I try to make eye contact, smile, and say something like "Yes, I am (slimming down)" or "Yes, I have (lost weight)." No details unless I have no other option because like @fatoldladyonamission said CICO is too boring and people always feel compelled to suggest faster ways I could lose weight, etc. If they do start pitching the latest fads, I just keep that smile plastered on my face and let them talk. Then, I try to always end the conversation with a thanks because I do appreciate their notice and appreciation of my efforts.

CICO Calories in Calories out

@keeblerelfkin Wow. What a back-handed compliment they're giving you! Maybe it's just me, but that sounds a lot like, "You look better than you did, but you're still not great!"

Most people don't notice my weight loss at all until I mention it though. Usually they'll notice I'm eating differently or want to know why I'm turning down donuts, etc and I'll say, "I'm counting my calories," which leads to unsolicited advice on the diet or cleanse or whatever they think I should do, so I'll cut that short by saying, "Well, what I'm doing is working pretty well for me so far! I've lost almost 40 lbs." Then suddenly they can tell a difference. lol

@fatoldladyonamission & @losingles It's crazy how many people want to give that unsolicited advice. It seems like I'm always doing something wrong! Either I'm eating too few calories for my size or too many calories or drinking too much water or too much diet coke or depriving myself too much. Everyone seems to feel entitled to their opinion about what I put into my own body, especially when they find out I'm consciously making healthier decisions... I don't know what it is, but it sure aggravates me. And when I lost 100 lbs in my early 20's I had a coworker who just absolutely refused to believe I did it by counting calories and exercising. I actually found out she was going around telling everyone that I had weight loss surgery and didn't want to admit it. I kept thinking, "So, when exactly was I off work long enough for this supposed surgery??"

I realized recently while carrying in pellets for my stove that I had lost the equivalent of 2 1/2 of those bags. I couldn't carry 2 of them into the house at the same time and yet I realized that I had been carrying that much extra weight on my body for years!

I've also managed to lose over one 80lb bag of quick crete concrete mix, or the equivalent of three 8" concrete blocks.

I love charts like the above, @Keeblerelfkin - they really help put things into perspective!

@Keeblerelfkin I love it!! I've lost a mid-sized microwave and an average human brain! ...wait a minute.

Ooh it didn’t kitten out my bloody hell! Guess it doesn’t do English swearing haha!

I had lost about 75 lbs a few years ago (believe me, I had PLENTY more to lose at that point). But as soon as people started commenting that I looked like I had lost weight, I started slacking for some reason. I didn't purposely say to myself, well I look better now so I can have more brownies for dessert... I think in a way, I suddenly felt more pressure to do well, and that slowed me down. I don't usually tell people I'm trying to lose weight for that exact reason.

@fatoldladyonamission Oh I know how that goes, except in my case, it's my brother. We both have struggled with weight for years, and he was bad for yo-yoing and trying different fads from all kinds of supplements to some diet plan that involved pre-portioned color-coded cups to intermittent fasting to all kinds of things, and each time, he'd be quick to try to talk me into getting on board with his idea because "you'd loose so much more weight!" I'd just say that men and women lose weight different and what works for some won't work for others, and calorie counting is working for me so I'll just stick with it.

I lost some weight in college but gained it all back and then some when I entered the work force. In 2012, I lost 90 lbs calorie counting, but I plateaued and struggled to lose more, I had a roommate who while trying to be supportive had no interest in cleaning up their own diet, so there was temptation everywhere, I was struggling with stress and depression, and then I found I had thyroid cancer. A lot of factors just piled up on me, and in the next 5 years, I gain 98% of it back. That's a killer because it really heaps on the guilt. Thankfully, I still had a lot of support from folks I work with who were quick to really be encouraging when I started losing again, but then again, I wasn't around them when I lost it the first time.....

that might be why my mother doesn't discuss it with me. She's really quick to talk to folks about my brother's weight loss and how fantastic he looks after losing 180 lbs in 4 months due to WLS, but she doesn't often tell folks that I'm losing weight (and I know this by the shocked look I get from folks who haven't seen me for a while) and for hte longest time, she wouldn't talk about my weight loss at all. I guess she's in the mindset that I've has done this before and gained it back, so she's kind of holding her breath and waiting to see if its going to stick this time around.