I admit that I haven't told most of my friends about my low carb diet/lifestyle. I started in October, and want to lose a total of 25 pounds (about 15 gone). Although some have noticed the weight loss, not many have. This time I just don't want to get into it. I'm not sure why. I don't feel like I want to be under scrutiny; I don't want to highlight the fact that I've been heavier than I wanted; i don't feel like debating the merits and downfalls of various diets; i'm not totally sure why.

One of the (several) negative things about this is that on a few occasions, I know I've cheated because of this. For example, last night my friend made a "decadent chocolate cake" for our new year's celebration. I didn't want to insult her, I wanted to participate and have some, she spent a lot of time on it, so I had some (not much though, probably only 1/3 as much as I normally would have. it was fabulous). I had been so good during dinner (dinner is easy! i just skipped the mashed potatoes). This isn't a frequent problem, though.

I'm just wondering if anyone else is doing this on the sly. Most people talk about support they get, etc. My husband of course is supportive, and my family. But I just don't feel like having my whole town talk about it. Is this weak?

thanks!

Well, I've spoken of it to the people I immediately work with, as they see me daily.

Yesterday, I actually told a couple people in the same general area, but who I don't work with directly (daily).

I'm not keeping it secret, but I'm not broadcasting it either - mainly because I'm not doing it for the weight loss, but the health benefits. So, I don't have a scale and keep track of lost weight - I just am happy with the health I've experienced.

I made sure all my family and friends knew. It "most" cases it helped.The only one who was very negative was an inlaw who lost and regained her weight using diet pills....

I didn't tell anyone other than my husband when I started. However, now that I have lost over 100 pounds almost everyone I know has figured it out because they have noticed my weight loss (I'm down about five clothing sizes, so it is hard to miss) and asked. I have had people I don't even recognize ask me how I have lost so much weight.

Despite the fact that I didn't tell anyone what I was doing, I never went off plan when out in public. If someone offered me something I didn't want, I just said "No thank you" or "That looks wonderful, but I"m stuffed." It really isn't polite of anyone to push food on you after you say something like that. If worse comes to worse, you can always take a little piece and play with it for a few minutes on your plate.

I pretty much keep it to myself, but now that I'm 40 lb lighter and my face has thinned, a lot of my co-workers noticed and asked how I did it. My next door neighbor even asked if I was sick, hahaha. I'll tell you the truth - all of them were curious how I did it, and none of them were critical. They were impressed, because the results speak for themselves, after all.

To be perfectly honest, I found all the attention to be embarrassing, because I'm a bit of an introvert.

What is *very* discouraging is that my family (in-laws) are very unsupportive and extremely negative about *any* kind of diet. We spend a lot of time with them, so it's an ongoing issue that keeps coming up. You also can't hide the fact that you are doing LC from your spouse.

I regularly get comments from my wife about not eating enough food, that it's OK to have a potato, and questions like "when am I going to start eating normal again?" She must pay closer attention to what I eat than I do! And it's not because she's worried about my health - it's something else... it's the weight. Her whole family is way overweight. And now I'm not.

I don't make a big deal about this WOE, but her family does. If I decline something that is served, or if I have a salad at the restaurant instead of some massive meal, a big conversation starts about how I eat. It pretty much sucks because I have several obese people (with attendant health problems) ganging up on me and my eating habits. I don't try to justify myself or point out the issues of *their* eating habits - I just try to get the subject changed as quickly as possible!

On the bright side, at least they haven't yet ridiculed the fact that I exercise and no longer drink

So to answer your question, no, I *don't* think it's weak to not let anyone know you are LC. If they ask you point-blank, tell them the truth - lying about it will make you less of a person. Beyond that, I wouldn't find it necessary to tell anyone. After all, you have this forum to discuss things with like-minded people, right?

I would have to say, anyone who knows me knows I do doing Atkins. And now I hear about those who I don't know asking friends how I lost the weight. So I guess everyone knows!

My Dh and family and co workers know that im Lcing...other than that...I dont tell unless they ask. Im not trying to hide it...yet I dont announce it...I still find it very embarassing when people comment...on my weight loss..and I find I dont want to tell them I lost 93lbs...cause then they say..well how much did you weigh...then they say...wow you were really heavy...then all the good cheer seems to come crashing down...in my mind..so I just say I lost alot...and tell them my weight now..and say Im not really keeping track of my loss...Silly I know...

I would tell anyone who truly cared about me and my well being..

Janet

lol people passing on the street know im on it.. not really but close

I only told my parents and girlfriend that I was doing Atkins. Recently, I did tell a lady I was doing it, after she told me how much weight I had lost since we last saw each other. My friends suspect I am doing something but haven't called me on it yet. I will face the music someday but not in any hurry to do it right now. I have heard them chastise a person they knew that was doing Atkins before I even started it. I will confront them if they question me about it and tell them that you can't knock something that works for someone even though you are skeptical.

I posted about it in my online parenting group- hubby and I are actually starting the diet on sunday. I think people are misinformed about the Atkins diet and really don't know anything about it. I had several people tell me how horrible it was and to be careful.
Well after everything I've read the past few days it makes complete sense to me! Especially being hypothyroid and with my allergies and chronic bronchitis, the doctor said that will all change. And I trust my doctor over anyone else when it comes to my health. He did say if I started to feel dizzy or faint the first 2 weeks he did want me to come in and have my blood sugar tested. That was his only concern.

I have been doing Atkins since September. I usually just say LCing to friends and family, if asked. I too, do not enjoy all of the attention. My MIL yells about it at the top of her lungs every time I see her.. ugh.

DH and I both started atkins in august but didn't tell anyone.
Both sons have been home to visit, so they both know.
No-one else does, and we prefer to keep it that way. It is a personal matter.
If people comment on me not eating biscuits, I just say I'm 'slimming'.

I can't bear it when other people go on and on and on about their diets, and exercise, so I keep myself to myself.

I didn't tell anyone when I first started. What was the point? It wasn't going to work. Nothing ever had.

Now that I've gone down four jean sizes, I brag about it all the time and can bore people to death about the diet.

I eat dinner out weekly with a local "computer group" -- at a different restaurant each week. The membership of the group is appx. 100 people, with about 20-30 showing up any given week.

About 80% of the people who come to these dinners are overweight. I am usually the thinnest female there, and my partner is always the thinnest male there.

I don't make a big issue of eating low carb, but do try to "lead by example" and always make healthy menu choices and never eat dessert. When asked about weight loss (they have seen me lose, gain, and lose again over the last 2 years) I mention Atkins, and they all agree that they should lose weight, but unfortunately none seems motivated to take the first step. I don't ever get any negative comments from them, but it is kind of disheartening to see them agreeing that they need to lose weight between bites of their chocolate decadence brownie pie dessert.

So I'll just continue to subtly advertise low-carb/healthy eating, and hope that some day my friends will take the hint and make steps in the direction of their health.

Joan

It is funny, because sometimes I feel like the whole world knows..and I dont even try to broadcast it. When I started, I didnt tell anyone but family and close friends, but my boyfriend who started at the same time told EVERYONE he knew...eventually, everyone I knew started asking me about it. People were very critical and skeptical at first, but that died down after a few months. Now, people that I know only as customers from work keep asking "How did you lose all that weight?" So, I have to get into some sort of brief discussion about it almost daily! I don't mind talking about it, but I don't want to seem preachy either - so I always keep discussions brief, unless the other party seems very interested. It's funny how much it seems to come up in conversation now though...God knows, we never would have talked about how FAT I was this much before! LOL.