Don't know if I'm offended or not

jobegone
jobegone Posts: 91
in Health and Weight Loss
Today at the gym I was in between sets on the squat rack when the only other girl who ever works out in the free weights introduces herself to me. She is in amazing shape, I've often looked at her and gone yip that's what I want to look like !! Anyhoo, I starts chatting and she asked what my goals were and I said well probably the same as everyone else, lose weight, build abit of muscle and get stronger- then she turns round and says she's a herbalife distributor and if I wanted to have a chat with her about starting a programme then that would be cool.

I kind of thought to myself initially that sounds alright but then I thought she's obviously just targeted me cuz I'm fat ! I actually wouldn't have minded just talking to her about her regime etc but I feel a little annoyed now, she wouldn't probably have ever spoken to me if I was slim.

She isn't affiliated with the gym and works out there a lot but I don't really know how to approach this, I'm not really interested in herbalife and am maybe just being sensitive about being singled out....

Replies

  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    I wouldn't take offense per say. The woman is a sales rep she's just seeing if you want to buy the product she's selling. I don't think weight would come into it. She'd probably have come up with some spiel regardless.
  • dms330
    dms330 Posts: 1 Member
    I suspect she approaches a lot of people. That's how she makes money. I wouldn't feel singled out.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    You're overthinking it. Don't be offended.
  • SJ46
    SJ46 Posts: 407 Member
    I don't think you should be offended. Taking a glance at the website it looks like they have fitness supplements and skincare products in addition to weight loss items. She probably mentions it to most people because she is trying to make a sale.
  • EatTrainWin
    EatTrainWin Posts: 13 Member
    I wouldn't feel offended, either. She's trying to make a living and people working out and getting healthy are her target market.
  • jobegone
    jobegone Posts: 91
    Yeh I completely get that she needs to make a living out of being a distributor, I dunno it's just that I've never seen her speak to anyone else at the gym.
    I do have days were I'm more 'sensitive' about my weight than others - maybe today was just one of them but I also thought she's seen me at the gym pretty regularly for 2months now, does she think I'm not making progress ?

    The perils of an over thinker!!!
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,096 Member
    Yeh I completely get that she needs to make a living out of being a distributor, I dunno it's just that I've never seen her speak to anyone else at the gym.
    I do have days were I'm more 'sensitive' about my weight than others - maybe today was just one of them but I also thought she's seen me at the gym pretty regularly for 2months now, does she think I'm not making progress ?

    The perils of an over thinker!!!

    Were there fewer people around than usual, or no one around who works at the gym? She may just have been taking an opportunity when no one else would catch her trying to make a sale, which probably is against the gym rules (for anyone who doesn't have an arrangement by which the gym gets a cut of the sales).

    I do think you're overthinking it. It's not about you, other than her trying to exploit any vulnerability she might guess you might have to try to make the sale -- which is the nature of sales, not just herballife. Someone selling cars tries to figure out whether you're someone who will be swayed by a pitch about a bargain, the safety features of the car, the engineering/performance aspects of the car, etc.

    Edited to fix typo
  • Meekipanda
    Meekipanda Posts: 14
    Okay, from the looks of what you wrote,

    You started the conversation, she asked you a few questions and she made a recommendation from what you said. She was trying to help you in a way she knows how. I don't see why you would be offended. She didn't even push the subject she said if you wanted to know more you could talk to her.

    Its not like she approached you and said, "Are you trying to lose weight? I know a program that can help you drop those ugly pounds." and then tried to shove the product down your throat.
  • jobegone
    jobegone Posts: 91
    Okay, from the looks of what you wrote,

    You started the conversation, she asked you a few questions and she made a recommendation from what you said. She was trying to help you in a way she knows how. I don't see why you would be offended. She didn't even push the subject she said if you wanted to know more you could talk to her.

    Its not like she approached you and said, "Are you trying to lose weight? I know a program that can help you drop those ugly pounds." and then tried to shove the product down your throat.

    She introduced herself to me, I was resting between sets.
    I just guess when I go to the gym to work out, I don't expect to have someone start talking to me and then suggest a weight loss programme to me that's all.
  • SnazzIT
    SnazzIT Posts: 215 Member
    I so get where you are coming from.. As part of my job I have to collect our mail from the post which is only across the street. Each time I do so, I seem to be targeted by herbal life and other fitness clubs to try out their offers, once I was pursued by the same herbal life distributor three times until I finally said that I want them to leave me alone...yeah I was very annoyed...and yes they can be a bit too pushy when trying to sell their expensive products.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I suspect she approaches a lot of people. That's how she makes money. I wouldn't feel singled out.

    This for sure. I'm assuming you don't watch her every moment she's in the gym - and she may go other times when you're not there - and she may have already asked everyone else that you normally see at the gym - so don't assume just because you haven't seen it that she doesn't ask other people too.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,286 Member
    You started the conversation, she asked you a few questions and she made a recommendation from what you said. She was trying to help you in a way she knows how. I don't see why you would be offended. She didn't even push the subject she said if you wanted to know more you could talk to her.

    Well, she wasn't actually trying to help OP - she was trying to make a sale to help herself.

    Although I do agree she wasn't singling you out on account of your weight or anything OP - I'm sure she would single out anyone she thought would be a potential customer.

    I would feel a bit offended and annoyed - not because I was overweight - but because I hate false conversations with people acting genuine and friendly but really just trying to sell something.

    They do it to anyone though, its not you personally.

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