SNACKING AT WORK! IT'S KILLING ME!

Camaramandy648

Hi!

I've been doing pretty well - I've lost five pounds in just over two months and I am noticing some body composition changes which I am THRILLED about! I finally feel like I am making visible progress and I am super excited about it!

Small problem though -

I think I'd be losing more/ changing more if I'd stop snacking at work. I can't seem to help myself. I am mostly sedentary except when I can squeeze in two to three minute workouts throughout the day. Also THEY HAVE CANDY AND CHOCOLATE EVERYWHERE. Some days, I do really well at avoiding the snacks and sweets, but on days like today, I ate a piece of cheesecake right when I got here (300 calories I did not need) and then I have also had three reese's cups. It does not sound like a big deal to someone who isn't counting but that's near 600 calories I wasn't planning on eating today. If I weren't counting, I'd still be eating those Reese's!

When I am at home, I do not have this problem. I work out, take care of my family, and rarely feel the urge to snack. On weekends, I can fast for almost the entire day. So what in the world is my problem?

What have you done to help you STOP THE MADNESS?! What can I do? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

SuzySunshine99

Bring your own snacks to work...ones that work for your calorie goal, but that you still enjoy enough to avoid the cheesecake and peanut butter cups.

Coffee and tea also work when I want "something" but don't want to spend a lot of calories.

elitesportsdude

coffee works for me when i want to snack on something. The caffeine in there makes me lose my appetite and i put some extevia in there to get some sweet taste

KissPig

I'm still struggling for a good solution to this. There is seriously SO MUCH junk food where I work and it's so close to my desk. I legit walk past it every time I leave my desk... which is about a hundred times a day because I manage a busy medical clinic. Nothing like mindless stress snacking to destroy a deficit.

I've started to budget my calories for a couple of hundred less than my goal so that when I grab a candy it's not driving me into a surplus. If I don't snack I just add the calories into my dinner so I'm not under-eating for the day.

As mentioned above tea/coffee with splenda and skim milk is filling and sweet but lower in cal than office snacks. Or gum/super strong breath mints...

the other thing I'm doing is not snacking in the morning. I'm hoping that if I can limit the snacks to a certain time of the day the damage will be less and also, if I can limit them to just the afternoon I'll be able to eliminate them altogether eventually. And I pack a high protein snack for the afternoons to fill myself up so I won't even have space for the candy/chocolate.

LyndaBSS

Lately, I've been having a spicy cup of tea when I desire a snack. Chai and licorice teas have worked well.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

I've had the same problem. Oh, those people with candy bowls on their desks!

Anyway: You cut that sh1t out by cutting that sh1t out!

If you stop eating candy when you see it at work, you will stop wanting it. If you try it for a week, it will be easier the next and so forth.

I bring two pieces of fruit with me almost every day. Those are my only snacks.

bcallieoop

I can sympathize. There is always a lot of extra food at my office (meals for meetings, left-overs from meetings, donuts or bagels for Fridays, co-workers' candy dishes, etc.). Not to mention that we have free soda/juice in all the refrigerators, as well as soda fountain dispensers.

I deal with this calorie sabotage by keeping high value snacks that I like at my desk, like wasabe & soy almonds, trail mix (with raisins, nuts & seeds), dark chocolate chips, whole wheat Ritz crackers, fresh small apples). I pre-measure these things into pre-calculated portions in ziploc bags and always have them available. If they offer donuts in the break room in the morning, I grab a bag of a few whole wheat Ritz crackers and put a slice of lunch meat or a tsp. on peanut butter on them. I usually have a small apple, with a couple of wasabe & soy almonds about 3:30 p.m.

I brush my teeth a lot! (That also keeps me from snacking.) I take quick walking breaks, instead of eating the junk food/treats offered and if it really is getting to me, I make a cup of green tea or a cup of coffee. If you are especially tempted by sugar and chocolate, keep snacks handy like a snack-size bag with a tablespoon of dark chocolate chips in it. It gets easier the longer you train yourself to use your snacks instead of grazing on all of the yummy treat bowls around the office. I have managed to lose 65 lbs. in the last year, but have to continue to be vigilant. Hang in there!

lemurcat2

Snacking at work was an issue for me when gaining weight, especially when I was there late, feeling sorry for myself, and hungry, but also if I just let myself mindlessly snack thinking "oh, a few peanut M&Ms won't matter," and then end up going back and back and back.

What I did was just decide I was only eating at planned mealtimes, period. It took a week or so of adjustment (I let myself have raw veg if hungry between meals at first, but got over the need pretty quickly), and now I tend not to even think about/notice the food around. If I think I'm hungry, I think about what I'm eating at my next meal.

Camaramandy648

This is all great insight! Thank you all so much! I tell myself, "I am going to ONLY eat xyz," but then I get hungry and think "I don't give a crap what I said earlier, I'm doing what I want." So I think it's a battle of who I am in the moment vs. who I really want to be

seltzermint555

I'm usually a person who preaches moderation and I'm a person who ALWAYS eats one of the free donuts or pizza slices when they're brought in by a sales rep (which only like once every 4-6 weeks thankfully). But in that situation, I think I'd go for a zero snacking policy. Or set rules for myself like one piece of candy per day. If that didn't work and I felt genuinely hungry during the work day I would do as others have suggested and bring in my own snacks & just stick to those.

Camaramandy648

Ok i weighed my strawberries and they’re 94 grams?!?!? There are only four in the bag?!?! WTH

Camaramandy648

Oh wait that’s only 30 calories.

Two Reese’s peanut butter cups has 210 calories so already a huge improvement.

Here’s what i bring to eat EVERY day:

12-15 almonds
Boiled egg 1 or 2
Banana
Leftovers for lunch
1 clementine

So what happens is i eat ALL OF IT before 1pm and by 2 I feel like i am STARVING. My caloric goal to lose weight is 1200 calories a day. I am barely five feet tall and weigh 127 lbs.

So i guess my real issue is what to do about the hours between 1 and 6 when i have nothing to eat. Maybe if I just space out what i already have and force myself to be more disciplined

Maxxitt

My solution to this was to not snack on other peoples' stuff at all. Not one bite. I found it easier to decline bite one than bites two through sixty.

whitpauly

I avoid bananas,they seem to make me hungrier for some reason,apples are the same😓 a good substitute I've found is beef jerky weighed out and I take that with me seems a little goes a long way

emmies_123

Camaramandy648 wrote: »

Oh wait that’s only 30 calories.

Two Reese’s peanut butter cups has 210 calories so already a huge improvement.

Here’s what i bring to eat EVERY day:

12-15 almonds
Boiled egg 1 or 2
Banana
Leftovers for lunch
1 clementine

So what happens is i eat ALL OF IT before 1pm and by 2 I feel like i am STARVING. My caloric goal to lose weight is 1200 calories a day. I am barely five feet tall and weigh 127 lbs.

So i guess my real issue is what to do about the hours between 1 and 6 when i have nothing to eat. Maybe if I just space out what i already have and force myself to be more disciplined

You need to find foods that fill you up, when you are full it is easier to not think about snacking. I'm on a similar net goal level and I find that instead of having lots of smaller grazing foods I do better with three solid meals and one snack.

-7am: Breakfast casserole.
-10-11am: Greek Yogurt
-12:30-1:30pm: lunch. Sometimes leftovers, usually veggie pasta with light sauce and measured cheese.
-6:30pm: dinner

I'm seriously not hungry between lunch and dinner because my pasta fills me up. and some days (rarely) I'm full enough from the casserole that I skip the yogurt. It sounds like fruit isn't filling to you, so try to find something else that will keep you satisfied longer.

Camaramandy648

What kind of casserole and how many calories? How many calories are in your pasta? I'm doing much better today - I got some sugar free gum and am not as hungry as I have been.

emmies_123

Camaramandy648 wrote: »

What kind of casserole and how many calories? How many calories are in your pasta? I'm doing much better today - I got some sugar free gum and am not as hungry as I have been.

casserole depends on which variation I make. I'm still trying new things to find my favorite. SO far favorite is 6 eggs, a meat, hashbrowns, and shredded cheese. It is approx 230 calories per serving (12 servings). Although next time I make it I'm going to weigh and count servings as actual ounces...

Pasta - I was doing hidden veggie, but currently eating Banza Chickpea pasta. Once you get used to a slightly stickier consistency it is tasty alternative and gets me a lot more protein and fiber. With a serving (2 oz dry, 5 oz wet) of pasta, 2 tbsp sauce (i really don't need a lot of sauce), and 10g Parmesan it is 250 calories.

LeslieB042812

I agree with everyone else: healthy snacks, coffee/tea/other calorie free beverages (hot helps), gum, altoids, eat filling foods.

I actually have a candy bucket in my office, but I keep it stocked with mostly dark chocolate, which I find easier to eat 1 40-calorie piece compared to other sweets. I also have a not even one rule when I'm trying to get into healthier habits again or lose weight (like @Maxxitt said, it's easier to say no to bite 1 than 2-60).

I find that high volume (e.g. leafy greens, clear broths, etc.), high protein, whole foods (e.g. corn kernels instead of corn tortillas) help me feel more full, so I aim to make sure my meals only include those foods. My go to work lunch is grilled chicken breast with kale (or spinach or any greens really) and sweet potato or a corn and veggie salad. For dressing, I use balsamic vinegar (just the vinegar), lemon/lime juice or Trader Joe's Green Goddess dressing (it's only 20 calories for 2 tablespoons and actually delicious). It's a super filling lunch and very low calorie. For my afternoon snack, I'll have a boiled egg or greek yogurt and sugar snap peas or a mandarin orange or one piece of dark chocolate with 1/2 serving of almonds. That keeps me full, which helps manage the munchies. I do avoid bananas and apples (like @whitpauly) because they seem too high calorie given they don't help me feel full.

If all else fails and you have a day where you say "screw it, I don't care anymore" (which I do), the key is to still LOG EVERYTHING you eat--even if you have to guess at how much that was. It helps keep the afternoon/evening of eating all the foods from turning into the next day and then everyday. You might also be surprised that when you come back from your food haze you might still be able to salvage the day (or at least eat to TDEE instead of over). And, if the opposite happens and you see that you've actually gone way over then it's a good wake up call of how much it is impacting your goals. I know all this from experience, repeated and still repeating experience if I'm being honest.

The most important thing is to know that YOU CAN DO THIS! Just take it one moment at a time and test and adjust to find what works best for you personally.

Camaramandy648

LeslieB042812 wrote: »

I agree with everyone else: healthy snacks, coffee/tea/other calorie free beverages (hot helps), gum, altoids, eat filling foods.

I actually have a candy bucket in my office, but I keep it stocked with mostly dark chocolate, which I find easier to eat 1 40-calorie piece compared to other sweets. I also have a not even one rule when I'm trying to get into healthier habits again or lose weight (like @Maxxitt said, it's easier to say no to bite 1 than 2-60).

I find that high volume (e.g. leafy greens, clear broths, etc.), high protein, whole foods (e.g. corn kernels instead of corn tortillas) help me feel more full, so I aim to make sure my meals only include those foods. My go to work lunch is grilled chicken breast with kale (or spinach or any greens really) and sweet potato or a corn and veggie salad. For dressing, I use balsamic vinegar (just the vinegar), lemon/lime juice or Trader Joe's Green Goddess dressing (it's only 20 calories for 2 tablespoons and actually delicious). It's a super filling lunch and very low calorie. For my afternoon snack, I'll have a boiled egg or greek yogurt and sugar snap peas or a mandarin orange or one piece of dark chocolate with 1/2 serving of almonds. That keeps me full, which helps manage the munchies. I do avoid bananas and apples (like @whitpauly) because they seem too high calorie given they don't help me feel full.

If all else fails and you have a day where you say "screw it, I don't care anymore" (which I do), the key is to still LOG EVERYTHING you eat--even if you have to guess at how much that was. It helps keep the afternoon/evening of eating all the foods from turning into the next day and then everyday. You might also be surprised that when you come back from your food haze you might still be able to salvage the day (or at least eat to TDEE instead of over). And, if the opposite happens and you see that you've actually gone way over then it's a good wake up call of how much it is impacting your goals. I know all this from experience, repeated and still repeating experience if I'm being honest.

The most important thing is to know that YOU CAN DO THIS! Just take it one moment at a time and test and adjust to find what works best for you personally.

YASSSSSSSSSS SO MUCH THIS! This truly says it all. So far today it's been the snacks that are getting me but I still have lots of water to drink + 400 calories in the day. I think I'm going to make it!

allaboutthecake

Well you can always tell yourself you don't REALLY know where this stuff comes from, the people who bring it in. I mean, did the food come from a disgusting smoker's house where the ashtrays are overflowing? Did the food come from a cat horder house where the cats just jump everywhere and anywhere including the counters that the food sets on? Did the dog lick it? Did the vehicle the food traveled in a dirty grimy vehicle where little hairs are flying around? You get the picture. (fwiw, I one time ate a piece of lovely dessert --at work-- and then found out later it was from a filthy, dirty, bug infested hoarder home. Never snacked at work again unless I brought or bought myself.)

kshama2001

Camaramandy648 wrote: »

Oh wait that’s only 30 calories.

Two Reese’s peanut butter cups has 210 calories so already a huge improvement.

Here’s what i bring to eat EVERY day:

12-15 almonds
Boiled egg 1 or 2
Banana
Leftovers for lunch
1 clementine

So what happens is i eat ALL OF IT before 1pm and by 2 I feel like i am STARVING. My caloric goal to lose weight is 1200 calories a day. I am barely five feet tall and weigh 127 lbs.

So i guess my real issue is what to do about the hours between 1 and 6 when i have nothing to eat. Maybe if I just space out what i already have and force myself to be more disciplined

What was for breakfast? How much protein is in the lunch?

When I have a filling breakfast and lunch, I don't want to snack until late afternoon, if at all. (Filling for me means at least 20% protein plus some fiber.)

Also, I find moderate exercise to be a mild appetite suppressant, so walk or something at lunch time.

kristen8000

By personality, I'm a rule follower. Whether I make rules or someone else does, I follow them. So I made a rule for myself that I don't eat food at work unless I have brought it and it is portioned out. It has saved me from eating candy because it's brought to me, donuts because my boss bought them, etc.

MarcyMavin

I work where there is free food all day as well. It is not my food, it is not your food. Bring your own snacks.

fitqueenbess

@Camaramandy647, I, too, had/(have?) the SAME problem. I felt like corporate America is out to get me! Treats everyday, leftover meeting food, etc. Then one day not long ago I just decided that I was NOT going to allow them to decide what I put in my mouth. I don't care if it's free. I put up a mental wall. I plan my meals, bring my lunch. If my department has a celebration, I will modestly participate. If someone else is celebrating or baking for no reason, I just say say no thanks, not my celebration. Not in my plan today.

For over a month I have been easily ignoring bounty. However, though I haven't caved yet, recently my resolve has started fraying.... Good luck. And thanks for sharing.

Luke_rabbit

My husband has a no food at work that I didn't bring from home policy. He also keeps a running counter (in Excel) for how many days he has followed his rule.

At this time of year, this might make a great Challenge. I bet a lot of MFP folks would like support and motivation to avoid all of the Fall and Winter treats at work.