Do you tell.......

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I read an article today about sharing your weight loss with your friends. "Rope someone in" was basically the consensus. One’s more likely to succeed with the assistance of friends and or family if they're all doing it together. But just how true is this??? Experience has taught me that when you share your intentions with people on the basis that they'll assist you and encourage you, I find the exact opposite happens. Sentiments like "you've been good all week", "one more won't hurt" and my pet peeve "you don't need to lose any more" are what come out of the friends and family helpers. And then lets say you do get someone "roped in" and you're doing it all together..... has it happened to you that the competitiveness takes over or one just gives up and leaves the other one hanging???? Because I've had both.

I couldn't help but feel that perhaps weight loss should be reserved for the lone rangers and that it's far better to find support from people you don't know. Perhaps this is why the likes of MFP is so popular??? We care and support complete strangers...... and it works.
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Replies

  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    I do not tell people, I usually let other people tell me :) Getting compliments from people telling me I look so much lighter and happier and oh wow have you lost weight is so much satisfaction, something if you tell people you are losing weight you may not get.
  • stephyy4632
    stephyy4632 Posts: 947 Member
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    personaly I have told family that I`ve started to work out but I don`t see them very often (holiday time mostly) other than my Hubby and he works way to much for us to have time to workout together. I am kinda keeping the weight loss amount away from friends and family when I do talk to them as I would like to see there reactions when I see them again at the next family function. As of right now I`m down 25pounds and our next family thing is a wedding on Sept.17th so I`ll see what happens then lol I`m very excited about it and kinda wish I new how much I would be down now so I could go dress shopping but I`m on hold until the week of the wedding to buy one because I want that perfect fit for what ever size I`m in at that time :)
  • cass89
    cass89 Posts: 198 Member
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    i agree. I find people on here understand much more than people looking from the outside. you tell someone 'i'm going to lose 20kg by christmas' and then they see you with some chocolate and they're like 'ooooh should u be eating that? what happened to your goal?" i feel like telling em where they can put it. because we can still have that chocolate or fast food because we are, after all, trying to get over an addiction (well for me it is anyway so maybe 'all' was a general statement). also, i find the most critic ones are fat themselves. i guess where i'm going with this is sometimes it's just best to lose weight quietly and then when someone notices take the compliment. but telling people can sometimes hinder what you're actually trying to achieve. sometimes you can get friends involved by maybe going to the gym with them or something but don't actually tell them your goals. i dunno i'm rambling now but ya get the gist lol
  • StrawberrySprinkles
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    I know how you feel. I 'roped' in my hubby. We agreed that we weren't going to do this by halves, ie: anything eaten must be logged and any exercise must be logged! Treats are a bonus not a requirement.

    About two or three weeks ago, I see that he hasn't logged into MFP for a few days, so I asked him about it. His response is that he pretty much eats the same thing everyday for lunch and knows how much he's consuming for dinner because I cook it and doesn't feel like he has to log it. (yes, yes, I thought the same thing...just not motivated...I'm saying that politely. :tongue:)

    Well....imagine how I felt about that...ensuring everything that I made was balanced and somewhat tasty...:devil:

    I did feel a little let down and under appreciated because I was trying to make it easier on him. Oh wells. :)

    I agree that it makes the pain much less when you have someone to help you cope with those moments of 'Ah hell, I'm just gonna go for [insert food of momentary desire here].' However, if you have someone who isn't as dedicated to it as you are, it's disheartening and rather insulting when you're busting your hump. :embarassed:

    P/S: I only knew he didn't log in because the little comments thing on our page told me that so and so hasn't logged in for x days.
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
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    well ive embraced a healthy lifestyle that resulted in weight loss. i am obsessed with healthy eating - which is only a good thing. but to my family im going 'over the top' and they tell me i should eat ice cream and eat fast food, the thing is i dont want those foods! its not a struggle for me to not eat them because i only want to put good tasty foods into my body and no crap! they dont understand, but i wish they would support me. i guess healthy eating is 'abnormal' these days. thats why i love this site. i can relate to people on here and i share the want to live a healthy lifestyle . it makes me happy :)
  • jbenton091011
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    i agree. I find people on here understand much more than people looking from the outside. you tell someone 'i'm going to lose 20kg by christmas' and then they see you with some chocolate and they're like 'ooooh should u be eating that? what happened to your goal?" i feel like telling em where they can put it. because we can still have that chocolate or fast food because we are, after all, trying to get over an addiction (well for me it is anyway so maybe 'all' was a general statement). also, i find the most critic ones are fat themselves. i guess where i'm going with this is sometimes it's just best to lose weight quietly and then when someone notices take the compliment. but telling people can sometimes hinder what you're actually trying to achieve. sometimes you can get friends involved by maybe going to the gym with them or something but don't actually tell them your goals. i dunno i'm rambling now but ya get the gist lol

    I agree with everything you say here!!
    "should you be eating that" experienced that one a few times
    and you're right..... the most critical ones are the ones that could stand a few themselves. The thin friends keep quiet because if you eat.... you don't join them.

    I had a friend once tell me that I didn't need to lose weight. She's two distinct sizes smaller than me and used to be my size. When I turned to her and said "don't you think you should gain some weight then" her immediate reaction was "definitely not!!!". In fact, I think she felt rather insulted. If it's OK for me to be this size..... why is it not OK for her??? It's because of this, that when I see her, I don't mention a word about what I'm eating and I actually make a point of dressing up in my bigger clothes just to hide the fact that I'm losing weight. If she mentions I've lost weight.... I don't deny it but I don't take the compliment either. Taking the compliment would mean admitting.

    Basically..... I'm hiding the fact that I'm losing weight for fear of being sabotaged.
  • BioQueen
    BioQueen Posts: 694 Member
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    I think it depends on the person you tell. I have NO luck with my roommates, they always think I am ridiculous for trying to lose weight. But I told my mom last year and she joined me... and she has lost 82 pounds! She and I support each other really well.
  • bklyngirl71
    bklyngirl71 Posts: 381 Member
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    i talk about it with my close my friends. they're all supportive. if i pass on a piece of cake, they may say a piece won't hurt. that i know, but i just didn't feel like eating the piece of cake
  • jbenton091011
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    I know how you feel. I 'roped' in my hubby. We agreed that we weren't going to do this by halves, ie: anything eaten must be logged and any exercise must be logged! Treats are a bonus not a requirement.

    About two or three weeks ago, I see that he hasn't logged into MFP for a few days, so I asked him about it. His response is that he pretty much eats the same thing everyday for lunch and knows how much he's consuming for dinner because I cook it and doesn't feel like he has to log it. (yes, yes, I thought the same thing...just not motivated...I'm saying that politely. :tongue:)

    Well....imagine how I felt about that...ensuring everything that I made was balanced and somewhat tasty...:devil:

    I did feel a little let down and under appreciated because I was trying to make it easier on him. Oh wells. :)

    I agree that it makes the pain much less when you have someone to help you cope with those moments of 'Ah hell, I'm just gonna go for [insert food of momentary desire here].' However, if you have someone who isn't as dedicated to it as you are, it's disheartening and rather insulting when you're busting your hump. :embarassed:

    P/S: I only knew he didn't log in because the little comments thing on our page told me that so and so hasn't logged in for x days.

    I admit that my husband and I started together doing this. He's the only one that knows exactly what's going on and he's never tried to sabotage me. He too was loyal to this site for a few weeks and then he just fell off the bus. It happened a few weeks back when he ordered and consumed an entire pizza by himself!!! From there it was all down hill.

    Do not be embarressed or insulted that he isn't continuing with you. Last week friday my husband actually had the cheek to say I was dressed inappropriately (I wasn't I promise) and that giving another man an errection is wrong (I swear... exact words). The thing though is that I wasn't inappropriately dressed, I wasn't revealing anything at all (I had a baggy rock chick shirt on, a singlet underneath and a pair of jeans) and I wasn't doing anything untoward my usual behaviour. He noticed that my "hump busting" was paying off and I'm now looking good. If anything... he was feeling self conscience of himself.

    Continue what you're doing here. It's awesome!!
  • Melanie858
    Melanie858 Posts: 19 Member
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    I didn't tell anyone I'm trying to lose weight. I live by myself too, so nobody notices what my exercise/eating is like either. I've lost about 12lbs since Xmas, and have another 8lbs I want to lose. My hairdresser noticed and told me not to lose too much more - she said my face was looking thinner! Nobody else has really said anything, but I'm fine with that too - I actually prefer just to get on with it and nobody say anything!
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
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    I don't talk about it very often...I think since I am already in a healthy weight range, I don't want people to get the impression I have an eating disorder (I don't). I just want to improve my body, so I don't tend to say anything in real life.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
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    i dont tell people i actively tried to get to this weight. I usually just say it all fell off when i started running. I dont mention that i dieted too.
  • kaitlynnm10
    kaitlynnm10 Posts: 47 Member
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    I never tell anyone. I feel like I'm always trying to lose the same 10 pounds. In the past, people never made comments while I was in the process of losing weight. I just get to a certain weight and start hearing, "You've gotten too thin". I can never win.
  • cass89
    cass89 Posts: 198 Member
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    i agree. I find people on here understand much more than people looking from the outside. you tell someone 'i'm going to lose 20kg by christmas' and then they see you with some chocolate and they're like 'ooooh should u be eating that? what happened to your goal?" i feel like telling em where they can put it. because we can still have that chocolate or fast food because we are, after all, trying to get over an addiction (well for me it is anyway so maybe 'all' was a general statement). also, i find the most critic ones are fat themselves. i guess where i'm going with this is sometimes it's just best to lose weight quietly and then when someone notices take the compliment. but telling people can sometimes hinder what you're actually trying to achieve. sometimes you can get friends involved by maybe going to the gym with them or something but don't actually tell them your goals. i dunno i'm rambling now but ya get the gist lol

    I agree with everything you say here!!
    "should you be eating that" experienced that one a few times
    and you're right..... the most critical ones are the ones that could stand a few themselves. The thin friends keep quiet because if you eat.... you don't join them.

    I had a friend once tell me that I didn't need to lose weight. She's two distinct sizes smaller than me and used to be my size. When I turned to her and said "don't you think you should gain some weight then" her immediate reaction was "definitely not!!!". In fact, I think she felt rather insulted. If it's OK for me to be this size..... why is it not OK for her??? It's because of this, that when I see her, I don't mention a word about what I'm eating and I actually make a point of dressing up in my bigger clothes just to hide the fact that I'm losing weight. If she mentions I've lost weight.... I don't deny it but I don't take the compliment either. Taking the compliment would mean admitting.

    Basically..... I'm hiding the fact that I'm losing weight for fear of being sabotaged.

    I get people saying to me too "you don't need to lose weight." But little do these people know i'm technically classified as 'obese' so YES i do need to lose weight lol. but i never tell them i'm obese. I just say awww thanks but yes i do, maybe i just cover it well. but i think this is also a way of them trying to make a compliment because maybe they feel if they agree 'yes you do need to lose weight' that they're insulting you lol. but in your case, yes, i do believe it would be sabotage.
  • yogavegan
    yogavegan Posts: 116 Member
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    It can go either way. I went very public with my weight loss this year, posting on facebook and talking about it with my clients, and its on my website. I have found that more people are supportive than not, especially my clients. In fact certain people seek me out to come and take yoga classes with me, knowing that I once weighed over 300 lbs. I have had people from high school contact me on facebook and ask for support and advice, saying they are motivated by my posts from MFP and my food pictures and recipes.

    However.. the people that have been unsupportive are family and older friends. By older I mean long-time, not old in age. This seems hurtful at first, but when I look at it from a detached perspective it makes sense. My family, meaning parents and sibling, and old friends, were used to the old me, and were part of the problem, honestly. My parents are food pushers and my mother is a binge eater, yo yo dieter, and alcoholic. My father is a people pleaser that takes no responsibility for what kind of food he eats and they both force food on me (and others) when we are together.

    This all makes sense because we are products of our upbringing, right? I acknowledge that my family and older friends have played a big role in my weight gain, but more importantly, I acknowledge that ultimately I am responsible for reaching my own goals, regardless of what patterns may have developed from past experiences!

    One of my goals for this year was to cultivate relationships with people who have a similar mindset, other weight loss friends, trainers, exercise science students, athletes. I have been pretty successful with this venture, gaining several good new friends that are 'into fitness'. These are the friends that I go biking & hiking with, enjoy working out with, and sharing healthy information. The older friends... well the more I have immersed myself in this healthy active lifestyle, the less we seem to have in common. I ended a friendship just a few months ago, with a person who always insisted on meeting for lunch at a buffet, and always brought candy along on our meetings. She got bigger and bigger as I was shrinking, and she just wouldn't see her role in the weight gain.

    Family...that is another story, they have never even acknowledged my weight gain or weight loss at all! They ridicule me for running and question why I left the corporate world to promote yoga & fitness. So I minimize my exposure to the negative, and create more positive whenever I can, (on MFP especially!) I am very thankful to have MFP friends as well as my Facebook fitness pals.
  • yogavegan
    yogavegan Posts: 116 Member
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    wow that was a really long post! long winded...geez... so sorry!
  • emariec78
    emariec78 Posts: 530 Member
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    I have a few long time friends that I talk about it with, they knew me at my heaviest and they know me now so of course it will come up. Other than that I would say it depends, I get some negative comments as much as good ones. I have a co-worker who is trying to lose weight and she likes to ask my opinion and questions about things. I have family members who push food at me because I can "afford" it. My Dad just shared with me that his doctor directed him to lose 100 lbs and we started swapping diet tips and recipe ideas, so it really just depends on the person. I will not typically go out of my way to tell people, though. If it comes up I'm happy to share but otherwise I keep it to myself.
  • Fochizzy
    Fochizzy Posts: 505 Member
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    I found telling peopple was the secret to my success. My friends are supportive, they pick restaraunts that have healthy options and support me. I always say "no one can help you if they don't know what's going on." So yes I shouted that I am losing weight from the rafters, and it has been much better this time
  • Maggie_Pie1
    Maggie_Pie1 Posts: 322 Member
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    Sentiments like "you've been good all week", "one more won't hurt"

    OMG - I *HATE* this one. What they don't understand is that one more *WILL* hurt. For me, dieting is about self control, and when I'm good, i'm really really good. But when I'm bad, it's like a free-for-all.
  • jamesysmom
    jamesysmom Posts: 38
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    The one I used to get from my ex mother in law was," Oh Tammy cant eat that shes on another diet" or as the others have stated about being good or the other one is oh you dont look that big your chest is most of it well duh but weight is still weight . I dont tell many cause of this reason. My boyfriend and kids know cause they are here all the time and they support me a lot hope you can find the support you need . The reason I like MFP is because during the day when im pretty much alone I can log on here and get the added support I need .Thanks all for your support and WTG with all your personal victories what ever they may be