I mentioned to some coworkers (female--who else can we depend on for snark?) how I started doing Jillian Michaels fitness videos. But now I've moved onto p90x. It sounded so scary to them, and they're asking me if I'm training to be an "exercise model."
I also mentioned that I took some pics to track progress. They were aghast. They are telling me how I don't need to lose any weight, and how they are worried about me-about how I am obsessed. I mentioned that I can now do 10 pushups in a row and full situps, and they're like, "why do you need to do that?" Honestly, I'm not even bragging. It's just something I really enjoy doing at the moment. They talk about their knitting--I talk about fitness! Both of these chicks are 25-27, and I'm 29. They don't hesitate to make me feel old for turning 30. Nasty, jealous people. They NEVER give a compliment at all. It's horrible. Sometimes you just want a compliment. I compliment people if I like what they're wearing, or whatever, but they just are jealous over everything!
What ever happened to setting fitness goals and feeling healthy and good and energetic? It's like it's not "cool" to do it unless you're trying to be in the Olympics or something.
Anyway, I am not going to listen to them and just let them be nasty, jealous, and/or judgmental.
They don't sound concerned. They have that mock sympathetic worried *****y look (you know, with the exaggerated mouth and eyebrows). These chicks never tried hard for anything in their lives, whether it be work or life.
I don't think I'll share my progress with them--only here!
I'm sorry your coworkers aren't supportive, but honestly, I never, ever share my fitness goals with anyone but the 3FC, my blog readers and my closest friends. I've been getting the "OMG she's obsessed" reaction for too long not to notice that even mentioning my efforts to improve myself in some way elicits jealousy. In high school, if I was commended for high grades, it was, "Loser. She doesn't do anything but study." In college I refrained from drinking and it was, "We're worried about you! You need to get out into the real world" (because, y'know, frat houses are "reality" and libraries aren't).
The exception, of course, is when I tell my sweetie I'm ultra hungry or tired or sore because I added another half mile to my jog. When he says, "Don't push yourself too hard" he actually means it. But you can tell when people are being sincere or not. Unfortunately, beyond a certain extent you can't choose your coworkers. I'd just keep mum. When you move on to another position, keep Facebook tabs on them and check up in five years to see how miserable they are.
I've been thinking about this a lot. What you need is new friends. Sort of. They're coworkers, so you're stuck with them, but you don't have to be friends with them -- you can just work with them & get your positive reinforcement from your **real** friends outside of your workplace. And you're right not to talk about your goals & interests with them, since they are not encouraging you.
We need to belong to supportive communities to stay supported. So you need to be hanging out with people who bicycle for miles & miles on weekends, or who take bootcamps in their leisure time. The kind of people you'd find at a 5K race, or at gyms, or buying protein supplements at GNC, or in the various other places where people with athletic interests & hobbies congregate. Those are now Your Kind of People. You need to go out & find them. They will see your interests as normal & laudable & much like theirs. When you belong to a community like that, you will feel like you can attain your goals, because you'll see them attaining theirs all around you.
In other words, hang out with the kind of people you'd like to be, not with the kind of people whom you're not interested in becoming.
I've been exercising for over 25 years now, at first, co-workers, family etc... thought I was nuts.... Heck, I thought I was nuts ... My mom one time said to me when I was in my early twenties: «When are you going to stop this nonsense» I answered «Never » with that look only a young 20 year old can give you, which my kids now give me ...OK, but I digress... Co-workers and family will get over it, get used to it, and learn to accept it... Just continue your exercise plan...
At 53 I exercise more than when I was in my 20s, my mom still rolls her eyes when I say I've gone running or to the gym, but on the other hand she is 83 can barely go up a flight of 4 steps can NOT walk further than 15 feet without wanting to sit down... I do NOT want to be like that at 83 I want to be feisty
My grandma used to tell me "People are going to love you because your hair is black, people are going to hate you because your hair is black.
People are going to love you because you are fit, people are going to hate you because you are fit.
People are going to love you because you are asian, people are going to hate you because you are asian.
You just have to be 100% hater proof." Easier said than done. But as I get older I understand my grandmother more and more. Her point is "who cares" what people think. They can express their opinion to you and it is up to you to listen or not. It helps when you have a supportive community to center you because we are all human and we need words of encouragement. For now, reading and posting here is helping to center me and keep me focused on my #1 goal-self love and understanding. Isn't that why we are trying to lose weight, so that we are healthier and love ourselves more?
It is days like this that I miss my grandmother the most.
I hear you. I have a coworker, she does not like me, not only that she makes really little comments about everithing I do... We go out to bars, and no one guy ever talks to her. A lot of people talks to me all the time, and I guess she doesnot like it.
i dont get jealous of other women. if anything they inspire me to be better. So screw them. just be you and be happy
I know what you mean. Women can be so catty sometimes! I got the "obsessed" reaction as well from my roommate, who happens to be dieting as well. I love my roommate dearly as a person, but I feel like it's just in the nature of a lot of people to detract from each other's successes.
I guess a lot of people also don't realize that paying attention to one's food intake and exercising regularly does not necessarily make for disordered eating. It seems like society is forgetting more and more each day what healthy lifestyles are, and anyone who doesn't eat a whole pizza or something in a sitting is labeled as vain or sick. Bahhh.
Its very frustrating. Fitness is a passion and an achievement. Something to value and something to honor. Just as you "obsess" over work and family, I feel you shoul "obsess" over fitness and health.
I think the main reason people have negative reactions to people who "obsess" over health and fitness is because of their own insecurities. I know from personal experience that when I had friends obsessing over fitness and health, I would have a negative attitude towards it because in the back of my head I knew I TOO should be working on my fitness and health..
But now I am working on it and feel great
Dont let others bring you down when you are doing good for yourself. Its your life and you only have one to live; make it a healthy one!
I have the same problem! I feel like I can't share my little celebrations with anyone, because they either react negatively or they think I am bragging.
With that said, good for you, and I am going to take this opportunity to tell all you feathers that this weekend I won a 9 mile mountain race at 10,000 feet above sea level. I am DAMN proud!
Go, kwinkle! I recently did a ~7 mile hike at 10K feet and had to stop *many* times going up so I can really appreciate someone exercising at high altitude. That's an incredible accomplishment!
So yeah, come here and share your accomplishments!
In general, re: the original question about being supported with exercise goals - I think a lot depends on the community where you live. I now live around a lot of fit people so I am the sloth among them - so I come here to brag about running for 1/3/5/20/whatever minutes at a time
But other places I have lived and visited, I'd probably be accused of being obsessed with diet and fitness.
It's always good to know that people are as obessive as me. I feel like I drive my husband crazy some days with my weight/health talk. It's sure nice to have this forum.
You know what I love most about living and exercising at a high altitude? Going on a cruise and being able to run all day long without ever getting tired. LOL! I can't wait to do that yet again this February.
Last edited by Petite Powerhouse; 07-22-2010 at 09:24 PM.
People are so negative about exercise
... My mom one time said to me when I was in my early twenties: «When are you going to stop this nonsense» I answered «Never 
» with that look only a young 20 year old can give you, which my kids now give me ...OK, but I digress... Co-workers and family will get over it, get used to it, and learn to accept it... Just continue your exercise plan...
I want to be feisty 
