How to respond to a smug vegetarian?

Did I read right in that you want to introduce drugs testing because he smokes weed? Why would you want to do that? Sounds far worse than him talking about cheese.

The company used to do random testing - I work in the chemical industry with lots of things that could blow up, spew crap into the environment or kill people. I just don't like any one who could be drunk, stoned, tweeking, hallucinating, etc. operating heavy equipment on a job site. My suggestion to bring back the random testing is being considered. I've had to let people go in the past for showing up to work drunk or stoned. One situation was really hard - he was a good guy and a good employee - he had a rough situation and had a few drinks before his shift - he got tagged for being drunk by supervisor, tested via breathalyzer, and was fired.

Disclaimer - virtually all the vegetarians I know are incredible people who I respect because they joyfully offer support, recipes, and advice for my weight loss journey and are generally really pleasant to be around. Except this one guy.

He is a coworker and unfortunately in my carpool. He and his wife are actually pescetarians (will eat fish). His wife is working on losing about 30 pounds - she has taken up running and I think she is doing awesome. He complains to me that she will eat jelly beans and justify eating something if she has gone for a long run. I told him that he really needs to let go of the jelly bean thing which happened almost a year ago. Her eating cheese seems to upset him greatly.

I was in a staff meeting with him about 6 months ago and I started munching on the cheese that was left over from the lunch platter. I said "oh this is good protein". He scolded me in the car on the way home that calories are calories and it doesn't matter if it's a protein or carb. He then told me the "calories in - calories out" is the only way, I have to walk, I should play more soccer with my kid and I should try vegetarianism. Yesterday - he brought up the cheese thing again - holy crap - I ate that cheese 6 months ago. When I told him why he would bring this up - he ignored my comment. I responded that some overweight people struggle with their weight despite eating normal diets and sometimes it could be a thyroid or metabolic syndrome. I told him that losing weight is a lot tougher than maintaining weight. Then he proceeded to say - "well, none of the people in Auschwitz were overweight."

Question - how do I respond to this moron? I unfortunately work with him and I pride myself in that I strive get along with everyone at work. He is smug - thinks he is better than everyone else at work. He openly defies the work that I do (safety) - he thinks the new safety rules the company is abiding by are stupid and mocks my job. I mentioned that I am looking for another job and he is upset because I would leave the carpool (what does he expect - it's an hour commute to work one way - I'm looking to work closer to home). I've been working on re-instating the random drug tests because he bragged to me that he smokes the devil's lettuce almost every weekend. I never bring up the fact that I believe he drinks too much - a six pack of IPA every night!?!?!? I did once and he skewered me because I smoke (side note: I signed up for the hospital's smoking cessation program which starts in April) and brought up the cheese thing again. But then he calls me a good person and a good friend.... weird. The guy admits he likes playing devil's advocate but this is getting ridiculous.

Your thoughts? What's the obsession with cheese?

It was very therapeutic to vent. Thanks. It would be great to go back to pleasantries while carpooling instead of being lectured on my failures as a human being.

mumbling.... "calories in - calories out" - what crap........ going to the fridge and getting a slice of colby-jack

Do you have to respond at all? I mean it's so easy to walk away from this.

Disclaimer - virtually all the vegetarians I know are incredible people who I respect because they joyfully offer support, recipes, and advice for my weight loss journey and are generally really pleasant to be around. Except this one guy.

He is a coworker and unfortunately in my carpool. He and his wife are actually pescetarians (will eat fish). His wife is working on losing about 30 pounds - she has taken up running and I think she is doing awesome. He complains to me that she will eat jelly beans and justify eating something if she has gone for a long run. I told him that he really needs to let go of the jelly bean thing which happened almost a year ago. Her eating cheese seems to upset him greatly.

I was in a staff meeting with him about 6 months ago and I started munching on the cheese that was left over from the lunch platter. I said "oh this is good protein". He scolded me in the car on the way home that calories are calories and it doesn't matter if it's a protein or carb. He then told me the "calories in - calories out" is the only way, I have to walk, I should play more soccer with my kid and I should try vegetarianism. Yesterday - he brought up the cheese thing again - holy crap - I ate that cheese 6 months ago. When I told him why he would bring this up - he ignored my comment. I responded that some overweight people struggle with their weight despite eating normal diets and sometimes it could be a thyroid or metabolic syndrome. I told him that losing weight is a lot tougher than maintaining weight. Then he proceeded to say - "well, none of the people in Auschwitz were overweight."

Question - how do I respond to this moron? I unfortunately work with him and I pride myself in that I strive get along with everyone at work. He is smug - thinks he is better than everyone else at work. He openly defies the work that I do (safety) - he thinks the new safety rules the company is abiding by are stupid and mocks my job. I mentioned that I am looking for another job and he is upset because I would leave the carpool (what does he expect - it's an hour commute to work one way - I'm looking to work closer to home). I've been working on re-instating the random drug tests because he bragged to me that he smokes the devil's lettuce almost every weekend. I never bring up the fact that I believe he drinks too much - a six pack of IPA every night!?!?!? I did once and he skewered me because I smoke (side note: I signed up for the hospital's smoking cessation program which starts in April) and brought up the cheese thing again. But then he calls me a good person and a good friend.... weird. The guy admits he likes playing devil's advocate but this is getting ridiculous.

Your thoughts? What's the obsession with cheese?

It was very therapeutic to vent. Thanks. It would be great to go back to pleasantries while carpooling instead of being lectured on my failures as a human being.

mumbling.... "calories in - calories out" - what crap........ going to the fridge and getting a slice of colby-jack