Things people say that drive you nuts!

lil_missfit

Ya know....ppl get on my nerves too. I get a lot of ppl who are offended if I don't eat what they are eating. They'll ask " your not going to ALLOW yourself to have just a little....a little won't hurt" Ummmmm.....NO!!!! I just want to say LEAVE ME ALONE!!!! I've stopped trying to explain or defend my lifestyle....I just say " ok...thank you for your concern" and move on:))

Beebs33

I hate when people brag on how easy it is for them to lose 10 lbs and how funny it is that it was hard work for me.

Two people at work said that to me. "oh you've lost 10lbs, well (little chuckle), I lost that last week just worrying about my report".

or, "I can't believe its this hard to lose weight, I just cut out one thing and I lose everything I need"

STFU!

I totally agree with you on this!!! Makes my blood boil...then I go hulk on their *kitten*.

Mtsidad

sinclare has it right. Just don't respond other than, "Wow, that's interesting." And then change the subject.

The issue of parents - ESPECIALLY MOTHERS AND I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE MOM - is that they want to stay involved in their kids' lives. And so they want to express concern and love and affection, and how else except to comment on your ability to maintain yourself without their support?

Took me years to realize this - that my mom saying what she said, which was mostly nonsense, was her way of trying to stay in touch. So I'd let her talk, and I'd chat & change the subject, and we'd be fine. When I tried to get through to her about my ideas, I battled and lost, because, seriously, she raised six kids, and you think I could out-argue someone who had that experience?

Just let it go, and remember people are people. Sometimes they say good things, and sometimes they say irrelevant or stupid things. Not everybody needs to be refuted, especially if there's no point to doing so.

If they really want to know about _you_, they'll ask you. If they just want to give you advice - well, free advice is way overpriced.

ShapeUpSidney

I wouldn't waste any time trying to convince other people to change their beliefs, especially if those beliefs are not grounded in fact. Just keep on living your life, being healthy and happy.

If you truly care about someone, and they resist your efforts to help them be healthier, then find a more subtle way to help them. Invite them to outings that require a little physical activity, host backyard volleyball tournaments, suggest healthier restaurants, etc.

People have very strong emotional attachments to their beliefs, no matter how crazy they might be. You'll only frustrate yourself and alienate others if you try to argue with them.

ShapeUpSidney

Also, don't share your dieting woes, body image issues, or personal health objectives with catty women (or men) at the office. Keep that stuff out of the workplace. Think of it as a health issue...it's really nobody's business but yours.

Talk about it too much, and you'll only give people ammunition.

peteyTwang

did you guys ever see Margaret Cho's skit on how to deal with Vegans and/or Bjork fans? It's kind of like that!
-- -- "just say: I'm WRONG-- and run away as fast as you can!" :laugh:

http://wn.com/Margaret_Cho:_Assassin

ShapeUpSidney

Hearing these horror stories makes me feel so thankful that I have a health conscious boyfriend, workplace, and family. Snuggins for everyone! Hang in there, peeps!

FemininGuns

It can drive me nuts, but it's usually better to just say "I never knew that" and change the subject. You aren't going to change their minds!

Love this response!!

baisleac

"Such and such is bad for you", where "such and such" equals protein, fats, carbs, sodium, sugars, etc.

Too much of ANYthing is bad for you. We need protein. We need carbohydrates, including sugars. We need fats. We need sodium. Just don't overdo any one piece of the puzzle.

sinclare

The issue of parents - ESPECIALLY MOTHERS AND I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE MOM - is that they want to stay involved in their kids' lives. And so they want to express concern and love and affection, and how else except to comment on your ability to maintain yourself without their support?

Took me years to realize this - that my mom saying what she said, which was mostly nonsense, was her way of trying to stay in touch. So I'd let her talk, and I'd chat & change the subject, and we'd be fine. When I tried to get through to her about my ideas, I battled and lost, because, seriously, she raised six kids, and you think I could out-argue someone who had that experience?

haha! my mom still obsesses over my food choices when i see her. lol she wants a complete accounting for Every Meal. Every Day when i visit. she wears me out! then still will comment on my choices when we eat together (ie, salad, again--you had salad yesterday).

of course i say nothing about her choices --and her need to take cholestrol medication because she is UNWILLING to make changes in her diet.

seems unfair but i have found it keeps the peace if i just let her rant about me and keep my mouth shut!

jeffrodgers1

People who tell me you shouldn't run because its bad for you.... Same people who told me to lose weight in the first place because it was hard on my joints... All this while they chew on some greasy potato chips on the way out the door for a smoke.

Like they have any business telling me what's healthy!

Daisy_May

People who tell me you shouldn't run because its bad for you

Oh god when I told my Mom that my fitness goal is to be able to run she went on about how unhealthy it is. She's super supportive but is very stuck in her own way of thinking. She hears something on the radio or tv once and it's the gospel truth!

FrankyOsage

My grandma likes to tell me that I should just eat less. And less. And less, you know, 700 calories like her. And that exercising is not lady like. (lots of yoga breathing and calming is required for extended periods of these conversations).

She about fell out of her chair when I said I didn't care about being skinny. I want to be strong!!!

ket_the_jet

Here's another one: "You're cute."

No, kittens are cute and women don't **** kittens.
-wtk

Edit: It censored the "f-word."

adougherty10

Here is mine - I'm a vegetarian and EVERYONE feels the need to share with me that they are meat eaters and don't struggle with their weight (i.e. my sisters, parents, in-laws) My thought that I wish I could say out loud: I might be overweight but I guarantee by cholesterol is better than yours and at least I don't have any meat rotting in my colon!

ShapeUpSidney

Here is mine - I'm a vegetarian and EVERYONE feels the need to share with me that they are meat eaters and don't struggle with their weight (i.e. my sisters, parents, in-laws) My thought that I wish I could say out loud: I might be overweight but I guarantee by cholesterol is better than yours and at least I don't have any meat rotting in my colon!

Would you look at that ^^^ this actually drives ME nuts

I don't have a problem with your dietary habits, but omnivores don't have meat rotting in their colon unless they are SEVERELY obese. That's just a myth told by newage, fad dieters.

If you're curious about the facts, ask a gastroenterologist. My colonoscopy showed no rotting meat. Cholesterol is on point too.

pkpzp228

meh, who cares what people say? I try not to let people infect me with their negative energy. Good topic though, I'm not out to save the world.

lil_missfit

I have a family member who says I only need to eat one time a day and there isn't any need to eat 3 times a day (let alone 6).... and that because I eat 6 I am "greedy"

made me twitch.....

Barneystinson

Here is mine - I'm a vegetarian and EVERYONE feels the need to share with me that they are meat eaters and don't struggle with their weight (i.e. my sisters, parents, in-laws) My thought that I wish I could say out loud: I might be overweight but I guarantee by cholesterol is better than yours and at least I don't have any meat rotting in my colon!

I used to say that as a vegetarian until I actually had it tested and it was out of control.

Anecdotal evidence (I know) but I have normal cholesterol levels and high HDL and eat what I'd like to consider an animal/fish-central diet.

...

I get a lot of comments on how I eat. The whole no grains thing. For one, I can't have wheat. There is so much out there with wheat in it, I just avoid anything that would most likely have it in it. Grains-wise, I eat rice on occasion. Its only fault, IMO, is its high-carbiness and my inherent ability to put away entirely too much of it in one sitting. Anyway, people really enjoy commenting on this. Everyone has an opinion. I don't agree with many of them, but I don't spark an argument. Most people are pretty cool about the no wheat thing. Sometimes they're sympathetic like "damn, I dunno what I'd eat. How do you do it?" Well, it becomes second nature.

Now a person giving "advice" that openly wants to debate health studies and expresses that they have a background in reading them. Then...then we can go to town arguing, er, debating. You wanna tell me I'm killing myself by eating red meat, then yessir, I challenge you to a duel.

My point being in all of this rambling, if you can successfully argue a point and back it up with valid citations, my hat's off to you.

If you like to spout goofy advice and old wive's tales, well then, I'll kindly ignore you.

flabfighter31

Yeah my biggy is my mum she always saying you dont need a diet your look so neat, yes i know im blessed with putting weight on equally everwhere so i dont look that bad but the fact that after four kids my youngest with leukemia at the moment i have ate out of every takeaway around yorkhill so now i have come to the point i know i need to lose it now or i never will and i wont get the best out of my life, but i will admit its hard now but if i wait any longer it will be impossible.

deathtaco

When I tell my friends to lift and they respond, "I don't want to be body builder big man."

It's like if you TOUCH a barbell you will instantly gain 100lbs of lean muscle mass and drop down to 6% BF. If it's that easy, what have I been doing wrong?

linholz

Oh, I understand your frustration. My suggestion to you: (LOL) Just keep on keepin' on,. You've lost 29 lbs. Three cheers to you. When "they" start preaching, just let them preach. They don't need anything but like to hear their own voices. You don't have to say a thing. You can certainly rest on your laurels, having lost the weight. Keep up the good work. L:happy:

pittielover23

I just hate the hoverers/analyzers. There are a few people at work that know I am working on losing weight, and there is one person that is always asking "Can you eat that?" or "Is that part of your program". I want to scream "mind your own business", but whatever. I have explained that I am eating healthy and exercising, that there is no real "program" and that I can eat anything in moderation, but that falls on deaf ears. Apparently I can only eat carrots and lettuce lol

ItsCasey

I agree on being annoyed by the comments about how exercising and dieting necessarily make you miserable. I'm not totally happy yet, but I'm way ahead of where I was back when I was nearly 100 pounds overweight and eating anything and everything that I wanted.

I also hate when people who are new to losing weight think they know so much more than I do about the process. I have one family member who has about 100 pounds to lose, and she told me at Easter that cheat meals do not work and I should stop having them. Ummm, excuse me? You've been losing weight for 5 minutes. I've lost 80 lbs having a cheat meal every week for nearly a year and a half, but you know more about this than I do? Whatever.

In terms of "compliments," I hate being told "You look amazing! You don't even look like the same person anymore!" Thanks. Was I really that hideous before?

Finally, I hate when people who used to be on me constantly about losing weight (like my dad and my grandmother) tell me that I'm too skinny now and that I need to stop. So frustrating.

Sezmo83

People who say "I thought you were on a diet?" every time I eat something they consider to be off limits. Or those who say "oh my god are you eating AGAIN???" Haven't had it this time round as I barely see anyone but last time was a nightmare. My job at the time involved at least 6 hours of walking a day so of course I was burning quite a lot so was eating quite a lot over the course of the day. And because I don't completely cut out things like chocolate I was occasionally seen eating "bad" things.

Furrytreats

I feel like I am going to like this topic.

One my pet peeves is when I walk into work on Friday and the secretary says, "Happy Friday!" and then proceeds to tell me about her grandchildren for 45 minutes.

First of all, I figured out how to use the Gregorian Calendar when I was a kid. I don't need to hear what day of the week it is when I walk through the door. If you are actually interested in my life, ask me about my plans for the weekend. Or tell me about yours. I don't care that your grandkid slept for three straight hours and made funny faces and then woke up and you got to feed him and he didn't burp at first but then he burped and it was the cutest thing. Friday is not inherently "happy" and I guess it turns out that listening to mindless dribble makes me unhappy. I just want to get to my desk and wait out the day and go enjoy my weekend. I swear this Friday I will get to work and the second I walk through that door I will say "Happy Friday" and the secretary will have nothing else to say.

For the record, same thing goes for "It's Monday!," "It's Tuesday!" "We're half way there!," and "It's almost the weekend!"
-wtk

This made my day.

deathtaco

I agree on being annoyed by the comments about how exercising and dieting necessarily make you miserable. I'm not totally happy yet, but I'm way ahead of where I was back when I was nearly 100 pounds overweight and eating anything and everything that I wanted.

I also hate when people who are new to losing weight think they know so much more than I do about the process. I have one family member who has about 100 pounds to lose, and she told me at Easter that cheat meals do not work and I should stop having them. Ummm, excuse me? You've been losing weight for 5 minutes. I've lost 80 lbs having a cheat meal every week for nearly a year and a half, but you know more about this than I do? Whatever.

In terms of "compliments," I hate being told "You look amazing! You don't even look like the same person anymore!" Thanks. Was I really that hideous before?

Finally, I hate when people who used to be on me constantly about losing weight (like my dad and my grandmother) tell me that I'm too skinny now and that I need to stop. So frustrating.

aweee....looks like somebody has the case of the Mondays! :laugh:

c2sky

I'm really enjoying this thread.

ShrinkingNinja

Honestly, I am getting tired of being told that I do not eat enough for the amount of exercise that I do.

jennylynn84

My two favorite comments so far this week have been "You're gonna make yourself sick losing weight like that" and "I'd rather be happy and enjoy my life than to exercise and diet."

The reason I started exercising and losing weight is because being obese was making me sick, and who said anything about being unhappy or not enjoying life? In fact, buying smaller clothes, hearing compliments and feeling energized makes me very happy. Sorry. I know these weren't actual diet misinformation like the example you gave, but people do say some stupid things.

I like this one. I have to agree here. I remember being fat, and I wasn't "happy." I distinctly recall being more anti-social, feeling like a sloth and being sicker. Hmmm....