Commuting - Non commuting Co Workers Weight gains & Execuses!

A few folks at work are bothering me with their execuses in that they are not happy with being overweight. Constantly complaing about it.


Not to sound too harsh but the last few months has really enlighted me on my fellow workers.

I been commuting to work over the last 4 months. Now I am not naturally gifted in any area of exercise.
I am 37 years old, 6,2, and about 194 to 200 lbs at any given time. Sine I am not naturally skinny I have to work maintain under 200lbs.

Basically if I am not biking, I run and lift weights to burn calories as to not to become too fat.

So since I started biking to work many co wokers have commented that they wish they could do the same, but a few are really getting on my nerves because they always complain about their problems with weight and obesity but never do dang thing about it.

I have basically tried just about everything and have given completly up on them as just an excuse mongers.

As an example today, my boss came by drinking a super rich choclate milk bottle of about 450 calories. He said ahh I like this stuff. Then he looks at the bottle of milk and says man there is like 450 calories in that stuff. I was shocked of course. He said, gosh it is hard to keep under 3000 calories a day with me drinking 2 to 3 of these a day.

I said wow, that is a ton of calories. He says what do you care you bike like a ton of miles anyway and cant get fat. I said like many times before that I have to watch what I eat as well.

I also told him that 1 of my frozen dinners contains about the same calories as his milk. Later as I came back to my desk with my lunches he walks by. On the top of my dinners are low fat dinners that have the colorie labels. I had 2 dinners sitting out with a combine value of 520 calories for both items. I also had a diet pop.

He looked at the values and said well you see here the only problem is the sodium content is too high !

Execuse after excuse of not being able to walk, bike, lift wieghts and diet has lead me to think he is a constant complainer.

Oh by the way he has a fee gym that the company pays for !

Any of you have advice or similar folks at your work ?

Ignore them, change the subject, let them deal with it themselves.

People are always looking for an easy way out and someone else to blame for their problems.

I get exactly the same thing as you, with the boss I make like the penguins in Madagascar "just smile and wave boys, just smile and wave" meaning that I just go along and agree with whatever stoopid twisted logic he spews up this week to justify his greedy glutonous chainsmoking lifestyle. He's happy having me around, I do my job as best I can and I keep getting paid to be there, that's all I need from him.

With my lazy fatazz coworkers however, I gave up on them a long time ago. I never initiate any health/exercise related conversations at all because I have no tolerance for their denial and ignorance. As soon as they start I just tell them point-blank that they're just offering up excuses and the only reason they're fat is because of the crap they shove down their throats and the fact that they do no exercise. Everything else is a load of B.S.

They rarely ever bother me with pointless excuse-making nowadays, regardless of how guilty they may feel about munching on their 3rd glazed donut for the morning when I arrive at work after a 30 mile commute and prepare my oats in lite milk. If they come to me with a genuine question about improving their health I'll happily give them a brief answer and refer them to sources of more in-depth info. Its extremely rare for those people to take it any further so there's no point wasting any more time/effort with them.

Living a healthy lifestyle (I cringe at having to use that word) is one of those easier said than done things. Virtually everyone knows what they should be doing. It's much easier to be lazy, though.

If it was easy to be skinny, we wouldn't have an obesity epidemic.

I get exactly the same thing as you, with the boss I make like the penguins in Madagascar "just smile and wave boys, just smile and wave" meaning that I just go along and agree with whatever stoopid twisted logic he spews up this week to justify his greedy glutonous chainsmoking lifestyle. He's happy having me around, I do my job as best I can and I keep getting paid to be there, that's all I need from him.

With my lazy fatazz coworkers however, I gave up on them a long time ago. I never initiate any health/exercise related conversations at all because I have no tolerance for their denial and ignorance. As soon as they start I just tell them point-blank that they're just offering up excuses and the only reason they're fat is because of the crap they shove down their throats and the fact that they do no exercise. Everything else is a load of B.S.

They rarely ever bother me with pointless excuse-making nowadays, regardless of how guilty they may feel about munching on their 3rd glazed donut for the morning when I arrive at work after a 30 mile commute and prepare my oats in lite milk. If they come to me with a genuine question about improving their health I'll happily give them a brief answer and refer them to sources of more in-depth info. Its extremely rare for those people to take it any further so there's no point wasting any more time/effort with them.

+1 My thoughts exactly.

I don't think it helps to be rude to these people but it doesn't help to enable them by taking it all in either.

I'm like you. I commute almost every day by bicycle and yet I can barely control my weight. I have not lost an ounce since beginning my commuting 2.5 years ago. I have only gained. It's a gift, I guess.

But I'm not obese and I don't scarf down junk foods all day. So when people start on the Cathy comic strip-type food addict BS on me I don't participate. And if anybody is truly interested in my bike commuting I will talk about the positive aspects of it, but I haven't found anybody to be truly interested. They are really only interested in it as a way to bring up the food addict conversation.

could always just go vegan... :) (ducks....)

between cutting waaay down on my meat and dairy consumption (easier than you think), beer intake (the hardest of all), and commuting to work, I've dropped quite a few lbs. over the past few weeks, and I hope to continue on that path. I'm also one of those guys who has to work to keep the weight off. I haven't weighed myself in a few weeks, but I'm hoping there's been progress.

Your coworkers should shut it.

If I let everything that is annoying irritate me I would have an ulcer.
All that matters to me is that I am commuting using a bicycle. The heck with everyone else.

I just got 2 of my coworkers (+1 wife of coworker) to join the local YMCA. :)

We all live on different sides of town and one of the main things that commonly came up, was that there was no gym they liked to go to because of varying reasons/excuses including, having no motivation due to not having anyone to workout with. After I started commuting a few weeks ago, they've started really comming down on me being fit (I'm 24 yrs old, 6'0" and 160lbs). I started pressuring them which finally turned into an offer. I told them that if they joined the YMCA 4 blocks from our work... that I would too, and we would all workout together. One coworker is 56 yrs old and severly overweight (300-320lbs), the other is not overweight but 52 yrs old.

Last night was our first time working out together, and I was kind of scared about the differences in size and age. Ironically, they actually evened out and was easy & fun to workout with them. My scrawny ass can't lift weights much, but then again, they didn't lift much either due to their age. When it came to cardio, of course I was faster and had more endurance, but I didn't give up on them. I simply hopped on the machine/treadmill/stationary bike/etc beside them and encouraged them while pounding it out. I was working just as hard as they were when it came to ability.

I ended up staying a little extra longer than my coworkers to get more of a workout. I only wanted to "try" out a stationary/spin bike for a few minutes to see if spin cadance = real bike cadance (because a female friend & spin teacher says they do fast cadance of 130rpms). Well I ended up doing 7 miles (I still had a 8 mile commute home)!!! because the cardio machines face the glassed aerobics room. I (and my coworkers haha) now have a new motivation to do cardio... perky 20-somethings bouncing around doing aerobics right in front of us.

It is really nice having the gym near our work because we can go down there at lunch, hop on the treadmills/bikes/cardio etc and all walk together. We have tried to walk (on the streets) before, but was problematic due to bad weather, extreme cold/heat, and having to keep up or slow down for others. This way we can walk during lunch with NO excuses. We can walk in bad weather, extreme cold/heat, and people can have their different paces while still maintaining the social interaction of walking together and chit-chatting.

To do anything about it people need to accept who they are. If they can't do that, how do they plan to change what it is they don't like?
Most people lead their lives fairly blind...

It's much easier to be lazy, though.
...And b*tch, whine, moan and complain about the consequences of being lazy. :D

Whenever I have somebody complain to me about "wanting" to exercise, I give them my card with all my contact information and let them know that I'll fix up their bike for free and go riding with them.

No takers yet.

As a massage therapist, I'm used to people sabotaging their good intentions. Whether it's with health, exercise, diet, or something else, it's something everybody does.

...And b*tch, whine, moan and complain about the consequences of being lazy. :D
Almost as easy as the self righteous perfect specimens who b*tch, whine, moan and complain about others' alleged laziness or failure to embrace the PC approved correct lifestyle.

To do anything about it people need to accept who they are. If they can't do that, how do they plan to change what it is they don't like?
Most people lead their lives fairly blind...
I've accepted the fact that I'm a big guy, and it's due in no small part to what I eat. I weigh an eighth of a ton (250 pounds) and although I've got a wide frame, and heavy musculature from years of weightlifting, there's more than enough of me that's comprised largely of pizza and beer. Particularly around my midsection.
I could change this if I wanted to. I could quit having my evening pint. I could stop putting sugar in my coffee. I could not eat chips and salsa (but my g/f makes such danged tasty salsa...) There's a lot I could change to get a rock-hard ripped physique; but I don't care.
My cholesterol is fine. My resting midday HR is under 65. I don't have glycemic problems. My blood pressure is fine. I'm one of the healthiest pudgy guys alive. If I'm ever to the point of being "not healthy" because of my weight, then maybe I'll worry. Until then, I'm not concerned about it.

Almost as easy as the self righteous perfect specimens who b*tch, whine, moan and complain about others' alleged laziness or failure to embrace the PC approved correct lifestyle.

You're so anti-status quo. That is great. Really fantastic.

Sodium would be less of a problem if he'd get a solid 30+ minutes of heavy sweating in per day. I have to add extra sodium to my fruit drink to keep my electrolytes in decent shape, otherwise I get feeling really weird about halfway through my ride.

Back on topic, I started running on a treadmill at work when I started pushing close to 200 pounds. I hated it. I don't know how anyone can stand staring at a wall for 45 minutes. But happily I found cycling, and now have 75 to 90 minutes a day of intense aerobic exercise that I absolutely love to do.

I think one of the reasons people are so averse to cycling is that as soon as they think exercise, they think of all the times they've tried it before, and how much it SUCKED. And honestly for a lot of people, cycling is going to suck at first too because the first few weeks is NOT easy.

I don't know how anyone can stand staring at a wall for 45 minutes.
I watch all the shows that I DVR'd while I was at work when I'm riding my stationary bike (or rowing machine.)

Almost as easy as the self righteous perfect specimens who b*tch, whine, moan and complain about others' alleged laziness or failure to embrace the PC approved correct lifestyle.

You are no doubt providing an example, eh?

I think to address the OP's grievance it would be like someone who was very successful financially having someone who is not telling them they wish they could have more money and then going off and buying lattes, expensive cars, mortgages they can't afford, and the latest and greatest techno gismo. It IS frustrating because you want to share the light with people who appear to be asking for it but in reality, what they are asking for is how they can do it without changing who they are right now. Because really, overall, the most difficult piece for humans is to change.


So I think in regards to your frustration is exactly what everyone here is saying. Don't bother with the conversation if you are going to get pissed off that they don't follow through. In my office, I started as the only commuter. Now, a year later, on team day there are usually at least 4 bikes in our small office area. (our team is only about 8 people) I chose to tell people who asked about my experiences and many followed suit.

Everyone's entitle to choose their own personal form of suicide, just as long as it doesn't get in my way.

This boss drinks 3x450 cals and has a problem staying under 3k? Water and juice are about all i drink and going under 3k's hard enough. if there was a thing to eat too much of, i suppose mostly whole grain carbs would be it, but still...yikes.

I think that something in a person's mind just has to *click* before they will do anything. That's the way it was for me. For some reason, in the period of perhaps a week, I decided that I would replace my car with a bike as often as possible. I don't know what spurred me to do this. But, the mindset stuck, and I'm better for it now.

It's unfortunate though, that the click never happens for many people. I'm still waiting for it to happen to my wife.

Fat people have a chip on their shoulder, leave it at that.

Edit: Come to think of it, so do I.

Almost as easy as the self righteous perfect specimens who b*tch, whine, moan and complain about others' alleged laziness or failure to embrace the PC approved correct lifestyle.
What, is it PC to want to be (and/or settle for being) an "approved" overwieght lardass? And don't worry...IMHO there are no "perfect" specimens out there. All people have faults...some faults are just more visible than others.

Self righteous? Please...nothing in my post conveyed or hinted of self righteousness.

**Please note...my sarcasm meter is not working to well today...so if your whole post was intended as sarcasm...I humbly ask you to forgive me for not comprehending it as such. :D

I think that something in a person's mind just has to *click* before they will do anything.


Yep. For me it was a combo of my own vanity after seeing how odd ive looked in pictures lately, and downright fear of one day turning out like the 350 lb. tank top /sweatshorts enthusiast I saw most days in my office over the summer, and my lovely fiancee being a self-righteous vegan nutjob. It's all clicking lately. And replacing my car with a bike whenever possible is just more fun, anyway.

Even the most drastic of dietary changes wouldn't seem so hard to stick with if people took a closer look at the long term effects of how they're treating themselves. Then again, people have been saying that for awhile, right?

Almost as easy as the self righteous perfect specimens who b*tch, whine, moan and complain about others' alleged laziness or failure to embrace the PC approved correct lifestyle.

Or even almost as easy as the self righteous über-self righteous über-perfect specimens who b*tch, whine, moan, and complain about those lesser self righteous perfect specimens who b*tch, whine, moan, and complain about others' alleged laziness or failure to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

This could go on for a long, long time. Get over yourself, ILTB and stop hijacking threads. Please don't be the HH of Commuting.


Sodium would be less of a problem if he'd get a solid 30+ minutes of heavy sweating in per day. I have to add extra sodium to my fruit drink to keep my electrolytes in decent shape, otherwise I get feeling really weird about halfway through my ride.

<epiphany>Maybe that's why I've been craving sodium infested foods like an overdrinking cow!</epiphany>


I think to address the OP's grievance it would be like someone who was very successful financially having someone who is not telling them they wish they could have more money and then going off and buying lattes, expensive cars, mortgages they can't afford, and the latest and greatest techno gismo. It IS frustrating because you want to share the light with people who appear to be asking for it but in reality, what they are asking for is how they can do it without changing who they are right now. Because really, overall, the most difficult piece for humans is to change.

I think people find it so difficult to change because they're afraid of failing after they do make that change. It's so hard to get through those first couple of weeks, and then to keep it going; and it's so easy to revert back to laziness that I feel most people think [i]Why bother?[i]

Perhaps we need to find a way to address this at the core of their mindset and turn it to [i]Why not bother?[i]

You are no doubt providing an example, eh?
Nope. Just wondering why so many posters on BF are so F'ing concerned with other people's weight, exercise regimen and/or eating habits of those who they think are not as righteous and/or beautiful as their narcisstic selves.

There's a group of people who have been walking at lunchtime for the past few years. They didn't drop a lot of weight, they aren't musclebound, and they couldn't run a marathon. But it's something. And it's consistent. Much better than going to power-kick-yoga-boxing class 7 or 8 times in January (resolutions) and then sitting on your sludge butt for the rest of the year.

We want quick results. Evolutionarily, our bodies don't provide that. It's easy to get discouraged. Some people like an exercise partner, and others prefer solitude. It's all about finding your thing and doing it. Cyclecommuting isn't for everybody. We like to think it is because we're obsessed. :)

I lead by example and tend not to entertain others' behavioral problems unless called upon to do so. It makes things so very simple.

narcistic
Ha! I caught an ILTB spelling error! My day is complete :p

I really have nothing to contribute.

I pay it about as much mind as my non-cycling coworkers' complaints about the cost of gas.

Get over yourself, ILTB and stop hijacking threads ...
Perhaps we need to find a way to address this at the core of their mindset and turn it to [i]Why not bother?[i]
Hijack? BS! Why does anyone need to be excused/pardoned by bicycling geeks? The bottom line is of what concern to commuting bicyclists is the weight and physique of non bicyclists? And why are these bicyclist posters concerned?
The OP declares people gratuitously make excuses to him about their own exercise/eating regimen not being like his; I find that very difficult to believe. Reason: why would they feel the need to make/offer any excuse for their preference to him?

What seems far more likely to me, especially after reading BF thread after thread whining about others' weight, shape, and eating-exercise habits, is that various self righteous and/or narcistic cyclists are disparaging others for not following the bicyclist's chosen path of exercise/eating regimen.

ILTB- Is it bad that I don't like you?
A) People do justify their food choices to others while simulatneously complaining about their weight. We live in a world of hypocrisy.
B) "what seems far more likely to you"? Who TF are you to make assumptions?
C) You appear to do this on threads with a great deal of frequency. That is, belittling people for their current viewpoints. Do you see this as any different from what you are accusing the OP of?
D) Did you get beat up a lot on the playground as a child? If so, it wasn't us so take out your angst elsewhere.

Hijack? BS! Why does anyone need to be excused/pardoned by bicycling geeks? The bottom line is of what concern to commuting bicyclists is the weight and physique of non bicyclists? And why are these bicyclist posters concerned?
The OP declares people gratuitously make excuses to him about their own exercise/eating regimen not being like his; I find that very difficult to believe. Reason: why would they feel the need to make/offer any excuse for their preference to him?

What seems far more likely to me, especially after reading BF thread after thread whining about others' weight, shape, and eating-exercise habits, is that various self righteous and/or narcistic cyclists are disparaging others for not following the bicyclist's chosen path of exercise/eating regimen.

Erm, who's excusing and pardoning anything. We're just sharing ideas about how we can get people to motivate others who talk to us about motivation to start exercising.

People make excuses to all sorts of people. I feel that they make those excuses, not to be pardoned by the person they're talking to, but to justify their choices to themselves.

*I am reminded of a quote I read somewhere. "If you need to justify it, you probably shouldn't be doing it." I feel people are simply trying to justify something they know they shouldn't be doing.*

I know I'm not perfect. I know I'm a bit arrogant and self righteous, but I know that the guy across the street from me has ideas and wisdom I can learn from, as he can learn some from me. I don't hold people's vices against them, as it's not my place to judge. I can offer advice and insight into certain things, but judgement and pardoning isn't my department. I leave that to the religious fundies.

EDIT: See asterisks for the added paragraph

ILTB- Is it bad that I don't like you?
A) People do justify their food choices to others while simulatneously complaining about their weight. We live in a world of hypocrisy.
So what if others complain about their own weight? Of what concern is it to the hypocritical smart donkeys who post about it here? And what does it have to do with bicycle commuting?

I think to address the OP's grievance it would be like someone who was very successful financially having someone who is not telling them they wish they could have more money and then going off and buying lattes, expensive cars, mortgages they can't afford, and the latest and greatest techno gismo. It IS frustrating because you want to share the light with people who appear to be asking for it but in reality, what they are asking for is how they can do it without changing who they are right now. Because really, overall, the most difficult piece for humans is to change.


So I think in regards to your frustration is exactly what everyone here is saying. Don't bother with the conversation if you are going to get pissed off that they don't follow through. In my office, I started as the only commuter. Now, a year later, on team day there are usually at least 4 bikes in our small office area. (our team is only about 8 people) I chose to tell people who asked about my experiences and many followed suit.

Totally agree, it is as if you get to see the LIGHT! I see the failure and how easy it is now but it was not easy at first but you have to change.

Thanks for your words.

im overweight and i dont own a car and work 5 days a week. it doesnt help that i eat scones and muffins all day.

haha.


im right in my weight class.

The OP declares people gratuitously make excuses to him about their own exercise/eating regimen not being like his; I find that very difficult to believe. Reason: why would they feel the need to make/offer any excuse for their preference to him?

Perhaps it's one of their few avenues for non-biz casual chit-chat? The handful of times I've heard something similar (and trust me, it's only been a scant few times), it's been from folks in the office who either don't quite know what my project group does or just plain don't have an excuse to talk to me on a regular basis. I'm one of maybe five in the whole building that bike commute regularly and am the only one on my floor. If a non-biking person and myself get stuck in the elevator, or we run into each other in the kitchenette/break lounge, and somebody feels compelled to speak to me, it's usually something to do with the fact that I bike. Granted, it's very rarely some sort of fractionally-contemptuous "oh, *you* don't have to worry about weight-gain" but I can see how this might come up among some, especially the "gosh, my metabolism's deteroriating rapidly!" set (be it age, paranoia, or some combination of the two). You're right in being suspect of the implication that such chatter happens simply *all the time*, but it's possible that this may be unintentional exaggeration on the behalf of the original poster who's just trying to go, "Say, how about this line I sometimes get from my co-workers who are aware I'm a bike commuter?"

And yes, it's a bit of a dull subject, but some bike-commuting people evidently want to talk about it. Why begrudge them for it? If they're being overly-pretentious, self-absorbed, or otherwise pulling the high-and-mighty act, chances are they'll suffer for such IRL and at some point learn the error of their ways. Fuming about it on the forums isn't going to accomplish a whole lot as there are typically no immediate ramifications or consequences. Relax, let them believe what they want to believe, and consider exerting your energy and will-power towards more productive endeavors.

So what if others complain about their own weight? Of what concern is it to the hypocritical smart donkeys who post about it here? And what does it have to do with bicycle commuting?

True enough. I think it comes up because some of us as a result of our bike commuting really begin to notice coworkers who have some pretty unpromising health issues that could be helped by riding to work. The place I work is a tight-knit nonprofit that serves the community and we've had a traumatic year of staff having heart attacks, a death from a massive stroke, many serious health complications from type 2 diabetes, obesity, etc. I see my bike commuting as a turning point for my own health, and it's been so incredibly easy to turn it around that it's almost painful to hear that litany of excuses, especially when the next words out of their mouths express a desire to be healthier, weigh less, etc. Then again, no one is going to make a change unless they're good and ready to do it. There is a fine line between venting our worries and frustrations about people we care about and turning it into a pointless whining/judgmental complaint session with smug overtones. (At least I hope that some of the posters truly care about the coworkers they are discussing.) As for myself, I just don't want to ride my bike to another memorial serivce for a well-respected coworker.

I had someone once tell me something that really helped me get in shape. You have to find something to do that you enjoy. We tend to enjoy cycling - so we do it. This is I think a good thing to respond to people. I know for myself, I watch my weight (as it goes down from commuting) because I know that my sport, cycling, will be much more enjoyable without the extra anchor.

The joy of eating the junk has to be replaced by something else. I don't think people do well as ascetics. Usually, a change needs to be for positive reasons, and except for a small percentage, looking like a model isn't worth the denial of the food and the excercise.

Besides, for many of us, we will never look that good - even if we are thin. ;-) (See our photos on the other thread)

I know for myself - eating well is good - but I still can have weight creep - but with biking, maintaining a good weight gets really easy. I enjoy the cycling, and I enjoy not having to eat like a starving fashion model.

If you want to do something positive, get them into a discussion and find out if they used to enjoy some sport - especially cycling since you know that and encourage them to start SLOWLY. Don't kill them off if they ride with you.

just my dos colones

........Why does anyone need to be excused/pardoned by bicycling geeks?........
I have my own opinions about people who choose to be fat. No, those opinions are not PC. Whether or not someone is fat is immediately apparent. If they're trying to do something about their problem, more power to 'em.:) +1
If they are not looking to be excused or pardoned by me, then they don't need to make excuses to me about why they choose to have the general body shape of a manatee. I think of them as the "manatee people," and no that is not complimentary.

And yes, it's a bit of a dull subject, but some bike-commuting people evidently want to talk about it. Why begrudge them for it? If they're being overly-pretentious, self-absorbed, or otherwise pulling the high-and-mighty act, chances are they'll suffer for such IRL and at some point learn the error of their ways.
One can only hope so. No begrudging them their OT rants, just pointing out the "overly-pretentious, self-absorbed, or otherwise pulling the high-and-mighty act" message that some posters believe are bicycle commuting subjects, are not.

I had someone once tell me something that really helped me get in shape. You have to find something to do that you enjoy. We tend to enjoy cycling - so we do it. This is I think a good thing to respond to people. I know for myself, I watch my weight (as it goes down from commuting) because I know that my sport, cycling, will be much more enjoyable without the extra anchor.

* * *

If you want to do something positive, get them into a discussion and find out if they used to enjoy some sport - especially cycling since you know that and encourage them to start SLOWLY. Don't kill them off if they ride with you.

just my dos colones

Well put. A coworker asked me if I was riding to work to save money and I said "No, not really. I just really like riding my bike." I knew this coworker is a big golfer, so I said "If you could golf to work wouldn't you do it?"

Lightbulb over the head time.

Most people at work just offer compliments and tell me how great I look and how much weight it looks like I have lost. A number of people in our department have also taken to healthier lifestyles...not just because of me...but I do think some find extra motivation seeing a guy who was once over 300 LBS biking 30 miles every day. It's gotta be pretty darn hard to come up with excuses when I am doing this. Even got my boss to bike in with us twice....first time killed him because he pushed too hard trying to be super jock. But the second time he handled much better and he really likes it although he says he's parking his bike when the weather gets worse.

I do know what you are talking about though. One time years ago when I went from 255 to 195 in 4 months I had a coworker who kept begging me to tell her what I did to lose the weight. I resisted numerous times saying "I don't think you'd like my plan." In reality I knew she wasn't serious about losing weight and spent most of her day griping about everything. One day she cornered me and demanded I tell her my plan. So I said with a sigh, "Ok, I eat three moderate meals a day, no fried foods, no red meat and very little sugar....and I work out 5-7 times a week." Her response was classic, "I'd rather kill myself!" Under my breath I think I mumbled something like, "like you aren't now?"

Nope. Just wondering why so many posters on BF are so F'ing concerned with other people's weight, exercise regimen and/or eating habits of those who they think are not as righteous and/or beautiful as their narcisstic selves.

What are you jabbering about? go take your senility pills, clean your glasses, and read the thread again... slowly. Take your time now, and come back to this point when youre done.......

OK then, see how everyone's posting about their co-workers' monaing and complaining, not about their weigh, eating, habits, or whether they are righteous or beautifull? Nobody cares whether their co-workers shove down a few greaseburgers for breakfast, all we care about is being used as an emotional ashtray for the lardarses to stub out their excuses into. Got it? OK then, now make yourself usefull and go harass HH about POWERVEAVING© and VC™, we enjoy it when you do that.:D

Back on topic, I started running on a treadmill at work when I started pushing close to 200 pounds. I hated it. I don't know how anyone can stand staring at a wall for 45 minutes. But happily I found cycling, and now have 75 to 90 minutes a day of intense aerobic exercise that I absolutely love to do.

I think one of the reasons people are so averse to cycling is that as soon as they think exercise, they think of all the times they've tried it before, and how much it SUCKED. And honestly for a lot of people, cycling is going to suck at first too because the first few weeks is NOT easy.

And this is exactly why most people are overweight. They eat like they exercise, but cannot stand the thought of staring at a wall, running nowhere, and feeling like every second on that darn treadmill is an hour. I love to run. I love to bike. I love to ride my horse. But, if I had to exercise on a stationary machine, it would be torture.

Just this weekend I rode in the MS150 and if I had to do that distance on a stationary bike, I know I couldn't do it. All in all, it was 6 hours a day on the bike for two straight days. I need the scenery passing by and the SAG support, and catered rest stops every 15 -20 miles.

And as hard as it was to ride 159 miles in two days, it didn't feel as awful as riding a bike or running while completely out of shape. Gasping for air and legs aching is far worse than being in shape and pushing myself.

I listen for however much time I have to spare for such activities - usually a minute or so - then I say, "You'll start when you're ready - you're just not ready yet - no rush." and then make my escape.

I mainly do this because personally I'm contrarian enough that when someone tells me I'm 'not ready' for something, I (at least mentally) start thinking of reasons why I AM ready for whatever it is.

I'm hopeful that doing this for others will give them a little psychological push to go ahead and get started to sort of prove me wrong. Sure, it's a little generic, and probably not even sound psych technique, but I tell myself it's more helpful than a lot of other courses, it costs me nothing and keeps me from getting bogged down with trying to come up with individual answers.

all we care about is being used as an emotional ashtray for the lardarses to stub out their excuses into. Got it?
Yeah I got it. A few Characters/Nut Jobs are moaning about their co-workers' habits, be they verbal or culinary, that are of no consequence to them. And if they wern't the mental equivalent of dang ashtrays they wouldn't spend 2 seconds fretting about it.

These ashtrays don't know how to walk away from a co-worker?

I still suspect that these ash trays are provoking/prompting their co-workers for comments/excuses that the ash trays are whining about.

One can only hope so. No begrudging them their OT rants, just pointing out the "overly-pretentious, self-absorbed, or otherwise pulling the high-and-mighty act" message that some posters believe are bicycle commuting subjects, are not.

As difficult as it may be for you to comprehend, many dedicated cyclists (commuters included) ride their bikes for fitness and weight loss. Thus, discussion of these issues is not off topic regardless of how much they irritate you.

BTW - have you ever been assessed for IPS (Irritable Personality Syndrome)? Based on your posting history, you seem to be perpetually irritated and your posts rarely contribute anything positive to the discussions at hand.