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My comment was not meant to be rude. However, one of my biggest pet peeves is criticism over something a person is doing to better themselves. I make the smoothies from home (versus store bought). Seems to be cheaper and healthier that way.
I use to have high cholesterol and blood pressure to the point where my doctor gave me an ultimatum (medicine or exercise.) I picked up running and lost about 35 lbs (15-20 I have since gained back.) I still run about 15 miles a week, but my problem is diet. Sure, there are healthy choices at the food court, but it's hard to stick to something when everyone is chowing down on burgers and fries. It's even easier when you remove yourself from the environment entirely. I've relegated going out to eat for lunch from an everyday affair to just Friday (with healthier choices rather than a 5 Guys burger.) It's amazing the results of removing something as simple as going out for lunch can have on your health and wallet.
Last edited by Randmness; 03-05-2014 at 11:02 AM..
I work as a software engineer. Many of my teammates kind of fit the stereotype of the traditional computer developer (single not-in-the-best-shape/overweight guys that own cats.) We're all young guys (less than 30.) Some of my co-workers take cholesterol and blood pressure medicine. I'm not in the best shape myself, but I try to eat healthy (I used to be slightly obese in college and had high-blood pressure/cholesterol myself.)
Even though I'm not the biggest fan of my co-workers, I do understand the need to socialize and "be part of the team." I often joined them for lunch (Chipotle. Chikfila, 5 Guys, etc), happy hours, and team dinners. However, since joining my current project, I've gained nearly 20 lbs as a result of poor eating decisions; in addition to an added expense of purchasing fast food everyday.
In the last couple months, I have cut back joining them for lunch (almost completely), happy hours, and team dinners. I bring in my lunch, and decline to join them for their fast food excursions, but I can definitely sense some tension or even animosity as a result. My only concern is that it could potentially hurt my career.
Has anyone ever been in a similar situations?
I doubt anyone forced you to eat a 5 guys burger and fries. There are many ways to socialize and hang with unhealthy people and still stay fit. It doesn't hurt to bring your own lunch with you and eat at 5 guys with the team.
Your unhealthy lifestyle is most likely due to lack of exercise along with the consumption of high caloric foods.
I don't think it's your coworkers that are the problem so much as your fear of what will happen if you don't conform to their behaviors and your sensitivity to how they're reacting to the changes you're making. I get your desire to be a "team player", so to speak, but eating habits should fall well outside of that.
I've certainly been in environments, including work environments, that weren't exactly conducive to a healthy lifestyle, but it still comes back to the fact that I don't do anything I don't want to do and I don't do anything I know I shouldn't do even if I want to do it unless I choose to. If I choose to, I take ownership of that. I don't blame it on peer pressure. Peer pressure doesn't exist, only self-pressure by proxy.
Is wanting to make better dietary choices really the reason you're distancing yourself from them or is there something else going on with the dynamic there? I ask given the way you worded the title of this thread, the fact that you don't really like them, and your concern about your relationship with them affecting your career.
Is this about your coworkers at all or are you projecting issues you're wrestling with onto them? You have a history of health issues and health concerns that make their conditions hit home for you and that have made you particularly invested in doing better beyond just waking up one day and randomly wanting a kale smoothie.
I'm not saying the following is what's happening with you, but I'm putting it out there because it does happen and it might be worth thinking about...
It's common for people to hit a point in life, usually late 20s, early 30s, when they became very "self aware" - a little more aware that they're aging, a little more aware that they're not really in the best health or in the best circumstance and that they're not so young anymore that they can just shrug it off.
It's common for this awareness to trigger a turnaround where they start trying to improve themselves and make positive changes and they're very proud of the results they're seeing and very optimistic about how things will be for them going forward.
It's common for them to have lapses and fall back into old habits and old thoughts and to feel guilty about that or stupid or ashamed for not sticking to the plan, for not quite being as strong as they thought they were or as different as they thought they were from the person they used to be.
And it's common for them to start blaming external factors for those lapses to assuage that guilt - to make others responsible for their setbacks as if they were forced into them instead of accepting that they made those choices that they knew weren't good for them because, deep down, they wanted to.
So they start to create, in their minds, an environment that's hostile towards their positive changes to set themselves up with an excuse of sorts for how difficult it's becoming for them to maintain those positive changes. Again, not saying that's what's going on here.
Either way, I'd say focus more on what you're doing and less on how your coworkers deal with it. You didn't have a sex change operation, you're just eating differently. It's not the kind of thing coworkers should hold council over.
There are some reasonably healthy options at Chipotle. I doubt Five Guys has any and don't know about Chick-Fil-A. Have you thought of suggesting the occasional healthy place like a Sweet Tomatoes or Subway?
It can't hurt to ask them. To gain 20 pounds that fast, it would seem that not exercising would also be a factor. Just 10 pounds and I would say just the food is responsible. I am no expert. Correct me if I am wrong.
Anyways, suggest alternatives. They may surprise you and go for it. If they ask why, I would say for variety sake/in the mood for something different rather than lecture about the health reasons. You don't want to come across as too preachy.
Tell them you are trying to save money. I don't know how or why people eat out lunch everyday, that is so expensive. And don't get me going on the expensive coffees and lattes....anyways....
I hate when people feel the need to comment on what you're eating like it's any of their business. Next time they comment about your shake or food you should say "It's actually WAY more delicious than you think. You should try to make one." I take it you don't work with any females? They are usually more interested in hearing about healthy recipes. I know it comes up quite a bit where I work.
Really, people who have to joke and make comments are doing so due to their own insecurities.
Use your lunch hour to walk. It will do you a world of good. Tell them your girlfriend insists you get in better shape.
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