People at work....frustrating!!!

sjadev1108
sjadev1108 Posts: 26 Member
edited November 26 in Motivation and Support
I decided almost 10 weeks ago to initiate a weight loss challenge at work. To my delight, 24 other people expressed interest and we got started that Friday. $10 entry fee, weigh in on Fridays, pay $1 if you gain, I track and calculate percentages, at the end of 12 weeks someone wins the money, etc. Anyway, I just get so frustrated every Friday. I am prepared for weigh-ins and know I have worked hard during the week. I started this with the end in mind, and really wanted a change. However, it seems hardly anyone else did. Many people come to the scale and hand me a dollar before getting on and say things like "I ate icing and a gallon of milk for dinner so this probably won't be good" (and it isn't). Which I know some of you are thinking, who cares?! Their loss on the money. I agree to a point. That point is that they are getting frustrated and upset with me. They make snide remarks etc. that I am still winning. Have I won each week? Heck no, but I am the overall winner by far currently. Why are people upset that I have made a conscious effort and it worked? Do they think I'm cheating? They weigh me in, so I can't lie. I just don't get why when it comes to weight people are so touchy. I do get asked what I'm doing that works, and people seem frustrated at the answer "eating right and working out". Guess what people, I DIDN'T eat icing for dinner, and I DO spend my evenings at the gym, and the ten minutes after each meal logging food, that IS what works for me, so do I just say SORRY NOT SORRY or what?!

Replies

  • fatty_cakezxoxo
    fatty_cakezxoxo Posts: 42 Member
    Seems super annoying especially since it seems like your in a contest alone ! Well that money's looks Better and better each week ! :)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Yup. Sorry not sorry.

    1. Moar dollarz 4U
    2. I bet you don't plan one of these anytime soon again :)
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited April 2018
    "Anger is the result of unmet expectations."

    They expected it to be easy.
    It isn't being easy.
    They're getting angry and directing it at you.
    Water off a duck's back.

    Maybe let them quit if they want to? So they don't have to keep donating the dollar?
  • sjadev1108
    sjadev1108 Posts: 26 Member
    I guess I'm just stuck on, why would you enter if you had NO intention of trying?! I have people that after 9 1/2 weeks are actually on the positive side by 6%.
  • mousegig
    mousegig Posts: 3 Member
    Congratulations for working hard and moving toward your goals!
    Maybe what people are really asking when they get the answer "eating right and working out," is that they don't know what "eating right" actually is! So they don't know how to ask you what, specifically, you do to make it work, and don't know they don't know. Maybe they really want you to tell them exactly what to do to lose weight. Sometimes people just aren't aware of how what they eat keeps them at the wrong weight.
    Why don't you add a factor, like keeping a food journal, to the challenge and reward folks who just write down what they ate, even if it was icing. They may be looking to you for guidance, and don't know how to ask. Good work and keep on going!
  • sjadev1108
    sjadev1108 Posts: 26 Member
    Actually rewarding non-scale things is a great idea!! Thank you
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    edited April 2018
    sjadev1108 wrote: »
    I guess I'm just stuck on, why would you enter if you had NO intention of trying?! I have people that after 9 1/2 weeks are actually on the positive side by 6%.

    The road to hell is paved with good intentions. They thought it would push them, but forgot to push themselves.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    that's all kinda normal. rant over?
  • Go_Deskercise
    Go_Deskercise Posts: 1,630 Member
    edited April 2018
    sjadev1108 wrote: »
    I guess I'm just stuck on, why would you enter if you had NO intention of trying?! I have people that after 9 1/2 weeks are actually on the positive side by 6%.

    The same reason people purchase (and keep paying for) a gym membership and don't even go.... There's always an excuse not to do something.
  • norcalskater
    norcalskater Posts: 194 Member
    The simple answer for them is eat with a caloric deficit and you will lose. But doing so as you know is easier said than done if you've never tried. Maybe introduce them to MFP or another app?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    You deserve to win :smile: it's their loss not only monetarily but physically.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Eating right and working out is kind of a non-answer that frustrates people whether they are eating frosting or sticking to a diet plan.
    What is eating right? The right number of calories for your activity level. You calculated it and track your calorie intake. Not everyone knows how important and simple that can be to make a big difference in weight loss success.
    Working out may or may not help someone lose weight if they don't get the calories right.

    If I were you I would say I see you are frustrated with the challenge. I would offer one time to sit down with them and show them exactly how you figured your calorie goal, how you log food and exercise and show them how they can do it too. If they don't want that information and are pissy about not making progress just tell them they are responsible for whether they participate or not. The same tools are available for them. You and the others who have lost are not doing anything they could not do. They signed up for a challenge and need to put some effort in if they want to win.
  • CheezWhiz88
    CheezWhiz88 Posts: 116 Member
    edited April 2018
    They are likely upset with themselves for not putting forth the effort and being reminded each week of their shortcomings. You are the obvious target in their mind because they associate the challenge with you, and it’s probably easier for them to be upset with you versus the one responsible: themselves. Making snarky remarks is their defense mechanism for the bad choices they are making that is causing bad weigh-ins. I would venture to guess none of it has anything to do with you at all: you’re just the one they are directing their frustrations at, fair or not. Don’t let it discourage you, and try for the money. I would imagine once the daily weigh-ins stop and the contest is over, they will get over it. And if not, it’s a reflection of them-not you.
  • kdbulger
    kdbulger Posts: 396 Member
    sjadev1108 wrote: »
    I guess I'm just stuck on, why would you enter if you had NO intention of trying?! I have people that after 9 1/2 weeks are actually on the positive side by 6%.

    They hope that being on the hook for money will motivate them extrinsically. Or they fell off the wagon and now they're punishing themselves for it by having an apathetic attitude. I've totally been in the shoes of those people. It stinks that they're taking it out on you when you didn't force-feed them icing for dinner.

    Congrats on YOUR successes, which you're working hard to achieve! At the end of this you'll have (likely) some extra money, a smaller waist size, and they'll all forget anything of this happened pretty quickly. You're free to do with your impressions of them whatever you like, but their journey is their own.
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