So I finally had first hand experience......
sjaplo
Posts: 974 Member
I was at a strata meeting last night and there was someone there who hasn't attended since June. After the meeting he said I looked like I had lost some weight. I replied that I was down 22lbs since Jan.
"Oh, what are you doing?" says he.
"Eating less and moving more." says I. To which I could see the interest in his eyes fade. So I elaborated "I'm closely watching what I put in my mouth and exercising regularly."
Nope all interest was gone - I had no magic bullet. "I said thanks for noticing, have a good night."
People are weird.........
"Oh, what are you doing?" says he.
"Eating less and moving more." says I. To which I could see the interest in his eyes fade. So I elaborated "I'm closely watching what I put in my mouth and exercising regularly."
Nope all interest was gone - I had no magic bullet. "I said thanks for noticing, have a good night."
People are weird.........
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Replies
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pretty much. people expect some extreme drastic crap when they see weight loss
its a shame really, so many more people would be withing a healthy bf% if the correct info was out there for everyone. nutrition should be a mandatory class in highschool0 -
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Honestly it was probably just a polite question and they weren't truly interested in having a lengthy discussion about it. I've given targeted ketogenic diet as an answer in the past which some people might consider "extreme" (or at least the lengthy name makes it sound that way, heh), yet the reaction is about the same. Most people aren't particularly interested in discussing this stuff.0
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Yeah they are. You gave a simple answer to a simple question. Sometimes people expect you to give them the fast/easy way. Some people are also just being polite by asking and that's it.0
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People do not want to hear anything that relates to common sense. I joined the gym about 2 1/2 years ago and earlier this summer I ran into a lady that still works out regularly (and still looks the same) and she commented on my weight loss and asked me what I was doing . . . as soon as I said watching what I ate, I lost her.0
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MAGIC BEANS !!! Maybe that should be the answer. People just don't want to hear the common sense answer.0
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Same thing happened to me at work. Someone asked me what my secret was. I told her there is no secret, I'm just watching what I eat and getting exercise 5-6 times per week. Her reaction was basically "...Oh."
No one wants to accept that they have to put in dedication and patience to get healthy.0 -
Haha yeah... Been there, done that. Typically followed by 'I couldn't do it, I like eating too much'. Yeah, so do I (probably why I've only lost 20 pounds in the last year, lol).0
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No one wants to accept that they have to put in dedication and patience to get healthy.
I was the same way before joining MFP and learning the right way..I wanted the easiest, most magic solution. If you told me I was to stand on my head and eat woodchips to lose ten pounds, I would have ran home to try it.
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I think that's what I like about losing it slowly though - and exercising moderation. There (fingers crossed...) won't be that relapse that so many people have. At least that's what I tell myselfHaha yeah... Been there, done that. Typically followed by 'I couldn't do it, I like eating too much'. Yeah, so do I (probably why I've only lost 20 pounds in the last year, lol).
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That entirely depends on what you do after losing the weight, not how you lose the weight.
I think that's what I like about losing it slowly though - and exercising moderation. There (fingers crossed...) won't be that relapse that so many people have. At least that's what I tell myselfHaha yeah... Been there, done that. Typically followed by 'I couldn't do it, I like eating too much'. Yeah, so do I (probably why I've only lost 20 pounds in the last year, lol).
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I'm only saying a drastic diet change is harder to sustain long term, for me personally - but yes, you are correct. I would say it is easier to keep enjoying food you love in moderation during the entire process than cutting it out completely, no?
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Depends on the person.
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I get that reaction all the time. They don't want to hear anything about eating less or exercising. I've seen that look that you described.
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I was at a strata meeting last night and there was someone there who hasn't attended since June. After the meeting he said I looked like I had lost some weight. I replied that I was down 22lbs since Jan.
"Oh, what are you doing?" says he.
"Eating less and moving more." says I. To which I could see the interest in his eyes fade. So I elaborated "I'm closely watching what I put in my mouth and exercising regularly."
Nope all interest was gone - I had no magic bullet. "I said thanks for noticing, have a good night."
People are weird.........
Next time reply with
"i was abducted by aliens and they removed some off the fat for their experiments"
If people are going to be weird like that you might as well be wierd back LOL
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fallenangel316 wrote: »I was at a strata meeting last night and there was someone there who hasn't attended since June. After the meeting he said I looked like I had lost some weight. I replied that I was down 22lbs since Jan.
"Oh, what are you doing?" says he.
"Eating less and moving more." says I. To which I could see the interest in his eyes fade. So I elaborated "I'm closely watching what I put in my mouth and exercising regularly."
Nope all interest was gone - I had no magic bullet. "I said thanks for noticing, have a good night."
People are weird.........
Next time reply with
"i was abducted by aliens and they removed some off the fat for their experiments"
If people are going to be weird like that you might as well be wierd back LOL
This I like!0 -
My hypocondirac cousin asked what I was doing (she is super overweight and has a lot of "health issues" - some real some imagined). I told her I go to the gym. She gave me the look of "I could never do that". And I went on stuffing my face with Jewish new year food. She seems to believe that she cannot possibly lose weight due to her imagined health issues. Really its just how much she is eating and the way she has convinced herself she should be bed bound0
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Yep, eating less and exercising are a serious turn off to most people - they just sound like too much work. Now if you'd said you'd starting eating more grapefruit or taking a multivitamin... lol0
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I was at a strata meeting last night and there was someone there who hasn't attended since June. After the meeting he said I looked like I had lost some weight. I replied that I was down 22lbs since Jan.
"Oh, what are you doing?" says he.
"Eating less and moving more." says I. To which I could see the interest in his eyes fade. So I elaborated "I'm closely watching what I put in my mouth and exercising regularly."
Nope all interest was gone - I had no magic bullet. "I said thanks for noticing, have a good night."
People are weird.........
I don't think he actually wanted to start listening to a long description of all the work that went into your losing some weight... I hate it whenever anyone asks my friend Johnathan how he's lost so much, he takes off into a really boring half hour lecture on food portion control and the kind of gold gym products he owns and uses regularly. He also feels inclined to show phone pictures of his personal progress...
I've noticed that some of my heavier friends who suddenly lose weight become a little frighteningly enthusiastic about the new programs they get onto... It's kind of ironic since I stalk these forums but I purposefully avoid those topics sometimes because bringing it up means you're committed to that conversation for awhile.0 -
kendalslimmer wrote: »Yep, eating less and exercising are a serious turn off to most people - they just sound like too much work. Now if you'd said you'd starting eating more grapefruit or taking a multivitamin... lol
I think they just haven't had much success themselves and prefer to just not care. They're paying you a compliment and want to leave it at that.
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AlanaTedmon wrote: »I was at a strata meeting last night and there was someone there who hasn't attended since June. After the meeting he said I looked like I had lost some weight. I replied that I was down 22lbs since Jan.
"Oh, what are you doing?" says he.
"Eating less and moving more." says I. To which I could see the interest in his eyes fade. So I elaborated "I'm closely watching what I put in my mouth and exercising regularly."
Nope all interest was gone - I had no magic bullet. "I said thanks for noticing, have a good night."
People are weird.........
I don't think he actually wanted to start listening to a long description of all the work that went into your losing some weight... I hate it whenever anyone asks my friend Johnathan how he's lost so much, he takes off into a really boring half hour lecture on food portion control and the kind of gold gym products he owns and uses regularly. He also feels inclined to show phone pictures of his personal progress...
I've noticed that some of my heavier friends who suddenly lose weight become a little frighteningly enthusiastic about the new programs they get onto... It's kind of ironic since I stalk these forums but I purposefully avoid those topics sometimes because bringing it up means you're committed to that conversation for awhile.
I think you're 100% right on this. I find forums like this are good for talking about this stuff, but in my experience the rest of the population could care less about your exercise routine and your macros. It's not that they are looking for some sort of magic bullet or would be more interested in your fad diet - they just really don't care and would prefer to talk about something more interesting.
And the other reason to avoid those conversations is most people have a pretty poor understanding of basic nutrition and exercise science, and you're left choosing between playing along and trying to hide your thoughts on what they're saying, or explaining why they're wrong. Neither option makes for great conversation.0 -
He may have just been trying to strike up a conversation and felt rebuffed when you made the "eating less and moving more" comment.0
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I think you're 100% right on this. I find forums like this are good for talking about this stuff, but in my experience the rest of the population could care less about your exercise routine and your macros. It's not that they are looking for some sort of magic bullet or would be more interested in your fad diet - they just really don't care and would prefer to talk about something more interesting.
And the other reason to avoid those conversations is most people have a pretty poor understanding of basic nutrition and exercise science, and you're left choosing between playing along and trying to hide your thoughts on what they're saying, or explaining why they're wrong. Neither option makes for great conversation.
Right, this is exactly where I like to vet my feelings about my personal progress and get ideas about diets and exercise regiments. It's a pretty easygoing place where everyone is pretty interested in what works for other health-conscious individuals but this type of demographic is not the vast majority by any means.
You sometimes have to gage your audience.
I tend to avoid this stuff entirely with my family and friends. Whenever I tell anyone I'm on a diet they start freaking out, "You don't need to go on a diet!! HAVE A PIECE OF CAKE, clearly you are starving yourself!"0 -
I tell people I make it a point to eat 4 Jr Mints every day after lunch. The BS people will assume (I **do** eat the Jr Mints, but I also track my food and exercise...)
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I haven't had this experience, yet. I've had co-workers point out that I look slimmer and brighter and congratulate me on my progress (which I don't care for---comments on weight loss/gain), but they don't ask what I've been doing as far as weight loss.
I agree with the others. I think the asker just expects the answer to be more exciting, that's all.0 -
He may have just been trying to strike up a conversation and felt rebuffed when you made the "eating less and moving more" comment.
I... Agree with this I think
I get more of a discussion when I say I'm counting calories using MyFitnessPal. "Oh is that that app where you load in all the food you eat and it gives you credit for exercise? No way!" There's all kinds Of things you can um... "Push" in a conversation like that if you want. The phone app and how accessible it can be, etc. Still, people aren't necessarily interested in your life story when they ask this question, but move more eat less could be taken to be a tad santimonious since everyone knows that's what needs to happen to lose weight. If they're truly curious I think they might want to know what made it click for you, and MFP and any specific exercise, for example, which you've grown to love is a fairly specific ace in the hole
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Depending how I feel, I tell people one of these:
-Tapeworm
-Methamphetamine
-Heroin
-Speed
And so forth.
I find it way more amusing to mess with people who clearly are paying me lip service and mistakenly thinking that I'll appreciate it.0 -
He may have just been trying to strike up a conversation and felt rebuffed when you made the "eating less and moving more" comment.
I... Agree with this I think
I get more of a discussion when I say I'm counting calories using MyFitnessPal. "Oh is that that app where you load in all the food you eat and it gives you credit for exercise? No way!" There's all kinds Of things you can um... "Push" in a conversation like that if you want. The phone app and how accessible it can be, etc. Still, people aren't necessarily interested in your life story when they ask this question, but move more eat less could be taken to be a tad santimonious since everyone knows that's what needs to happen to lose weight. If they're truly curious I think they might want to know what made it click for you, and MFP and any specific exercise, for example, which you've grown to love is a fairly specific ace in the hole
I'm going to have to disagree with both these comments and fall on the side of he lost interest because I wasn't doing some fad diet that he could emulate. We had been in a meeting for two hours - striking up a conversation wasn't necessary. We were on our way out the door.
I also disagree with "...since everyone knows that's what needs to happen to lose weight." They don't - or they don't want to believe it - otherwise the diet industry wouldn't exist.
In previous yoyo sessions with weight I've made the mistake of talking about the process, whether it's low glycemic, low fat high carb or mfp. The animosity and comments I got from friends and family were at times puzzling, and at other times hurtful. This time I've been quiet for 10 months and I promised myself I wasn't going to discuss it unless someone was genuinely interested in learning what seems to be different for me this time.
I'm sure someone will eventually cross that threshold, but this wasn't the time.
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I used to think its ironic nobody is interested in the real answer unless its something "sensational" too. But, the big problem is, if people are genuinely interested, they want something they can "take with them" to do themselves. "Watching what I eat" is not something you can take with you...what is that exactly? How? Within what rules? Wait I watch what I eat and I'm not losing!...and then the myriad of questions that you get on this site that happens daily must be talked about and answered. But this was a quick question to be social most of the time, not a lengthy interview, so even if you want to ask these questions, you cant really and this kind of discussion can't happen. So, interest fades.0
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