YOU Can Change the Norm: The Oompa Loompa's Hard & Necessary Task

There once was a story about the little Oompa Loompa's working in a glorious, magical chocolate factory. While everyone loved to look around and eat all they could ("Augustus! Sweetheart! Save some room for later!") we were taught that excessive eating was a no-no. I don't think anyone would want to be shoved into a tube and stuck in it while revealing that they are too fat to go through the device. No one wants to be exposed in such a manner and yet, for overweight people, there are always snickers and teasing, disgusted faces, and the general sense of "Eww! They need to put the fork down and stop eating." The mirror is incapable of hiding as obese people see themselves through other people's disgusted expressions in most public places. I am fortunate in that the most teasing I get is from myself, but some people can't help but lack compassion for obese people. I'm not saying that some obese people don't need to workout and watch their nutrition but I am saying that perhaps everyone should attempt to walk ten miles in that person's shoes to not only feel the struggle but to also see what got them to that point. To generalize obese individuals into one category of wheezing, sleep apnea suffering, chip stuffers with no control over anything just seems ludicrous. 

Back to Willy Wonka's workers. I was always glad to see that the Oompa Loompa's were not skinny little elves working around all that chocolate and goodies. It's rare that we see Santa's elves as tubby and I appreciated the realism of the Oompa Loompa's as we suspect that they had to nibble and taste test their products every now and then. Or try the old days of the Guinness factory in Ireland. Arthur Guinness permitted his employees to drink and have weekly rations of "take home" beer. Who would turn that down?! And who would not be overweight from that beer (sans potato famine)? 

The point of all this is that when you put yourself around temptation, it is likely that you'll cave to what is considered the 'norm' around your social setting. There was an article in Men's Health that states by simply being around temptation or unfit people will make you more likely to give in to the temptation and are 57% more prone to being obese when socializing with overweight friends/co-workers. The Oompa Loompas are surrounded by sweet treats and therefore are bound to have a few extra pounds on their body. The Guinness factory workers had to have had the beer belly. I have that own version of the Chocolate Factory right in my office. My former boss used to relate to me that when she worked with an association related to diabetes, there were always sugar-free cakes for birthdays, etc. and that many of the workers themselves suffered from the disease. That sounds logical. For 3 1/2 years I've worked with a health organization. Saying that conjures the image of people staying fit, not smoking, etc. On the contrary, I have never seen so many goodies and temptations at any other office. 

For one month at my office, I took pictures of everything that made it's way onto the staff kitchen table. See the images below: 

Cupcakes

Not just one, but a CASE of Crunch and Krispy Creme

Peanut Brittle and Goo Goo Clusters

Carb overload-bagels

Peanut Butter M&M's

Mystery Bread

Chocolate Stash

Chips x3, Soda x2, and chocolate covered graham crackers

Ice Cream Cake

It was inevitable that after the item was placed in the morning, regardless of the treat, by lunch that same day the goodies vanished. Even more notable is that no one in the office ever sees anyone actually in the kitchen snacking on it. I call it the "snack and run" dance. And birthdays are worse because everyone stands around the kitchen for the cake and if you decline- you are given dirty, judgmental faces for not eating the cake and for making the person who has not one, but two slices (extra frosting) feel bad. PLEASE. While working in this office, I was at first surprised by how many treats made its way to the kitchen. And I used to delight in a snack here and there because let's face it, it was RIGHT there. However, after weeks of working my bum off (or at least attempting to), seeing those cupcakes vanish by 10 am both horrifies and stupefies me now. Eating healthy in an office setting is quite difficult-especially in an environment I described above. I know this is not the only office that has similar environments either. 


When you eat right, others may judge your decision to eat right because it makes them feel guilty. Bring out a homemade turkey wrap, carrots and a glass of milk and hear

"Is that ALL you are eating?"

 "Wow-no need to starve yourself" 

and the "Should"ers I described in a post last month takes the cake: 

"Way to make me feel like a fat-ass while I eat a bag of chips, a lean cuisine, a coke, oh! and pudding....I should eat what you do." 

Of course, the next day/week/month the same half-assed attempts of healthy meals remain and the same people voice/dirty look their judgement and their "should" excuses.  

I liken myself to the Oompa Loompa. They can be fit, but with so many temptations around, it's so easy to instead "fit" into the norms around them. To bring this around full circle, I was quite shocked to finally realize that obese or skinny, judgement is all around you, what you wear, and what you eat. Those societal norms are so difficult to mitigate. Two personal examples: 

1. I actually had a friend worry that our friendship was going to change/die because I refused to eat out.
2. I even had a friend say they wouldn't 'follow' my blog because reading it was too real for them and made them uncomfortable (i.e. they knew they had 'should'er tendencies but was reluctant to face those demons). 


Now, my methods may not be the 100% perfect way to go about getting fit, but I am out there and trying my hardest to make a change. Like I've said before, you cannot complain if you refuse to get a solution. I was so thoroughly disappointed in this person and their a) lack of self confidence to either come to terms with themselves and be okay in their skin and own it and/or b) that the person KNEW they needed to do something about their health and refused to do something about it. And then it hit me. I realized that so many of us are Oompa's: we allow ourselves to be bound by these societal norms and are reluctant to break them. 


To fellow Oompa Loompa's, it's understandable that you gained a bit from the job and became more loquacious sitting at a desk all day, but you can change the norm. You have the power to say no and suggest difference. I implore you to make a difference in yourself and then exemplify what you preach. Offer to bring in the dessert for birthdays and bring in fresh fruit and low-fat yogurt to dip it in, suggest a picnic with friends at a park and take a long walk around the grounds, go dancing and don't drink that evening, go for a bike ride with your husband while discussing your day. Basically, "be the change you want to see in the....house/office/social circle/world." Hopefully one day, others will drop the misplaced judgment or "should"ing and follow suit.

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Epilogue: 

This was a lot to digest in one post, and I thought about separating them into vignettes of the topic, but I just had to throw it all out there and dissect and add in later posts as we move along in this journey.

Question: How many of you have been in similar situations? Share some stories and insights to these problems! I'd love to see some conversation come from the topics shared.

Anywho, I love you bum supporters out there! I encourage you to share the blog with your friends or anyone who might benefit from reading. A lot of this is about me and my journey, but it can be yours too if you interact with it. How's that for promoting? :)

Love w/ all my bum,

CH