I have a bit of an odd question. I gained somewhere around 35 pounds since college, and over the course over the last 10 months or so, I lost about 25 to 30 pounds (in a healthy way - no crash diets or pills or anything like that - it was really a healthy eating/living move, not so much a let’s-lose-weight move, although of course I am happy with the healthy weight!).
After a certain point, my coworkers started to notice that I have lost weight. Almost every single person I know well at work has commented on the weight loss in some way. I don’t mind at all!
However, sometimes, the comments are phrased in such a way that I am not sure what I am supposed to say. Basically, the comment will be something like: “Wow, you look so much skinnier.” or “You’ve lost a lot of weight!” Am I just supposed to say “thank you”? I feel a little odd saying that, because that reply almost means that skinnier is better by default, which is not really true. You can be unhealthy skinny. Am I overthinking this?? Or is there an implied question - does a comment like that imply: “What changed?” or “What have you been doing differently?” with an appropriate answer being: “Thank you, I have been more active and cut out almost all processed foods.”
Again, I am probably making it way too complicated, but I’ve been wondering this for a while and figured I’d ask.
Hot yoga today (slow flow)–also stayed for a relax and restore class right afterwards (basically an hour of stretching with a few downward dog poses). Felt so good when I left.
Abasket–how do you like the spinning class? Might have missed it, but was this your first class? I know you asked about it a little while ago.
I would just say “Thank you. I’ve worked hard to make my lifestyle healthier” or something like that. While “skinny” does have a lot of connotations, most people who say it still regard it as a positive.
Congratulations on your weight loss!
Made it to hot yoga. I’m doing better, and I do think it has a lot of positives in terms of strength and balance for me. It does involve a longer lunch “hour” for me, but that’s OK once a week or so.
Yes to what MOWC said. Hey it could be worse; at least the questions are not suggestive of an inquiry or concern that you are terminally ill. Some of us “geezers” got that quite a bit on our road to fitness. You must be too young!
Acollegestudent, agree with what MNK and MOfWC said. You don’t owe a detailed explanation as to how precisely and for what reasons you lost the weight. However, if your mentioning of healthier eating and cutting out junk makes the inquirers to think about their own lifestyle adjustments, pat yourself on the back for doing a good deed!
Congratulations on the lifestyle change and weight loss Acollegestudent. That is so awesome to make that change and become a fit person at a young age. Believe me, all of us who have lost weight have gotten the glances and comments. Except, at our age, the questions always have tinge of trying to figure out what terminal illness caused the weight loss! Even from our doctors…
Really good basement workout for me. Chilly 51 degrees so not much sweating. but all the exercises felt great, even the rear foot elevated split squats.
Acollege- it sounds like a compliment and curious how they can do it too. When I am faced with that I usually smile and say yeah, been taking the stairs, or I walk a lot and leave it at that.
Bromfield, thanks for asking - this was my second spinning class today. Since the weather has me stuck inside, I’m grateful for something else besides running circles around the indoor track or treadmill!
I’m liking the spinning! It’s a shorter class - just 40 mins with warm up and cool down (my fitness center is at the med univ/hospital I work at and is offering a bunch of shorter classes that people can manage to get away from their desk for) and that amount of time is PERFECT. An hour class might be a bit much right now! I enjoy the variety of some intervals on the seat and some standing up. Today I did follow along a little more with turning up (and down) the resistance and that went good. I’d like to try and make it once a week anyway till the weather breaks. I put my breathing techniques from running in play as I’m sweating off the calories!
I agree that the mindset is likely more psychological than physical. The “high” you can get from just basking in the fact that you are doing good for your body is great motivation! I’ll be spending a couple days in Buckeye land this weekend - I’ll keep my eyes open for any players piling on the calories at local restaurants now that the game is done.
Thank you for all the responses And thank you for the encouragement and support!
Yes, the issue is that from a few people, very few, like one or two, the comment has been more like: “Wow, you have lost a lot of weight! Don’t lose any more, or you’ll disappear, haha.” That makes me wonder if they think I am doing something unhealthy, or losing too much weight too fast, neither of which is true - I specifically made food and lifestyle changes for life, not a crash diet to lose weight, and I’ve been losing probably on average 3 pounds a month, not a super-rapid weight-loss that’s unhealthy. And basically, I’ve just gotten back to my healthy weight. This is not some new, low weight, nor am I aiming for that. But I guess people are used to seeing me at a certain weight, because when I first started this job, and that was a while ago - I had already probably gained about 15 pounds and kept gaining from there.
And I know I shouldn’t care, and I don’t really, but it is my workplace, and I don’t really want people thinking I have developed an eating disorder or started starving myself.
Just couldn’t get up in time this morning for more than 1.3 miles on the dreadmill, so that leaves more for after work! I REALLY am going to try to get outside with my headlamp. I need the fresh air and it is going to be a little warmer.
Cardio + weights today. Still cold outside, but not as cold as yesterday. I hope to get in an outside run tomorrow, but it depends not only on the temperature but also the footing. Today is a bit warmer but the sidewalks have a thin glaze of ice which is deceptive and dangerous.
I will never be one to venture out on anything but dry, clear or rain wet pavement. No interest in falling and not confident of footing in snow or ice! Which is why this time of year is so L-O-N-G!!!
Went XC skiing again today. I went to a XC shop earlier this year and was fitted for skis and it makes all the difference. So. Much. Fun.
If I’m not too sore, I plan on going again tomorrow. We are getting a one day warm up on Saturday (boo) and hoping it won’t make things an icy mess.
Having trouble motivating myself to run in sub 0 weather, so the XC skiing is nice. It’s not running but it’s not sitting on the couch either.
H is liking his fitbit surge so far. It does a lot. He says the hr monitor is good and the only problems are user error. Lol! He couldn’t find where he could input Nordic skiing so it is recorded as running but maybe he can figure that out.
Some people are just not very good at or are afraid of giving compliments. Instead of a sincere “Wow, you look great!” they add a comment that (in their mind) is humorous to get the message across.
Are you female and it is guys doing this? Then there can be another factor - if they say something nice then they might be afraid that you’ll think they are hitting on you. Especially in corporate environments, we (males) have had it beaten into us that commenting on a woman’s appearance is inappropriate and could be considered harassment or creating a hostile work environment. So by adding a joking comment it makes it clear the comment is not meant to harass in any way.
You could always say “Aww, how sweet of you to notice!” which will put them back on the defensive because then they know that you know that they’ve been checking you out.
Gender politics in the workplace are so much fun.
Even if there is an implied question (which I don’t think there is in this case) you have no obligation to provide an answer if you don’t want to. A simple “thanks” is enough.
2 miles yesterday and today 4 on treadmill. It is getting easier to keep up the pace. the netflix is working well. I try to sing. Is it that you should be slightly short of breath to know you are going the right speed?
And thank you for the encouragement and support!
