Anyone w/ a comeback?

A

ang1058

Active Member
I know the title sounds odd....I need any comebacks to this familiar line- you work out too much, why do you need to work out?
My family and coworkers do not enjoy working out what so ever.
I feel like I am constantly defending my fav hobby! Does anyone have this similar problem?
Thanks:7
 
I got that at the beginning too. Mine was ( You always seem to be working out) OR ( if I were invited somewhere my friend would say, Oh miss aerobic won't eat that. My advice is just to say. I just want to be healthy. Then smile!!! You know what your doing is good for you and inside they probably just wish they had the motivation, desire, or whatever it makes them feel like it's ok to say that. Karen
 
I usually respond that it helps me manage my stress. I can be very hard to like when I'm not working out routinely!

~ Kim

"Welcome the challenge...Embrace it...Don't fear it." -Cathe Friedrich
 
I have learned to tell them nicely & sincerely just what you just said. "I like to workout. It's my HOBBY!" I told my DH this after he was giving me a hard time about me going to the Cathe trip, & he could refute it. Not an ill word since.

Marla
 
Do any of the people who ask you this have a habit or hobby that they enjoy? If so, the next time one of them asks, "Why do you work out so much?" just reply with a question of your own, "Why do you scrapbook (or whatever) so much?" If they're smart, they'll get the answer right away: They scrapbook because they enjoy it and they feel a great reward from doing it. Ah-ha!!! That's why you work out, too, isn't it? (Well, it's probably one of the many awesome reasons to work out).

I also like the answer, "Because it helps me manage stress," as well as the answer "I want to be healthy". And for those days when I'm feelng cantankerous and impatient, a nice "What do you care?" would fit the bill nicely. Of course, this is only to be used sparingly and only when the person who's asking is particularly rude or has harped and harped on you about your workout habits before.

As far as someone speaking up and saying, "Oh, she won't do that...she won't eat such-and-such.": I think that would happen only once, and then I'd politely but directly tell this person that I am not a two-year-old and that I am quite capable of speaking for myself and making my own decisions. I don't need them speaking for me.

You know, I don't get people making these statements to me, anymore, but back when I was into bodybuilding, people (mostly women -- jealous maybe?) would make little snide comments about it. One such comment was, "You don't need to work out, you look just fine." and I'd reply, "Well, how do you think I got this way?" Duh! I looked "fine" because I worked my a$$ off and hit the weights for 1-2 hours a night. I mean, there was a lot of the proverbial blood, sweat, and tears that went into making that body. I sacrificed a lot to look that good. Unfortunately, naysayers refuse to see all that and would rather rip you apart and bring you down. I distanced myself from those types of people, because they're not the kind of people worth being around, IMO. Petty, superficial folks! If they can't see beneath the surface, then be off with them!

But feel free to use the "How do you think I got this way?" response when the opportunity presents itself to do so. It shuts them up pretty quickly.
 
Thanks so much everyone!!!! I am so glad I am not the only one. I do feel a lot of times it's women (mostly overweight) that are constantly asking me why why why??? I haven't worked out for the past six months due to an infection from an IUD- of all things!!
Now that I am well I was soooo eager to get back to working out.
My coworkers are harping I dont NEED to workout. Also, my hubby and kids ask constantly why do I feel like I have to use all my spare time working out when I look fine the way I do. I guess it boils down to I don't want to be percieved as someone with a poor body image when it's all about my sanity!!!
No one harped when I was recovering on the couch sewing??? HMMMMM
Thanks again :7
 
I tell them "It got me out of being bed ridden due to fibromyalgia." Getting to where I could walk down the street was the hardest thing I ever had to do until I got BootCamp! lol.
"Exercise and eating right has kept me out of bed. I lost 2 years of my life and I'm going to keep working out so that I don't get that WAY again!" That shuts them right up. I hear bad comments almost daily from friends and family. What bugs me is my family knows all about it...but b/c I take 1-2 rest days a week "I over DUE it." They don't know jack crap about what I feel like if I take 4-7 days off.
The other day I was in the middle of doing CoreMax premix 3 and my mom came in and said I do too much. I really got mad and told her that she "had no clue about fitness and I'm doing a split routine so there is no way I'm overtraining so just get out of my room and leave me alone!" She stepped back out and closed my door.

The funny thing is, none of these ppl that bug me are fit. I look fit (not like a bodybuilder which I would love to do that) and they are jealous that I am capable of doing whatever I physically want to do.

Thanx for letting ME vent. Its been festering in me for a while.
~Reece Out~
 
Try this one: Well if I'm obsessed working out one to two hours a day, what do you call someone who sits in front of the tv for 3 hours a day every day? (naturally meaning the person who's "attacking" my life style). They'll get very quiet, believe you me.

Dutchie:)
 
Keep up the good work, Reece. I do assessments of many patients with fibromyalgia weekly, and they are so much a mess! They have long lists of medications & well, I consider myself so lucky.

Marla
 
Say "I have to work out...I do not feel alive until I have soaked my clothes with sweat". It's true for me!

They say "You do too much", respond with "You do too little". They say "You workout too much", respond with "Define too much. Please tell me how much I should be working out each week. While your at it...compose a diet plan for me, tell me what works"!

O.k., more like what I'd LOVE to say!
 
Another line I get is "how do you eat so much & stay so skinny?" Trust me, I am not skinny. I really need to be cleaner with my diet.

Anyway, I have learned to tell them, "well, while your butt is plopped on the couch watching, American Idol, Survivor, and whatever the topic of conversation is for that day, I am huffing & puffing & working up a big sweat!" That really stopped a lot of the crap they give me.

Get this. They used to ask me what I did to stay thin. When I told them some outright said they didn't like to sweat, others blew air out of ther lips & rolled their eyes... at least they were honest.

But now, 3 of my 10 coworkers are signing up for the lap band procedure. Everyone is looking for the easy way out. Ridiculous!

Marla
 
People who have no idea what they're talking about should just not talk, IMO. If Twinkie Queen or Couch Potato King want to try to tell me how to eat and exercise, or that I'm doing "too much," I'll just laugh right back in their faces. I'm the kind of smart-a$$ that (given the right conditions) would probably retort sarcastically (with a roll of my eyes) with, "Oh, boy! If I eat like you and sit on the couch like you, I'll actually get to look like you??!!??!! Yippee! Where do I sign up for YOUR program!?" I am usually quite patient, and can take a lot of crap from someone, but I can really get mouthy with people who have pushed my buttons one too many times. I mean, stuff will come out of my mouth that will sting like a dagger through the heart...but unfortunately, some people don't comprehend or hear very well until that happens. For those people, I have little sympathy for how my comments make them feel. If they couldn't listen the first 20 times I told them something nicely, then maybe it takes saying it with a little pizazz and punch for them to get the message.

With that said, here is one more reply you can use:

Them: "Why do you work out so much?"
You: "Why not?"

If they reply with a comment such as, "You don't need to", just say, "How do you think I got this way?"

If they reply with "It's not good to work out so much," you can reply, "You mean that if I keep working out I might get heart disease, high cholesterol, depression, stress, diabetes, or a stroke or heart attack???? Funny, those are the exact things I'm trying to prevent BY exercising." Then turn and walk away from Mr. or Ms. Ignorant.:7
 
Hi. I don't know anything about you but I'm sure that your body has changed in some way since you have started working out. I have lost weight and toned up. I hear the same cr*p from people and it annoys me because DUH-HELLO!?!? How do they think I got to look like I do!? If I stop working out I will revert back to the me I was 3 years ago (or worse) and I didn't like that person! You could use the same answer. To me it's a rather obvious answer. Even if you do not need to lose weight, many work out with weights to gain muscle and/or tone up. If you ask me EVERYONE could use the exercise...it's simply healthy regardless of what you look like or if you "need" to do it.

Just my 2 cents.:)

Wendy

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

http://lilypie.com/days/050519/1/0/1/-5/.png[/img]
EDD: 05/19/05

8 month pic just added! EEK! lol http://www.PictureTrail.com/wendymin
 
Honestly, why are you even worrying about a response?

I wouldn't let what other people say or think affect me at all. You know why you workout and eat healthy. Just leave it at that. Ignore their ill placed comments and go about your merry way! :D
 
I've experienced these kinds of comments, and they're even worse now that I'm pregnant, and continuing to exercise 6 days a week (I'm sure Wendy can relate!). The idea of a pregnant woman exercising is mind-boggling to some people.

Generally I tell people that exercise is my Attitude Adjustment Hour, and without it I'm in a crap mood for the day. But basically when I reply to these kinds of comments I'm not expecting to convince them, or get their approval. I give them my answer, and if they like it or not, I'm going to continue to live my life the best way I know how. I know what's right for me, and if I truly want advice, I won't be asking an over-weight couch-potato!

Cheers,
Sandra
 
Yeah I hear comments all the time. Like you are obsessed, or you only need to workout 3 days a week. These are from people who have no clue! Yes to some degree I am obsessed. If I dont workout I feel bad about myself and life so I rarely ever can take a rest day. I was almost convinced I did need help until I met all of you. However I will turn down an invite to go out for the evening if I feel like I havent worked out. Exercise is first and everything else is second! I will either ignore people or say" I don't tell you what to do with your life dont tell me"

Terri
 
I've had similar lines. My comeback is:

Line: your work out too much, why do you need to work out?

Response: compared to what...you? Why would you think I don't need to work out?

Make it their problem not yours!

In regards to what you eat, I say "that's right I'm picky and I'm proud of it!"

Jo
 
Sandra (and anyone else who's pregnant):

Continuing to work out while pregnant is said to help make delivery easier. Your body is better able to handle it and is stronger, so recovery is better, as well. So, working out while pregnant is really a good thing. Tell people so if they ask.
 
Thanks for all the lines- I am def going to use them.
Also, hats off to Sandra and Wendy who continue to work out while being pregnant! I admire those the most, it's hard being pregnant but to continue to exercise with body that is mutating averday is admiring!

I, too, am glad that I found this web site like Terri, I felt almost "different" because I ENJOYED working out. My mom can't understand why I don't just walk instead. In her opinion the Cathe videos look like it could do more damage than good to your body. My kids ( ages 12 and 7) wonder too why I don't go play with them instead of jumping around on a step?
Anyhow thanks again for ALLLL the input!
 
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