My colleague thinks I am a greedy cow

Sockimobi

Sympathise, take the mick, whatever; anything to stop me murdering my colleague.

I work for a small company. There is me and a colleague in my office. That's it., just us two all day, day in, day out.

Soooo at 11.15am I ate my lunch. This was some beef and noodle left over thing from last night, probably weighed about 150g.

Just now (an hour and a bit later) I ate a Yorkie bar (from the vending machine - I know, failcakes). I was just saying to my colleague that I wish I hadn't bothered as I've got the jitters and a bit of bloating. She said "Well, you have been eating ALL morning".

She has made snide remarks like this before. The other day I had a chicken salad wrap, an apple and a granola bar (over an 8 hour period) and I was told my food intake for that day had been "never ending".

So, how to handle this? My colleague is overweight and starves herself then has a binge on choc and crisps (she's open about it). Whilst she's sat at her desk eating nothing all day, she seems to think my eating is compulsive :noway: I'd laugh if it wasn't for the fact that when she does have food (always choc, crisps) she tries to force it on me.

I don't want to get into a confrontation as there is just us two in this room all day. But I don't want to listen to her BS either. Unless I am mistakenly stuffing my face like a greedy pig without realising it?? What do you guys eat at work?

Ugh get her the chuff away from me! :explode:

PS skiving on here whilst she's having a cigarette break.

maryjaquiss

Sounds like she's obsessing about food because she's depriving herself - if she isn't eating anything, she's probably ratty and it probably seems to her that you're eating all the time, even if you're not! That would be me if I wasn't eating all day lol

monroe61

She sounds like a jealous...um...well not a very nice word!!

I eat ALL day long at work but it's, strawberries, apples, orange, green peppers, cucumbers...etc. I am a snacker so I choose to bring a TON of healthy snacks to work so I'm not tempted by the dang vending machine and all it's yummy goodness!! LOL

I'm not sure what to tell you to do because I don't have that situation and I would be tempted to tell her to eff off but seeing how it's just you two that would make for an awkward and uncomfortable work enviroment. GOOD LUCK!

hbrittingham

I would avoid discussing food with her at all.

I pretty much eat all day long, too. The only thing a coworker may do that bothers me is to tell me when we are having cake or some other office treat that I can't have any. Since when did they become my mother? I don't need anyone telling what I can or cannot eat, that's for me to deal with, and I refuse to deprive myself of something I want.

Sockimobi

She's making me feel like I don't want to eat anything at my desk as I know she's clocking everything I eat (we have no break out area - and I don't want to eat in my car).

The vending machine thing was because the bananas at home were too green to take. They do have healthy(ish) bars in the machine which was my intention but I made a bad choice (clearly!). Don't normally use the machine.

Definitely going to make sure I have healthy snacks at home to bring to work in the future though!

Sockimobi

I would avoid discussing food with her at all.

I pretty much eat all day long, too. The only thing a coworker may do that bothers me is to tell me when we are having cake or some other office treat that I can't have any. Since when did they become my mother? I don't need anyone telling what I can or cannot eat, that's for me to deal with, and I refuse to deprive myself of something I want.

Good idea!

The previous attack was from nowhere though. I was just getting an apple from my bag and failing at it - due to all the rustling she asked "Do you have a stash of food down there? Your breakfast seems to be lasting all day" etc etc

I guess I could just not respond.

hbrittingham

I would avoid discussing food with her at all.

I pretty much eat all day long, too. The only thing a coworker may do that bothers me is to tell me when we are having cake or some other office treat that I can't have any. Since when did they become my mother? I don't need anyone telling what I can or cannot eat, that's for me to deal with, and I refuse to deprive myself of something I want.

Good idea!

The previous attack was from nowhere though. I was just getting an apple from my bag and failing at it - due to all the rustling she asked "Do you have a stash of food down there? Your breakfast seems to be lasting all day" etc etc

I guess I could just not respond.

Or you could just tell her that you prefer not to discuss food anymore and leave it at that. Then if she says something in the future, you could ignore her.

Sockimobi

I would avoid discussing food with her at all.

I pretty much eat all day long, too. The only thing a coworker may do that bothers me is to tell me when we are having cake or some other office treat that I can't have any. Since when did they become my mother? I don't need anyone telling what I can or cannot eat, that's for me to deal with, and I refuse to deprive myself of something I want.

Good idea!

The previous attack was from nowhere though. I was just getting an apple from my bag and failing at it - due to all the rustling she asked "Do you have a stash of food down there? Your breakfast seems to be lasting all day" etc etc

I guess I could just not respond.

Or you could just tell her that you prefer not to discuss food anymore and leave it at that. Then if she says something in the future, you could ignore her.

I wish I could ignore her permanently :laugh: She was off sick for a couple of months and it was brilliant!! :happy:

rossi02

Not very mature, but at this point I would go into passive aggressive mode and would make it known how awesome my food was while eating it. “Mmmmm, this apple is divine! Nothing helps power me through the day like this chicken salad wrap”. Then when she complains about your constant eating, just smile and say.. “Yea, I really hate it too, but it’s imperative for my healthy lifestyle, so I’ll just power on through”.

Sockimobi

Ha! I am tempted to do that - would be hilarious. Hmmmm ignore her or rub it in her face? *ponder ponder*.

I never like to the let the cowbag know she's annoyed me... so this maybe giggle worthy

therealangd

Ignore. And don't discuss food with her anymore.

And if she brings it up, "Your breakfast is lasting all day" you say "yes it is" and leave it at that.

jenlarz

Have you ever explained to her why you eat what you do and how it it helps you to not get hungry and have cravings for sweets and salty stuff ? If so and she chooses not to listen, by all means just ignore the ignorance. But if not, just explain.

PinkEarthMama

Not very mature, but at this point I would go into passive aggressive mode and would make it known how awesome my food was while eating it. “Mmmmm, this apple is divine! Nothing helps power me through the day like this chicken salad wrap”. Then when she complains about your constant eating, just smile and say.. “Yea, I really hate it too, but it’s imperative for my healthy lifestyle, so I’ll just power on through”.

This makes me happy.

Gosh i love my breakfast.
Darn this delicious apple.
Oooooh peppers and hummus. YUM YUM
Beef and noooooodles.
Rice cakes. Gosh, you're so jealous, eh?

Sockimobi

Have you ever explained to her why you eat what you do and how it it helps you to not get hungry and have cravings for sweets and salty stuff ? If so and she chooses not to listen, by all means just ignore the ignorance. But if not, just explain.

Nope, I can't tell this woman anything - she only talks at me, not with me. I probably should (attempt a mission impossible) to explain but I am really liking the winding her up idea.

Might start telling her I've either lost 10lb or gained 10lb on a weekly basis just to be totally silly

BAMFMeredith

Not very mature, but at this point I would go into passive aggressive mode and would make it known how awesome my food was while eating it. “Mmmmm, this apple is divine! Nothing helps power me through the day like this chicken salad wrap”. Then when she complains about your constant eating, just smile and say.. “Yea, I really hate it too, but it’s imperative for my healthy lifestyle, so I’ll just power on through”.

This makes me happy.

Gosh i love my breakfast.
Darn this delicious apple.
Oooooh peppers and hummus. YUM YUM
Beef and noooooodles.
Rice cakes. Gosh, you're so jealous, eh?

I like this too lol

I work with a woman who is always commenting on how often I go to our break room (where the fridge is) to get food. I eat like 6 times a day, much like TONS of people here on MFP. I once explained to her why I eat this way and what my calories kinda look like, in an effort to make her stop giving me *kitten*, and her response was "You eat way too much to lose weight. You're not gonna see any results eating that often."

I guess my 20 lbs weight loss (so far) doesn't qualify as "results." This woman apparently knows any and everything about dieting and is always on some new (ridiculous) diet...and hasn't appeared to have lost a single pound since I've known her (almost 2 years now).

At this point I just go on about what I'm doing and if she mentions anything about me grabbing food I tell her exactly what I'm eating and how delicious it is, then she usually shuts up. I'm sure she thinks "That Meredith just won't listen to me, I'll save my breath" which is just fine with me.

Sockimobi

Funny how some people know it all, including what's best you, eh? And how they are always right, even when your weight loss is staring them in the face.

If your colleague is anything like mine, when you're at goal or when she admits to herself that you have lost weight, she'll call you out as being bulimic. After all, how can we eat "so much" and lose weight!! I'm just waiting for mine to come up with that one!

Congrats on your weight loss and the handling of your colleague. :flowerforyou:

noregretsnikki

I agree--ignore her. Success is the best revenge!