Workplace Rant

jackslovely

Sitting at work wanting to bang my head on my desk until i can no longer hear. My work has a Be Well program and has recently started a program to give out free fitbits as long as you track your exercise online. So it seems that everyone in the building is now joining our on site gym and trying to get those free fitbits. Hey that's awesome that people wanna get healthy or maybe start to use the resources here more but now i have this co-worker non stop talking about her 15 days water only fast, her 12 week plan to get a "warrior's body", and bouncing up and down on the yoga ball at her desk. So i've been attempting to ignore it all week but then today she starts telling everyone the should be eating according to their blood types and eating no meats, and how ACV is the key to all. All the while i'm sitting here at my computer logging all my weighed food for the day and thinking why in the world do people get sucked into all these weight loss myths.....turning up the volume on my earphones now and resisting the urge to kick the yoga ball out from under her. Just kidding. Maybe. Rant over.

Tacklewasher

Ouch.

Yeah, that would be annoying. Yeah, you will do better than her in the long run, but the urge to tell her to *puppy* off would be pretty substantial.

gothchiq

I would not do well with this. I would probably tell her to mind her own business.

toxikon

jackslovely wrote: »

turning up the volume on my earphones now and resisting the urge to kick the yoga ball out from under her

And that's exactly what you should do! I know it's easier said than done, but just try to ignore it. Let her have her bad advice. Maybe she'll come to you for your advice when she sees your great progress.

There have been a few times in my office that I've heard eye-roll worthy diet advice in the breakroom and I just have to nod and leave.

Fitnessgirl0913

Ugh I hear you. I had a coworker a couple years ago that was obese (I was too at the time) and would talk all day long about every new "fad diet" she was trying and how she is going to have the prefect body because of XYZ. 1.5 years later I was down 80 pounds and she had gained 50. Just crank that music and know you are doing things right! and as someone else said she will probably be coming to you for advice someday

granite_peapod

I feel you! Yesterday someone at my work complimented me in my weight loss, asked me how I did it, agreed enthusiastically with CICO and said it was the best way to do it, then told me they had gained 2stone because they ate too many Strawberries over the summer cos they are full of sugar and sugar makes you fat. I suspect its the two burgers, sausages, and two deserts she ate last night at the office BBQ that's making her fat! *eyeroll*

Need2Exerc1se

If she were talking to me, I'd be that person that shoots down everything she says. If not, I'd be that person that shakes their head and goes on with my own work.

JaydedMiss

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

If she were talking to me, I'd be that person that shoots down everything she says. If not, I'd be that person that shakes their head and goes on with my own work.

yeah. I keep to myself in work situations but if she came to me id pretty much tear everything she said apart and leave her dumbfounded and feeling stupid (in the nicest way possible since we have to work together). Im not a mean person, But i do tend to believe people are beter off with the blunt facts lol. Saves everyone some time and pointless effort. Wouldnt care if she wasted her own time, It would annoy me that shes likely to waste other peoples time who try to follow her.

KeithWhiteJr

I wish my work would give out free fitbits! We have the opposite around here. They buy pizza or sub platters or fried chicken at least once a week, and then I am forced to stand around while everyone eats it in front of me and listen to a meeting about whatever it is they are talking about.

I am also allergic to wheat, so I couldn't even have any if I wanted to!! It's awful!

jackslovely

KeithWhiteJr wrote: »

I wish my work would give out free fitbits! We have the opposite around here. They buy pizza or sub platters or fried chicken at least once a week, and then I am forced to stand around while everyone eats it in front of me and listen to a meeting about whatever it is they are talking about.

I am also allergic to wheat, so I couldn't even have any if I wanted to!! It's awful!

Oh we definetly have that hear too! Someone brought in bagels for breakfast and I'm sure Jimmy, Johns, Panera, Pizza Hut, Chinese take outs, and any other delivery places are constantly coming in and out of our building.
We are just very fortunate that the corporate offices really promote being healthy and give incentives for better eating (cheaper food in the cafe) and working out.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

It would annoy the life out of me. I put up with similar.

I have 10 staff. 8 of whom are over weight or obese. They regularly go on diets and tell myself and the other 2 staff what we should and should not be eating.
We shouldn't eat pastry, shouldn't eat jelly beans and shouldn't eat southern fried chicken. I've heard those in the last week alone.

Then if we say it fits our calorie goals they say we just have fast metabolisms.

kristen8000

Grrr. That's horrible. My work, on the other hand always has free food laying around. Donuts, cookies, left overs from bring in lunch meetings. The other day a group had a "taco day" fundraiser to benefit a coworker with cancer and I walked in, gave them $5 and walked back out. The smells were amazing, but I fought it and ate what I brought, already weighed and logged. We have someone buy a cake every month for birthdays. I don't eat it (not a big sweets person) but I always get these looks like "Kristen's too good for our cake, she's always so good about what she eats". No. I just don't want cake.

I've heard a few odd conversations about losing weight around here - and most of it's all talk. What people hear and believe. I do find it funny that, me of normal weight trying to get leaner, doesn't even own a fit bit, but then I see someone who's had one for years but seems to actually be getting bigger.

Maxxitt

My internal mantra in such instances is "every fool is entitled to her own opinion."

veganbaum

Things I've heard/observed at work regarding weight loss:

- Herbalife
- the all-magical chia seed
- "I eat too little and then when I do eat it's just chips, etc"
- "she just doesn't eat healthy, I tell her she should eat x,y,z"
- counting carbs for weight loss

I often add chia seeds to my green smoothies, but I eat both only to boost my nutrition, not because I think I have to for weight loss.

I tried to respond to the eating healthy comment, something along the lines of, "she doesn't have to eat 'healthy,' just cut down on what she's eating," and the other went on to say, well she could just eat x,y,z for dinner and it would help her lose weight. That's pretty much the only time I've ever remarked on any of it. I just try to pretend I don't hear/see it.

I work in an office. I get more movement than our secretaries due to the nature of my job, but still ultimately a desk job. Several people are overweight, and I've seen several gain weight while I've been here. Lots of coworkers have fitbits (as do I). Lots of coworkers exercise. But there's just me and another woman who have lost weight (and I've been here for years). The other woman has done it, as far as I can tell since I obviously see her only at the office, through a crazy amount of exercise that I think would be unsustainable for most of us.

So I just plod along. The last 20 pounds I've lost have been slow, a pace of .5lb/week on average, which is by choice. I'm at a healthy BMI for the first time in years (though sadly still have too high a fat percentage). I'm in this for the long haul. I've been on MFP for years. There's been trial and error. I wish newbies could really learn from the veterans and stop spinning their wheels or doing things in an unhealthful way, but people really get sucked into the media garbage and spread it around, and want immediate results. I've learned to ignore it. I'll just keep plodding along, because while it may be a slog at times, I'm 20 pounds lighter than I was last fall (and more than 50 pounds lighter overall). I've learned lots so hopefully I will be able to maintain okay. It's difficult for some to have the commitment to weight loss and maintenance. I don't bother getting bothered about it most of the time, but I can understand the occasional need to rant!

Wiggymommy

Things work differently for different people. If she likes her fads and that keeps her focused on something I wouldn't have an issue with it. I also am not the type of person to be bothered by other people's choices or lifestyles. Especially how they choose to go about weight loss. But that's just me I guess.

Running_and_Coffee

At a job I was at a few years ago, during a 6 month period I lost 11 lbs (which I maintained for years, till I had my third kid, and did eventually go back to that weight.) Meanwhile, I had two coworkers lose and then regain 40 lbs. in that exact same 6 month time period. Quick Weight Loss Centers.

Penthesilea514

toxikon wrote: »

jackslovely wrote: »

turning up the volume on my earphones now and resisting the urge to kick the yoga ball out from under her

And that's exactly what you should do! I know it's easier said than done, but just try to ignore it. Let her have her bad advice. Maybe she'll come to you for your advice when she sees your great progress.

There have been a few times in my office that I've heard eye-roll worthy diet advice in the breakroom and I just have to nod and leave.

Yeah, I agree

canarysal

I ignore others diet talk. My obese colleague is losing nothing on her SW diet, grazes all day on fruit and spends the rest of the time syn valuing things she then couldn't possibly eat. Has no willpower or real motivation though has many health issues. She's very good at advising others ..! I tell people how I've lost my weight only if asked. Another colleague changes diets every 2 weeks. Switch off, smile and carry on .....

BonnieDundee78

I'd only intervene if she was recommending something truly harmful to a particularly gullible or vulnerable person. Otherwise, it's a "shake it off" situation.

JetJaguar

I have a coworker who is overweight, possibly obese, and quick to spout the latest woo. A couple of weeks ago she was telling everyone they have to watch "What the Health" and going on about how awesome it is, for example. She occasionally complains that she eats healthy but can't lose weight because she has a "naturally slow metabolism". I just tune her out.

SuzySunshine99

It just illustrates how desperate people are for a quick fix. They don't want to hear about CICO because it's more work than just telling yourself "Eat only this...never eat that..." etc. Anytime anyone has asked how I lost weight, they really don't like the answer, because it's "math", and takes time to weigh and log food. They want simple rules to follow instead. I much prefer the "rule" of eating what I like within a set amount of calories.

Sp1tfire

Your results vs hers will show the truth. She may drop a few pounds due to literally eating nothing during her water fast, but If she doesn't watch her calories and continues old habits I'm sure she'll gain it back, and then she'll probably find the next "KEY TO WEIGHT LOSS" and try that.

Keep going! You've got results for the long haul!!!

robm1brown

canarysal wrote: »

I ignore others diet talk. My obese colleague is losing nothing on her SW diet, grazes all day on fruit and spends the rest of the time syn valuing things she then couldn't possibly eat. Has no willpower or real motivation though has many health issues.

In fairness to slimming world the programme is essentially designed to more or less force people to restrict their calories. I suspect it is that motivation thing rather than the diet she follows the problem there.

Rusty740

Oh wow. That's no fun. Sounds like a sitcom episode.