All this talk of anorexia and size zero is literally making me ill with stress and worry because all my colleagues are pointing fingers at me.
Just because I’m five feet six and a size eight does not mean I have an eating disorder. I am naturally thin and healthy. I have an appetite, but I’m careful about what I eat as I take pride in my body and appearance. I also work out at the gym three times a week because I like to keep fit and be active.
However, I’m feeling ostracised by my colleagues (I’m a female HR manager) as I’ve overheard them making snide comments about my weight when flicking through articles featuring pictures of gaunt looking models in the celebrity gossip magazines.
It is really upsetting. I don’t think they mean to be hurtful, but they see me as someone with a weight problem, and one colleague even took me aside and asked whether I needed any help.
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The article that appeared in Personnel Today (Careerwise, 27 March) mentions that “employers need to alert a sufferer to their problem”. But I would advise exercising caution. Make sure you’ve got your facts straight before making any accusations.
I’m fed up with being targeted for appearing to be too thin. For the record, I have heaps of energy. Just because I don’t dive into the biscuit tin or stuff my face full of chocolates does not mean I’m a ‘waif’.
