Do you tell everyone when you are on a diet?

JamesMD84 wrote: »

Had a hard day today which involved a work lunch as I haven't really told anyone I'm on a diet. I didn't want to tell them so just ate a normal lunch and going to try and have a really good dinner.

I'm a big guy (300lbs) so they all probably think I should be on a diet anyway but for some reason I can't tell them.

So back to my question, do you tell everyone or just try and do the best you can in social situations?

Why tell anyone? Order what you want in a restaurant, fill your plate with what you feel fits in your calories at a party, drink what fits in with your calories or order a water. Most people do not pay attention to what you are ordering, eating, or drinking unless you call attention to it.

No, it's got nothing to do with anyone else. I do, however, often get asked 'why are you eating that?' Or get comments 'you're always eating' but the default answer is 'because I want to'

Mercy, no. What I eat is nobody's business but my own.

And that goes for me, too, by the way. There have been times I've had to excuse myself from a group that was seriously discussing the relative merits of detoxes, flushes and magic shakes/bars. Until and unless I'm asked, I'll keep my opinions to myself -- but it's awfully hard sometimes.

I only discuss my weight loss efforts with like-minded people. There isn't anything wrong with eating out. The key is to plan ahead. Look at the menu ahead of time and make selections that fit your calorie goal.

I've mentioned it to everyone I know. I share pics with my mom. My friends usually ask how I'm doing, and if I have a cheat day, they don't say anything. They're all very supportive. There's only one person who's a downer, and that's only because every time I eat something, she never fails to ask "aren't you on a diet?". Like yes, I've allotted these 200+ calories for this candy bar. I don't really see telling people as a big deal. I've tried it both ways: keeping it a secret and being open. Neither matter, because it's about how you view your diet.

Absolutely bloody not.

Once in a while when it comes up, I'll talk about it but I don't broadcast it.

There is one guy at work who's way into fitness and I'll mention something to him but again it's not on a regular basis.

Most people can tell by now and will make comments but I'm doing this for me and my health.

Do you tell everyone when you are on a diet?

No! No way! Absolutely not! I wouldn't even tell my husband except that he makes dinner so, unfortunately, I had to let him know.

A bit of both really. I tell my boyfriend and my immediate family, because I know that at some point they're going to cook for me and I know that on the whole, they'll be supportive enough to make an effort to put less butter/sugar/lard in and give me smaller portions (joking on the lard...).

At work, my manager knows because she asked, and I wasn't going to deny it. I generally eat at my desk which is opposite hers, and she noticed I was bringing in healthier options for lunch and asked me if I was on a diet. I told her I was making an effort to eat healthier and be more active. So far she's the only one in the office that knows because I don't tend to tell everyone I meet.

Last time I lost weight, for some reason I wouldn't tell anyone, and even denied it when asked, even though I was clearly losing quite a lot of weight. I don't know why, but I got this mentality that I shouldn't tell anyone because it was embarrassing and would be even more embarrassing if I didn't lose anything. Eventually I snapped out of that, because I realise that telling people (or at least answering in the affirmative when asked) gives me a measure of accountability that actually motivates me to lose weight. So after losing the first ten pounds or so, I started admitting that yes, actually, I was trying to lose weight.

I can definitely understand not telling people, because everyone suddenly becomes a dietitian/nutritionist and tells you you should eat more xyz, eat less xyz, exercise more, exercise less, cut out sugar, stop losing weight because you're starting to look gaunt, etc. etc, but sometimes you end up gaining extra support.

I never use to in the past as I would never make it past 2 months but this time around as I am more motivated and dedicated I told everyone I could so that way It would keep me at it, that way when anyone asked how I was doing I could say well I lost this amount last week/fortnight/month, I have lasted 6 months now and still going.... sometimes it helps telling people but just depends what the people you are telling are like I guess, plus how you feel

IRL I am a very private person and what I am doing with my life is not something I share with people. When people began to notice the weight loss I simply said that it was in an effort to prolong my life.

I didn't say anything, not even to my wife, except that I started eating things like Greek yogurt and asked for tuna from the grocery store. It coincided with her getting the Beachbody all-access, which I have done a lot of, but now am focusing on lifting.

I didn't say anything because I never considered being on a diet.

Since February, I'm down 45 pounds and look a lot different. I've never told anyone that "I'm on a diet." Now I get asked all the time. I avoid the use of the word diet because I intend to eat the way I'm eating in perpetuity. These are the typical exchanges:

"Wow, you've lost weight; what did you do?" "I took control of the amount I eat and worked on getting more fit."

"Did you cut out all sugar?" "No"

"Are you doing low-carb?" "No"

"Are you eating low fat?" "No"

"Is it because you're working out?" "No....well partly, but it's 80% controlling my food intake" [ETA - this is by far the most popular question. Almost everyone mistakenly believes that people lose weight by spending hours in the gym and that doing cardio 6x per week and lifting before or after every cardio workout is the only way.]

"I could never do what you're doing" "Sure you can"

"Did you stop eating breads?" "No"

"Did you stop eating dessert?" "No"

"Did you stop eating all that processed junk?" "No"

"Did you do a 'cleanse'?" "No"

"Are you eating 'clean'?" "What does that mean? and no, probably not whatever definition you use"

"You must be hungry all the time right?" "No....just sometimes"

"A friend of mine says the only thing that works is to cut out all the 'white' stuff. Is that what you do?" "No"

"Do you ever eat whatever you want?" "Yes, but as long it fits my goals"

"Do you ever eat more than you want to in a day?" "Yes"

"Do you make up for it the next day?" "No...not on purpose"

"Do you fast?" "Depends on the definition...I do IF 5-6 days per week"

"Counting calories must be hard right?" "No"

"Don't you feel restricted doing that?" "No, in fact it's the most freeing food attitude ever"


Every single one of these have been asked in the past 4-5 weeks. I'm sure they'll be more to come....

....

tl;dr I never tell anyone. They ask all sorts woo-type questions and don't listen to the simple answers.