The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[LongWay2go]

Just who should you tell that you are on a diet, MF or otherwise? I see that often discussed on the board by people who are embarrassed to tell their family and friends. I say, TELL EVERYONE!

Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your co-workers, tell the milk man, tell the grocery store checker, tell EVERYONE! Those who love and/or respect you will support you. Those who do not, well who cares?!?

We need all the support we can get. This board, while VERY supportative, does not go with you as you make your way through life each day. Your family, friends and coworkers do, and they'll help if they care.

Are you afraid of losing their respect? WHY? How can you not respect someone with the internal fortitude, will power and courage to lose excess weight! Those, my friends, are highly admirable qualities in a person. What determination you have!

I'm seriously thinking of having a t-shirt made that says "I'm losing weight and I feel great!" on the front and "If you see me eating food, please take it and run!" on the back. Why? Yes, it might seem embarrassing, but hey, think of the pats on the back you get and the well wishes from PERFECT STRANGERS!!! How on earth could you ask for better support than that! Yes, you'll hear some snickering. Don't you hear that now already? Give them something to snicker about! Turn it around and make it support instead of criticism.

Like I keep saying, WHATEVER IT TAKES!

- Gerald

[Carrie]

Gerald, you crack me up.

At first I hid my shakes, now I don't care who knows and who doesn't. I was worried about it ALL THE TIME, but then I 'got over it'. (Look Mike I actually got over something, LOL)

You've definitely got the right attitude

[Simmshe]

I agree Gerald--I don't think that being on Medifast is or should be embarrassing at all! I have only told those close to me and a couple of my co-workers. I don't want to broadcast that I'm following Medifast, not because I'm embarrassed but because of having to explain to ignorant folk what Medifast is. When people hear "fast"--they think Oprah Winfrey being on Optifast, or "that liquid diet," and how "she gained back all of her weight," so naturally, I (we) will, too (they think). Or they think it's a fad diet, unhealthy, and we are starving ourselves--not to mention fooling ourselves if we think this will have lasting results! It's just too much work for me to explain to certain people what Medifast is, how it works, how it's safe, what ketosis is, how I'm not starving myself, etc., etc. I don't have the patience for this. And quite frankly, for many people, I feel it's none of their business (not to be a jerk, but this is how I feel).

The people who should be in the know, are, and they are very supportive. For everyone else, I'm just on a strict weight loss plan and use some high-protein, nutritionally balanced drinks/supplements instead of regular food/meals. Some co-workers (whom I don't work closely with) have started noticing my weight loss, so naturally, I'm getting questions about what I'm doing. The above explanation is what I give to them and that ends the questions.

That's about it!

Sheryl

[RavenKat]

I didn't tell everyone because I wasn't sure I was going to succeed. I have often told people when I was on some diet and made quite a *donkey* of myself over not eating one thing or another. Only to be eating that same thing 3 days later. Humiliation, much?

SO, this time I decided I was doing it for me and only told after I was successful for a while. Need-to-know basis.

But, now that I've lost 54 pounds I tell anyone who mentions ANYthing that'll spark that topic in my mind. "It's Thursday? Oh - did I mention I have lost 54 pounds?"

Another thing, I didn't want to be held accountable. If I wanted to eat a *whatever* I didn't want my office mate glaring at me or chuckling that she knew I was a failure. That's why I have a hard time having told you all about it. Some days I'm angry that I am accountable. Stupid? Yes.

Kat
trying not to use up TOO much work time on the board today

[DutchChoc]

Yup, that's how my mind works too, Ravenkat. Pretty much exactly. I somehow need to or want to feel like I'm not penned in by anyone else's expectations... and yet, I suppose that I am QUITE responsive to all of that, anyway. I also didn't want to be a spectacle for saying one thing and doing another, for which I am almost legendary where dieting is concerned.

Yeah to you for the 54 pound loss!!!! Hard to hide things, like your success, these days I'll bet!! I'm very happy for you.

[need2succeed-nli]

Gerald, you crack me up.

At first I hid my shakes, now I don't care who knows and who doesn't. I was worried about it ALL THE TIME, but then I 'got over it'. (Look Mike I actually got over something, LOL)

You've definitely got the right attitude

I guess I'm still in that phase. I'm a very private person, and kind of self concious as the only overweight person in my lab. I think I would be even more embarassed to mention anything about diabetes. lol

[SusannaRosannaDanna]

Me three! Well, mostly I guess! I don't like to tell people because then if they see me snarfing down at the pizza buffet, they won't shake heads and whisper about what a failure I am and how I am going to die in a pile of pepperoni someday. THIS TIME I have told people--I decided that even thought I HATE being accountable, I NEED to be. It boils down to the fact that I can trust myself not to disappoint others more than I can trust myself not to disappoint ME. I know that is sad, but it's the truth.
I do not tell my parents, other than to say I am "trying to cut back" because I never got past the age of 12 in their eyes and the constant barrage of advice and opinions from that camp (it's horrible--the people are naturally skin and bone and always have been) would drive me insane and cause me to crawl into a bowl of buttered popcorn. Even with me saying that I am cutting back, my mother still follows me around, fretting, "You can have ONE chicken leg, can't you? Here--take a bite of this cheese/broccoli casserole! ONE BITE won't hurt you! You can't STARVE YOURSELF!' and on and on and on ...LOL...I can handle her, it just takes work, and I figure that since my MAIN objective is to get this unhealthy fat off of ME, anything that makes that easier is a good thing--and not "elaborating" on my weight loss technique is one of those things that makes my life easier at this point!

Susanna<--I wonder how many calories you burn typing a novella-post?? LOL

[LongWay2go]

RavenKat said:

But, now that I've lost 54 pounds I tell anyone who mentions ANYthing that'll spark that topic in my mind. "It's Thursday? Oh - did I mention I have lost 54 pounds?"

Kat, I've read your post like 6 times now and every time I do that cracks me up! You are one awesome woman and a great inspiration to all of us!

- Gerald