Diet Saboteurs

Pixie Girl

Ok so I am trying to lose weight.... I'm trying to be healthy by bringing in my own lunches and healthy snacks to work.

My coworkers have picked up on this and always comment on what Im eating and how healthy it looks.

In a meeting this morning, the table was covered with various types of pastries and I refused one by saying that I was trying to be good. One of the girls says in front of everyone "oh shes not having one and she didnt have one on Tuesday either... shes being extremely boring".... I was mortified!

Why does it seem that people will go out of their way to sabotage your weight loss efforts and make you feel bad for trying to be healthy?!

Sorry for the rant but its just so frustrating and I feel like they are watching everything I eat and its annoying!

Has anyone else experienced anything like this in their office or at home?

Rovi

It's petty jealousy, and self-loathing at their own weakness and lack of self-control.

Think of it as confirmation that you're on the right track, and use it as motivation to keep doing what you're doing.

hardCopy

Rovi wrote: »

It's petty jealousy, and self-loathing at their own weakness and lack of self-control.

Think of it as confirmation that you're on the right track, and use it as motivation to keep doing what you're doing.

Exactly, just ignore it and keep up the good work

howtomake

Yep, not necessarily from dieting, but I try to eat as healthy as I can especially during working hours (I do let myself cheat at home though ). Always always someone had to comment on what I'm eating, while I'm eating it. Just let me eat & enjoy my food in peace. Then they also have to tell you well actually that's not as blah blah as you think!

I've just had to say a few times point blank, "please don't monitor my eating habits", "can I just enjoy what I'm eating right now". I've been working here for awhile though. They might smirk to each other behind your back but at least you have some peace.

Red Cortina

They say those things to you because they feel bad about themselves eating all the crap when they know they shouldn't!

Don't mind them!

Rovi

hardCopy wrote: »

Exactly, just ignore it

Don't ignore it, use it.
By eating healthily and taking care of yourself, you're forcing them to confront the poor choices and bad habits they themselves have.
They don't like being reminded of these things, and appear to be getting bitchy about it.
The more they bitch, the more they're trying to avoid having to look at themselves, and the more you KNOW you're in the right and vindicated in what you're doing.

Treat every 'slight' or snarky comment as a backhanded compliment, and have a smile to yourself. And an inner High-5!

hardCopy wrote: »

and keep up the good work

Exactly!

vamos!

Dont feel that you have to explain your food choices to anybody else... say nothing instead! Are you sure that you arent in that annoying healthy eater habit of making everybody else feel bad about their choices? I slimmed saying nothing but a colleague goes on and on about how bad the biscuits are and how the work shop salads (notoriously bad) are sooooo filling and satisfying.So some of staff comment on her being 'good' or boring but she brings it on herself! Well done for avoiding the pastries btw:)

Pixie Girl

Rovi wrote: »

Don't ignore it, use it.
By eating healthily and taking care of yourself, you're forcing them to confront the poor choices and bad habits they themselves have.
They don't like being reminded of these things, and appear to be getting bitchy about it.
The more they bitch, the more they're trying to avoid having to look at themselves, and the more you KNOW you're in the right and vindicated in what you're doing.

Treat every 'slight' or snarky comment as a backhanded compliment, and have a smile to yourself. And an inner High-5!

This is great advice, thank you so much.... thats exactly what Im gonna do from now on instead of working myself up about it!

vamos! wrote: »

Dont feel that you have to explain your food choices to anybody else... say nothing instead! Are you sure that you arent in that annoying healthy eater habit of making everybody else feel bad about their choices? I slimmed saying nothing but a colleague goes on and on about how bad the biscuits are and how the work shop salads (notoriously bad) are sooooo filling and satisfying.So some of staff comment on her being 'good' or boring but she brings it on herself! Well done for avoiding the pastries btw:)

No I honestly never comment on what anyone else is eating for lunch or snacking on during the day and I wouldnt ever criticise them for having a biscuit or whatever!

I know I dont have to explain myself to anybody but I just thought if I said that I was trying to be good they'd just leave it but its probably actually made it worse.... so yeah not gonna say anything anymore!
Ha ha thanx about the pastries!

gavtron

haters gonna hate.

Jelly2

I have sympathy with you, as some people would definitely be mean about this.
However, when you refuse by saying 'No, I won't, I'm trying to be good' (or similar), you are implying that you are judging anyone who does have a pastry, ie. implying that they are bad. That might make people irritated, even if you don't realise that you are doing it. There's nothing 'bad' about eating a pastry, and the person who eats it is is not bad. But you are implying that they are. Maybe try phrasing your refusal in another way? Something like 'No thanks, I'm still full after breakfast'. Much less loaded!

Pixie Girl

Jelly2 wrote: »

I have sympathy with you, as some people would definitely be mean about this.
However, when you refuse by saying 'No, I won't, I'm trying to be good' (or similar), you are implying that you are judging anyone who does have a pastry, ie. implying that they are bad. That might make people irritated, even if you don't realise that you are doing it. There's nothing 'bad' about eating a pastry, and the person who eats it is is not bad. But you are implying that they are. Maybe try phrasing your refusal in another way? Something like 'No thanks, I'm still full after breakfast'. Much less loaded!

Thats a very good point... It never even occured to me that they might take it up like that as thats not what I meant by it at all. Thanks for the advice!

Jelly2

Pixie Girl wrote: »

Thats a very good point... It never even occured to me that they might take it up like that as thats not what I meant by it at all. Thanks for the advice!

You're welcome! I have had something like you said said to me a few times, and it can be a bit annoying. I don't reply with anything snide, just ignore it. And it does always seem to me to be counter-productive to see eating healthily as 'trying to be good'...It makes food into some kind of moral instrument which seems weird!
Good luck with the healthy eating!

WoollyRedHat

Pixie Girl wrote: »

Ok so I am trying to lose weight.... I'm trying to be healthy by bringing in my own lunches and healthy snacks to work.

My coworkers have picked up on this and always comment on what Im eating and how healthy it looks.

In a meeting this morning, the table was covered with various types of pastries and I refused one by saying that I was trying to be good. One of the girls says in front of everyone "oh shes not having one and she didnt have one on Tuesday either... shes being extremely boring".... I was mortified!

Why does it seem that people will go out of their way to sabotage your weight loss efforts and make you feel bad for trying to be healthy?!

Sorry for the rant but its just so frustrating and I feel like they are watching everything I eat and its annoying!

Has anyone else experienced anything like this in their office or at home?

I would hope you shoved the pastry in her face

In all seriousness, why should other people give a **** whether you're eating a salad everyday or a chocolate cake... whatever makes you feel good.

hardCopy

gavtron wrote: »

haters gonna hate.

gavtron

boom.

Chuck Stone

1. crabs in a barrel

A syndrome where a group of like situated people hurt those in their community attempting to get ahead.

Often this is applied to people in an impoverished community where one person is starting to get ahead. The collective community becomes jealous or filled with a sense of self-loathing, so they find a way to pull that person back down to the community's level.

When harvesting crab, the crab as a group will pull down any crab that starts to climb out of the barrel in an attempt to be the first out of the barrel that holds them in, hence crabs-in-a-barrel.

I experienced similar when I packed in the smokes.

daenerysstormborn3

This drives me mad!

Take it as a compliment.

daenerysstormborn3

This drives me mad!

Take it as a compliment.

Brel

I definitely agree with what the others are saying - the reason behind their behaviour is their own guilt at "treating" themselves with nice food, so they try and push that guilt on to you. If they say that you are wrong to eat so healthily, what they are really trying to do is convince themselves that they are right to be eating the things that they eat. They also may try and make it seem like they are getting lots of enjoyment from these pastries, but you are probably getting way more enjoyment from the guiltless and great results of healthy eating. I would ignore it, say nothing and laugh at it in your head
I bet they are the kind of people who eat white bread all the time, instead of as a treat, as it should be! A treat now and then is great, but I don't know how people control their sugar levels with the types of things they eat :P

Pixie Girl

Thanks for all the replies guys and gals! I am not going to let them get to me!

@ Chuck Stone... what did you experience when u gave up the fags? I gave up smoking too 4 years ago and never really experienced anything like I am now for trying to eat healthy which is funny really!

trainer10

some people just cant stand to see other people succeed you keep going and dont let them bring you down. they have the problem not you..

KidDunne

Was in collage, doin one of my electrition phases, and changed all my diet to fruit and the healthiest option on the menu, usually the vegetarian option, Fry ups are very popular wit apprentices in the collages, and in construction in general. back to the story i sat down with 2 mandarins and an bannana and the person beside me says "your trying too hard", i hadnt commented on his fry or made any remarks for him to "attack" me. I was looking at this lad, who's face was showing the effects of a bad diet(very spotty) in shock, just couldn't aprehend his reasoning for saying anything to me on the subject

Pixie Girl

KidDunne wrote: »

Was in collage, doin one of my electrition phases, and changed all my diet to fruit and the healthiest option on the menu, usually the vegetarian option, Fry ups are very popular wit apprentices in the collages, and in construction in general. back to the story i sat down with 2 mandarins and an bannana and the person beside me says "your trying too hard", i hadnt commented on his fry or made any remarks for him to "attack" me. I was looking at this lad, who's face was showing the effects of a bad diet(very spotty) in shock, just couldn't aprehend his reasoning for saying anything to me on the subject

"You're trying too hard"... what the hell is that supposed to mean??
Its just crazy isn't it? Why do people feel the need to comment on what you are eating... It is absolutely none of their business! God it really p*sses me off. Anyway dont mind him, just smile and nod and use it as an extra incentive to be healthy (and spot free )!!

Brel

People like that seem to thing that "healthy" means "boring". If only they knew how delicious healthy food can be. I honestly don't know how people can eat frozen food and junk all the time. I understand that it can be addictive and tasty, but after about two days of that kind of food, you really start to feel toxic and low in energy. There is nothing worse than your sugar levels being at the mercy of your bad diet.