In case you work inside a group setting you’ll comprehend it’s not unusual for colleagues to have a whip-round to have fun virtually any event or occasion – birthdays, births, marriages, even leaving the group – so why not a major weight reduction? Effectively one group has performed 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 seek out out extra, so we requested them a couple of questions on what they bought him and why…
Main weight reduction can rework your entire 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 certain what to get him.
That’s to not say the group 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 group bond. Sadly, if not unexpectedly, these occasions tended to revolve round meals. Consuming is, after all, a tried and examined social exercise that doesn’t alienate the non-drinkers, non-dancers and non-bowlers on the group. Nonetheless, Jeremy’s colleague Jeff – the person accountable for organising these slap-up dinners – was understandably involved that a night of gastric extra may not be essentially the most prudent solution to have fun weight reduction.
Jeff’s eureka second got here when he watched Jeremy heading out to his automotive and seen the newly slim man stored having to tug up his trousers1. As you’ll little question have guessed from having seen photographs of males standing in outdated trousers that are actually far too huge for them, when males reduce weight, their garments not match. A brand new wardrobe doesn’t come low cost, particularly once you’re on a protracted journey – you might 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 along 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 simply’ll want to remember when you’re considering of doing this for a pal or colleague – the primary being a query of style. Most of us can most likely depend on the fingers of 1 hand how typically we’ve acquired garments as a present and truly appreciated them. The answer: they might get him a present card he might use in quite a lot of clothes shops and let him select his personal new duds. As Jeff put it when he offered Jeremy with the reward, “some new scorching garments for that new scorching bod”.
The opposite factor Jeff was delicate to was that Jeremy may really feel embarrassed to obtain such a present – not solely as a result of weight reduction is a delicate topic for many people, but additionally as a result of in our society the place achievement of any sort is mocked as typically 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 downside by being discrete. For a begin, he solely approached a choose few – these he thought-about shut pals 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 may very well 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’ll be able to 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 just a little 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, actually – the extent of fanfare ought to clearly go well with the persona of the recipient.
We predict a clothes reward card may simply be the proper reward for a person who’s misplaced a variety of weight, however with Christmas arising, now may be an excellent time to revisit our listing of important Christmas items for males losing a few pounds – particularly because it lists a couple of potential pitfalls.
We’d love to listen to your concepts about what sort of items 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 may very well be assured we weren’t speaking about underpants.*
2T.Okay.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 present studying his new e-book Nomad and which may have rubbed off on me…
