Your weight loss: private or public?

13

Replies

  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    DEF 300% private. I discuss it with maybe 3 people one of whom i live with. I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary. I'm doing it for me and just like my relationship Im not inviting anyone in.

    "I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary"

    I have to say lmpi - you're in the wrong place here! Opinions, suggestiions and commentaries are in abundance!
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    DEF 300% private. I discuss it with maybe 3 people one of whom i live with. I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary. I'm doing it for me and just like my relationship Im not inviting anyone in.

    "I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary"

    I have to say lmpi - you're in the wrong place here! Opinions, suggestiions and commentaries are in abundance!
    That doesn't mean you have to leave your diary open to everyone. She isn't in the wrong place at all. MFP is customizable and is what you make it. Everyone has their own strategy and way of doing things. That doesn't mean she's doing it wrong. I don't welcome suggestions or commentary either because I know what I am doing and have been successful. That doesn't mean I don't belong here.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Very much private. I think telling other people your intentions is a really stupid thing to do. No one will be happy for you, they will all try to undermine you or point out where you go wrong or just be generally irritating and talk about it. No one wants anyone else to lose weight, that makes them more of a threat. Do it yourself, for you, and let them all comment when you succeed, rather than to make you fail.
    You must have really ****ty friends, I've had nothing but positivity!

    Not really. I didn't tell anyone so I didn't find out what the reaction was either way, but it doesn't strike me as a good idea to ever tell anyone something you intend to do, as it can only be a let down if you fail. Much better to get on and do it, but only be accountable to yourself.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    DEF 300% private. I discuss it with maybe 3 people one of whom i live with. I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary. I'm doing it for me and just like my relationship Im not inviting anyone in. If ppl notice and comment a curt thank you suffices and I keep it moving.

    Yes, this, exactly. My weight is none of anyone else's business. AT ALL.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Also, I find talking about dieting really cringe and boring in RL. I don't want to discuss diets with people, I couldn't give a toss what they are doing to lose weight, and I don't want to share what I am doing. If you tell people, it becomes all they ever talk about, and for me, what I eat is a minor minor, almost irrelevant part of my life. I couldn't bear to be one of those people who goes on about dieting all the time. It's trivial.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    Very much private. I think telling other people your intentions is a really stupid thing to do. No one will be happy for you, they will all try to undermine you or point out where you go wrong or just be generally irritating and talk about it. No one wants anyone else to lose weight, that makes them more of a threat. Do it yourself, for you, and let them all comment when you succeed, rather than to make you fail.

    You must have really sucky friends.. I'm sorry for you.

    Not at all. As I said before, I didn't tell anyone, so I didn't get a reaction either way. I am speaking from what people say constantly on here. I would never EVER tell anyone that I was going on a diet. I don't even believe in dieting. I think it's a load of crock. Eat well, exercise. That's all there is to it. What is there to tell?
  • Impy84
    Impy84 Posts: 430
    sigh..... (if only i had work to do)
    I don't feel as though I'm in the wrong place. I use MFP for me. The motivation threads for motivation the success threads for inspiration. Neither require comments or opinions. I cheer for others and take inspiration from the.

    My answer to the thread was based in real life. As in no opinions from coworkers, mere acquaintances etc.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Not at all. As I said before, I didn't tell anyone, so I didn't get a reaction either way. I am speaking from what people say constantly on here. I would never EVER tell anyone that I was going on a diet. I don't even believe in dieting. I think it's a load of crock. Eat well, exercise. That's all there is to it. What is there to tell?

    LOL!

    Isn't it weird that we have to defend ourselves and put up with comments about having sucky friends and feelings of pity, just because we choose to not have what we eat, how we work out, when we eat, etc. the topic of conversation with others?
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    My boyfriend knows, my dad knows and my 2 best friends know. That's it. I only tell people if I know they're going to be supportive :)
  • Shrinking_Moody
    Shrinking_Moody Posts: 270 Member
    Mine is basically private. My husband knows obvioulsy because he lives here - but I don't really want anyone else to know. I tend to sabatoge myself that way.
  • Shrinking_Moody
    Shrinking_Moody Posts: 270 Member
    Very much private. I think telling other people your intentions is a really stupid thing to do. No one will be happy for you, they will all try to undermine you or point out where you go wrong or just be generally irritating and talk about it. No one wants anyone else to lose weight, that makes them more of a threat. Do it yourself, for you, and let them all comment when you succeed, rather than to make you fail.

    You must have really sucky friends.. I'm sorry for you.

    Not at all. As I said before, I didn't tell anyone, so I didn't get a reaction either way. I am speaking from what people say constantly on here. I would never EVER tell anyone that I was going on a diet. I don't even believe in dieting. I think it's a load of crock. Eat well, exercise. That's all there is to it. What is there to tell?

    I can relate to this - it seem like everytime I tell my mother (who is also overweight) - she tries to sabatoge it - "why don't you want to go out to lunch with me?" "come have cake" - blah blah blah.
  • litatura
    litatura Posts: 569 Member
    Mine has been pretty private in that I don't talk about it unless somebody asks, but a lot of people obviously end up asking because I've dropped a ton of weight over the past year. A lot of this stems from being embarrassed by the fact that I was significantly overweight, which I'm trying to get over.
  • Jenny111372
    Jenny111372 Posts: 87 Member
    As public as my Facebook is.. :) Granted I only have family and friends on there..friends I actually know. They may get tired of seeing my weekly weigh-in posts but I've not had any negative comments..only positive and besides, WHO CARES, I'm darn proud of my accomplishments and if they don't like to hear/read about it they can skip it or delete me! :)
  • snoopynut1972
    snoopynut1972 Posts: 49 Member
    I love reading your weekly weigh-in progress on FB Jenny!! Keeps me motivated too!!

    And I totally agree with Jenny. I post it on FB, my co-workers know I'm moving towards a healthier lifestyle - in fact several of them have joined me and we have our own little support group going. We eat together, we walk together, and we are all on MFP. Having friends along for the ride makes it more enjoyable and keeps me going.

    Glad I have such a supportive group of Friends and Family around me. Not just for my weight loss, but for every aspect of my life.
  • pamfm
    pamfm Posts: 93 Member
    I'm publicly open about "trying to get back in shape" and lifting weights.

    I'm more private about calorie counting, adjusting my macros, and lifting heavy. Mentioning those three things seems to invite unsolicited nutritional advice, or good-intentioned worrying that I'm either going to take things too far and get bulky, or develop an eating disorder. (My husband, bless him, worried simultaneously about the bulk, and the ED, when I first mentioned my goals.) Plus, having been fit for most of my life, and a former athlete, I'm honestly embarrassed that I let myself get out of shape in the first place, and even more embarrassed that I let it go so long that some of my (newer) good friends have only ever known me to be chubby. I don't like to talk about it, I just want to reverse it!
  • dogacreek
    dogacreek Posts: 289 Member
    I started my journey "private". My hubby knew I was trying to eat right and low calorie and he has supported me 150%. I am lucky having him beside me. Gradually a couple of girlfriends noticed and asked if I had lost weight. I told them I was working on it. One of them started going to zumba classes with me so it became a buddy effort. When people started noticing at work, I told them the same thing about how I was working on it. They are great supporters now. Some people are telling me not to lose any more weight, but I still have about 35 pounds to go. I guess you can never please everyone, but I don't intend to - this is MY journey. :smile:
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    DEF 300% private. I discuss it with maybe 3 people one of whom i live with. I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary. I'm doing it for me and just like my relationship Im not inviting anyone in.

    "I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary"

    I have to say lmpi - you're in the wrong place here! Opinions, suggestiions and commentaries are in abundance!
    That doesn't mean you have to leave your diary open to everyone. She isn't in the wrong place at all. MFP is customizable and is what you make it. Everyone has their own strategy and way of doing things. That doesn't mean she's doing it wrong. I don't welcome suggestions or commentary either because I know what I am doing and have been successful. That doesn't mean I don't belong here.

    It wasn't a dig at her, just a light-hearted assessment of what unfortunately it's like on here sometimes! Some of us have an opinion and suggestion on everything and will offer it up whether you want it or not!
  • EliTheRev
    EliTheRev Posts: 12 Member
    Very public. On Google+ and my blog http://HealthyHikikomori.com
  • bulbadoof
    bulbadoof Posts: 1,058 Member
    I find being public about it keeps me accountable. I talk to my friends about it often - to the point they're probably sick of hearing about it, lol.
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    DEF 300% private. I discuss it with maybe 3 people one of whom i live with. I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary. I'm doing it for me and just like my relationship Im not inviting anyone in.

    "I don't need opinions suggestions or commentary"

    I have to say lmpi - you're in the wrong place here! Opinions, suggestiions and commentaries are in abundance!
    That doesn't mean you have to leave your diary open to everyone. She isn't in the wrong place at all. MFP is customizable and is what you make it. Everyone has their own strategy and way of doing things. That doesn't mean she's doing it wrong. I don't welcome suggestions or commentary either because I know what I am doing and have been successful. That doesn't mean I don't belong here.

    It wasn't a dig at her, just a light-hearted assessment of what unfortunately it's like on here sometimes! Some of us have an opinion and suggestion on everything and will offer it up whether you want it or not!
    You can choose your friends and to keep your diary closed. If someone started to get critical with me, I would take care of it. You can choose the MFP you want. That is what I am saying.
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
    MIne is public, some of the people I know want me to loose weight, and some of them think I look fine. But then both of those groups keep making pregnancy jokes and the ones who think they are pregnant keep saying it would be great if we were all pregnant together and they are seriouse. So I chose to let them know I'm loosing weight/getting strong because I am tiered of hearing this joke. Its not like trying to hide it is going to keep them from knowing, they were able to see me gain the weight so its not like they won't be able to see me loose it , fat is kind of hard to overlook.
  • b1505
    b1505 Posts: 102 Member
    My family know about it because I've been eating healthier and exercising so it'd be hard for them not to notice but I haven't told any of my friends. I'm scared of failing and being judged on how fast/slow I'm losing the weight so I'm just going to try for now and when I reach my first goal I might tell my close friends. One of my best friends has gone travelling until the end of August (she went at the end of May) so I'm hoping that she will notice a difference when she returns.
  • Stasha17
    Stasha17 Posts: 28
    I keep my weight loss public. Mainly for accoutablilty. The last time I tried to lose, I was kinda just doing my own thing so when I failed no one really knew so I kinda snuck my 35 pound gain in. But now I share my struggles and sucess. But its hard sometime cause people still make comments negative and postive. I have noticed since I've put myself out there it has helped my friends and family. Everybody is joining the movement. #TeamFitness
  • edyta70
    edyta70 Posts: 47 Member
    I prefer it private for the same reasons..

    Some people like it public to prove people wrong, to show them they can. I think these people are very brave!
  • ednawhatnot
    ednawhatnot Posts: 93 Member
    Very public. I have a weight loss progress photo album on Facebook and quite a few Twitter friends also using MFP. There are also lots of people at work trying to get fitter so we all encourage each other. I have never had so much support, I really am lucky to have such great friends.
  • fromfattofine
    fromfattofine Posts: 80 Member
    I prefer my journey be private but I did tell a cousin of mine and it went public from there. Next thing I knew everybody was telling me they heard I had lost weight and what am I doing? So I avoid those people now and just do me. I do better when I'm on my journey by myself.
  • Kat200
    Kat200 Posts: 3
    Private. I don't want people to be all "You're already skinny" and try to deter me from reaching my goal
  • DinahKyle
    DinahKyle Posts: 186 Member
    Honestly it's hard for people to not notice with me-I went from being a homebody and couch potato to constantly talking about the gym lol. I didn't even notice it. People kindof just clued in.

    If people ask what I am doing then I tell them the basics. - But I don't go around bragging about in or anything.

    I work so often that by the time I have seen my friends it has been a month and I've changed enough that they feel the need to ask anyways haha.
  • lisaann514
    lisaann514 Posts: 1 Member
    I tend to be a private person so I have only told a couple of people. I turned my husband on to this site so we tend to keep each other motivated and he is all the support I need.
  • marie_cressman
    marie_cressman Posts: 980 Member
    i tell the world! i don't mind sharing. it keeps me accountable and at the same time,when i screw up and gain or whatever, it lets people know i'm only human and i make mistakes. i have lost and gained weight. once, getting down to 179lbs and getting all the way back up to 235lbs (i was deeply depressed at this point). i'm now at 183lbs and still working my way down. i don't mind sharing that part because it's life. i screwed up and gave up, but i'm back again and that's what matters.