Why I stopped telling folks about mfp.

No way I want my coworkers knowing what I say here. I get enough raised eyebrows as it is.

me too!!! oh wait, my friends already know I'm crazy & perverted

My coworkers only have a smidgen of an idea how bad it really is. Probably why I am still employed.

It's an eye opener and i think a lot of people aren't prepared for that! They don't want the responsibility of knowing what they're eating! Ignorance is bliss.

This is one of the most applicable phrases that descibes all of us. When did burying our heads in the sand become so engrained in our culture? We aren't straight with ourselves about what we eat, how hard we work, or work out, how many bills we have, how we feel about our spouses, etc, etc, etc....Ignorance being bliss has driven America into becoming fat, complacent, and lazy. And even though I'm only one man, I refuse to allow that to happen to me. I want to have a healthy, happy physically active existence, combined with a career that is useful and actually somewhat enjoyable, and top all of that off with having a family that shares those same qualities, and sees that in me. It's about not letting things drop through the cracks, or letting time be compromised by junk like TV.

TV and the automobile: doing more to keep America fat than America could ever do on it's own!!

I guess I'm still new at this...I've told everyone. I LOVE having friends support.

But, then again, I've only been at it for 40 days.

I've tried alot of programs, and this site and app, is BY FAR the easiest to use. I am SO excited, I want to scream it to the world (for now)!

Keep it up everyone....

One thing that keeps me going on is something that was said on this season of the Biggest Loser (and the first time I have ever watched it). The biggest guy on the show (I can't remember his name) was so upset because he had 350 lbs + to lose. He was getting so caught up in how could he EVER lose THAT much weight. Bob said to him, 'you can't get caught up in how much you have to lose, rather what you have to do TODAY to get there'.

I LOVE that quote (okay, so it may not have been verbatum - but you get the idea)

I keep telling myself that...and if my friends want to stick around, GREAT. If not, I really feel like THIS IS MY TIME!!!

.

I think it comes down to people wanting to lose weight but not wanting to put the effort into it, or they get discouraged and quit because they don't lose 10 pounds in a week. I've had many teachers at my school ask how I lost my weight but they don't do it. I guess it's easier to think that some people have a higher metabolism then they do and that their body won't ever change. It's amazing how many people say, "I can't lose weight like you. I don't have your metabolism." I just want to say, "If you do it the right way, you will actually increase your metabolism."

I think it comes down to people wanting to lose weight but not wanting to put the effort into it, or they get discouraged and quit because they don't lose 10 pounds in a week. I've had many teachers at my school ask how I lost my weight but they don't do it. I guess it's easier to think that some people have a higher metabolism then they do and that their body won't ever change. It's amazing how many people say, "I can't lose weight like you. I don't have your metabolism." I just want to say, "If you do it the right way, you will actually increase your metabolism."

So true. That was actually my problem for a while, I wanted a quick fix and not a general lifestyle change. It took me time to get to realize that.

But I have found that everyone wants a magic pill to lose weight. When they ask me how I've lost the weight and I say eating right, working out and mfp, they look disappointed. lol.

Those who are serious about wanting to change their lives will stick with it, while those who just want a quick fix will quit. God told me to get fit, and He led me to this wonderful tool. I'm so excited because I finally found the thing that works for me - MFP. I share this with people who I believe would be interested and could benefit from this community. But I let them know they have to make the effort...I can't do it for them.

I found out about this site from a friend and have been here almost consistently had a few hiccups the first few months but that was just getting used to the idea.

I told my brother and his wife but they don't seem to think its a good idea to use a site like this one. I wish they would though, might get them off the yoyo dieting that they've been doing for so long.

But I also understand not wanting a whole lot of people from your everyday life on here cause sometimes I do let thing sout on here that I wouldn't want them to know about.

That's exactly why I only have my MFP family. No real life friends either. I hear you.

I learned from this site from my work when they were doing a biggest loser challenge. But the people who were participating at the beginning no longer use the site. Figures.

I have one coworker/close friend who uses the site, but I don't think she's as diligent about it as we are.

I definitely agree with people about not telling everyone about your plans and ideas for weight loss. It's great if you have a spouse or partner who can support you (I'm so grateful to mine for listening to me bang on about how great MFP is) but so many people think so differently about their weight, that conversations with them can, I find, be discouraging.

I've given up smoking several times in the past, and I always made a big deal out of it to friends. Which meant that we would always end up talking about it and my progress (or lack thereof) was being judged by people other than myself, which is not what it's about for me.

I'm pleased to say that I have now quit smoking. I went cold turkey (I was ready for it) but I just didn't tell anyone unless they asked. And it's the same for me with weight loss. I have always 'struggled' with my weight. I love food, I love cooking, and I am prone to obsessing about things and overthinking, especially when I have an audience. It once took me 20 minutes of arguing with myself to decide whether or not to order a pizza!

Some people don't have the same relationship with food, and so I don't really think they'd ever be able to understand why MFP and the control that it provides is SO important, to me at least.

Anyway, I'm sorry for the long post—just wanted to say each to their own, and I'm very grateful for the ability to come on here and talk to/read about other people doing the same stuff. It gives me confidence, hope, and takes away the isolation that can come with feeling uncomfortable in yourself.

Good luck with your goals everyone!

Will

I was just talking about this with a friend. I am tired of hearing about everyone on here talking about how they screwed up today and "oh well tomorrow is another day." Well I used to say that my whole life, and it just got be fatter and fatter and fatter. But for the last 5 months I never once said that and I really like it- LOL!

Amen to that ....me too.

I agree with most people that have replied here. It's a very personal thing, not everyone gets it. I don't want my journey to be everyone's business (aside from everyone here). If someone wants to ask me about it, fine. But I don't want all my dirty laundry aired and judgments coming at me the way it would like if this was Facebook.

I'm a newb around here but I absolutely understand to OP's pov. I would recommend this site to a ton of people I know but then again, there is zero point in doing so. You can only lead a horse to water. I led myself here...one of my bff's told me about this site. As soon as I realized how easy it was to use and how truly easy it is to make a cumulative effort to improve all aspects of my choices to live a healthier life I was totally -in it-. She joked how I've taken off using this site and she was the one who introduced me to it...but I only needed a simple framework from which to work with to get where I want to go. As well as my own serious commitment. A lot of people don't have that or may never get there.

I like to think of it as my dirty little secret Besides, I hold nothing back on here, and some of that stuff would be better left unsaid to people I really know... like my starting weight.

i agree 100%
the only people in my day to day life that know my actual weight is my younger sister and myself.
i'm just not compfortable discussing my current weight with my friends at this point...

I know exactly what you mean. I have told so many people about this site after they ask me about my weight loss and working out. But I have found that everyone wants a magic pill to lose weight. When they ask me how I've lost the weight and I say eating right, working out and mfp, they look disappointed. lol.

hehehehe, same here LOL

I did tell a friend about it though and he took it and ran with it and has lost almost 40 pounds doing it (darn guys LOL). I introduced my hubby to it, when he began to show curiousity over why i was losing weight and he wasn't. i set up an account for him and he's lost 22 pounds (darn guys again LOL)!!!