Does anyone else get irritated when people ask "what's your secret?"

81Katz

Also,
When I was at my thinnest, I was asked several times what 'diet' I was on. I wasn't. Just ate better, moved more. Now I'm trying to lose some weight again. Funny, nobody gets curious why or how you got fat again.

iWishMyNameWasRebel

KeepRunningFatboy wrote: »

Having spent most of my life as obese, I suspect this person might be self medicating through eating, and that her question actually might have a slight cry for help or compassion behind it. She may know the facts, but she is stuck in a lifetime of habitual behaviors that reveals that food is how she responds to life. Stress? eat. Loneliness? Eat. Looking in a mirror and seeing the pain of obesity in her own eyes? Eat away the pain. More sugar, more fats! It temporarily comforts me till I wake up tomorrow and have to wear my stretch pants or sweats and face The cruelties of tomorrow.

Soooo agree with this. Many people understand they need to eat less and move more, but they need to figure out how to actually DO it. Telling them "just do it" does not compute. They need help to get to the root of their relationship with food and with their body.

BattyKnitter

About 7 years ago I lost over 40 lbs and I had people ask me what my secret was all the time. People always look at you like you are crazy when you say you count calories, it honestly takes me 2 minutes more to weigh my food, but you would think you are telling people to spend 5 hours a day weighing and logging food with the way they react. Most people are just not ready to hear that they need to eat less/move more.

I don't know what I would do if someone started harassing me for my "secret" though that sounds like a sucky and delicate situation.

Unknown

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saragd012

I understand what you're trying to say OP, but what a terrible way to say it. It is frustrating when people constantly ask for advice they have zero intention to follow. I've been asked several times about how I stay thin, and I'm aware that 1/2 the time no matter what I say the other person will walk away still firmly believing I'm "just naturally slim". The other half the time is usually met with "oh I guess everyone has to work on it" in a rather defeated tone (I guess they hoped there was a magic secret or something) so I'm not sure that's any better.

Either way I will continue to explain how MFP works, suggest they join me one morning in the gym, and respect their decision to live their lives as they see fit. Dwelling on another persons size or the foods they eat doesn't do anyone any good. I imagine if that woman saw this post she would be absolutely heartbroken that her peers talked about her this way.

RachelElser

That would be annoying! I don't mind someone asking, and then listening when I tell them. But to have someone refuse to believe you and keep pestering you about it! Rude!

kam26001

Dress up in a wizard's robe one day and THEN tell her everything you know. Some people just need a little extra convincing.

seltzermint555

Another rant I have (related) is friends who claim calorie counting won't work for them and that I am wrong, I just had a mysterious change in my metabolism that they didn't have.

I have one friend who says this. She routinely eats 4 chicken pot pies with mashed potatoes and a 32 oz Mudslide for dinner and then tells me calorie counting does not work for her or for anyone...and I should check with my doc about my metabolism because I might have various medical conditions. She once lost about 80 lb going to Curves and eating 1 Lean Cuisine per day. And gained it all back. So she knows everything, y'all.