Eating at a work event

yandirakatz

My companie holds at least +/- 10 events during the spring and summer months.
When lunch is served is always paninis, pizza, lasagna, wraps and a salad and cookies
When is dinner, it could be a full dinner or just finger food and drinks.
I find it very hard, what do you guys do when the only meal is a lasagna and a salad? Just eat the salad? When is finger food how do keep track?

peleroja

Is it really worth it? There's a lot of food at my office as well and I pretty much just pretend it's not there unless I am absolutely required to attend...because it's there a lot, and it's not special, and it's not something I'm going to regret missing out on. There are so many foods worth spending the calories on, but mass-produced catered lasagna or fried appetizers just doesn't seem worth it to me 99% of the time.

At lunches, if I have to be there, I get a plate of salad and a piece of whatever protein is there and don't get too fussy, just estimate how much dressing to log and how many ounces of meat I had. It's not going to be perfect but it works well enough.

At reception-type events with appetizers, I choose stuff without breading (or bread...anything on a crostini gets a pass from me), cheese, or heavy sauces if I absolutely have to eat, and avoid deep-fried anything as well. Most of the time I just wait until I get home to have dinner though, because that stuff is usually disappointing anyway and it's a waste of calories and effort to me. I mostly stick to crudites, seafood, and meat on a stick type stuff.

Tracking-wise for passed apps, I just assume every piece I get is about 100 calories, which is an incredibly broad assumption and not accurate enough to be used except very occasionally...still, on the occasions I'm stuck somewhere all night in a sea of lamb lollipops and bruschetta bites it's better than nothing.

If I have to go to an event with a seated dinner, I just eat light the rest of the day, log 1000 calories, skip the table bread and dessert, and try not to worry about it too much. If I attended them often I'd have to come up with a better solution but as it is I don't have to go more than every couple of months, so I just shut up and eat my tenderloin and mashed potatoes. Alternatively, you could probably look up a similar chain restaurant meal and log that, but it is pretty shaky estimation at that point.

mccraee

10 meals over the course of several months isn't going to make or break your goals. Personally, I look for lean protein and pile on the veggies/fruit. Last night we ordered off a menu so it was easier. I had salmon, veggies, quinoa and salad. Decaf coffee at dessert.

Lasagna is pretty hard so I would eat but a smaller portion to make it fit my calories for the day and then fill my plate with salad.

I hate appetizers at dinnertime. Or in place of dinner. I find myself a drink (I have seltzer or diet coke) and then focus on mingling and not eating. Stay away from the food. Position myself so I cannot see it. Circulate and shake lots of hands. Be active about it.

The best thing you can do is think up a strategy ahead of time. And, then re-evaluate after to think about what you can do better next time. Get better and better. KNow that you will have set backs and think about why you did what you did, what has worked in the past....

rosebarnalice

Treat it as a "snack" rather than a meal. I'd eat the salad or half a wrap to be sociable; and then eat my "real" meal when I got home.

rosebarnalice

Oh, and to keep track of finer food, snap a picture with your cell phone. No it's not weird-- "food porn" is such a thing now that nobody will even question why you're taking a selfie of your snack plate.

smit7633

Eat a big salad and a small piece of lasagna

jemhh

Are you obligated (either directly or indirectly) to attend and eat at these events? That's my big question. If the answer is no, you are not obligated to do either (attend or eat), I'd skip a few here and there. If you are obligated to attend, could you attend and be in work mode but not eating mode? If you are obligated to eat (e.g., they are some sort of tasting event that is part of your job), can you eat only the obligated foods?

brb_2013

If you can bring you own food, do.

I often work until the kids bedtime and when that happens my employers always tell me to either order a pizza and get a large so I can help myself, or they offer me cash to go buy something. I always say no thanks because I'd rather just plan ahead and pack a lunch and dinner for that work day. I wouldn't eat the dinner they set out for the kids, and I probably wouldnt eat the provided dinner at an event unless I was certain it would be fine like plain chicken breasts or shrimp. Things I can eye ball calories with at least a little accuracy. At this point I know what 100g of Chicken looks like. 100g of pizza or lasagne not so much.

yandirakatz

peleroja wrote: »

Is it really worth it? There's a lot of food at my office as well and I pretty much just pretend it's not there unless I am absolutely required to attend...because it's there a lot, and it's not special, and it's not something I'm going to regret missing out on. There are so many foods worth spending the calories on, but mass-produced catered lasagna or fried appetizers just doesn't seem worth it to me 99% of the time.

At lunches, if I have to be there, I get a plate of salad and a piece of whatever protein is there and don't get too fussy, just estimate how much dressing to log and how many ounces of meat I had. It's not going to be perfect but it works well enough.

At reception-type events with appetizers, I choose stuff without breading (or bread...anything on a crostini gets a pass from me), cheese, or heavy sauces if I absolutely have to eat, and avoid deep-fried anything as well. Most of the time I just wait until I get home to have dinner though, because that stuff is usually disappointing anyway and it's a waste of calories and effort to me. I mostly stick to crudites, seafood, and meat on a stick type stuff.

Tracking-wise for passed apps, I just assume every piece I get is about 100 calories, which is an incredibly broad assumption and not accurate enough to be used except very occasionally...still, on the occasions I'm stuck somewhere all night in a sea of lamb lollipops and bruschetta bites it's better than nothing.

If I have to go to an event with a seated dinner, I just eat light the rest of the day, log 1000 calories, skip the table bread and dessert, and try not to worry about it too much. If I attended them often I'd have to come up with a better solution but as it is I don't have to go more than every couple of months, so I just shut up and eat my tenderloin and mashed potatoes. Alternatively, you could probably look up a similar chain restaurant meal and log that, but it is pretty shaky estimation at that point.

yandirakatz

Some training sessions are mandatory and the social events ar optional but for my position are kinda required
Lots of good suggestions!!!
Thank you all!

vixtris

rosebarnalice wrote: »

Oh, and to keep track of finer food, snap a picture with your cell phone. No it's not weird-- "food porn" is such a thing now that nobody will even question why you're taking a selfie of your snack plate.

I second this! I always take a picture of my plate when I'm out. It makes it a little easier to help guestimate while logging.