Annoying friends and coworkers when you are dieting

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msaestein1
msaestein1 Posts: 264 Member
in Motivation and Support
So, I just made myself some popcorn for a snack at work. A coworker of mine chimes in when she smells it and yells that it smells good and wants to know why I am eating it. I tell her it is low calorie and full of fiber. She replies that it is full of carbs and if I was REALLY on a diet or trying to get in shape that I wouldn't be eating it. What do you do when people say stuff like this to you? I feel that I should have never told anyone what I was doing. But it is the only way to shut down the request to go to lunch, have a slice of b-day cake, etc. How do you get people like this off or your back? I hate the critiques, judgements, and unsolicited advice. btw...most of the people giving it don't exactly look like Jillian Michaels. I want to say this, but I don't want to be tooo rude.
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Replies

  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
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    Whether you tell them or not, eventually they'll know because your weight loss will be noticeable :flowerforyou: I have the same sorts of issues at work whether it's "OMG Don't Eat That!!" or "EAT THIS NOW". On bad days, I assume people wish to sabotage me, but that's probably not true, I doubt they care that much lol.

    Bottom line is, I eat what I want when I want to. I'm not going to be pressured into eating something that doesn't fit with my goals for that day. The only time I've felt bad was last week when a gorgeous strawberry cupcake magically appeared on my desk while I was away. No one would admit to leaving it there so I couldn't return it. So I quietly threw it away. Sorry. It didn't fit and I'm not going to eat it just to make somebody feel good.
  • julesan902
    julesan902 Posts: 79 Member
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    I don't want to say that coworkers are jealous, but, in all honesty, they are. They don't have the discipline that you have to follow your meal plan. I've had the same coworker come up (again and again) and offer me baked goods/sweets, I deny (politely, as she knows I'm following a healthy lifestyle now) and she will say, "well it's not poison! it won't kill you." "eventually" I reply. Sometimes I get nasty, I can't help it. But, we all deal with it our own ways.
  • supercatie18
    supercatie18 Posts: 82 Member
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    Bottom line is, I eat what I want when I want to. I'm not going to be pressured into eating something that doesn't fit with my goals for that day. The only time I've felt bad was last week when a gorgeous strawberry cupcake magically appeared on my desk while I was away. No one would admit to leaving it there so I couldn't return it. So I quietly threw it away. Sorry. It didn't fit and I'm not going to eat it just to make somebody feel good.

    This happened to me yesterday! I coworker left a cookie on my desk... I didn't want to offend her by loudly offering it to someone else so I just threw it away. Sure one cookie won't kill me, but I already had my day planned out and that woulda put me over. By the end of the day, I forgot about the cookie anyway.
  • marz42
    marz42 Posts: 223 Member
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    I pretty much don't tell anyone at work, or even friends that I think might do this sort of thing. I respond really really badly to the "diet police" ...if it starts to feel like someone is telling me what I can and can't have, I want to eat it just to show them. Only it's really not doing a thing to them. I've told a few coworkers i'm trying to get "fitter" (which really is my focus anyway) but nothing about dieting or loosing weight cause then a lot of times they all start monitoring your food grr.

    I've found it also helps to say "Oh, no thanks, I don't eat that", or I'm not eating that, rather than I "can't"...because the minute you say you can't they try to convince you you can and one won't hurt. Works better for my mindset as a don't anyway.
  • Yukongil
    Yukongil Posts: 166 Member
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    stare...just stare at them...force their gaze away like the lowly curr they are, and then once they turn away, draw your broaddsword* and cut off their head and then stand on their prostrate form and howl to the gods of battle, letting the entire office who has laid claim to this kill. Drag the body into your cubicle and then enjoy a high protein, high fat meal for your reward.

    After doing this once, none of my coworkers dare ask me about "why I'm just eating rice cakes".

    *if your sword is currently at the smith's being repaired from the trials of battle, then pull any weapon your office might have nearby off the wall and do the deed. If you office is lacking in wall mounted weaponry, find a new line of work, something more befitting a warrior.
  • msaestein1
    msaestein1 Posts: 264 Member
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    Bottom line is, I eat what I want when I want to. I'm not going to be pressured into eating something that doesn't fit with my goals for that day. The only time I've felt bad was last week when a gorgeous strawberry cupcake magically appeared on my desk while I was away. No one would admit to leaving it there so I couldn't return it. So I quietly threw it away. Sorry. It didn't fit and I'm not going to eat it just to make somebody feel good.

    This happened to me yesterday! I coworker left a cookie on my desk... I didn't want to offend her by loudly offering it to someone else so I just threw it away. Sure one cookie won't kill me, but I already had my day planned out and that woulda put me over. By the end of the day, I forgot about the cookie anyway.

    Yes, candy has been entering the office and conveniently on or very near my desk. I was trying to be positive and think it was only Halloween related, now I think it is sabotage. LOL
  • msaestein1
    msaestein1 Posts: 264 Member
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    stare...just stare at them...force their gaze away like the lowly curr they are, and then once they turn away, draw your broaddsword* and cut off their head and then stand on their prostrate form and howl to the gods of battle, letting the entire office who has laid claim to this kill. Drag the body into your cubicle and then enjoy a high protein, high fat meal for your reward.

    After doing this once, none of my coworkers dare ask me about "why I'm just eating rice cakes".

    *if your sword is currently at the smith's being repaired from the trials of battle, then pull any weapon your office might have nearby off the wall and do the deed. If you office is lacking in wall mounted weaponry, find a new line of work, something more befitting a warrior.

    Seriously, get out of my head!!! Can you come work with me, the pay stinks, but the benefits are great. :)
  • sofia10811
    sofia10811 Posts: 23 Member
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    Ahh the diet Nazis. There are a couple here that do that. Super annoying. I haven't had it happen to me personally but it annoys me to listen to them give unsolicited advice to others. One of them has NO business giving diet advice. She has a good 40+lbs to lose herself. She gets on diet kicks then thinks she's the diet goddess of the office. Funny how no one says a word when she's not in diet mode. :/
  • marfmellows
    marfmellows Posts: 18
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    1) Don't bring it up around people you know will be jerks about it. You now know that this person is not someone you can rely on to be an adult about YOUR body and YOUR goals. Most people hate to hear about other people's diets. It's like listening to someone talk about their dreams. There is no way to relate and often it makes people uncomfortable.

    2) When someone can't be nice and mentions something to you about going low-carb or how you are not a real diet simply say, "Thanks for the input, but this is what I'm doing." If they insist say, "This conversation is over." If they insist on being rude and shaming you for your choices they don't deserve to be enabled by you listening to them.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Guy I work with (who doesn't know I'm trying to lose weight) was being an a-hole about me eating a cookie last week. Today he was chomping on cinnamon rolls. Hypocrite!

    This is why I don't people anything. And personally I think popcorn is fantastic for weight loss.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    This is why I don't tell people who don't need to know, my business. If I don't want things I just say no, no reason needs to be given. If I have to get nasty, well hey.
  • robmcd88
    robmcd88 Posts: 85 Member
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    stare...just stare at them...force their gaze away like the lowly curr they are, and then once they turn away, draw your broaddsword* and cut off their head and then stand on their prostrate form and howl to the gods of battle, letting the entire office who has laid claim to this kill. Drag the body into your cubicle and then enjoy a high protein, high fat meal for your reward.

    After doing this once, none of my coworkers dare ask me about "why I'm just eating rice cakes".

    *if your sword is currently at the smith's being repaired from the trials of battle, then pull any weapon your office might have nearby off the wall and do the deed. If you office is lacking in wall mounted weaponry, find a new line of work, something more befitting a warrior.

    This one sounds good
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
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    Sarcasm, appreciation (I thank them for their knowledge or food offering), and reflection ( I reflect the situation to them and ask since they know so much how come they aren't doing it). That is my defense setup when someone tries to attack my fortress of solitude that is my life changing eating habits.
  • KiltFuPanda
    KiltFuPanda Posts: 574 Member
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    My response to someone who asked why I was eating a double bacon cheeseburger if I was supposed to be losing weight:

    "I eat what I like to eat, just not as much of it as I used to. And what do you know, I'm losing weight." And just smile.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    My response to someone who asked why I was eating a double bacon cheeseburger if I was supposed to be losing weight:

    "I eat what I like to eat, just not as much of it as I used to. And what do you know, I'm losing weight." And just smile.
    Yeah nobody gets this. I've been telling people I'm not on a "diet". I'm just trying to make healthier choices. Diets have all kinds of negative connotations about starving yourself and restricting what types of food your allowed to eat. They don't get a "diet" that allows you to not be hungry and to be able to eat things that you like.

    In the past 6 weeks I've begun to appreciate food more. It tastes better. I look forward to it instead of taking it for granted. I've begun to eat things, especially vegetables that I've always avoided or picked out of my food. I have a appreciation for food that's good for me because it makes me feel good.

    "I'm not on a diet because diets don't work. This is a lifestyle change."
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    I guess it sucks that your co-worker can't eat carbs like you can. I tell people to try and take it away from me when they say "You can't eat that". After the first smackdown, they learn quick to shut up about the chocolate and pasta.
  • kf4vkp
    kf4vkp Posts: 164 Member
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    It's a game of choices. Popcorn is better than chips. Denying the craving for crunchy/salty for me ends up in my eating more badly than if I just choose the better option in the long run.

    The fact is, a lifestyle change doesn't require denying yourself food, it requires moderation and healthy choices. And in the end are no one elses business.
  • 2012asv
    2012asv Posts: 702 Member
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    i would just say, "Well, this works for me. So far so good. I've lost X lbs, how much have you lost?"
  • heypurdy
    heypurdy Posts: 196 Member
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    So, I just made myself some popcorn for a snack at work. A coworker of mine chimes in when she smells it and yells that it smells good and wants to know why I am eating it. I tell her it is low calorie and full of fiber. She replies that it is full of carbs and if I was REALLY on a diet or trying to get in shape that I wouldn't be eating it. What do you do when people say stuff like this to you? I feel that I should have never told anyone what I was doing. But it is the only way to shut down the request to go to lunch, have a slice of b-day cake, etc. How do you get people like this off or your back? I hate the critiques, judgements, and unsolicited advice. btw...most of the people giving it don't exactly look like Jillian Michaels. I want to say this, but I don't want to be tooo rude.

    "btw...most of the people giving it don't exactly look like Jillian Michaels" <---This is why they're saying it. They probably wish they were getting in shape like you. Let the haters hate. They won't be talking smack when you look hot! Let them motivate you.
  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,460 Member
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    Here is my favorite saying for times like that, "OK, if you say so..." and then go on with your business.

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