People out of shaper than you giving you health advice?!

B_Plus_Effort
B_Plus_Effort Posts: 311 Member
in Chit-Chat
I must have a come talk to me face or something, because whether I am on a bus or out about people feel comfortable talking to me, and I don't mind, for the most part, but lately what bothers me is people / friends who are way out of shape and overweight telling me how to eat and what's good or bad for me, I find it comical but it also gets under my skin.

I try to logictize it, and think well I remember this guy, 10 years ago he was in shape, but now he is at least 40 pounds over weight and can't run a mile, and here he is lecturing me how I shouldn't snack on raw carrots at lunch time because green leafy vegetables are better for me, yet he is about to go out and get a burger and fries, while I go for a 3 mile maintenance run, ha ha

So how do you handle such a situation?

Replies

  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    edited October 2020
    Not everyone has our best interests at heart and that may include some of our family members. No one has to live in our body. You can simply say thank you and keep tooling along.

    You've been here long enough to remember woos. Those were fun and at the end people were seeing how many they could rack up in good fun. I've got bigger fish to fry than to worry about any of it. I even have a lil song I'll sing for you at the end that I sing to myself.

    I don't know if you talk to these people about what you're doing or they simply notice you now and want to give you their advice. Food and exercise are deeply felt principles, simple and complex at the same time. We could talk about it forever.

    Keep eating your carrots but in your mind you can think 'Ooo, shut the kale UP' and smile. These things aren't worth losing friends and family over. It saps our strength.

    A ditty

    Oops there goes another dis-agree Oops there goes another dis-agree
    He had HIGH hopes, He had HIGH hopes
    High apple pie in the sky Hopes

    So any time your gettin' low
    'Stead of lettin' go
    Just remember that ant
    Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant
    Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant
    Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant

    Next time you're found
    With your chin on the ground
    There a lot to be learned
    So look around
    Just what makes that little old ant
    Think he'll move that rubber tree plant
    Anyone knows an ant, can't
    Move a rubber tree plant
    But he's got high hopes
    He's got high hopes
    He's got high apple pie
    In the sky hopes
    So any time your gettin' low
    'Stead of lettin' go
    Just remember that ant

    When troubles call
    And your back's to the wall
    There a lot to be learned
    That wall could fall

    So any time you're feelin' bad
    'Stead of feelin' sad
    Just remember that ram
    Oops, there goes a billion kilowatt dam
    Oops, there goes a billion kilowatt dam
    Oops, there goes a billion kilowatt dam

    Let them eat your dust, you will not be deterred come hail or high water.
  • RunsWithBees
    RunsWithBees Posts: 1,508 Member
    Smile and nod... then have fun proving them wrong! B)
  • KosmosKitten
    KosmosKitten Posts: 10,476 Member
    You could be really snarky and ask them why they don't follow their own advice if they are as out-of-shape as you claim they are. People might like you a lot less, then, though.
  • thehumanpickle
    thehumanpickle Posts: 42 Member
    muszyngr wrote: »
    I must have a come talk to me face or something, because whether I am on a bus or out about people feel comfortable talking to me, and I don't mind, for the most part, but lately what bothers me is people / friends who are way out of shape and overweight telling me how to eat and what's good or bad for me, I find it comical but it also gets under my skin.

    I try to logictize it, and think well I remember this guy, 10 years ago he was in shape, but now he is at least 40 pounds over weight and can't run a mile, and here he is lecturing me how I shouldn't snack on raw carrots at lunch time because green leafy vegetables are better for me, yet he is about to go out and get a burger and fries, while I go for a 3 mile maintenance run, ha ha

    So how do you handle such a situation?

    I definitely agree with the smile and nod approach above.

    I am guilty of this-- though I only offer my 2 cents if directly ASKED because opinions are like bumholes and we all have 'em and mine isn't special-- and I always wonder if people think, "What is this chick on about? Has she seen herself?" I don't know that I would take advice-- solicited or not-- from someone who looks like me.

    The fact of the matter is, though, I know my **** when it comes to losing weight because I have done it so much. I habitually get on the wagon, do great for a while, and then something happens and I'm right back where I started. I taught my (thin) coworker how to calculate her TDEE and BMR when she was wanting to drop a few pounds before her husband's return from deployment. I know all about when to do cardio and when to lift, I have thoughts on keto/IF/CICO, the whole nine, from experience.

    Maybe your friend has some good unsolicited advice for me on how to actually stick with a healthy lifestyle. </sarcasm>

    I am sorry. That is frustrating. To answer your question, I am empathetic to a fault and would assume he is just trying to be helpful and Just keep on keeping on with what I personally know is best.

    Maybe you'll inspire him to take his own advice.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    I'd be more worried about the advice being given than the person giving it. Seems kinda judgey to me.
  • GymGoddessGoals
    GymGoddessGoals Posts: 2,146 Member
    Unsolicited diet/health/exercise from people who don't practice what they preach is easily ignored. "yeah, thanks. I will keep that in mind" and move on.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    Well there are some exceptions. Leading up to COVID, I wasn't in the best shape. I was bulky and carrying a lot of extra fat. But people trusted me because they saw HOW I trained people and the results clients were getting. I tipped the scales at 218lbs right when we shut our gym down. That's the highest weight I've ever been.
    Now I'm 40lbs lighter and as soon as I got back to work, many people didn't know who I was because of the mask and how I look now.
    But if I was giving advice in say January, February with no shirt showing where I worked, it may have been hard to take advice from me, but the advice would be correct.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    muszyngr wrote: »
    I must have a come talk to me face or something, because whether I am on a bus or out about people feel comfortable talking to me, and I don't mind, for the most part, but lately what bothers me is people / friends who are way out of shape and overweight telling me how to eat and what's good or bad for me, I find it comical but it also gets under my skin.

    I try to logictize it, and think well I remember this guy, 10 years ago he was in shape, but now he is at least 40 pounds over weight and can't run a mile, and here he is lecturing me how I shouldn't snack on raw carrots at lunch time because green leafy vegetables are better for me, yet he is about to go out and get a burger and fries, while I go for a 3 mile maintenance run, ha ha

    So how do you handle such a situation?

    my go to is "it fits in my goal for today". it implies you are tracking your intake in some way, but its vague enough it doesn't really keep the convo going.
  • B_Plus_Effort
    B_Plus_Effort Posts: 311 Member
    edited October 2020
    thehumanpickle wrote: »
    muszyngr wrote: »
    Maybe you'll inspire him to take his own advice.

    tried, his motto is "Fat and Happy!" his words not mine

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