Informal Poll: Mean People

47Jacqueline

I've never gotten mean comments.

cwolfman13

lemurcat12 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I personally find it interesting...generally speaking, guys get a lot less comments on their weight, etc than women...ergo, these seems largely like a female thing to me...how are you not comprehending what I'm saying here? do you not observe the same?

I wonder if that's true both positive and negative. For example, setting aside random anonymous jerks who will say mean things about the bodies of passers by (which I do think happens disproportionately to women), I wonder to what extent this relates to the fact that women are more likely to talk to others about their efforts to lose weight. I've had few people comment on my weight loss this time overall, since I didn't talk to that many people about it. Those that did were mostly either close to me (good friends, a co-worker I talk to a lot who also lost weight himself in the past) or from somewhat different cultural backgrounds where commenting might be more appropriate. When I lost the first time I talked about it a lot to a few co-workers who were actively attempting to lose, so I got more comments. My observation is most men don't really discuss efforts to diet with others (and when they do they get positive comments) and women are more likely to talk about this stuff.

Also, I do think there's a difference as to what's perceived as negative. Some comments obviously are, but many of those claimed as negative would not be taken as negative by me (similar to what rabbit said). I get the sense that women are more likely to analyze comments about their bodies and see intended insults in it while men are less likely even to notice or just assume that they are intended positively. Personally, since I consider my weight loss so positively and am in social circles where it still is strongly preferred to be thin vs. not (and where most people are average weight or less, especially when younger--overweight is not nearly so common as in the US as a whole), I tend to interpret any comment about my weight loss as positive (even "you don't have to lose any more") and I am confident I am interpreting it right, also.

Yeah, I think that may be very true. I mean I've never gotten anything like, "dude...you're too skinny" or anything like that...but the guys josh me at work for going out riding rather than out to lunch...and they josh me for my big *kitten* salad I eat most days...but it's all in jest and good fun. I personally don't take offense to things like, "hey...there goes the Wolfman trying to live forever again" as I ride off on my bike. They're just joking around...and I am trying to live forever, so even if they were serious, it would be true...LOL.

Then there are the annoying, "c'mon...have a cookie" comments...but again, I don't find these types of comments offensive or hurtful or mean or anything. I just usually make some joke like, "hey...I'm trying to live forever here remember?"...and if I feel like it, I'll have a cookie.

MelodyandBarbells

You guys jinxed me. Today the cafeteria lady went on and on about how she remembers from like five years ago how I used to have a muffin for breakfast everyday and was starting to put on the weight. Loudly. She just knew for sure I was gonna become very big "eating up all those muffins". Meanwhile her coworker is on the phone behind her and cringing. Just mortified. There was only one other person around in the little store and I kind of laughed it off. But geez, inappropriate much? She started off saying "you lose weight easy don't you?" Uh... I've been doing this slowly for the better part of six years using exercise and then more recently MyFitnessPal

I'm pretty much in maintenance and was feeling good today wearing skinny pants that tucked into cowboy-ish boots. Didn't pass out. OH, YEAH!!! :bigsmile:

tlflag1620

I was asked if I had given up eating when I was 140 lbs (I'm female, 5' 7"). My bmi was 21, I was a U.S. Size 6/8. That size is my ultimate goal to get back to after this pregnancy. This comment came from my neighbor (male). I don't think he meant any harm by it tho - just his sense of humor. My husband told me that he (the neighbor) later asked what my secret was, lol. Mostly I got positive comments from people.