I've told everyone close to me, and would tell anyone if they asked directly - but that is a VERY personal choice. We're all in different positions, and you've got to do what's right for you. I've had friends who have kept it secret including one who has lost a lot of weight. One mutual friend said to me 'I'm going to get some of those special milk-shakes she's on, she looks great!', and I was very confused until I realised that's what she'd been saying had worked! Luckily I recovered quickly enough to cover the lie - but there and then I decided I couldn't keep up a lie like that once I started on MJ. I couldn't handle the stress, and also part of me is a bit 'screw you' about all the judgement. I've had it with cowering in the shadows apologising for everything I am.
A couple of my family members were initially doubtful - concerns about health, general cynicism about me and my 'diets' after years of yo-yoing, which I get - but now they have seen my new reality they are very supportive. But again, this is very personal, and every one of us is facing different challenges/relationships.
I don't think it is anybody's business - I wouldn't dream of quizzing someone about their medications - but unfortunately being fat makes us public property. It's a bit like when you're pregnant and everyone thinks it's okay to comment/touch you. Our 'condition' is right out there in people's eyes, so they feel they are allowed to discuss it for some reason. No idea why, they wouldn't run up to a horribly skinny person and say 'do you have anorexia or bulimia, and if so what are you doing about it?'
The conclusion I've come to is that society needs someone to look down on, always - and for a long time fatties have been the obvious (big) butt of that joke. Now a lot of us are changing, and somehow we're still being judged - because we're not doing it in the 'right' way, as decided by some vague Committee of What Makes Us Better Than You that's been convened and announced that using WLI is somehow 'cheating'. The irony of this, living as we do in a culture where people walk around with collagen lips the size of balloons, fake everything, Botox and goodness knows what else is astonishing. I don't tell them they're wrong, but for some reason that respect doesn't go both ways.
Basically, it comes down to this: they hate us for being fat, and now they hate us for actually trying to do something about it - we can't win when it comes to people who choose to judge, all we can do is stick to people who don't judge, people who support and nurture, even if that means online platforms like this. It's a very strong reminder to me that I need to be doing this for myself, not for the sometimes shallow and cruel world around me. (disclaimer: not everyone is a twat, loads of people are lovely about it!) (PS: sorry about the rant! feeling a bit feisty today apparently!)