Explain

Not only don't you have to explain why you are counting calories, you don't have to tell them anything. Just live your life

Don't even tell them, if possible. Just do what you want and need to do, quietly and unobtrusively. It's your business only. Questions? Answer briefly, change the subject. Don't let it be a topic of conversation.

At home, hubby knows of course because he sees me using the food scale.

You only have to explain it if you are asked about it when you are on the witness stand in a courtroom under oath.

Of course not.

No, you obviously don't have to explain to anyone. However, I would ask who the person who is questioning you is and why they are mentioning it. If it's someone who cares about you and is curious about, or even concerned about, your sudden change in eating habits, you might consider explaining it to them so that they don't have to worry about it even though it really is none of their business. Of course, just smiling and saying, "It's just something I like doing," is also acceptable.

No one ever has asked me 'how are you losing weight?' or 'what tools or apps are you using to lose weight?'. That said, my goals are not anyone business really.

To this day, my own children and the rest of my family don't know I am counting calories. Way to hard for those that have no weight to lose to grasp the whole counting and tracking calories thing.

Only if you choose to explain.

How do they even know you're counting calories unless you told them?

HellYeahItsKriss wrote: »

Alatariel75 wrote: »

How do they even know you're counting calories unless you told them?

You got sucked in again didn't you? Lol

I just can't not...

Stationagentjules wrote: »

I find that people are very curious about my food scale use. It's as if no one has ever seen one before. I don't mind usually.

I hadn't seen one until I worked for a baker.

I recently watched an episode of the British Baking Show - Masterclass and was struck by how constantly they used their scales and said grams grams grams. If more people watched this show, the use of a scale in the US would be normalized.
https://www.netflix.com/title/80165085
http://www.pbs.org/food/features/great-british-baking-show-season-masterclass/

I never bring it up, and definitely don't feel like I need to explain myself. However, if a friend or family member notices me logging my food and ask about it, I just say "I just like to keep track of what I'm eating." Usually they just go "hm" and that's the end of it. If they ask "oh, are you trying to lose weight?" or "You count calories?" I just casually shrug and say "It also helps me figure out if I seem to have reactions to certain foods- if my allergies start going off and whatnot." Again, I always get either a non-response or something like "hey, that's a good idea. I should think about doing something like that." I personally choose not to make it a banned subject but I do respond in a way that takes the focus off the weight and calorie-counting aspect of it.

On the other hand, if someone notices I've lost weight and asks how I'm doing it I say "I just track what I eat so I know I'm not eating too much or too little. It's kinda nice because I can eat whatever I want without overdoing it." Again, none of their business, but personally, I've seen so many friends struggle with fad diets or binge-starve cycles, and family members swearing that pasta causes weight gain no matter what, that if I can open up ONE person's mind about how simple (not easy, but simple) weight loss can be, I feel good about it. I never mention it or suggest it to people but if they ask how I'm doing it, I don't mind sharing.

geminigemz90 wrote: »

Do you have to explain to people why you are counting calories. I mean it’s none of there business.

You don't have to. You can be an *kitten* about it OR you can make it an opportunity to maybe help someone else with weight loss. Maybe they're just curious.

I always tell them if they ask. But, I don't offer the information. I mean, seriously. You're an adult, I assume. Make an adult decision about it.

LAWoman72 wrote: »

ekim2016 wrote: »

I have had them ask HOW I am losing weight... so if they are sincere, I give them a brief summary of how CICO works. Most just say wow or something like that.

I have had people ask. I answered, "Diet and exercise." This has never been met with any surprise. I did have one person sigh, "I was hoping there was some new secret out there," and we both laughed.

I have never once had to explain to a single person that when I lowered calories under what I was expending, weight loss happened. Middle schoolers know this.

I am surprised at the amount of people I have seen on threads on MFP saying they have literally had to explain this.

At one point I had lost almost 30 lbs. My friend asked how I did it and refused to believe my explanation that I was just counting calories and walking. She continued to send me article after article about raspberry keytones and magical green tea, even though she herself was trying those gimmicks and wondering why she wasn't losing weight.