Co-workers eating in office

FLAKMA

So I work in an office building. My office is located in a hallway of about 20 separate offices. The building had a full cafeteria, but these people INSIST on taking food back to their desks and eating. This drives me nuts. For about an hour every morning, then about 3 hours during lunchtime, the entire floor smells delicious. Why can't they eat in the cafe like normal people?? Stop bringing your food into the offices... Its such a temptation. Especially when the cafeteria pumps out breakfast foods like bacon, sausage, eggs, biscuits, etc.


Anyone else have this problem with their co-workers? What do you do??

FLAKMA

has* a full cafeteria. dont know how to edit.

wolverine66

i don't have this problem. i am this problem. I will eat at my desk sometimes. Sometimes it's to get work done (which I know i shouldn't do). Sometimes it's to surf MFP. But usually, my office mates and I go to lunch around the same time. So I don't think I cause this anxiety in them.

My suggestion is to have a low cal snack at that point.

jlahorn

I sympathize. Somebody in my office makes buttered cinnamon raisin toast every day and my stomach and salivary glands go nuts every time I smell it

OTOH, I am one of those people who prefers to eat at my desk. At my workplace, it's the only time during the day where it's culturally acceptable to browse the internet, which is about 70 million times more interesting than trying to make lame chitchat with whoever's in the break room, or... what, stare at my food until I finish eating? ("Mindfully eating" my 320th salad of the year is about the most boring thing I can think of.)

At least my food doesn't smell like anything?

SezxyStef

you gonna stop going to resturants too? stop walking down the street just in case you run into a food vendor? stop going into the kitchen at home...want a bubble?

Sabine_Stroehm

Honestly? I think you just have to deal with it. Not everyone shares your goals. Not everyone lives your life.
Chew some gum. Eat some popcorn...

Oh, to edit: hover your cursor over the right side of your post and a "gear" will show up. Click it. Only works for an hour.

JenniDaisy

Oh noes Maybe you should send out an office wide email telling everyone they shouldn't eat at their desks because you're on a diet...

jnv7594

Well, my coworkers eat around me all the time, lol. But it doesn't bother me I guess. I eat bacon and eggs all the time anyway...still eat the stuff I love. That way it really doesn't get to me when people eat those things around me or when I go out to eat. In fact, I bring things to work a lot myself that my coworkers salivate over.

KarenJanine

There are many reasons why people eat at their desks, e.g.:
Very few people can actually spare the time to get away from their desks for a proper break.
Many offices no longer have staff rooms as these have all been converted for other uses when the organisation expands.
Many people bring in their own packed lunches and therefore cannot eat in a cafe like 'normal people', as you call them.

So what's the solution? Just worry about you. You can't expect everyone to change their habits because it makes you hungry. If the smells really bother you then close your office door, or perhaps wear a nose peg

dopeysmelly

Half of me says "deal with it!", the other half sympathizes because it's a bit like this at my office too (although the gorgeous smells are usually mixed with egg sandwiches or burnt microwave popcorn or other equally revolting smells).

You do get used it eventually though. It's pretty similar to having cakes, candy, donuts, bagels etc. laying around or being brought it. You just get used to ignoring it eventually.

luvbwfc

The temptation at my place is the metric buttload of donuts/biscuits/choccies that are generally in the kitchen area as its always someone's birthday and they bring in treats. I have learned to live with this situation, and ignore these foods. Sometimes however a colleague brings in a selection of savoury treats such as pakoras / samosas. This is still a weakness for me but infrequent enough that I don't care

AllAboutThatPace

My coworker in the office next to me eats A LOT of Mexican food (one of my weak points). I have been making some Mexican recipes that are a little more healthier than the restaurant versions (less cheese and sour cream, more fresh veggies and salsa, and ground turkey, instead of ground beef.) I make it like a challenge to try and make me a healthy version of what they are eating. Also, I am getting stronger withstanding temptation and it makes me proud when I don't give it!

cwolfman13

I eat at my desk because I go workout during my lunch break. You're just going to have to suck it up buttercup.

You can still eat food by the way...so I don't know why smelling other people's food would be an issue.

williams969

SezxyStef wrote: »

you gonna stop going to resturants too? stop walking down the street just in case you run into a food vendor? stop going into the kitchen at home...want a bubble?

^^This is the cold, hard truth. It may not be what you want to hear; but it's exactly what you need to come to terms with.

And what the heck is wrong with bacon and eggs? I eat those things, even on a moderately low sodium, mindful of my nutrition, cholesterol-lowering diet. It's all in the dosage. Keep your head in *your* game and work to get out of others'.

Mewcenary

Deal with it [TM].

Harsh, but there will always be bad things to eat / do. Willpower is a requirement if you are determined on changing your lifestyle.

If the problem is that you really are sitting there hungry though, then that would indicate there is something wrong with your food strategy.

Sabine_Stroehm

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I eat at my desk because I go workout during my lunch break. You're just going to have to suck it up buttercup.

You can still eat food by the way...so I don't know why smelling other people's food would be an issue.

I also work out during lunch, and eat at my desk after.

seltzermint555

I feel really lucky that in my current office this is never an issue. But I know what you mean. For me though (and I know people always get so ticked off when I say this) it's more of an issue that it seems totally unprofessional to me for people to spend a lot of the workday preparing snacks, munching, spreading out lunch across their desk/work space, and so on. It just kind of grosses me out to be honest. It was never an issue of being tempted or jealous of the "yummy smells" for me...more like "Jeez do you really need to spend 15 minutes cooking in the employee kitchen three times per day?"

FLAKMA

Wow ok thanks all, I guess I am just being a wimp about it. I am a firm believer in work is for working and breaks are for breaks. I don't expect people to stop eating because I'm on a diet. I expect people to eat in the place designated for eating. I worked with radiation for a long time. Bottom line for us in that field is you do *NOT* eat where you work. Ingesting some beta particles will ruin your day. Looks like that doesn't carry over in the rest of the world.

LessofBrian

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

Honestly? I think you just have to deal with it. Not everyone shares your goals. Not everyone lives your life.

I got fat from my own poor eating choices and sedentary lifestyle. Once I realized, understood and accepted that, I began my weight loss journey. I never expected the world to change for me; I was the one going to change. I still enjoy food but eat now for fuel. It's not an easy change to make, but once I got on the right track it became easier.

To the original poster: I understand many of these comments may be a tad rougher than you'd hoped for, but, in the long run, if you stick to your goals you'll come to realize the world owes you nothing. Making good, positive choices for your health will come with huge benefits.

999tigger

I sympathise in that the smell might make you think of food, but i thought it was accepted practice to eat at your desk (mostly non smelly food) especially if you are busy. Not soemthing that would really bother me, but would just deal with it.

aakaakaak

OP, how about you sack up and grow some willpower. The only person who feeds your face is you. If you worked in a restaurant would you complain that the smell of all the food you had to cook was ruining your diet?