Things you shouldn't say to someone "on a diet?"

fteale

I love the people who act like maintenance is harder than losing the weight in the first place. In the breakroom of my second job, some of us were talking about my weight loss (I had just run my first race - a 10K two days earlier) & a lady who's an attention *kitten* was saying that & I started laughing. She glared at me & I said that if maintaining your weight is harder than losing weight, than you're not doing it right.

Well, I think maintenance *is* harder than losing the weight. Losing the weight you get the positive reinforcement via the lower number on the scale, the occasional compliment, or trying on smaller clothes. With maintenance, you get comments like "You're still on a diet" or "You're too skinny" or "Eat this--you don't need to diet anymore!"

It's not like I can't understand why someone would think losing weight would be harder--since losing weight is hard. But it seems reasonable to hold either opinion.

I find maintaining harder than losing. I was fine losing, there was an end point in sight. Maintenance feels like I am going to be hungry for the rest of my life.

specialemy

At least once a week I hear "Is that all you're going to eat"? All I can say is 'Yeah". But it's been finally irking me. I try and put my lunch together when no one is in the office kitchen so I don't get confronted...

MaraDiaz

Here's one my Mom said to me the other day: Please eat the rest of the cheesecake in the fridge, I'm going on a diet.

She weighs 130 pounds...I weigh 188 pounds.

I told her I'd been on a diet, in case she didn't notice. To be fair, though, she knows perfectly well that I have my days when diet be damned, I'm going to eat something bad for me. Nevertheless, I don't know who ate the cheesecake, but it wasn't me!

lizzie321

The other day at work, we had leftovers to bring home as we were closing. My manager, speaking with a customer, said "I don't know what to do with all this!" to which the customer replied, "send it home with her, she's skinny" as I walked past.

I don't think she meant it in a malicious way, so I just smiled - but you better believe I didn't take those leftovers! I'm not losing weight by eating leftover cake at 490 calories a slice here, lady...that's more than a third of the calories I eat on days I don't work out!

I also get a little peeved when people equate counting calories with some kind of obsessive or problematic eating pattern. I do it to be aware of my meals and make sure my exercise burns sufficient calories- not because I'm trying to survive on as few calories as possible, or whatever it is people incorrectly assume.

KarensCanDoIt

Here's one my Mom said to me the other day: Please eat the rest of the cheesecake in the fridge, I'm going on a diet.

She weighs 130 pounds...I weigh 188 pounds.

I told her I'd been on a diet, in case she didn't notice. To be fair, though, she knows perfectly well that I have my days when diet be damned, I'm going to eat something bad for me. Nevertheless, I don't know who ate the cheesecake, but it wasn't me!

Glad you made the right decision. I also struggle with well-meaning, food-offering family members. It's definitely a challenge.

2_young_2B_old

Sorry I'm bad at this. I wanted to delete but I cant figure out how.