Do you tell friends and family?

I didn't feel the need to advertise it, but of course people will notice your eating/drinking/exercising habits change, and of course, how you look.

Never had a bad comment. Annoying ones, sure, but you eventually just roll your eyes and moan about it on MFP.

I told my roommate and parents that I was trying to cut down on rice/bread/pasta etc., since I didn't find them particulary interesting or filling, so they weren't worth the calories for me... My theory was, that I wouldn't fill in with as much of other foods to substitute it (and I was right - my carbs are going down, down, down, but I'm not going up on the other macros). I told them this, since it's kind of relevant if I cook for them or they cook for me (which we do a lot)

Other than that, I maintained not telling anyone for while, since I don't like it if people comment on my weight or eating habits, not even if it's positive, as I find it sort of private.. But after a while, my parents noticed my loss everytime I went to visit them (I do so about every other or third week), so I told them then that I was counting calories etc. and how much I had lost. Since then, my brother has come to me because he wanted to lose some pounds before going on a triathlon in the alps, and we then discovered that we weighed the same, so we've set up a bet: The one who has lost the least by easter (which is when he'll go on his triathlon), will have to pay for a meal at a Michelin restaurant

So my family has been very supportive, though I have told them that I do not like to get too many comments on my loss, and I don't like it if they bring up my weight or eating to me or other people... They almost respect that. So it's ok.

My roommate, not so much. Well, maybe that's unfair, she is cool with me cutting down pasta and such, and if I want to buy something slightly more expensive than discount brand to save calories (we share food budget). And if she's doing the shopping, she knows to get the low fat milk, and the tuna in water etc. for me. But here the other day, she went on a massive rant about how stupid it was to weigh food, because surely overweight people KNOW how much is too much, but just choose to go over because they like the food. Surely they don't need a scale to know that eating a BUCKET of chicken is crazy etc. I tried to tell her that, of course, it's easy to know that you are eating too much, your weight will tell you so, but how much is actually 'correct' for you can be very difficult to know. She just shook her head and sighed at 'those people' who are just 'idots' for not knowing what a normal portion is. So yeah, I don't really tell her I'm trying to lose weight, and she seems not to notice.

I think she got something to think about here the other day though, because she came to me (since I study nutrition), to ask if she had been eating too little today (she struggles with being underweight), and when I calculated her calories for the day, it exceeded 2500calories. She seemed to have a lot to think about afterwards. She had been eating very little, gram wise, but it was very calorie dense foods, and I hope that made her realize some things about why it's not always easy for overweight people either to guess correctly on how much they are eating.

Everyone knows that I've become kind of a health/gym nut now, but no one has criticised me at all. In fact I made 4 friends join the gym and everyones making better choices only because I started to.

I recently put together some progress pictures and showed my family & some close friends and if anything they are inspired!

My mom sometimes cause be a total ***** about it but that's her problem.
Trust me, do this for yourself and no one else. Soon everyone will see how accomplished you've become on your journey and praise you.

Also, I think the more people you tell, the more motivated you will be to keep up the work!

No, I don't volunteer the information.I figure its no one's business but mine. If they ask if I've lost weight I'll say yes. Only if they ask how do I tell them I log my calories and work out. Usually if I go into more detail their eyes glaze over so I give them the bare minimum.

Besides driving my husband crazy, I don't say much either. No one else is really interested.

I only told one person and that was only because he brought up what he was doing first. Other than that I won't tell anyone. Even if someone asks me if I have lost any weight I will say no and walk away because I don't like talking about it.

I waited 90 days in, that way their was some progress to be seen and I knew by then I was commited and I wouldn't jinx myself.

I told a few close family members (who both had previously lost weight calorie counting) but other than that, no. At some point it became obvious, and people would ask about it. I always try to minimize it and change the subject. Partly because I am a little embarrassed I was so fat, but also no one is interested in hearing I lost weight by maintaining a calorie deficit. They only want to hear about it if you did a crazy expensive diet plan or fad diet.

I tell everyone. The more people that know the more people you have to hold you accountable. Some people are posting on here saying that they didn't want to tell anyone in case they got off track or gave up. I have read lots of articles on weight loss and one that really stuck with me gave tips on how to lose 100lbs and keep it off. Here is the article:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Lose-100-Pounds-and-Keep-it-Off-For-Life/step1/Prepare-Yourself-Mentally-for-Weight-Loss/

The part of it the article that stuck with me the most:

"If you are going to do this, the first thing I suggest is to make a point of mentioning it to everyone you know. Tell them what you're doing and what your goal is so that you get asked about your progress constantly. Post it on your Facebook and Twitter. Don't give yourself a chance to cop out. Put it into your head that this is starting and there's no backing down"

You definitely can lose weight on your own without telling anyone but letting everyone know what you're doing is a good way to keep yourself on track. I made a group on Facebook with all of my closest friends and family and told them all what I'm doing and what my goal is and then asked them to keep me motivated and it really helped a lot. Not only were they there to tell me to keep going when I wanted to quit but they were also there to tell me when I was doing a great job.

Yes and no. I quit smoking 1.5 years ago and I quit soda 3 months ago. Both those times I had failed several times before I actually got it right. So when I went about losing weight this time (another situation where I've tried and failed several times), I decided to go about quitting fat the same way I went about quitting smoking and soda. The hinge in that is that I tell as few people as possible, and make good choices and tell myself I'm different until I believe it. I read a couple of studies a while back that were specifically about how telling poeple you are trying to accomplish a goal activates the reward center of your brain. That gives you the same boost that actually accomplishing things does, which for people who are addicted to food means you get a quick fix of feel good about losing weight without having to do any of the work. Then you don't lose the weight because your brain is already in the feel good mood. So when I go to change a major segment of my life, I don't tell anyone. Not because I'm afraid of going off track while people are watching, but because I'm afraid I'll go off track because of it. So I get a lot of my support online and not a lot outside of it. My SO knows I'm working on it, but that's because he's trying to gain weight at the same time. With that said, I'm not against talking about it should it come up. If someone notices my pants fitting loose and my ever shrinking body, I'll talk. But I do not offer information no one has asked for and I don't offer up deluges of information once someone makes a wandering query.

I'm only in early days and have told my fiancee but other than that, no, I haven't mentioned it to anyone.

The reason I'm not really telling anyone else (unless they ask) is because everyone is just so sweet that I will be bombarded with, 'but you don't need to lose weight' and 'you look great as you are' and tonnes of other very nice things to hear but not really helpful as I am not happy with how I am and I really, really just want to shift these final 10kg that have been hounding me for years.

The only person that knows im trying to lose weight is my partner. Mostly the reason I haven't said to anyone is because I am ashamed that I have put this weight back on (I lost a lot of weight before I had my daughter).

My kid and parents know. I haven't said anything to anyone else. I just want them to notice.

Hell yes I tell everyone! I yell it loud and proud...my notifications for mfp go right to my facebook feed.

Why wouldn't they be supportive? Honestly, if they're not going to support you and make rude comments, then they aren't much of a friend.

I told my friends, families, and my coworkers. Big mistake.

My mother wanted me on whatever her friends had success on. My husband told me nothing worked in the past and therefore nothing will work in the future. One brother said just do it. The other brother is supportive (only one) and his wife is trying to turn me into a vegetarian.

All coworkers told me whatever I was having isn't on my diet. Didn't matter what I was having, whether it was a salad or something else. I said you don't know what's on my diet. They said it didn't matter what I was having, it wasn't allowed. I walked away from them. Someone passed my desk and saw what I had and said it wasn't allowed on my diet. A few minutes later I walked by her desk and told her what she had wasn't on her diet. She told me her diet was none of my business. I said then why is my diet any of yours and she agreed.

All the negative support in the world.

I found all the positive support I need online through the computer.

Shari

I told my friends, families, and my coworkers. Big mistake.

My mother wanted me on whatever her friends had success on. My husband told me nothing worked in the past and therefore nothing will work in the future. One brother said just do it. The other brother is supportive (only one) and his wife is trying to turn me into a vegetarian.

All coworkers told me whatever I was having isn't on my diet. Didn't matter what I was having, whether it was a salad or something else. I said you don't know what's on my diet. They said it didn't matter what I was having, it wasn't allowed. I walked away from them. Someone passed my desk and saw what I had and said it wasn't allowed on my diet. A few minutes later I walked by her desk and told her what she had wasn't on her diet. She told me her diet was none of my business. I said then why is my diet any of yours and she agreed.

All the negative support in the world.

I found all the positive support I need online through the computer.

Shari

Wow! I'm really sorry you're having such a tough time, especially from your husband. But on the other hand, I'm glad you are able to find the support you need online!