Positive spin on a not so positive situation

I had a very interesting thing happen to me today and it got me thinking about the long lasting and damaging effects that we as individuals can have on someone - totally unawares.

It began with me minding my own business heating my lunch in the office microwave.

A colleague, who I know well enough to have polite "chit chat" with at the photocopier came in and happened to ask if I had partaken in the inter-office charity cupcake fundraiser earlier that morning, to which I replied that I had. (Some of the evidence of this remained firmly planted on my desk and NOT in my belly.)

I was then swiftly told, in a very polite conversational manner that my added girth over the last few weeks now made sense (despite in reality I have actually lost 2 kilograms from my waistline - I double checked when I got home!!! DEFINITELY A DECREASE). 

I was then "educated" on how "we can't all have a fast metabolism" and then had my stomach region uncomfortably stared at and an inquisitive "unless there is anything else going on there" question posed.

In my regular fashion, I politely finished the conversation and as I returned to my desk had a 'did that just really happen' moment.

This particular colleague is generally a nice enough person. As I said - I don't know him (yes that's right HIM) well enough to comment otherwise. He is, at a guess, an educated middle aged man who comes from a foreign background, and I have no idea how long he has lived in Australia.

Whilst I am generally very accepting of cultural differences and how things can sometimes 'get lost in translation' - in this particular instance I am utterly miffed!

I can not fathom a place on this Earth where this type of discussion with someone that you work with and barely know is ok.

The thing that got me was that this man was totally unaware that comments such as his were inappropriate or potentially damaging if directed to the wrong person.

This man does not know my history nor does he know that yes - some time back I was a skinny little minx until I was put on an extremely long course of medication where I was advised that I would gain 5-10 kilos. Well 5-10 was actually close to 30 and whilst kilos go on easy, once you are out of your 20's - they come off hard!
In saying that, I'm about 3/4 way back to my starting point and up until lunch time today thought I was looking pretty alright.

Don't get me wrong - Im the first to admit that my waistline is a work-in-progress, but having an almost stranger at my workplace think that it is appropriate kitchen conversation was just strange and uncomfortable.

So as I said, it got me thinking.

If this had happened to me at any other time in my life (in fact it did earlier this year) I would have been gutted. I may have turned to blubber and gorged away my woes on the cupcakes that sparked this whole experience. Or true to my usual form - not eat for a week

(I'll be honest - today I picked at my lunch, but the bulk of it headed to the trash). (No fear though fair readers - I made a tasty (healthy dinner) and then baked chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies for dessert.)

But this time - I didn't.

I've used this as a positive experience. I know that my motivation to stay true to my fitness goals had waned. I also know that I had lost focus and that if I hadn't received this swift kick up the Jatz Cracker I would have begun to undo all the good that I had already accomplished - so in a weird kind of way - I owe this man a "Cheers".

Don't get me wrong - it was still super inappropriate!!!