Co-worker feels 'trapped' in another person's self-involved conversations about diet and meal-prep
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A woman sharing her predicament on social media is pleading for help with an office-related food drama.
She told others she feels as if she's "trapped in a never-ending episode of ‘The Biggest Loser.’"
Writing on Reddit, the woman described herself as 25 years old and said a co-worker, 32, has "been on an intense diet for the past couple of months."
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She said that at first, "it was kind of interesting [to hear] her meal-prep ideas" and to learn how the woman was feeling as her diet began.
Now, however, after the passage of time, the woman sharing her story via the user name of "throwawayco-workerf" feels as if she's "trapped."
"It’s all about her latest smoothie recipes, her calorie tracking and how she’s ‘crushing’ her goals," a woman shared on social media about a co-worker (not pictured). (iStock)
"Every lunch break," she said, "it’s all about [the co-worker's] latest smoothie recipes, her calorie tracking and how she’s ‘crushing’ her goals."
The woman wrote, "I swear, I’ve heard more about kale than I ever thought possible."
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She added, "I mean, I get it you want to be healthy — but [expletive]."
She also wrote, "I’ve tried changing the subject multiple times, but ‘Lisa’ would just loop back like a boomerang made of broccoli."
"I love your passion for dieting," a Reddit writer said she told her co-worker. "But could we maybe talk about something else? Like literally anything else?" (iStock)
Finally, the Reddit poster continued, "I finally snapped and jokingly said, ‘Hey, Lisa, I love your passion for dieting, but could we maybe talk about something else? Like literally anything else?’"
"I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. I just wanted a break from the food lectures."
She also said she told the co-worker, "At this rate, I’m starting to think you’re going to turn into a carrot!"
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The woman said her co-worker "laughed initially" — but later on, she "overheard her telling another co-worker that I was rude for telling her to shut up about her diet."
The woman confessed that now she feels "terrible because I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. I just wanted a break from the food lectures."
"I appreciate that she’s working hard, but it feels like every conversation revolves around her diet," wrote the Reddit poster. (iStock)
Added the woman, "I appreciate that she’s working hard, but it feels like every conversation revolves around her diet."
She then asked others on the platform if she was wrong "for trying to redirect the conversation, or should I have just kept my mouth shut?"
Fox News Digital reached out to an etiquette expert for insights into the issue.
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In the "top upvoted" comment on the platform, a user declared that the woman was not in the wrong for what she told the co-worker.
"Anyone who talks non-stop about a single topic and refuses to allow the subject to be changed is obnoxious, whether it's their diet, their boyfriend, their hobby, their favorite TV show, their ex, etc.," wrote this Reddit user.
"If she is talking about her diet like this with everyone, I’d bet dollars to donuts the co-worker was thinking the same as you," wrote one person on social media about the situation. (iStock)
"You suffered her for a long time, and then tried to politely change the subject while injecting a little bit of humor into the conversation," the individual added.
Other respondents shared similar thoughts.
"It’s totally understandable that listening to the same topic on repeat can get exhausting, especially in a work setting," said someone else.
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"You tried to bring it up in a lighthearted way, and it sounds like your intention was never to hurt her feelings. Everyone needs variety in conversations, and it's OK to ask for a change of topic, especially if it's affecting your enjoyment of breaks."
"Everyone needs variety in conversations."
This same poster wrote, "Maybe a gentle follow-up could clear the air and show that you value her efforts but just need some balance in your chats."
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Other people took a different tack.
"My favorite part of working from home is not having to hear the admin in our group call her diet accountability partner every morning and tell her everything she ate," wrote one individual.
Said another, "We are in strange days where it seems so many are so easily ‘insulted’/‘offended.'"
This same user wrote, "If she is talking about her diet like this with everyone, I’d bet dollars to donuts the co-worker was thinking the same as you."
Maureen Mackey is managing editor of lifestyle for Fox News Digital.
