digger

I get this alot and am wondering if other people do. Here goes:

Being a member of this forum you can guess that I am obviously a cyclist. I ride ALOT, and everyone at work knows I ride ALOT. Hence, i am trim and fit (no I don't go around bragging about it).

I am also a vegetarian (sorta - still eat fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and occassonaly chicken).

Quite often I will go down to the cafeteria at work and buy myself a muffin, banana/nut loaf, lemon cake, carrot cake, etc whatever I feel like from whatever is available that day.

Almost everytime I buy something and someone from my section sees me I always get one of these:

"ya know yer gonna have to ride an extra 10 miles to burn that off"

or

"ya know thats loaded in fat?"

or

"ya know how much sugar is in that?"

or

"I thought you only ate healthy?"

or

"My God what are you eating THAT for?"

or

"That'll make you fat!!"


or a variety of other sayings, all of which are dripping with sarcasm Why do non-riders constantly berate me when I eat something sweet/fatty? Are they jealous that I can?

Just this morning someone offered me a piece of choclate and this other guy pipes up "don't give that to him, don't ya know he's toxin free??!!"

Jeez, even when I have a piece of fruit they'll say "so I see you're still on the health kick"

I usually don't say much and can't really (harrassment policy) but not long ago one guy said something (don't remember what ) and I said, while pointing at his gut, "so if I eat this I'll look like THAT?"


So does this happen to youse?

Digger

Grendel

I know the feeling -- for me it's Cokes, as I used to drink quite a lot of 'em. I don't like coffee (never could stand the taste of the stuff) so I drink a couple of Cokes in the morning to get me going. I used to drink them constantly during the day and was well known for having one at hand at all times. Since I quit smoking and started cycling again I decided to also cut down on the Cokes and drink a lot more water, and this still causes comments from co-workers ("I'm gonna go short some Coke stock!", "What's the world coming to?", "You on some kinda health kick?!", etc...)

At first I let it go as it was a considerable change in my habits, but now it's all I can do sometimes to keep myself from telling 'em to pay more attention their d@mn jobs and not what I happen to be eating or drinking at the moment. I know they're probably all trying to be well-intentioned, but some people just don't know when to shaddup and find some other conversation piece. I'm running out of wittly little one-liners to reply with, and they may not like what comes out next...

DVD

Yep, I am a bit overwieght and I cycle to work everyday: only about 9 Km each way but the traffic is horrible and sometimes scary. I am trying to eat sensibly so as to lose some weight but my workmates always seem amused at the contents of my lunchbox!!!! (salad, fruit, cereal, wholemeal sandwich..) Well I don't really mind. Most of them eat junk evey day and yes I evevy those who can do so without getting fat!!!

AlphaGeek

Yep!

velocipedio

One of the guys in the car on the way the race this weekend is a 6'2" beanpole who can't weigh more than 155 lbs. I can't believe how much he can eat... throughout the whole ride [2.5 hours each way], he was eating.

After the race [about 1 hour ten minutes], I find him standing by the car saying "oh man, I feel like I'm bonking."

"You're bonking after a one-hour race?"

"Fast metabolism, I guess."

Unbelievable!

He won his category, by the way.

ngateguy

My response to that same statement last week when I was eating a chocolate brownie was "does that inclede the 10 miles I've already riden today?" of course the person asking the question is always eating and barely gets up out of his chair during the day

es_seattle

Yup.

I think some people who are uncomfortable with their own lack of fitness or diet discipline sooth themselves by gobbing off to those with a bit more discipline.
(IMO)

webist

I have modified my life style in response to diabetes. In addition to cycling regularly, I am very careful with my diet. It is not at all unusual, when I don't eat the dessert, or refuse a drink for people to ask, "Can't you just have one little bite?" or, ".... one little sip? Generally I answer with a simple "No." Or, "I'd rather not."

The true answer is that I am keeping track of my diet and exercise and elect not to consume "wasted" calories in order to be able to eat more of the good stuff.

I could easily get into long conversations about training and nutrition but generally also avoid "wasted" conversations.

rockymtn_girl

Unfortunately Digger, you are not alone and I'm not entirely sure why that is but after reading the posts here I've realized how incredibly lucky I am.

Where I work, people work out together, quite a few ride to work, lots of us run at lunch. People share healthy recipes and healthy eating is a topic that often comes up at the water cooler (so to speak).

We have an office ritual of celebrating everyone's birthday with some kind of appropriate b-day food (cake, flan, or pie), however, the negative comments are never heard. Maybe that's because everyone's too busy stuffing their faces! But really, I think it's just because everyone is on common ground as far as health goes, so something like "do you know how much suger is in that?" just doesn't need to be said.

Michel Gagnon

We don't have that problem at our office. I'm on the thin side, but so are most other people. However, I don't smoke and half of our people do.

Besides, they know I'm not doing competitive cycling. They see me arrive at the office (or leave it) in street clothes, even with a suit and tie, and helmet, rather than in cycling clothes, so maybe they don't take me too seriously.

On the other hand, they see I'm serious (or nuts, it depends), when I cycle through snow storms or heavy showers, and running gags on food quickly become stale when the office only employs 12 people.

Regards,

Dwagenheim

I sometimes get the same kinda flack from meat eaters when I am talking about vegetarianism. I now eat meat, but rarely.
Its funny how defensive people are about eating meat tho.


Whats up with that?

Dave

RWTD

Thats funny Dave as I recall we couldn't keep you out of Mcdonalds on the Fl tour .j/k

Dwagenheim

Tuche!
Well, I definately have my weak moments. That is actually the last time I ate McDonalds. I hate McDonalds. I remember I was jonesing for a Whopper at the time. Right before Lake Okeechobee, right?
I hit Wendy's once during the tour outside of Fairbanks and destroyed a Pizza Hut lunch buffet in British Columbia, but other than that, I've been staying away from fast food. I am quite proud of myself.

So how you been anyway, Carl? I don't know if you are getting my Emails on the trip. Are you on my mass email list?
You never got that S. FL tour going eh? Well, by the time I'm back in FL with a bike, I'll be ready to check out the whole state by bike.
Are you still on your same bike? Is the weather any cooler for ya these days?

Dave

willic

[QUOTE]Originally posted by velocipedio
[B]One of the guys in the car on the way the race this weekend is a 6'2" beanpole who can't weigh more than 155 lbs. I can't believe how much he can eat... throughout the whole ride [2.5 hours each way], he was eating.

Guess I am one of these people! (6ft - 141lb`s)

I never have trouble with what i eat putting on weight, i eat what i like when i like, in fact I scare friends/relatives when i am dinning with any one, by the amount i can consume!

Also i can eat greedily knowing if i have over indulged, my next cycle ride will burn off more than enough of the excesive callouries.

RWTD

I have a fairly unorthodox diet myself in that I largely eat an uncooked diet however that tends to largely go out the window while i'm cycling particularly long rides as Dave can attest to.I don't tend to broadcast this however because it largely draws the type of comments you all have mentioned from those eating a typical largely processed diet.It helps that I work out of my home now as I was never much at tolerating the petty office scene anyway.By the way Dave it sounds like you have developed a healthy lifestyle in the Canadian Northwest.Hope you can maintain it in the good ole U S of marketing based consumption(I mean A).I am hanging in there though I could use a big adventure lol.I have been doing ultra long dayrides lately up to Jupiter and southern Martin Co. and will probably do a few long weekend trips up that way or towards the Keys soon(I'm waiting for the weather and bugs to cool a little).I will probably be ready for a longer tour by the time you return as truthfully now wasn't an ideal time for me to take the extended time off anyway.I am eyeing some Axiom panniers I think made in B.C. actually that seem good quality and reasonably priced. By the way hows Mike doing?He hasn't been on the board in ages. Is he still planning on joining you out west? The pictures you have posted as usual are fantastic and I get the email as well .Enjoy the west coast we'll all be following along .By the way I assume from your journal you have had no problem finding remote camping spots in Canada when needed however I would be interested in what your experience is in the U.S. (i.e. % pay camping versus remote camping).

mrfix

Where I live and work I don't run into very many cyclist, most don't excercise and are large and out of shape. They make all the comments listed above and many that aren't. They also tell me I'm an excessive compulsive person on the verge of insanity. They think I'm out of my mind to ride 18.5 hilly miles to and from work in the heat, rain and winter conditions. They always comment on how "sickly thin" I am, they say I must be sick because I eat so much and stay so thin. All of it doesn't bother me a bit, I'll probably out live them all, I feel very sorry for them to feel the need to criticize healthy fit athletic people to try to justify their poor eating habits, lack of self discipline and overweight condition. If they only knew what they were missing, life from the seat of a bike is a beautiful thing.

willic

[QUOTE][They always comment on how "sickly thin" I am, they say I must be sick because I eat so much and stay so thin. All of it doesn't bother me a bit, I'll probably out live them all,

Always provided they don`t "get you" in their automobiles.

mrfix

You got that right, I think of that often.

Bumbaclat

You are not a vegetarian. You are a person who does not eat meat often. Fish and chicken are animals.

Paul L.

We have a runner here who takes down food like crazy so I am actually pretty tame in comparison, thus I dont' get too many comments. I guess a good comeback might be "Hmmm, looks like you could use a few miles on the bicycle yourself lets ride sometime", or "Man, looks like you have a 1000 miles of ding dongs in there", "Wow, I'm just filling my gas tank, but it looks like you went and filled a second one, you could probably ride forever with all THAT energy", or maybe "Looks like your getting ready for a cross country tour!", Hmmm, maybe not. I recently had a bit of a spare tire myself (still do, can't quite get rid of the last of it). Maybe they don't understand the prinicples of burning calories or understand the scale on which one burns calories when they have ridden for 1 to 2 hours in a day. I have days where I eat like a pig and still am behind on calories for the day. (I commute 18 miles one way, and often ride home as well). One thing I have discovered though from my experiences with adopting our kids, people say the stupidest things and don't even realize how stupid they are (with me I usually realize how stupid it was when it is too late to do anything about it). The funniest was a comment to the effect of "Of course if you had a real kid it would be different" (Dang, and the social worker garaunteed it was a real kid too, someone has to stop people from spreading these fake kids around!).

rockymtn_girl

I think the vast majority of people out there know when they are doing something that isn't healthy. I've also worked in environments where the majority of people are unhealthy - poor diet, no exercise, smokers - and they tend to be the same wherever you go.

People like this criticize those that don't share their lifestyle because they're more comfortable being around others that are just like them. People like this remind me of alcoholics. Alcoholics don't like to hang out with non-drinkers for the same reasons unhealthy people in general make negative comments about healthy lifestyle choices. You make them uncomfortable. If they can't get you to join them, then the only other option is to alienate you.

Their comments can be rude, ignorant, and annoying but consider the source. No matter what, you will always be a million times better off than them and that in itself should give you some satisfaction.

threadend

Should I be eating THAT?

Why not...right now I must be getting ready to hibernate or something...I'm eating everything in sight...most things out of sight...and a few things I'm not sure I want to see before I eat them...I'm eating and eating and then eating somemore...so yes, I should be eating THAT too!!

Pete Clark

Give it some time, Digger. Like 5 years. Then they will say, "You must be in great shape to ride like you do!" Time is the great truth-serum.

You see, they just can't believe you can be slim, muscular and fit
without starving yourself on 1600 calories per day. I lost 25 pounds and gained a ton of muscle and fitness on 3,000 calories per cycling day.

wabbit

It's like that guy who wrote that article dissing cyclists, making snide remarks about how they think they're lance Armstrong, and referring to 'spoke-thin' roadies. Yeah, don't I wish! But it also sounded like he was envious and wishes he was in good shape. I think people often resent those who actually take control over various aspects of their lives, and they feel they have to justify their own lifestyle so they make you justify yours instead. What they're looking for is reason NOT to exercise, so they're hoping you'll say something that will make them think "Gee, I knew cycling is dumb." Like telling them you have a sore knee from a long ride, or seeing you come in with road rash. That's all they need to justify sitting at home and stuffing their fat faces. In the meantime, it's probably a lot healthier to aspire to look like Lance- there are a lot worse people to imitate!

digger

You are not a vegetarian. You are a person who does not eat meat often. Fish and chicken are animals.

That's why I said "sorta". I realize that chicken and fish are animals.

Reading through the posts most of you guys said that those who pick on us...healthy people are either looking for an excuse not to exercise or are trying to justify why they don't.

Thinking back some more, I had taken Tae kwon Do for about 6 years only during the cycling off season. I got bored of weights during the winter. Anyway during that time, after people just naturally found out, they started saying:

"ya know, in a few years if you keep THAT up your gonna find that your ankles are bad as well as your knees"

"that's not good on your back"

"bad for the joints ya know"


SIGGGGHHHHHH......

Well, they were kinda righjt, I did break my fifth clavicle, then my big toe, broke 3 fingers, and last going off before i gave up, someone kicked me in the eye and broke every blood vessel.

I gave up because everytime I broke something it was at the start of the cycling season and being laid up in a cast ticked me off.



Anyway, I did find it fun and great exercise. Thinkin' about startin' up again....

Digger