AIBU to wish my colleague would STOP EATING for five sodding minutes?

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I have recently moved desks and the colleague I now sit opposite never seems to stop eating. So far as I know she has no medical conditions that mean she has to graze constantly, it seems to be a combination of liking her food and possibly boredom/habit.

It is driving me up the wall as it is just non-stop. I am learning a new system, I'm having to concentrate hard (inbetween Mumsnetting, obviously ) and it's all to a constant backdrop of rustle-chomp-gulp-rustle-chomp-gulp. She started eating at 09:15 this morning and has barely paused for breath since. It was the same yesterday. I've started yearning to be invited to a meeting just to get away from it, and that's saying something...

ShutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupSHUTUP!

Ok, how many people dislike sitting opposite someone who doesn't shut their mouth when they're chewing? Most I would guess and I would also guess it's because it's revolting. The sensitivity talked about in the thread is usually an extension of that.

I'm like it and I agree that largely it's my problem - if people have an occasional snack or stick to meal times I can deal with it and take myself out of hearing range if I just can't cope with it. The more someone does it the less opportunity I can find to leave my desk.

Honestly, for me you may as well put a glass of spit on my desk because that's the reaction I will be having listening to someone's jaw working overtime (seriously can't bare open mouthed gum chewers chopping on their spittle ridden pieces of gum - urgh) or wipe your snot on my desk if you insist on sniffing all day.....

I hold my hands up - I am definitely not a 'people person'

This thread is making me hungry, I'm going out for snacks!

Am laughing at all if you.
You all sound miserable as sin!!!
I eat all the time. At home, at work, everywhere.

So what bothers you about someone else eating?
Some of the posts, I get, re noisy eaters. Point taken.

But some if the posts. Just sound like pure jealousy. That people can eat what they want without putting on weight. But you only have to 'look' at a bar of chocolate.

There are few valid posts here, at to what the actual problem is.

my problem is- the noise. The smell. The constant sounds of rustling and chewing at least once every 20 minutes. The weight watcher woman who wants to give us a commentary on what x is eating and how bad/good it is, the fact we have a lovely kitchen and staff room for people to actually eat it, the crumbs all over any document that I am given.

That's it.

I don't think eating at your desk is a problem in itself. It's noisy eating that's infuriating and boak inducing.

tantrums I bet your ww colleague has a spreadsheet with everyone's points tallied up for each day

Is anyone else actually following ww, or is she just preaching?

no one is following ww except her.
No one cares.

She just won't stop doing it, I refuse to eat anything whilst she is there, because it makes me want to throw it at her head.

She says "ooh, what are you eating" and if you ignore her she comes right over to have a look

I'm just thinking how amusing it would be if everyone practised unnecessary, all day eating at work?

Midwives delivering a baby whilst munching a Pot Noodle

Newsreaders crunching a packet of crisps while reading the news at 10

Surgeons during an operation "Scalpel, clamp, swab, chocolate hobnobs please".

Fire fighters clambering up a ladder to a burning house with a sausage roll stuck in their gobs.

some people do not have the ability to feel full. Also she could be comfort eating. Put some headphones on :)

I couldn't bear this. I get annoyed on buses and trains when I'm sitting beside constant eaters, I always have to move.
Nobody should have to eat constantly, it's just sheer greed IMO, whatever weight you are.

Worra, I lived for a while in a developing country and got a cat off the street and eventually got her fixed. The vet ordered and ate a kebab while operating on her (I know this, because I was in the room too sitting on a chair.) Strange as it may seem, my cat got a terrible infection and barely made it through. (I was shaking with horror while he was leaning over her eating while his assistant was stitching her up and I saw a drop of oil spill on her open tummy.

I was sort of in shocked, unmoving horror.

Sorry- as you were. :)

OMG Egusta?!?

I don't think I'll ever touch a kebab again!

Poor cat. She was such a lovely little thing. Brought her home and about a week after completing her 6 month quarantine she got hit by a car. :(

What a knob, she'd drive me mad too Tantrums.

Could you change tac, for the next week eat something t least once a day and when she asks what it is tell we and immediately tell her how many points it is e.g "it's two hobnobs which is ten points - why what's yours?"

Like that character Catherine Tate does who plays the 'guess' game.

Oh eugsta, that's so sad

I am a grazer. I eat small meals in order to accomodate snacks. I bring a packed lunch and snacks to work.

On average I eat;

Hot choc and croissant for breakfast
Fruit around 11am
Hot drink at midday with a biscuit
Lunch around 1.30/2pm - roll, yoghurt, mini choc bar, crisps
Tea and biscuit around 4pm

Worra It is disgusting to lick your fingers or or pick food out of your teeth after eating. I have seen many people do this and I refuse to eat anything once their hands have been all over it.

I know Twilight, there are still some restaurants that have toothpicks on the tables.

Imagine eating your meal and spotting someone digging steak out of their teeth...yuk!

Thanks Imnot. She had 4 good years with me. I originally rescued her because some boys were kicking her. She was such a dear. So cuddly. I miss her dreadfully.

Hilariously surreal thread. I keep in having to whip out my phone to read the latest. Hooting at whole lettuce woman and cheesecake man and operating vet and thought of firemen trough inch sausage rolls. Loving running commentary on colleagues too. Can well imagine someone pausing mid MNing ready to ram in a penguin and realising to their horror that they are the person in question.

The bloke opposite me at work cannot take a sip of water, tea, anything without swilling it round his mouth first. I almost expect him to gargle it and it makes me want to puke

But some if the posts. Just sound like pure jealousy. That people can eat what they want without putting on weight. But you only have to 'look' at a bar of chocolate

The woman who sits near me has put on 8lbs in the last few months and doesn't know why. I am slimmer than her and not jealous whatsoever. That is not the issue

A woman I know once micro waved a kipper and took it into the (very crowded) staffroom to eat. The horrified response of all therein was something else again. She was mortified but I cannot fathom how she thought this would ever have been ok.

How do they eat so much?

I think this everyday!

She's just eaten a bloody mini trifle thing. FFS it's going home time, you could not have eaten that at home??

And she licked the foil. And left her teaspoon on her crumb ridden desk.