Getting picked on about what you eat at work?

_Witsy_

Mountains out of mole hills. Rediculous.

my first thought; i've got bigger fish to fry than to care about someone else's feelings on MY lunch

This.

Note to self...no joking, talking, looking at funny/sideways/upsidedown or anything of that nature with someone else if you aren't 100% knowledgeable about their situation/lifestyle/diet.

Aka...just stay at your desk during lunch and speak to NO ONE about food in the kitchen.

People make comments about other people's food all the time...regardless of what the food is.

When the comments come to me, I reply with "Yep, it's what I like. Good thing you don't have to eat it". Why get upset? It has NO effect on my life and goals.

rocket_ace

i was walking to work the other day and passed some tubby guys in fancy suits outside smoking, getting ready to go back to their high powered bond trading at the investment bank (where trader's routinely order things like 50 pizza's and nachos for a group lunch - out of machismo)....and I thought to myself..."who are you two fat idyots fooling"? I'll take my salad and soup thank you - and I'll finish the race ahead of you (you future heart attack victims).

XXXMinnieXXX

I'm lucky in that nobody ever had had any negative comments on what I'm eating. I get a lot of wow that looks lovely what is it? Then they start buying and eating it. (fage Greek yogurt, almond milk) lots of positive interest, nothing negative.

Butter and gravy on rice is a very odd combo. Keep on with what your doing and try not to get too upset. I'm pretty sure he would be upset that he offended you. I also think this is his misguided way of hitting on you!

_Witsy_

i was walking to work the other day and passed some tubby guys in fancy suits outside smoking, getting ready to go back to their high powered bond trading at the investment bank (where trader's routinely order things like 50 pizza's and nachos for a group lunch - out of machismo)....and I thought to myself..."who are you two fat idyots fooling"? I'll take my salad and soup thank you - and I'll finish the race ahead of you (you future heart attack victims).

What a nice mindset to have...

Jessiebell527

Perhaps asking him to mind his own business would have been a more appropriate response than involving management. Over rice.

MagicalLeopleurodon

where in the world do people people put butter or gravy on rice? i'm guessing middle america on this one.

nope, south. fried chicken with rice and brown gravy is a suunday staple.

Bumdrahp

i was walking to work the other day and passed some tubby guys in fancy suits outside smoking, getting ready to go back to their high powered bond trading at the investment bank (where trader's routinely order things like 50 pizza's and nachos for a group lunch - out of machismo)....and I thought to myself..."who are you two fat idyots fooling"? I'll take my salad and soup thank you - and I'll finish the race ahead of you (you future heart attack victims).

What a nice mindset to have...

No kidding.. someone sounds a little angry?

ninakir88

Okay. I think you were over reacting, he was just trying to pick on you and joke around, it's not a huge deal and it doesn't sound hateful. All you had to do was just tell him that his joking around makes you very uncomfortable and he would have probably backed off.

And the guy that microwaves the fish for lunch every day... dude, have some respect, no one likes an office that reeks of fish for hours. I understand SOMETIMES, but all the everyday can get annoying. Plus fish can be eaten cold anyway. Pre-cooking it would be a great idea and respectful to the people around you.

Bumdrahp

Okay. I think you were over reacting, he was just trying to pick on you and joke around, it's not a huge deal and it doesn't sound hateful.

And the guy that microwaves the fish for lunch every day... dude, have some respect, no one likes an office that reeks of fish for hours. Plus fish can be eaten cold anyway.

Call me ignorant, I don't care.


I will reheat my fish AND my brussels, and not a *kitten* will be given. I will eat warm food, healthy food.. and if someone want's to comment on it's nasty smell? Let them! People do things at work all day that annoy me.. I deal with it.

If i want cold fish, then i'll eat it cold.. but 99.9% of the time.. my salmon, will be warmed up.

kikih64

I have a like-minded coworker, and we often discuss healthy food and we motivate/support each other in our goals. We have another coworker who pays no attention to anything healthy and we get eye rolls and negative comments from her all the time. Trying to be healthy just seems to bother some people who aren't.

ninakir88

Okay. I think you were over reacting, he was just trying to pick on you and joke around, it's not a huge deal and it doesn't sound hateful.

And the guy that microwaves the fish for lunch every day... dude, have some respect, no one likes an office that reeks of fish for hours. Plus fish can be eaten cold anyway.

Call me ignorant, I don't care.


I will reheat my fish AND my brussels, and not a *kitten* will be given. I will eat warm food, healthy food.. and if someone want's to comment on it's nasty smell? Let them! People do things at work all day that annoy me.. I deal with it.

If i want cold fish, then i'll eat it cold.. but 99.9% of the time.. my salmon, will be warmed up.

Hey, more power to you! But the guy complained about people making comments about it, so I am assuming he cares about what they say.

Bumdrahp

Okay. I think you were over reacting, he was just trying to pick on you and joke around, it's not a huge deal and it doesn't sound hateful.

And the guy that microwaves the fish for lunch every day... dude, have some respect, no one likes an office that reeks of fish for hours. Plus fish can be eaten cold anyway.

Call me ignorant, I don't care.


I will reheat my fish AND my brussels, and not a *kitten* will be given. I will eat warm food, healthy food.. and if someone want's to comment on it's nasty smell? Let them! People do things at work all day that annoy me.. I deal with it.

If i want cold fish, then i'll eat it cold.. but 99.9% of the time.. my salmon, will be warmed up.

Hey, more power to you! But the guy complained about people making comments about it, so I am assuming he cares about what they say.

I can respect that, no doubt.

He should stop caring.. lmao. :flowerforyou:

Moxie42

On the opposite side, does anyone else have their co-workers justifying their meals or apologizing for their meals to you? It seems like every time I go out to eat with my co-workers for lunch (rarely, BTW - it's hard to eat well at restaurants) a few of them tend to say things after they order like "I know that it's terrible for me, but I just love it," or "I'm sorry, Nick, but I just don't get full from salads like you do."
I've never criticized or commented on anything that anyone has ever ordered, so I feel kind of bad when they say things like this. I laugh it off or ignore it and change the subject, essentially telling them that what they eat is none of my business, but I still find it strange.

Am I alone with this?

Haha, I've been that coworker. If I'm out to eat with someone much smaller and more fit than I am, I get self-conscious. I worry that if I order something "bad," that they'll think things like "no wonder she's fat!" so I feel like I have to justify it to them (or maybe it's really to myself" by saying something like "I haven't had a cheat day in forever! I'm going to allow a little cheat today" so they don't think I always eat like that. Yeah it might sound insecure but a lot of people DO think that way- I see people post on here all the time, commenting on others' bad eating choices and talking *kitten* on them- even the OP did that! One of my coworkers makes fun of overweight people too, so I'm especially self-conscious if she's there. Yeah, I "shouldn't" care but easier said than done.

I suppose I can see understand that people feel self-conscious, especially in your situation, around a coworker with a history of making fun of the way people eat. I just find it unfortunate.

Agreed. It's unfortunate...partially my own fault though, for letting it get to me. I have friends who are overweight who have NO problem eating in front of others, and I wish I had that confidence. Hiding bad eating is actually one reason I ended up here. For a while I was eating like a bird at work...and then coming home and binging if no one was home. I'm trying to be better about that though, and not apologizing to anyone if I eat a cookie. It doesn't affect anyone but me so why should I care what they think? Mostly though, I'm just trying to eat healthy most of the time. My weight-loss should speak for itself, and once I am confident that I CAN have an occasional treat and still lose weight, I won't have such a problem eating in front of people. It was interesting to hear your perspective on that though- it's nice to know there are people who don't judge and I'm going to think twice next time I'm out to lunch because you're right- it shouldn't be like this.

Side-note: This "white-girl American" from California (and California doesn't really have it's OWN culture like the south does, or like Texas does...mmm...Texas BBQ...) learned to LOVE plain rice- my "white-boy Italian-American" fiance introduced me to it. Growing up, I always added soy sauce. Now, I let my meat/veggies flavor it, or I add spices as it cooks, like ginger or saffron. Your co-worker was being insensitive, yes. But not sure he realized that it was an important cultural thing to you. If you said something like "well, this is traditional Vietnamese fare" and he replied saying "well, that's dumb!" then I would 100% agree with you regarding the cultural attack. I have a co-worker of Columbian decent who told me he has eaten, and enjoyed tarantula. Being arachnophobic, without even thinking, I said, "omg that's creepy!" I immediately apologized for reacting like that but he said, "That's okay. I understand it might sound weird or gross to Americans, but it's actually similar to crab." Granted, I had apologized, but he still could have been offended that I would even think something like that. I'm grateful he stopped to understand me as much as I stopped and tried to understand him (after that split-second bad reaction of mine).

ETA: My point is that sometimes people just need to be educated about a topic when it is a cultural thing. Kinda like how a lot of people are saying "rice and gravy is popular in the south and is really good!" in reaction to all the "Eew! Who would do that? That's so gross!" comments...instead of getting angry with them.

trammelgal

Harrassment of any kind is wrong. Kudos to you for going to another supervisor. He sounds like an egotistical jerk anyway.


Hi. I live with my parents. When I was 37 I had a debilitating stroke. I do alright I guess, but no one will hire me. I have tried many times to get a job. I get as far as the interview and that's it. Once they see I have a problem, that's it. Anyway, I am living back at home with my parents, They are getting on up there in years and I kind of oversee there dr. appts. and medicines as well as run errands for them. Yes, I can drive. My left side was affected.
Anyway, my mom feels it is in her best effort to stuff me with food. Going to the table and just taking out small portions is not possible with her around. If she feels like I need more old-fashioned buttered potatoes, she will flop them on my plate.
I don't want to hurt the old lady, but I am trying to loose. What to do? any ideas? I could have a sit-down, tea-drinking one on one talk and explain this, but she would forget by tomorrow what we talked about. it.:explode:

pamperedlinny

I think he was just joking around, but I've been in similar situations. Just yesterday I was offered a piece of cake and I declined and another coworker said "See, I told you. No fun."

I get stuff like this all the time.

Also, I get the "if you're on a diet why do you have *** or *** at your desk".... um maybe you see a brownie. I see Fiber One brownie is only a 90 calories snack compared to the 300+ calorie one you got from the vending machine.

spud_chick

My issue is the cal count. People just don't like you to count your cals. And their comments are nasty. However.. who's life is it? Who's health is it? Mine and mine so I do not let anyone get into it.

Yeah, I've noticed that; some people think it's beneath them, that only chumps have to count their calories, or in some cases it's men thinking it would emasculate them somehow. Ironically some of the same people who preach the "successful people keep a journal" thing somehow don't see the value of tracking food if diet and weight are a concern.

KimberlyDCZ

I hate when the ONE time you eat something unhealthy, like a chicken biscuit for example, you get "I thought you didn't eat biscuits" or something along those lines. Who made you the diet police? It's MY diet, I can cheat whenever I want to! Then there was the time when my friends at work made me promise to enjoy my holiday meals. They meant well, so I told them I would. Wow, was that a mistake. I gained like 7 lbs, even though I did enjoy it in smaller portions. Next year I'll be taking a few healthy dishes of my own to family dinners and work gatherings and only eating from that.

smittybuilt19

OP, that's BS that anyone should care what you eat and how you eat it. Going to a higher up was your call, if that's what you needed to do then that's fine by me.

Side note: I'm so happy I'm not on a diet, therefore I don't worry about these so called "cheat days."

Side note #2: As far as counting calories being feminine or w/e, I was fat, now I'm not, all thanks to counting calories. Oh yea I'm still a guy, with no tendencies that suggest otherwise.

spud_chick

Note to self...no joking, talking, looking at funny/sideways/upsidedown or anything of that nature with someone else if you aren't 100% knowledgeable about their situation/lifestyle/diet.

Aka...just stay at your desk during lunch and speak to NO ONE about food in the kitchen.

How about we all just learn some damn manners? Saying "oh, that looks tasty" or the genuinely interested "do you mind me asking what you have there?" is not what we're talking about here. Barging in to tell someone else how to eat or complain about their meal is rude--whether you're criticizing them for eating "too healthy" or "not healthy enough". Doing it with "helpful intentions" is rude AND officious. Diet and tastes are highly individual and it's a good area in which to mind one's own damn business if you don't *know* them well enough to trust that they can or will tell you to shut up if you're coming on too strong. And no mistake, if you're barging into someone else's business that is their right, although as we know not everyone is wired to respond with the hearty "**** off" such intrusions deserve. And that's probably a good thing.

Given the option, I simply cross that person off and avoid contact with them but with coworkers and other non-voluntary relationships you usually cannot, so conflict resolution is necessary to avoid making the situation worse.

KANGOOJUMPS

eat what you want, its not about them.