Overweight people at work
Discussion
KrissKross said:
I want to keep working with this person, and would really like to help them, however, I have no idea how to start a conversation with them on this subject, any ideas appreciated!
I have been in a similar situation previously with a member of my team who was (still is) massively overweight and gradually killing himself. Also, importantly, having a low self esteem and therefore not representing himself (or the company) as well as he could and should.Any personal conversation can only really come from being able to establish a personal relationship with the individual - drinks and conversations out of the office. I've had many conversations with the individual I've mentioned, also pointing out that he's going to be remembered more for how he looks (awful) rather than what he says. I've also said that there will come a point when he is simply too slovenly to put in front of clients - and at that point he will become too expensive.
None of this has worked - but God knows I've tried.
It's a really difficult one. However, communication on such a personal level can only happen if you can establish a personal connection. Even then (as my example shows) if the person doesn't want to change, then nothing you can do or say will make them.
MrBarry123 said:
vsonix said:
which is patently untrue and that stigmatising attitude doesn't help anyone.
There are plenty of very good reasons why people are prone to weight gain.
And there are definitely people who are far more prone to gaining weight than others. It can be linked to any number of other conditions ranging from depression to injury to genetic disorder. Blaming an obese person for their own obesity as a default position is incredibly damaging.
I was waiting for this...There are plenty of very good reasons why people are prone to weight gain.
And there are definitely people who are far more prone to gaining weight than others. It can be linked to any number of other conditions ranging from depression to injury to genetic disorder. Blaming an obese person for their own obesity as a default position is incredibly damaging.
I accept it's true that some people are more prone to weight gain however no-one increases their weight without consuming more calories than they burn.
It may sound a bit harsh but if someone is predisposed to get a bit fat, they need to try and ensure they're also predisposed to put less cake in their mouth.
Re: depression and fatness. These people should of course be provided with help and assistance but let's not pretend the obesity we see nowadays is down to depression in the majority. It's the result of people not moving their legs enough and eating too much high-calorie food.
The reason I am fat is because I eat too much. Sure, sometimes someone is really mean to me and all I do is stuff my face with ice cream. But that's still my decision.
Little things like playing sports (we play squish) and running about with the dog make keeping active a lot more easy.
On a connected theme...I was channel hoping last night and switched over to a team of paramedics re-housing a very large lady back into her own bed. I think they said one of her legs was 8 stone ! :-o
Seems they did a fantastic job....but it got me thinking how the lady in question remained large as she was unable to move under her own steam....so effectively her own family are killing her with food ?
No doubt it's a complex area of psychology and medicine but if my wife was that big I'd be doing everything I could to restrict her calorie intake to a health level to try and help ! Anyway..Friday night...soon time for excess liquid intake and a spicy meal :-)
As for OP...its incredibly difficult. No matter how much you care and try and approach this in a positive manner, it has all the chances of going pear shaped (excuse the pun). I've worked with a few obese folks, all were great at their jobs.....so it never really came up.
Seems they did a fantastic job....but it got me thinking how the lady in question remained large as she was unable to move under her own steam....so effectively her own family are killing her with food ?
No doubt it's a complex area of psychology and medicine but if my wife was that big I'd be doing everything I could to restrict her calorie intake to a health level to try and help ! Anyway..Friday night...soon time for excess liquid intake and a spicy meal :-)
As for OP...its incredibly difficult. No matter how much you care and try and approach this in a positive manner, it has all the chances of going pear shaped (excuse the pun). I've worked with a few obese folks, all were great at their jobs.....so it never really came up.
Edited by Steve Campbell on Friday 19th January 16:29
daemon said:
vsonix said:
MrBarry123 said:
there's no excuse for being very fat, other than you can't stop filling your mouth with food.
which is patently untrue and that stigmatising attitude doesn't help anyone.There are plenty of very good reasons why people are prone to weight gain.
And there are definitely people who are far more prone to gaining weight than others. It can be linked to any number of other conditions ranging from depression to injury to genetic disorder. Blaming an obese person for their own obesity as a default position is incredibly damaging.
t nightlife and no tubes the kilos crept up on me. But I'm still fairly fit for my size. However, I know that thin people fat shaming/fat blaming/generally stigmatising people isn't going to solve any problems.
vsonix said:
daemon said:
vsonix said:
MrBarry123 said:
there's no excuse for being very fat, other than you can't stop filling your mouth with food.
which is patently untrue and that stigmatising attitude doesn't help anyone.There are plenty of very good reasons why people are prone to weight gain.
And there are definitely people who are far more prone to gaining weight than others. It can be linked to any number of other conditions ranging from depression to injury to genetic disorder. Blaming an obese person for their own obesity as a default position is incredibly damaging.
t nightlife and no tubes the kilos crept up on me. But I'm still fairly fit for my size. However, I know that thin people fat shaming/fat blaming/generally stigmatising people isn't going to solve any problems.
Giving people excuses that makes it ok to be morbidly obese is a big part of the problem.
I've no issue with people carrying a bit of weight - i have in the past, and i may do again in the future - its when i see people like those two in work basically eating themselves to death but finding excuses as to why its not their fault as they tuck in to a bag of crisps and a can of coke as they do it that bemuses me.
Telling people its "their metabolism" or "its in their genetics" or whatever just gives them carte blanche to not bother.
Edited by daemon on Friday 19th January 18:42
Edited by daemon on Friday 19th January 18:43
vsonix said:
Look at the population of Samoa then tell me it's impossible for being fat to be genetic.
I don't mean this in a condescending way however do a bit of research on the obesity epidemic in Samoa and then perhaps you'll reconsider that statement.Clue: it's very much down to a typical Samoan's diet being VERY high in calories.
vsonix said:
Look at the population of Samoa then tell me it's impossible for being fat to be genetic.
There is simple maths at work full stop.Your body burns a certain amount of calories per day, lets call that X.
You consume a certain amount of calories per day, lets call that Y.
If X > Y day after day, you will get fat.
Now, there "may" be some genetic variance to a small extent as to how many calories your body burns, but i can say, without exception, that every morbidly obese person i've ever met has been that way because X has been greater than Y by some considerable amount for some considerable time.
Someone blaming genetics, illness, sports injury, etc on their morbid obesity is frankly kidding themselves and making excuses as its the easy way out.
vsonix said:
Look at the population of Samoa then tell me it's impossible for being fat to be genetic.
First line of first news article i googled...."Having rejected local food in favour of processed western junk, nine out of 10 people on Samoa are overweight...."
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/apr/...
The second one....
"The dire statistic is blamed on an unhealthy fast-food culture, influenced by its mainland powerhouse, and a penchant for a sedentary lifestyle."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2358371/Am...
daemon said:
AndStilliRise said:
This week we had a visit from a occupational health experts. The most interesting part was using the scales which gives a breakdown on body composition and most people were not pleased when their body fat readings were given to them.
Body Fat or BMI?AndStilliRise said:
daemon said:
AndStilliRise said:
This week we had a visit from a occupational health experts. The most interesting part was using the scales which gives a breakdown on body composition and most people were not pleased when their body fat readings were given to them.
Body Fat or BMI?But yes, i'd imagine it was an eye opening experience.
daemon said:
vsonix said:
Look at the population of Samoa then tell me it's impossible for being fat to be genetic.
First line of first news article i googled...."Having rejected local food in favour of processed western junk, nine out of 10 people on Samoa are overweight...."
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/apr/...
The second one....
"The dire statistic is blamed on an unhealthy fast-food culture, influenced by its mainland powerhouse, and a penchant for a sedentary lifestyle."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2358371/Am...
[quote]American researchers have discovered that close to half of all Samoans have a gene that increases their risk of becoming obese.
The study, published in Nature Genetics today, identified a gene researchers from Brown University in Rhode Island said gave those who have it a 35 percent higher chance than others of being obese.
It helped explain why 80 percent of Samoan men and 91 percent of Samoan women were overweight or obese in 2010, the researchers said.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/309443/gene-l...
A new study, published in Nature Genetics today, finds a genetic variation common among Samoans is associated with a 35 per cent higher chance of being obese.
The variation is a mutation on chromosome five, one of 23 pairs of chromosomes found in humans. Of the more than 5000 individual samples, taken from volunteers in Samoa, 7 per cent had two copies of the mutation and another 38 per cent had one copy.
The mutation was "virtually nonexistent" in African and European populations and was found to be present at a "very low frequency" among East Asians.
https://gizmodo.com/how-a-powerful-obesity-gene-he...
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/thrifty-gene-mutation-tha...
tty western diet. vsonix said:
So the TL:DR summary - it's a combination of genetics and a stty western diet.
None of the morbidly obese people i see every day appear to be of Samoan descent though, so not sure what their excuse is. tty western diet.
Ultimately, if for whatever reason an individual is "prone" to weight gain - genetics, lifestyle, previous injury, illness, then ]almost without exception it is within that individuals capability to do something about it, NOT simply use it as an excuse.
Problem - More calories in than your body (for whatever reason) can burn = weight gain.
Solution - dont eat so much
The problem in this country is we give people the excuses not to bother
They may be more prone to fat storage, but you still have to have a surplus of energy to have anything left to store.
Energy is not created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. If overweight people burn 2000 calories per day and only genuinely eat 1000 calories a day without losing weight then they should speak to some power generation companies as their bodies seem to have found a way to create free energy.
Energy is not created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. If overweight people burn 2000 calories per day and only genuinely eat 1000 calories a day without losing weight then they should speak to some power generation companies as their bodies seem to have found a way to create free energy.
witko999 said:
They may be more prone to fat storage, but you still have to have a surplus of energy to have anything left to store.
Energy is not created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. If overweight people burn 2000 calories per day and only genuinely eat 1000 calories a day without losing weight then they should speak to some power generation companies as their bodies seem to have found a way to create free energy.
Energy is not created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. If overweight people burn 2000 calories per day and only genuinely eat 1000 calories a day without losing weight then they should speak to some power generation companies as their bodies seem to have found a way to create free energy.
witko999 said:
They may be more prone to fat storage, but you still have to have a surplus of energy to have anything left to store.
Energy is not created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. If overweight people burn 2000 calories per day and only genuinely eat 1000 calories a day without losing weight then they should speak to some power generation companies as their bodies seem to have found a way to create free energy.
WW2 food rationing was designed to provide 3000 calories a day, so even if someone is eating 2500 calories a day that is hardly munching cakes all day long.Energy is not created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. If overweight people burn 2000 calories per day and only genuinely eat 1000 calories a day without losing weight then they should speak to some power generation companies as their bodies seem to have found a way to create free energy.
Dr Jekyll said:
witko999 said:
They may be more prone to fat storage, but you still have to have a surplus of energy to have anything left to store.
Energy is not created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. If overweight people burn 2000 calories per day and only genuinely eat 1000 calories a day without losing weight then they should speak to some power generation companies as their bodies seem to have found a way to create free energy.
WW2 food rationing was designed to provide 3000 calories a day, so even if someone is eating 2500 calories a day that is hardly munching cakes all day long.Energy is not created or destroyed. It can only be converted from one form to another. If overweight people burn 2000 calories per day and only genuinely eat 1000 calories a day without losing weight then they should speak to some power generation companies as their bodies seem to have found a way to create free energy.
A lot of people these days have office jobs so simply arent getting the exercise they need to burn off even a modest excess of calorie consumption.
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