Concerned about a co-worker (lengthy)

MissingMinnesota
MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
edited September 2024 in Motivation and Support
I have a friend/co-worker that I always kind of looked up too since she did marathons and half triathlons and she has been one of my cheerleaders in my weight loss. She has finally gotten over a torn hamstring and the doctors have allowed her to start working out with weights, and cardio either on the elliptical or swimming. Well she decided to get a trainer since she usually is just a cardio person (I have been with one since Feb). She is telling me the things the trainer had her doing and how she was in pain. I, of course, told her well that is your muscles getting used to working out again it will get better the more you use them. The rest of the conversation went something like this:
Her: “You don’t understand he had me doing this, this and that.”
Me: “Yes I do that with my trainer too.”
Her: “No I have to do them with weights or a kettle ball and on this half ball thing”
Me: “Yeah the Bosu ball. I do that too but usually with a medicine ball.”
It pretty much continued as her trying to one up me to make her feel better since I am over weight and she is at 12% body fat. Yes 12%! They did her over all check with calipers and everything and came out to that while her scale had been telling her 17%.
After a moment of me getting over the 12% body fat the conversation continued with.
Her: “But the trainer finally agreed with me that I am a rectangle since my shoulders and hips are the same width. It’s good to know I am not crazy about that as I thought I was since he agrees with me.”
Me: “Well since you are 12% body fat unless you have a waist that goes in you will be a rectangle. You already said you don’t want to have boobs so that won’t give you shape.”
Her: “No you don’t understand my hips can’t get any smaller, they are already at the bone.”
Me: “Yes I understand your hips can’t get smaller but to get shape you would need to emphasize your waist more. Bring in your sides. Maybe gain some weight.”
Her: “No I don’t want to gain weight I still have 5lbs to lose from my thighs.”
That is when I decided to change the whole conversation to something else.

So this morning she asks me how my training session last night went.
Me:”It went great we did legs and core and my trainer gave a little laugh saying she was planning on killing my arms on Friday.”
Her: “I think your arms are like my legs. Constant work and my least favorite.”
Me: “Well my whole body is constant work right now but until I get the fat cushion off you can’t tell”
Her: “Dude your lower calf area is fabulous and I would kill for your knees.”
Me: “Thanks but my knees?”
Her: “I have FAT in the inside of my knees! I can’t get rid of it.”
Me: “Uhhhhh ohhkay.”

I am really thinking she is close to being anorexic and the trainer, if what she is telling me is true, is helping her along that way. I don’t know what I should do since I know it is a mental thing and we all have our body issues but she seems to be going to the extreme. We are work friends so not that close that I can sit her down and say you need to get a grip but I am really concerned. What should I do?

Replies

  • Jazmyn13
    Jazmyn13 Posts: 1 Member
    While she might have body issues, there is nothing that you can do about it. If you're really concerned, don't engage in this kind of competitive dialogue with her about what hurts more, or what each of you dislikes the most about your body. Try to be positive about your body when talking to her and emphasize that you're trying to achieve a healthy weight. If you're really concerned, be straight up with her (be kind, but honest) but don't expect anything but a defensive/offended attitude from her. When a person has such deep seated body image problems, it is like an addiction - a disease that in some people can only be broken by serious, life threatening side effects.
  • autumn130
    autumn130 Posts: 48
    That is a tough sittuation. I will say that coworkers are not always 100% honest about certain things. Do you workout with her? She may be taking what the trainer said and making into what she wants to hear... does that make sense?

    Do you have lunch with her?

    There are a few things you can do to get to know her even better. Maybe get on FACEBOOK. If she has one you might be able to see if her whole life is about losing even more weight. I think you should do a little more research. And if you end up finding out you are right, then you can send an email to one of the people she IS really close with and tell them your concerns.

    I hope this helps!!!
  • I don' t think she is trying to one up you at all but it does sound like she is a little self centered. It really doesn't matter what weight you are at, all of us have that one thing that we can't see past, so even though she is thin she may just not be able to see it. Also, because you are working so diligently towards something and you two are technically on the same path, maybe she just wants to feel included. I am totally, no joke, socially in-ept and my attempts to fit in quite often come in the form of me talking about myself. I don't know any other way to share experiences. Maybe she just feels like ya'll have something in common. I will say though, that I am only reading your messsage and assuming the context, I don' t know the tone of your conversation with her.

    All you can do is be supportive, maybe ask her if she wants to try your trainer or vice-versa, she may just want some companionship. Keep an eye on her and in supportive and constructive ways try to tell her that you are concerned that she maybe pushing herself WAAAAYYYYY to hard. She might really appreciate your concern.

    If not, and all else fails, then she maybe just one of those psycho work out chicks that aren't happy until they have done 4 hours of excersize every day (which works for some people, I'm just saying)...give her a pat on the back and then go on about your day. :)
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    Thanks all. I wasn't trying to be competitive in my conversation with her but it might have come off that way. I didn't try to one up her I was just telling her that I understood since I did the same things. I am friends with her on facebook and we talk outside of work just not to the point that I would call her a friend over a co-woker that I am friendly with. I don't eat lunch with her since she leaves at lunch usually to walk her dog.

    This has been kind of bubbling up since before her boyfriend and her got a boat about a month ago and she was complaining about being fat and how she doesn't want to be an embarassment on the boat. Then the dr gave her the go ahead to start working out again it's been no holds bar. She got the trainer and is doing 2 a days on the cardio. I guess I will just give her time since working with the trainer for weight lifting instead of running is new for her. Maybe it is the being able to work out plus the newness of having a trainer that is making her seem so rabid about it all.
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