The free food at work problem :/

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ziggh
ziggh Posts: 4 Member
in Getting Started
Im pretty good at buying healthy food at the grocery store and bringing healthy lunches at work, but it's impossible to avoid all the candy/cookies/sodas that other people bring to share or are brought in for meetings. How do you guys deal with this?
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  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    Just because it's free doesn't make it taste good, or worth the calories :)

    I eat my own food and then ask myself if I really need anything else. Usually no... Unless the offering is an amazing homemade treat made by someone's grandma (for example) that you know is delicious. If it's anything like my workplaces, the food is normally gone by the time I'm finished my own meal!
  • CarolineDaye2015
    CarolineDaye2015 Posts: 2 Member
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    We have lab meetings every Friday where the presenter always brings in treats. I can't say no to free chocolate, especially as a student! So I just try to eat well the rest of the day so I don't go too far over my goals on sugar and fat. To be honest though, 1 piece of cake in a week, especially if you make it fit your macros is not going to ruin the whole day or whole week of eating well! I guess it is a case of compromise and having the right mind set, I'm trying to avoid the, oh god I've had 30g of carbs more than I should have done today, whole day ruined lets get a takeaway frame of mind!

    However, you could bring in something to snack on instead that is tasty but a bit healthier - maybe some fruit or almonds. Or another option is have the cake and then squeeze in an extra bit of exercise for that day to take the guilt away!
  • ziggh
    ziggh Posts: 4 Member
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    You are definitely right. It's usually store bought stuff that is not even that good. I don't know, somehow college gave me this idea that if something is free I have to take it... I think I need to break this mentality. I have a paycheck now! :)
  • ziggh
    ziggh Posts: 4 Member
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    I'm a serious (compulsive) sweet tooth, one piece of cake ends up being a piece of cake every time I walk by the lunch room... And then my entire lunch is cake. And then I feel terrible.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I say no thanks or I have some...depends on if I am hungry/want it/tastes good.

    The one thing I don't do is sit there mindlessly eating whatever is in front of me...I decide if the calories are worth it...
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Just walk away from it. To quote my mother, "just because somebody else is jumping off a bridge, that doesn't mean you have to." It gets easier to exert your self control.

    As Stef said, you make your own decision about whether it is worth the calories to indulge. If you do, then you make those calories fit. I bet logging that donut and then trying to make the rest of your day work will make you think twice the next time.
  • agartin
    agartin Posts: 274 Member
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    Drug reps bring our medical office lunch every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. I definitely feel your pain. The struggle is real. LOL
  • SkinnyWannabeGal
    SkinnyWannabeGal Posts: 143 Member
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    Oh my gosh, this used to be so hard for me. It took incredible will power for me to not eat a single unhealthy thing while at work (because there was always loads of free goodies that I LOVED being brought in on a daily basis). After joining MFP, it became easier to just say no because I could easily look up the nutrition facts of those donuts, cookies, chocolates, cakes, pies, pastries, etc and see how those things would sabotage my diet and leave me with far too little calories left for actual meals for that day. I would sit through meetings and watch everyone else eat those yummy diet destroyers while I sipped on water. I swear I used to pay more attention to the noshing than to the actual meeting. I eventually got used to doing this and others have grown tired of offering me food to no avail. As for the soda, I never liked it so I rarely drank it to begin with. I gave it up for good the day I learned it was bad for my health. Sucking on cough drops or vitamin C drops has helped me stay away from snacks at work too. One other thing that has helped me is to save coffee for special occasions. I love the taste of coffee, so I have it rarely as a special treat. If I feel the urge to eat junk food SO badly, I'll try to instead have a cup of coffee with a little cream and sugar and it makes me feel like I'm splurging and having a real treat. I know, I'm weird, but some days I really need to have some bizarre tricks up my sleeve to keep me on track. :smile:
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    ^^ Yes, hazelnut coffee with cream and sugar. Yummy treat.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    Whenever someone misses a call, they have to bring in doughnuts. Which sit right next to my desk (cube). It's a test of willpower, just say no! Yesterday we had chinese catered in, and instead some of us got Panera. I wanted an egg roll so much, but I know I would have had 2 or 3. Just say no, then keep telling yourself no. Eventually the voice stops. :grin:
  • adamitri
    adamitri Posts: 614 Member
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    Afura wrote: »
    Whenever someone misses a call, they have to bring in doughnuts. Which sit right next to my desk (cube). It's a test of willpower, just say no! Yesterday we had chinese catered in, and instead some of us got Panera. I wanted an egg roll so much, but I know I would have had 2 or 3. Just say no, then keep telling yourself no. Eventually the voice stops. :grin:

    Yep! My office is the hub of cakes, cookies, candy, different types of freshly baked pastries and doughnuts. I had to learn not to jump on them. My day is prelogged and if I eat the stuff hanging around my office it throws off all my other calories and I'm too lazy to mess with them and figure out how to reduce my calories later that day. So now I'd rather avoid the hassle of restructuring my diary over a doughnut or a cookie or a candy bar.
  • ronronronj
    ronronronj Posts: 474 Member
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    We have quite a few candy jars around my office also. The calorie counting features of MFP help, and I tell myself not to "cheat." I work in a cube farm, so I try to direct myself away from the suppliers. You're right, though, at a meeting it can be just about impossible to say no. (The Cronuts are the worst!) Well, I think I'm getting better, anyway.

    Per aspera ad astra . . .
  • danibopp
    danibopp Posts: 17 Member
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    Had this struggle today. I just looked at the last progress picture I took and remembered "yeah girl. Eat your greens, you don't need that nasty highly processed catered food" turns out I was right and I didn't need it because my own lunch was incredibly satisfying and left me feeling proud for making the right choice. It's ok to say no. In fact, your body will thank you for it later :)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,208 Member
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    ziggh wrote: »
    Im pretty good at buying healthy food at the grocery store and bringing healthy lunches at work, but it's impossible to avoid all the candy/cookies/sodas that other people bring to share or are brought in for meetings. How do you guys deal with this?

    Just ignore it.

    Smile ... politely say, "No thank you" ... or sometimes if I know the person made whatever it is, "It looks really good, but no thank you".

    Yesterday, there was a fund-raiser morning tea for Nepal ... I walked down to the tea room, dropped my donation in the cup, looked at the table laden with delicious things to eat ... and walked back to my desk. I knew I wasn't going to be exercising much yesterday, so I didn't have any wiggle room in the diet for treats.

    Maybe later I will ... right now I'm on a mission to lose weight.

  • raciner85
    raciner85 Posts: 1 Member
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    Lol the free food at work can be challenging lol. What I do is tell co workers no thanks very politely and go back to work. Or if i really want something iys not much at all. Just keep ur goal in mind. And with this app u can track of ur foods so a small portion wont hurt but keep it small enough not to go over your calorie limit. Best of luck to u!!
  • DaveyNH
    DaveyNH Posts: 23 Member
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    Same issue at my job. I resolved it by not eating it.
  • thatsillyshana23
    thatsillyshana23 Posts: 106 Member
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    I have people bring in food all the time at my work. I usually eat it all because everyone else is on a diet and I just want to be supportive and not let them give into temptation ;D

    But seriously, just bring your own food or take a bite and throw the rest out. I think the conflict comes from the whole "eat until your plate is clean" mentality. We see food and we feel like we have to eat it or we will miss out on something. But that food isn't so great and there's probably a few hairs and boogers on it already.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,208 Member
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    Afura wrote: »
    Whenever someone misses a call, they have to bring in doughnuts. Which sit right next to my desk (cube). It's a test of willpower, just say no!

    I have to say that right now, I am so very incredibly glad Australia doesn't do donuts. There are a few places that sell donut-like objects, but they're not particularly appealing, and definitely not comparable to Canadian donuts. It is also rare that anyone will bring some into the office, they're just not that popular.

    And thank goodness for that!! I would have such a tough time saying no to good donuts. :)
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    I just say no thanks. After awhile they will quit asking. Then you'll be like hey I want some!!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
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    ziggh wrote: »
    Im pretty good at buying healthy food at the grocery store and bringing healthy lunches at work, but it's impossible to avoid all the candy/cookies/sodas that other people bring to share or are brought in for meetings. How do you guys deal with this?
    You don't eat it or you account for what you eat. Your eating and weight loss trek isn't theirs.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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