With regard to the 'going out for lunch' situation: I just remembered a co-worker who always responded "No thanks. I'm saving for a trip." She had the same answer for 10 years. Last year, we spent a pot luck lunch looking at all the pictures she took when she finally climbed Mount Kilimanjaro! You could do something similar - saving for a trip, a down-payment, a car, whatever. They don't have to know it's about the food.
I can really empathize! I started a new job 2 years ago at 155 (and I'd just lost 10 pounds). I'm now at 170. I'm 5'1 and 57. Among other things, I just hate that I've outgrown clothes & had to buy more. At my job, we have all sizes, but the majority are not terribly overweight. We have our share of goodies, especially at Christmas, but compared to other places where I've worked, most people don't really overeat. The message I often get is, "YOU shouldn't be eating that."
There's a lot of good advice here. I guess it's different for everyone. What I might do is say, sarcastically, "Thanks for your support." But on the other hand, I know how miserable I have felt when I just couldn't get myself geared up to lose, so I guess I have empathy for those who have tried to sabotage me in the past. I've had my share of that, too.
I would just say hang in there, try not to let them bother you, and maybe try to keep in mind they don't really want you to not succeed. They just wish they could be on a weight-loss journey too.
P.S. I'm new here & still can't figure out how to get my "tracker" to post automatically. Though I've only been here since Sun. and haven't lost anything yet that I know of. I'm only gong to weigh myself once a week, I think. Too scared of getting discouraged.
I on the other hand would NOT ignore them I would put them right in their place! I think they are being rude and not being supportive and that is not nice and I sure would let them know. hope it gets better for you
I have to agree w/ this. I wouldn't be MEAN or RUDE about it, but I'd just make it known that I really don't appreciate it and that I'll remember it when it comes time for THEM to diet. I also think it's absolutely DISGUSTING when people are eating and "mmmmm"ing and "ahhhh"ing...it makes me want to vomit. Say "this is SO good" or whatever...but don't mmmmmm and ahhhhh, it's gross!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by AuntBea
P.S. I'm new here & still can't figure out how to get my "tracker" to post automatically. Though I've only been here since Sun. and haven't lost anything yet that I know of. I'm only gong to weigh myself once a week, I think. Too scared of getting discouraged.
You have to be here 20 days and have 20 posts before you get a ticker.
P.S. I'm new here & still can't figure out how to get my "tracker" to post automatically. Though I've only been here since Sun. and haven't lost anything yet that I know of. I'm only gong to weigh myself once a week, I think. Too scared of getting discouraged.
I believe that you need 25 posts before you can have a tracker/signature, I am new too and can't wait to post a tracker and some mini-goals
I know my post is coming months later but this topic struck a chord with me.
The majority of the people in my office are considered obese. I am overweight... When they see me eating healthy they ask my why and say I'm skinny. I had 10lbs to lose when I started the position in Jan, now I have 22lbs to lose..AAAARRRR!!!!
Whilst I don't for one moment condone the way they are behaving, I can see where they are coming from. For whatever reason we have our social lives and our food very tied up together, and there is a sense that you are only having a 'treat' or 'celebration' if you pig out on junk food. If you go to the pizza place and order a salad then no matter how much you enjoy the salad you are failing to join in the celebration, which is crazy!
I think your co-workers are mixing up the change in your food plan with changes in personality. Maybe they are scared their eating practices will be judged, that you will become a diet bore, that you won't be prepared to go out on birthday celebrations and things any more, that they are losing you. They need to understand that you can still be tonnes of fun, but that the whole eating thing is not open to negotiation, you are eating this way now, but if they want to invite you to the "bad" places for a special occasion you will still go along. Avoid words that sound like you are denying yourself when you order ("just" the salad) and hype up how delicious it is ooooh, that salad looks fantastic, I think I'll choose the salad, yes the pizza sounds great but the salad looks better. Maybe find a place where you are happy with the nutrition status of a particular dish and invite them all out there and have a load of fun.
If they are intent on waving their lunch at you then you can always do the same in fun with yours - mmmmmm, broccoli try some, go on, try it, it's luuuuuurverly. Oh well, your loss, slurp, slurp chomp. Maybe even say something that confirms you are totally put off by their food but which doesn't judge them for eating it - no thanks, never realised how much cheese gave me indigestion till I stopped having pizza, now I don't touch it.
I think it will settle when they start to see you are really serious. They will be used to having people who come and go who have tried a diet for a few weeks or who have gone on and off diets until it's totally boring, or are "on a diet" but still eat all the food of the day, and those people are top brass annoying. A woman in an office I worked at used to be "on a diet" for a couple of weeks at a time, then eat chocolates, then harp on about Weight Watchers for hours a day like we cared about the ins and outs of it, and if you offered her a chocolate she'd spend about 10 minutes prevaricating "ooh, I mustn't, ooh, how naughty, oooh I'll weigh a tonne next meeting, maybe I won't go, oh, maybe I can exercise it off, what do you think... no, no I won't, oh go on then show me the box, do you think a hazelnut one will be the lowest in calories? Yes, yes, I'll have the nut one, aren't I naughty". I'm nasty I know, but I used to pull the box away from her as soon as she said "Oooh, I mustn't" and say "OK then, John, you want one?" cos I couldn't stick it! Now she was a total pain because she was only "on a diet" when it suited her. The people who were really serious about what they ate we left alone, we had a guy who was doing weight training and he ate super-carefully out of boxed lunches and downed egg after egg at his desk, but he was committed every single day and had a strength of purpose, so we'd ask him about his training and plan our meals out around what he could join in with, but the woman with the "diet" we could never realistically include.
I can understand. At work we often have celebrations/stressed days that seem to lead to eating out or going for the stash of food that is in the office. I recently changed offices and my office mate has selections of candy that she encourages others to eat. it is nice..but I have a really big sweet tooth/am a totally stress/bored eater. So I have to make a conscious effort to say not to candy....sugar free gum can be a sweet alternative. A few of the people I work with have all began to bring our lunches in and we eat in one of our offices.
I'd be like you enjoy that grease ball while it clogs up your arteries, I’ll enjoy my healthy food thanks and I’d add a smile and then change the topic. haha I've like that though there are times my foot should be put in my mouth and I don't. I have a co-worker who jokes around (and of course he's a super skinny guy) will mention when he sees me eat salad. "That stuff will kill you, you know" and I go, not as fast as eatting junk and plopping back on that 15 pounds I just lost haha, he usually shuts up after that.
It doesn't matter where you go in life you're always going to come across people who want to taint a situation or make it harder for you, because in reality they aren't strong willed and think they couldn't do it. People like that hate strong people because they know they will succeed and all they wish is for their failure.
I just remembered a co-worker who always responded "No thanks. I'm saving for a trip." She had the same answer for 10 years. Last year, we spent a pot luck lunch looking at all the pictures she took when she finally climbed Mount Kilimanjaro! You could do something similar - saving for a trip, a down-payment, a car, whatever. They don't have to know it's about the food. 
