At 45, I try to eat right and exercise and take care of myself. I'm doing fairly well for the things I can control.
Anyway, I get a little friendly kidding from co-workers about my Fiber One breakfast from time to time, which I usually take in stride and with a bit of irony. I like all of these people, but most are overwheight and some are obese.
I commute on occasion in addition to regular long weekend rides and an occasional weekday ride. In a county with 38,000 people, I can only think of just a handfull of cyclists, so we are rare. Since there are no places for bikes at my work, I store mine in my office. This means I must roll it through the large main office area where numerous people work.
I wear a helmet, and on my way out for lunch the last several days, one of my co-workers has called out from across the office that I had a large bug on my head.
Today I responded, "I can see why you are alarmed, as it appears that most everyone else stuffs theirs under the front of their shirts." while I pulled at the loose fabric around my stomach.
That was not nice and I feel kind of bad.:rolleyes:
bmclaughlin807
10-03-06, 11:25 AM
:roflmao:
CliftonGK1
10-03-06, 11:26 AM
Today I responded, "I can see why you are alarmed, as it appears that most everyone else stuffs theirs under the front of their shirts." while I pulled at the loose fabric around my stomach.
That was not nice and I feel kind of bad.:rolleyes:
Hey now! I resemble that remark. :D
Falkon
10-03-06, 11:31 AM
woah, that was harsh. I have to be careful about what I say. I know people notice. Many think I'm crazy, but they also notice that I'm in pretty good shape.
Da Tinker
10-03-06, 11:43 AM
Harsh would have been if the comment had been pointed at an individual.
There always seems to come a time when enough is enough, and a quick reposte is needed. After all, if you mess around with a bull, you should expect to get a horn every now & then.
mikdes
10-03-06, 11:57 AM
If someone confronts you about the comment, just respond with "HE STARTED IT!"
Scarr
10-03-06, 11:58 AM
you mess around with a bull, you should expect to get a horn every now & then.
http://www.riverblue.com/hughes/gleasonnew1.jpg
/Couldn't help it.
mister
10-03-06, 12:00 PM
That's classic. Why feel bad though? It's just what this country needs when 70% of the population qualify as obese. Too many people are trying to be all hush hush about America's expanding waist.
lyledriver
10-03-06, 12:02 PM
I don't think it was harsh.
A harsh reply would be tacking 'Mr. fatty fatty fat fat' onto the end of it.
DataJunkie
10-03-06, 12:04 PM
You are just doing your part to fight the rampant political correctness that is sweeping the US. :p
14R
10-03-06, 12:10 PM
NONE of the replies I had in mind a suitable to be place in this family oriented forum. You are a very polite person and should feel good about your coment. It could be a LOT WORSE.
knobster
10-03-06, 01:07 PM
That's great. Sounds like something I would say. I'm not known for my political correctness abilities. As you can tell by my avatar.
bsyptak
10-03-06, 01:14 PM
I wonder if they've issued a "fat-wa" against you?
Lucky07
10-03-06, 01:17 PM
Ahahaha! That's great. I wouldn't have been so kind.
But uh, can we please wait until we're ON the bike until we strap up our helmets? I see people grocery shopping with their helmets on. Believe me, I'm a dedicated helmet wearer, but walking up and down the vegetable section is pretty low risk.
AlmostTrick
10-03-06, 01:38 PM
One would have had to been there to know if the tone of either comment was inappropriate or just in good fun. Not all offices are the same as far as humor goes. Was there any aftermath?
markf
10-03-06, 01:38 PM
Maybe it's just the stress.
At 45, I try to eat right and exercise and take care of myself. I'm doing fairly well for the things I can control.
Anyway, I get a little friendly kidding from co-workers about my Fiber One breakfast from time to time, which I usually take in stride and with a bit of irony. I like all of these people, but most are overwheight and some are obese.
I commute on occasion in addition to regular long weekend rides and an occasional weekday ride. In a county with 38,000 people, I can only think of just a handfull of cyclists, so we are rare. Since there are no places for bikes at my work, I store mine in my office. This means I must roll it through the large main office area where numerous people work.
I wear a helmet, and on my way out for lunch the last several days, one of my co-workers has called out from across the office that I had a large bug on my head.
Today I responded, "I can see why you are alarmed, as it appears that most everyone else stuffs theirs under the front of their shirts." while I pulled at the loose fabric around my stomach.
That was not nice and I feel kind of bad.:rolleyes:
If your co-worker made the same stupid joke at your expense 2 or 3 days in a row then he deserved a snappy comeback. Including your other co-workers was not a good move, IMO.
DogBoy
10-03-06, 01:39 PM
Ahahaha! That's great. I wouldn't have been so kind.
But uh, can we please wait until we're ON the bike until we strap up our helmets? I see people grocery shopping with their helmets on. Believe me, I'm a dedicated helmet wearer, but walking up and down the vegetable section is pretty low risk.
but then I don't have to worry about my helmet hair! (actually I pack a baseball hat to avoid this problem, but it doesn't bug me when people wear their helmets for mid-ride activities).
knobster
10-03-06, 01:43 PM
but then I don't have to worry about my helmet hair! (actually I pack a baseball hat to avoid this problem, but it doesn't bug me when people wear their helmets for mid-ride activities).
My wife does this... It bugs me, but she hates her hair when it's shaped like the helmet... Ok, so do I.
jeff-o
10-03-06, 01:45 PM
*SNAP*
Still a little harsh, though.
dalmore
10-03-06, 01:45 PM
Ahahaha! That's great. I wouldn't have been so kind.
But uh, can we please wait until we're ON the bike until we strap up our helmets? I see people grocery shopping with their helmets on. Believe me, I'm a dedicated helmet wearer, but walking up and down the vegetable section is pretty low risk.
You have to carry it or wear it... I try to un strap it though.
jeff-o
10-03-06, 01:55 PM
You have to carry it or wear it... I try to un strap it though.
Clip it to your belt or something. I don't wear my helmet unless I am on my bike.
Falkon
10-03-06, 02:15 PM
I carry it, but maybe some of you should be wearing the helmet all the time :D
wild animals
10-03-06, 02:28 PM
If your co-worker made the same stupid joke at your expense 2 or 3 days in a row then he deserved a snappy comeback. Including your other co-workers was not a good move, IMO.
my thoughts exactly!
ps fat-wa, haha ha.
pps i just ate candy
ppps: i can see why people wear helmets through the store or whatever. carrying them is annoying, especially if you have to carry other stuff. but i don't want anyone to think i need to wear a helmet at all times i guess. i am sensitive about it because i probably should wear a helmet at all times, for my own protection.
yes
10-03-06, 02:33 PM
I hook my strap over the saddle nose, and let the helmet rest on the saddle.
Nice replay, though.
oboeguy
10-03-06, 03:52 PM
That's classic. Why feel bad though? It's just what this country needs when 70% of the population qualify as obese. Too many people are trying to be all hush hush about America's expanding waist.
++
CliftonGK1
10-03-06, 04:19 PM
I carry it, but maybe some of you should be wearing the helmet all the time :D
I'm eco-friendly... The short-bus is still considered mass transportation, right?:rolleyes:
2manybikes
10-03-06, 04:30 PM
I would have considered something like.
How's the Sumo training going?
recursive
10-03-06, 04:34 PM
Why is it considered so offensive to mention how fat people are?
sam83
10-03-06, 06:51 PM
One would have had to been there to know if the tone of either comment was inappropriate or just in good fun. Not all offices are the same as far as humor goes. Was there any aftermath?
A little more to the story...
The co-worker was technically by boss (interim basis). He is THE boss of everyone at the plant, but will eventually be replaced in that capacity in a month or so. He's been a peer level co-worker for over 15 years and is a nice guy.
Biting humor is not uncommon, but generally not from me. He does have a bit of a gut. All but one of the other half dozen or so people in the office are over their BMI (some pretty bad), but a couple are trying to take steps to get on track.
Had a meeting with him after lunch and if it bothered him, he gave no indication. I'm generally a friendly and personable person with a lot of years there. Didn't feel a chill in the office either, but then again I wasn't looking for it.
I said it with a humorous tone, but still feel a little bad.
The area is still so bad for health. Poor diets and terribly sedentary lifestyles. I'm just a humor target because I eat differently and move around a bit. It's not necessarily mean-spirited, but I get it a lot when I grab my cereal and I guess it just got the best of me.
squeakywheel
10-03-06, 07:14 PM
...
The area is still so bad for health. Poor diets and terribly sedentary lifestyles.
...
Sitting on the front porch playing banjos? :rolleyes:
CrosseyedCrickt
10-03-06, 07:57 PM
Being a fat man, and former fatter man, I find no offense in your comment. The truth hurts sometimes. In fact, it was a comment such as yours that got me started on all this healthy eating, biking, exercise thing.
think I hold a grudge against the fellah who asked when my twins were due?
Trek930
10-04-06, 06:00 AM
But uh, can we please wait until we're ON the bike until we strap up our helmets? I see people grocery shopping with their helmets on. Believe me, I'm a dedicated helmet wearer, but walking up and down the vegetable section is pretty low risk.
My reasoning for the above behavior is that my rear view mirror is up there. Setting it down in the cart guarentees the aim will be messed up. I do have it unbuckeled, though. Just giving you a reason not a lecture.
ItsJustMe
10-04-06, 06:30 AM
My reasoning for the above behavior is that my rear view mirror is up there. Setting it down in the cart guarentees the aim will be messed up. I do have it unbuckeled, though. Just giving you a reason not a lecture.
I knew I was really getting some time in the saddle when I was at the home improvement store a few months back, and someone dropped something and made a loud noise behind me, and my eyes immediately snapped to my (nonexistant) rear-view mirror.
Hey, if we take our helmets (and mirrors) off in the stores, how are we going to check out the hot chicks? :D
(while at the same time guaranteeing that if they're checking US out, it's not in a good way)
thdave
10-04-06, 06:30 AM
You did great.
The risk is there if you say nothing. You don't want them vs. me, which, if you didn't defend yourself, could happen if others laugh at his silly comment. He wanted a tart response.
You showed your colleagues that it's ok to be different and to get in shape. Don't let them mold you into them! You know what they are doing is unhealthy!
capejohn
10-04-06, 06:31 AM
I wear a helmet, and on my way out for lunch the last several days, one of my co-workers has called out from across the office that I had a large bug on my head.
Today I responded, "I can see why you are alarmed, as it appears that most everyone else stuffs theirs under the front of their shirts." while I pulled at the loose fabric around my stomach.
If your statement is true, and most are overweight in the office, there should be no problem that you said it.
Falkon
10-04-06, 07:00 AM
Sitting on the front porch playing banjos? :rolleyes:
please tell me you're not THAT ignorant.
The South is terrible in terms of obesity. It's really really crazy.
ModoVincere
10-04-06, 07:32 AM
please tell me you're not THAT ignorant.
The South is terrible in terms of obesity. It's really really crazy.
I live in the south. IMO the main contributors to the huge weight crisis is automobile useage, computer and TV time, and Mickey D's and the other fast food joints. Atlanta has some of the worst traffic in the country. I used to work 21 miles from my house. The traffic got to the point that it took 1 1/2 hours one way each day. That's 3 hours of sitting on my arse and doing nothing but trying to find something decent to listen to on the radio station. Work, for most people in office jobs, certainly provided no exercise. Being a desk jockey for 8-10 hours a day will not get your heart rate up. Then about 2 times a week, there would be meeting over lunch at some restaurant. Chili's or Applebee's or other place. The average calorie content of the meal was proabably 900-1200 calories for lunch. Combine that with 2 other meals in a day and your looking at 2500-3000 calories and no exercise to speak of.
From what I can see, this is pretty average for the ATL. No wonder people are getting fatter and fatter. Until people decide that enough is enough and that public transportation or alternative tranportation, in city dwellings, and other lifestyle changes are worth while, then nothing will change.
And to the OP....I see nothing wrong with your comment. In fact, you were actually nicer about it than I would have been.
squeakywheel
10-04-06, 07:53 AM
please tell me you're not THAT ignorant.
The South is terrible in terms of obesity. It's really really crazy.
Just trying to be funny. :D The OP is from Middle Tennessee. I believe the movie Deliverance was set in Tennessee. This thread is all about making fun of people, right?
We're pretty heavy in Minnesota on average. Here, I think it's the food centric culture. You can't attend any function at all without food being served. The funniest is high school sports. My kids play on the tennis team. At the beginning of the season some of the parents always organize a food and drink schedule for match days. C'mon, its not like these are little kids whose parents signed them up for T-ball and the highlight of the game for them is the treats afterwards.
cooperwx
10-04-06, 08:12 AM
The area is still so bad for health. Poor diets and terribly sedentary lifestyles. I'm just a humor target because I eat differently and move around a bit. It's not necessarily mean-spirited, but I get it a lot when I grab my cereal and I guess it just got the best of me.
The South is terrible in terms of obesity. It's really really crazy.
It's not the heat, it's the humidity (that keeps our neighbors inside).
Funny this is kinda turning into a thread about fat SOUTHERN people! I have a friend who went to Ga Tech who now lives in the Denver area, and he said the first thing he noticed when he moved out there is that everybody was thin. I went out to visit over the summer. He was right. Sad.
HardyWeinberg
10-04-06, 11:30 AM
Just trying to be funny. :D The OP is from Middle Tennessee. I believe the movie Deliverance was set in Tennessee. This thread is all about making fun of people, right?
NE GA, gotta make fun of the right people.
DataJunkie
10-04-06, 11:38 AM
It's not the heat, it's the humidity (that keeps our neighbors inside).
Funny this is kinda turning into a thread about fat SOUTHERN people! I have a friend who went to Ga Tech who now lives in the Denver area, and he said the first thing he noticed when he moved out there is that everybody was thin. I went out to visit over the summer. He was right. Sad.
We can broaden this to include states like Ohio. :p
Why not insult everyone?
While visiting my mother in Ohio I noticed the exact same thing....very very large people.
Too cold in winter. Too humid in summer.
sam83
10-04-06, 11:57 AM
We can broaden this to include states like Ohio. :p
Why not insult everyone?
While visiting my mother in Ohio I noticed the exact same thing....very very large people.
Too cold in winter. Too humid in summer.
+1
The OP is from Ohio and lives in Tennessee, which is a boardeing state to the setting of the film Deliverance. :D
squeakywheel
10-06-06, 08:15 PM
NE GA, gotta make fun of the right people.
Ooops. Dang. Making fun of the wrong people all these years.
That's classic. Why feel bad though? It's just what this country needs when 70% of the population qualify as obese. Too many people are trying to be all hush hush about America's expanding waist.
Quite fortunately only 25% (and thats only in the bad states like mine) are obese. 65% is overweight, which does suck. Its my goal to live at lest 65% of my life in the healthier 35% of the population.
As for the OP's comment to co-workers...Rock on! I think since you didn't single anyone out in particular that your comment was perfectly in line. It almost reminded me of the commercial where everyone walked around with absurdly large breakfast foods on the parts of their body where particularly unhealthy breakfasts tend to stick.
Wil Davis
10-06-06, 09:07 PM
I think it would have been far more effective if you had totally ignored him. Put yourself in his place; if you'd shouted out a comment and had been ignored, how would you have felt? I've been in that position, and I felt totally stupid. By responding, you bring yourself into his game, his need for a response; no matter what happens next, you've already lost! …but by denying him the response he's looking for, you really piss him off…
- Wil
Sammyboy
10-07-06, 03:51 AM
Anyone that gives out, needs to be ready to get it back. You did nothing out of order - I'd have said the same, if I'd though fast enough!
georgiaboy
10-07-06, 05:33 AM
To the OP:
Your reply contained no obscene words or name-calling. It returned the same amount of bite as the other person gave to you regarding your bicycle helmet. No worries, mate...
R-Wells
10-07-06, 06:52 AM
I would say the comment was only too harsh if you intended it to be too harsh, if you intended it to be a Humorous way of pointing out that he looks at least as goofy as you, then you did no wrong at all.
Simple fact is he looks like he is stealing a watermelon, and you look like you have a big bug on your head.:)
I always tell my wife she looks like a Turtle is setting on her head, and she tells me I look like I have a Pea sitting on my shoulders.
mlh122
10-07-06, 03:28 PM
i have quite a gut and periodically receive comments on it. my wife says i look like a cherub, or it's my good luck buddha belly. doesn't really bug me at all. i'm trying to get rid of it, but not because of the belly itself, but because of my high cholesterol and blood pressure, ability to bike up hills etc... that accompany it.
on a side note i was in the lunch room at work and there were 2 obese women, one about 5'4" and 275lbs, i'm not sure if that's classified as obese, but she has a definite ball shape, the other woman is about 5' 9" and at least 400 lbs, very obese. she demanded HR to give her a desk closer to the bathroom because currently she has to stop and rest halfway... anyway back to my side note story. the shorter woman was eating a salad and looked over, the bigger woman was having a dozen krispy kreme donuts for lunch. amused, the smaller woman said "don't you know how bad those are for you? they're very high in fat and sugar" the other woman had kindof a scowl and said "don't you know there are good fats and bad fats?!" and then started eating the donuts. the salad eating woman looked a little offended at her friend's stupidity.
mlh122
10-07-06, 03:32 PM
oh i have another side story, my wife and i were riding around our neighborhoods looking for houses for sale. and we saw a little house with a small front yard, maybe 10ft by 20 ft. it was littered with lots of toys. in the yard was a very, very chubby little girl, probably about 9 yrs old, riding a gas powered scooter in circles around the yard. i saw it as a perfect statement of the children today and adults of tomorrow, and laughed so hard i almost wrecked.