Do you tell people?

[SilkFloss]

Well, just that really.
There are strong opinions flying about re: these injections, with the implication that it's somehow cheating to use them.
So, I'm interested to know what you all "admit" to, re: your weight loss?
And for those who tell people what they're using, what sort of reaction do you get?
And for those who don't want to tell others (and after all, it's none of their business but people will comment) how do you explain your success after years of struggling?
I can't decide what to do, if and when I take the plunge.

I have not told anyone apart from my partner. I don't intend to tell anyone even if they ask. Although I've lost more than 3 stone, I am still obese by a fair way so no one is commenting as yet. Perhaps they will when I'm nearer to the lower end of obese. I will tell them that I've been eating less and moving more which is true, although a lie by omission as it's the Mounjaro that's helping me achieve that.

I have written about this before ... but what the heck sorry if I bore you. This is long and wonders about a bit but I will get to my point.

I love going out on my bike around the country lane where I live. Often as I am plodding up a hill, other younger, slimmer, faster, people breeze past me. They usually offer encouragement or a cheery comment ....all is fine.
Occasionally though the person going past me is on an electric bike. What is weird is that some of these people offer an apology because they are not doing it under their own power (this is fine, they know the score and so do I). But sometimes they offer less helpful comments and this I resent. Often these comments seem to imply that because they are going up the hill faster/easier than I they are somehow superior. This is bollocks I could buy and electric bike but chose not to.
If I think I am putting in the effort and they are cheating it would be easy to resent them.

However, I am part of a small group of people who sometimes ride together. We are not fast but we do travel some distances and they are good company and I enjoy those rides. One of the people I ride with had a heart problem, he is very fit for his age but time has caught up with him and as a result could no longer ride with us. But then he got an electric bike and he was able to re-join us, I was delighted he was back.

Reflecting upon this I have come to appreciate that electric bikes are fine and enable people to get out and ride and riding is never a bad thing. If more people had electric bikes then more people would use them there would be fewer cars on the road and we as a nation would be fitter (and I believe happier).

I am using Mounjaro to help me lose weight that is just another thing that helps me lose weight...I could have had surgery or hypnotherapy or any number of other means, but this is the one I am using and it is nobody else's issue how I chose to lose weight.

I don't tell anyone how I am losing weight ... I don't need to.

What I won't do is show off how much I am losing, or put down anybody else's efforts.

Sorry it was lo protracted.

Trouble is, I talk too much and am honest. So, having bored the pants off people in the past when I'm on a weight-loss journey, I'm sure eyebrows will be raised if I start losing loads and don't bang on about it.

I've only told DH and my best friend, she started on MJ at the same time as I did and we've had very similar weight struggles of the years so she understands. Having read the threads on MN (outside of lovely posters this topic board) this has confirmed to me that it's the correct decision.

Yes, because shame doesn't help anyone.

Love the electric bike analogy, you're a genius!

I've not told many people - family and two people who I knew I were already on them.

I've not told others because I was discussing the medications with someone before I started taking them - in a really positive fashion and how helpful I thought they'd be - and they were massively judgemental and opposed so I figured I wouldn't invite that judgement to be applied to myself.

I hate it when people ask about it though - I'm pleased I'm looking healthier and that they've noticed that but when they ask what I'm doing I find it super awkward. I'd not really had anyone notice until recently but I've hit 3 stone lost and I think it's becoming more obvious now.

I'm not ashamed. I'm just a very private person in general, and I also don't see any value in uninformed friends, relatives, or acquaintances' opinions or judgments on what is a personal medical decision.

Weight loss shaming is a new tool to beat people with sadly.

@Summerhillsquare Thank you DP tells me I waffle too much at times when making a point but I hope the point was made.

Only DH, and he's sworn to secrecy. I know someone who gets a weight loss injection via the NHS, and the amount of negativity I heard heard from mutual friends has been quite extreme. No way am I putting myself in the firing line for that.

I’ve never used them but a few people have told me they are using them. Not even people I’m close with just people I pass at work. It seems people can’t wait to share what they are doing lol.

No and I won't. Well my mom knows and dh. But my closest friend I wouldn't even tell as I know she would see it as cheating. She likes to work out and tell me how I should be doing it as much as her, bear in mind her kids are both in school now and she is a cleaner for a living.
I have two under 2 at home so am always on the move myself but I don't have the time to exercise properly because I'm in demand all the time with the kids !!

I haven’t told a single person in real life, not even my DH.
I’ve been on Mounjaro since May and have lost over 3 stone so I’ve had plenty of comments on my weight loss from friends, family and my customers.
I tell them my GP looked me directly in the eyes and said I must lose weight to avoid future health problems. This is true.
I also tell them, if they ask how, that I’ve stopped eating processed foods, added sugar, takeaways and white carbs. This is also true.
I then tell them that I’ve increased my exercise, again, also true.
So, no, I’m not lying, I’m just omitting the Mounjaro injections I have every week!

Fair enough !! Nothing you're saying is a lie as you've said

only my DH.

my policy is ask me no questions I’ll tell you no lies…absolutely no one is asking and I’ve lost 20kg now which friends have either not noticed or not commented on 🤷🏻‍♀️

I've only told my DH and adult DS. I think I would only tell someone else if they were looking for help/ advice to lose weight themselves, as I don't want the judgement so many have experienced.

I was scared to try MJ, but it was following the journeys of the MN MJ pioneers (like ObsidianTree, OP of the original main thread) that made me see it was worth looking into further. So glad I did! 30lbs lost in 12 weeks so far, with minimal side effects.

No - but I stopped telling people about any of my weight loss attempts several years ago. I realised that not only is it boring it is unhelpful - I feel empowered NOT talking about it. I've got less than zero interest in hearing anyone's opinions about these injections or fielding their questions.

DH knows but I don't discuss it with him. Been on it for 13.5 weeks now and I haven't once mentioned how much I have lost (25 lbs). He does know about some side effects though, but otherwise we don't discuss it.

Nope. My husband knows and there are a few people I might tell if the topic came up, but other than that, no.

I’m not ashamed, I’m just really not interested in having people spout off ignorance at me. Anyone who isn't a doctor or taking the injections themselves maybe knows the same as I do about them but probably far less. So I'm not interested in hearing their opinions about it.

Nope, I have t told anyone and don’t intend to. This is my thing, I’m doing it for me, and I don’t want to explain or justify it to anyone else.

I don’t want people to think I’ve “cheated”, or dismiss it as a quick fad, where all the weight will pile back on as soon as I stop.

Also, it’s expensive, and I don’t want people’s opinions on what I’ve chosen to spend my money on. I’m generally pretty thrifty, but this is something I have chosen to prioritise.

Only one person has commented on my weight loss so far, I just said I was eating a bit less (true) and didn’t go into any further details.

I’ve told a few people. It’s tricky because weight is so emotive isn’t it.

No I've not told anyone.

Just from the other side ...a good friend of mine has been on every diet under the sun over the decade I've known her, she's always been very overweight. Now she's lost three stone in about 3 months, she says it's eating sensibly and going to the gym. I don't believe her, I'm sure she's taking mj. I totally get why she'd take it and why she wouldn't tell anyone, she's not beholden to me of course. But unless you're losing weight you've only put on recently I'm sure people have guessed.

@Lincoln24 why is it important for you to tell us that?

@SilenceInside I suppose I just find the culture of silence around it a bit strange. Like everyone knows that everyone knows but no one will talk about it? I get that it's emotive but I find it a strange phenomenon, not particularly healthy at a societal level?

It's the constant judgment that people are not interested in drawing down onto themselves. It's a personal medical decision, which irritatingly becomes obviously publicly when the weight goes. Which can then draw comment.

I don't think it's the people taking the injections who are at fault for not wanting to talk about it.

Would you think that every person you encounter who has lost an obvious amount of weight from obese to healthy, must be taking injections? Is that just the assumption these days? It surely can't be actually the case.