In the event you work inside a crew setting you’ll comprehend it’s not unusual for colleagues to have a whip-round to have a good time nearly any event or occasion – birthdays, births, marriages, even leaving the crew – so why not a major weight reduction? Nicely one crew has finished simply that and once we heard from considered one of our discussion board members that his colleagues had purchased him a present to congratulate him on his new bod, we couldn’t wait to search out out extra, so we requested them a couple of questions on what they obtained him and why…
Main weight reduction can rework your complete life and symbolize a brand new begin each bit as a lot as any of the aforementioned milestones. When his colleagues witnessed the gorgeous 100lb weight lack of MAN v FAT discussion board member pisces316 (aka Jeremy, ask him something on Discuss) they felt impressed to recognise his achievement. The one snag was, on this unprecedented scenario, they weren’t positive what to get him.
That’s to not say the crew weren’t used to the gifting tradition – removed from it, they inform us, they normally do one thing about as soon as a month to assist the crew bond. Sadly, if not unexpectedly, these occasions tended to revolve round meals. Consuming is, in fact, a tried and examined social exercise that doesn’t alienate the non-drinkers, non-dancers and non-bowlers on the crew. Nonetheless, Jeremy’s colleague Jeff – the person answerable for organising these slap-up dinners – was understandably involved that a night of gastric extra won’t be essentially the most prudent method to have a good time weight reduction.
Jeff’s eureka second got here when he watched Jeremy heading out to his automobile and observed the newly slim man stored having to drag up his trousers1. As you’ll little question have guessed from having seen photographs of males standing in previous trousers that at the moment are far too huge for them, when males shed some pounds, their garments now not match. A brand new wardrobe doesn’t come low cost, particularly while you’re on an extended journey – you possibly can find yourself having to purchase a couple of new outfits each few lbs. The reply was apparent then – Jeremy would want some new garments to go together with his new physique.
However Jeff didn’t go at it like a bull in a china store. He was delicate to a few issues that you just’ll want to keep in mind should you’re pondering of doing this for a pal or colleague – the primary being a query of style. Most of us can in all probability depend on the fingers of 1 hand how usually we’ve acquired garments as a present and truly preferred them. The answer: they might get him a present card he might use in a variety of clothes shops and let him pick his personal new duds. As Jeff put it when he offered Jeremy with the reward, “some new sizzling garments for that new sizzling bod”.
The opposite factor Jeff was delicate to was that Jeremy would possibly really feel embarrassed to obtain such a present – not solely as a result of weight reduction is a delicate topic for many people, but in addition as a result of in our society the place achievement of any form is mocked as usually as it’s celebrated, being singled out to obtain a present for something is certain to make most of us really feel uncomfortable.
Jeff handled this drawback by being discrete. For a begin, he solely approached a choose few – these he thought-about shut associates of Jeremy – to contribute. This backfired barely when a few of those that weren’t approached took offence, however we nonetheless reckon it’s a good suggestion. If nothing else, as Jeff identified, asking everybody to contribute could make a present really feel like an obligation. He additionally determined to maintain the presentation of the reward low-key, asking the supervisor to name them to a convention room so Jeremy could possibly be given the reward card privately.
What Jeremy ended up with was a not-to-be-sniffed-at $200 reward card to spend at T.J.Maxx2, Marshalls3 and Homegoods4 and a heat, fuzzy feeling at being recognised for his achievement. You may learn all about his response and the way our different discussion board members reacted to his story right here.
Right here at MAN v FAT we had been massively impressed and, we’re not ashamed to say, greater than a little bit moved by this story, and we predict this could set a pattern. Let’s acknowledge and reward weight reduction like we should always; discretely, perhaps, however emphatically, definitely – the extent of fanfare ought to clearly swimsuit the character of the recipient.
We expect a clothes reward card would possibly simply be the right reward for a person who’s misplaced lots of weight, however with Christmas developing, now may be an excellent time to revisit our record of important Christmas presents for males reducing weight – particularly because it lists a couple of potential pitfalls.
We’d love to listen to your concepts about what sort of presents may be appropriate and appreciated by the newly trim man, so why not tell us within the feedback or over within the discussion board.
1Jeff truly mentioned Jeremy “stored pulling up his pants” however I modified it to trousers in order that our British readers could possibly be assured we weren’t speaking about underpants.*
2T.Ok.Maxx
3Don’t know
4Don’t know
*Writing these notes was presumably my most Alan Partridge second – I ought to level out that I’m at the moment studying his new ebook Nomad and which may have rubbed off on me…
