Does your family and friends know?

[Samandmom]

I was just wondering if your family and friends know about your new Way of Life? My DH obviously knows. But do you tell other family members? When I first started WW I marked some grocery items with the POINTS value on them. My nephew saw this and asked if I was on WW. I told him yes and not to say anything to anyone. I just told my sister last week. She had told me how her DH and MIL joined WW. I then told her I was on WW also. Tonight I had dinner at my SIL and she does not know. I suppose if she knew she could of worked with me and I could of prepared my side dishes separtly without the added fat.
My reasoning for not wanting to let my family know is that
1. I don't want anyone saying themselves "should she eat that?"
2. I don't want anyone to make a big deal
3. I want for family or friends to approach me and ask how I lost all the weight and then I would tell them.

I am I the only who does not tell family and friends about my New way of Life?

 

[catherine]

When I first started out on this journey I didn't really tell anyone apart from my DH and DD's. I didn't really feel the need to share it with anyone else. Now that I have lost well over 100lbs it is a bit difficult to keep it to myself So if someone asks me about my weight loss, I tell them a little bit about what I am doing, but I generally don't broadcast it!

 

[Nancy]

I told people after I started losing the weight. It actually helps me stay on WW because if all these people know I'm not going to get lazy and gain the weight back...I'd hate to be looked at like a failure.

 

[helenk]

I did not tell people right away,(I did not even say anything to my husband) because I really did not have a plan, I just started cutting down on my portions and I was already walking to get ready for my trip to WDW. I like others was afraid to tell other people for fear that I would be "good" for awhile and then go back to my old ways. I figured if I failed no one would be the wiser.
Once I lost 25 pounds, I started on the South Beach diet so little by little I would say something to my family and then to my co-workers.
Now that I have lost a total of 52 pounds people are now asking me what plan I'm on.

 

[ZerasPride]

I started out on this journey wanting it to be as private as my midnight rendevous had been with my pints of Haagan Daas ice cream.

DH knew because we had decided to do South Beach together and of course our son knew because his eating habits were about to change. Very few people at work knew and no one in my family did because like others have mentioned, I didn't want public opinion about what I was or wasn't putting in my mouth and if I failed, the shame would be private and I wouldn't have to feel like I'd let down the whole world.

After losing almost 50 pounds, it's impossible to keep it to myself. People at work, my place of worship, family and friends all want to know how I am doing it. I even had one coworker and one family friend both say they hoped I don't get "too skinny". Get for real I'm over 230 pounds and I'm 5 feet tall so there's no chance of that happening anytime soon.

I like that people know now. It helps to keep me accountable but I never want to lose sight of one important thing. This weight loss is for and about me, me, me and no one else! Keeping that in mind stops me from being scared of failing in other people's eyes. This is MY weight problem, MY body and it's MY food I put in MY mouth. No one wakes up at 5:30 in the morning to exercise with me and nobody is with me as I pass up the donuts and other junk at work. As long as I keep focused, I think I'll be alright with the fact that my weight loss has become so public.

 

[septbride2002]

Not everyone knows. My DH, Mom, and a couple of co-workers know. I've talked to my SIL about it a little but otherwise I've told no one. I just don't like everyone to know that I have to diet. And I don't like to hear criticism of low carb.

~Amanda

 

[FreshTressa]

I am usually like that, I don't tell anyone because I don't want them to see me fail. I usually don't even tell my husband.

But this time I have told everyone, and everyone is being supportive and not reacting at all how I thought.

I think it really helps me for everyone to know, then I can talk about it and it keeps it in my head. Also, it helps make me feel accountable.

So, this time, everyone knows.....all my family and friends.

 

[kayeandjim00]

What an interesting thread! To begin with DH and I told NO ONE! For many reasons - the main one is that we would fail - yet again and be embarrased. :0 Or as others have mentioned if well meaning friends would mention what we were eating if they thought we were off plan. We usually eat dinner with DH's parents once a week and they are supportive of anything we do and we knew that they would try to change what everyone was eating in an effort to help us and we didn't want them to do that. Part of this for us was learning how to deal with the curveballs that come up in life - eating out, being faced with food that isn't the best for us, etc. I ended up telling a co worker after a few weeks and that was it. Between the 2 of us we have lost 149 lbs! (100 for DH/49 for me) and now people we know comment all the time about it. It's a good feeling knowing they are commenting not "just to be nice" as they know we are dieting but because the changes ARE visible!! Now most of our close friends and family know. The one exception is MY family. My family lives about 1,000 miles away and I usually see them once a year. Last year when I visited I was at my highest weight ever and though no one mentioned it I know they all noticed and I was embarrased that I had let myself get to that point. Sooo when the weight started coming off I decided to still not mention it. When they see DH and I this year they are going to be shocked! Can't wait to see their faces!!

 

[nativetxn]

Everyone in my family knows we're on Atkins. First we told my brother and <i>he</i> got on Atkins too. Then a couple of months later we went to Houston to visit my husband's mother and sister and <b>they</b> started eating that way too. As a matter of fact, my MIL has not had to take insulin since her second day on Atkins.

Then in April, we went to visit our son and he was so impressed with our progress and what we could eat that <i>he</i> started on Atkins, too. He has gone from a size 40 waist to size 32 in 6 months. He is very pleased

So when we have family gatherings, the meals are always Atkins friendly. It's kind of neat

 

[mowsie dreamer]

I told most of my family from the beginning, but I didn't tell anyone at work for a while. Like a lot of the rest of you, I didn't want to feel like everyone was looking over my shoulder all the time and I was afraid I would fail. After a couple of weeks, I felt more confident that I would stick with this, so I told several people at work. The rest have found out as my losses have become more obvious.

Now almost everyone knows that I have a weight loss program going. And I'm comfortable with that now. I'm doing this for me and I really don't care what anyone else thinks anymore. (I do like the compliments, though ) Actually I've found most people to be very supportive. That's been one of the nicest parts of this, and one that I didn't really anticipate.

 

[luv2nascar]

At first DH and I told no one
We still don't announce we are following SBD
we just say we are watching our carbs
I feels so with company though
everywhere you go has low carb menu
so many people where I work are on low carb diets
or just plain eating healthy and exercising
I feel I'm in the majority not the minority

 

[KathyTX]

Of course, my immediate family knew from the beginning what I was doing. I was buying different food, and the points values written on on the food packaging in black Sharpie was a dead giveaway! DS and DH have been good about supporting me, and DS helps calculate points for me.

Other than that, I don't announce to anyone what I'm doing. But if anyone asks, I'm happy to tell them how I've made the changes.