetes is out of control.
  • Btmartin54
    Btmartin54 Posts: 69 Member
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    No, even mentioning that I want to be healthier by eating less junk and lowering my body fat. People just assume that I don't need to lose weight and that I'm foolish for wanting a healthier and leaner body type. It's not worth the time explaining my reasons for losing.
  • AsaraFuriosa
    AsaraFuriosa Posts: 293 Member
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    I told everyone! I even told people I didn't know! It kept me accountable and excited about my progress! I'd give updates to anyone that would listen how much Id lost every Friday. I work in a call center so this was easy. I liked the encouragement and I'm surprised at how many people come seek me out to ask questions. Let me tell you I made this a lifestyle change and introduced it as such. 93lbs lighter, it's awesome to have random people tell you your inspirational, they heard about your story. So yeah, I told everyone! I said your my support team so I hope you don't mind my updates. I think at first some were not sure how to take me, but that's just part of it. Your doing it for yourself, they're just here to watch you in all your glory girl! ;-)
  • codapea
    codapea Posts: 182 Member
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    You don't need to say anything to anyone, pretty soon all your hard work will speak for itself!

    I think I have been tainted by all the people in my life who have announced they are on a diet, talked about it to the point of annoyance on facebook and in person, and then are off track and gained back more than they lost soon after. I do not want to be that person. I don't need any ones approval or encouragement. I am on a mission, and the only person I need to be proud of me is myself.

    Okay, didn't mean to go off on that little rant. If you feel like you will be more successful with all the support of your FB friends, then by all means go for it. But I think you will find a more understanding, amenable, and enthusiastic community within your MFP friends.
  • hiker359
    hiker359 Posts: 577 Member
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    Damn you!

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  • tdfarmer
    tdfarmer Posts: 176 Member
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    I am not on a diet, a diet is only temporary. I have tried to make lifetime changes. I only share is people ask, or might I say when people ask.
  • mamaleftwich
    mamaleftwich Posts: 256 Member
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    When I started in March, I just had made up my mind that I was going to make some "lifestyle" changes because realistically, for the rest of my life, I'm going to have to monitor my eating habits and not over indulge and be very aware of what I'm eating so I didn't tell anyone about it, I just started doing it and then people started asking if I was losing weight and then I would tell them. Some will ask if I'm on Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers or something like that and I tell them know explain MFP to them, tell them what personal changes I made regarding my diet ie: no fried foods, very little bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, everyone who knows me knows I love a great piece of cake and I explain to them how I really cut back on that as well, no sodas, and that I do some sort of exercising on the minimum of 5 days a week. It's surprising how you can motivate someone else with your personal journey and you don't even have to say a word...people can look at you and see that you've made some changes in your life! So...in essence....no I don't tell people, but if they ask, I am more than welcome to share what has worked for me, because what works for me, doesn't necessarily work for everyone else and this weight loss journey is definitely a personal journey and you can only take it if you decide that's what you want to do, not for anyone else, because it truly takes, time, commitment, patience, prayer, determination and discipline to meet your goals.
  • PaulFields56
    PaulFields56 Posts: 108 Member
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    No, I don't tell my friends, except for my darling wife. After all, she is my partner on this project. I keep my diet to myself for a few reasons. As another poster noted, it's not anyone else's business. Second, I hope this becomes more of a lifestyle change than a diet. In that context, it shouldn't be a remarkable event. And finally, as many others have noted, it helps avoid the judgment, advice and just "looks" that I don't really need or appreciate, especially since many come from people who don't really understand the struggle. This "project" or "lifestyle change" is for me and my family. They are the ones who need to know.

    By the way, I am hugely introverted (no pun intended).

    P
  • osualex
    osualex Posts: 409 Member
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    No. I don't ask people about their diets, why should they ask about mine?
  • hula808
    hula808 Posts: 224 Member
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    This EXACTLY!:wink:

    I didn't tell anyone but my husband to start. And then came the kids. Everyone else has figured it out on their own. I'm doing this for me.
  • hula808
    hula808 Posts: 224 Member
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    I agree! Sometimes the anonymity really helps.

    1 other thing i want to add though, i only have 2 personal friends on MFP, because even though i tell all my friends, this is still something i want to do just for me not anyone else, so i do advise my friends to use this site, but no one wants to stick with it, so i have 84 friends on here and only actually know 2 of them, but i love the support on this site, and i cant always get that from friends
  • cheshire29
    cheshire29 Posts: 48
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    I told no one. Everyone I have seen in person in the last year has figured it out on their own and most have said something positive and motivating. My family is the exception. After losing almost 40lbs they said nothing. I was nervous about seeing them and it went fine, they just said nothing. It was odd, but partially expected. I have been overweight/obese since some point in high school. I'm sure they don't expect me to keep it off but there is no chance it is coming back. Ive developed too many good habits. I mentioned it while talking to my dad on the phone the other day and he was like oh yeah I noticed that when you visited, that's great. Bizarre.

    I still don't talk about it but people comment all the time and it is nice to a degree. I did try to motivate a few of my friends and quickly realized that was not a good idea for me. Hopefully they will make the decision in their own sooner than later!
  • JulianaC7
    JulianaC7 Posts: 13 Member
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    I have told close family and friends. They are very supportive. :)
  • CarlieeBear
    CarlieeBear Posts: 325 Member
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    My bf and I are both eating healthier and losing weight. We eat out a lot and it's usually at the same restaurant, so we've gotten to know the managers and servers. Being open with our regular servers has inspired two of them to keep up and even increase their efforts. One waitress even joined a gym after talking with us.

    I tell anyone I think will listen. I typically say I'm eating healthier and working out. I'm just a friendly, chatty Minnesotan and I love inspiring others...not to mention that I'm just stinkin' excited about this change. It's been such a natural adjustment for me, which is a real surprise...though I do sometimes just want to pig out, MFP helps me say no by telling me how many calories I've eaten already.

    I recently started subbing in an AVID class at a local middle school (not crazy, I just love MSers) every Monday. I haven't talked about it much there, but have mentioned it...like when a co-worker offers me an Oreo or the topic of the tutorial is related. I really hope to inspire the students to be healthier, though none are significantly overweight in that particular class.
  • Julicat6
    Julicat6 Posts: 231 Member
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    I told everyone! I even told people I didn't know! It kept me accountable and excited about my progress! I'd give updates to anyone that would listen how much Id lost every Friday. I work in a call center so this was easy. I liked the encouragement and I'm surprised at how many people come seek me out to ask questions. Let me tell you I made this a lifestyle change and introduced it as such. 93lbs lighter, it's awesome to have random people tell you your inspirational, they heard about your story. So yeah, I told everyone! I said your my support team so I hope you don't mind my updates. I think at first some were not sure how to take me, but that's just part of it. Your doing it for yourself, they're just here to watch you in all your glory girl! ;-)

    Me too. I am an "Open-Book" sort of person. I talk about it to anyone who shows an interest in why I am smaller. My co-workers are all eating healthier and exercising more and since I was once almost the biggest in our dept. I think my lifestyle changes and how happy I was about it made them take note. They know I still have cake or treats if we have a Birthday, that I just plan ahead for it. The "feeder" in our Dept. knows to tell me if he brought something yummy so I can see if I can make it fit by shifting my snacks and meals around(12 hr shifts) and knows that if I say no one night that another I will partake in the goodies. I haven't cut out anything, just moderated and substituted healthier things. They know I work out, Zumba, Hiking, and whatever else. I'm a chatty Cathy PollyAnna type so if you are in line behind me at the store you might even hear me telling the cashier about something:laugh:
  • baddbob
    baddbob Posts: 133 Member
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    Hell.....I'm a walking billboard for weight loss. I spend more time telling people how I do it, that I try to avoid going into the cafeteria at work. I never call it a diet, because it is not. It is indeed a "lifestyle transformation." It's all about how you think, how you exercise, how you celebrate, how you make your nutritional choices and MOST important of all.....how you choose your attitude every day. How your day goes is ALWAYS your choice. Many people blame others or circumstances, but until you break that cycle and think differently about things, you will be doomed to that roller coaster weight loss ride we have all experienced over the years.

    Find one thing you have been successful with over the years and start modeling your thinking around how you did that. Can your believe I have actually had people tell me they have not been successful at anything??? I don't believe it and after talking with them for a little bit, we can always come up with a few things. Use those successes as your base and build upon them.

    ANYONE can do it if they really want to. I've found that those who do not lose weight really do not want to bad enough. Think about it.......
  • sally1334
    sally1334 Posts: 1
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    I've only told my sisters that I've been meaning to lose weight after one of them used me to step on her scale and add 10 pounds to make it seem as if she lost a couple about a month or two ago. That was when I realized that I was 161 lbs, over 30 lbs overweight, and not getting any smaller. The pants were getting tighter, and I had half a box of yummy costco cheese pizza whenever I wanted. I joined my sister and tried to get another sister to join me in living a more fulfilling life. I don't tell my friends.
  • kittenbobitten
    kittenbobitten Posts: 199 Member
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    Everyone is different and in the past I was so sensitive about my weight, losing weight and being judged that I would lie about going to the gym, say I was running errands. When I lost weight people noticed but they didn't nag or ask what happened when I gained it back because they didn't know I was on diet attempt #514 and gym membership #32.

    But now, I guess having gotten older, lost my mother and been diagnosed as diabetic, I just don't care as much about what people think. Sure my "diet" looks unhealthy to some people (How can you be on a diet and eat so much cheese?? Should you really eat so many nuts and avocado? That seems fattening.) but I have to do this MY way and a way that works for me. I have done low fat, vegetarian, weight watchers, and other things, but now I am doing something the way that works for me. I try not to judge other people's path but honestly don't care about other people so much. I have lost 92 pounds (42 on MFP), so people notice. I proudly tell them I WALKED a 4 mile zombie marathon. No, at the time I couldn't run, but I did it!

    Sometimes when I turn something down or pass on something people say, "Oh, are you still doing that diet?" Yep. I suuuure am.

    :)

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