Free food at work

hubn8147

I have noticed a theme lately between me and my MFP friends about food in the workplace. At my work, cake shows up in the breakroom to celebrate something. Or a snack cart will be brought around to everyone's desk. Sometimes we have lunch catered to our office. Or like today there is a baked potato and nacho bar for everyone to enjoy a free lunch.

Having this abundance of (free) food at the workplace can be frustrating and detrimental for someone who is trying to lose weight or eat healthier! Personally, if the food is free all my sense of self control goes out the window - so I try to avoid it at all costs.

I am posting this to see how many of you out there also struggle with this? What kinds of food does your work provide to you? Are you able to indulge and still stay within your calories, or do you avoid it altogether? What do you do to stay strong and not partake in the delicious buffet of calories?

tayloryay

I pretty much work in an office alone now, so it's not a problem, but there are still occasional events where the company provides lunch for everyone. Thankfully those are rare! When I worked in the main office with everyone else it was much worse. Cake at least monthly, and random other treats. I'll admit I've been guilty of baking tasty treats and then bringing them in to work so they aren't sitting around my house, haha. I think one of the biggest issues is the social pressure! People almost seem offended if you say you don't want to eat junk constantly. Just stick to your guns, and do what's best for you!

Jruzer

I mostly avoid the free food. I almost always bring my lunch so I don't feel like I HAVE TO eat what was provided. Often I'll go get my workout in at lunchtime and eat later.

Sometimes I will eat the free food if it's something I want and if I can make it fit in my budget.

If it's a lunch meeting I just go with it and try to choose the best option.

stephgetsfit2

I also struggle with "Free food" at the workplace! LOL actually just yesterday, our department put together a rodeo themed lunch with Bricsket and ALL the sides you could imagine. Not only that, but we also celebrated all of the March birthdays and they brought cake and icecream.

For the Rodeo lunch, i went ahead and entered my MFP brisket calories prior to eating so that i knew how much to take. I wanted to try the sides without missing out so i took a regular small spoon and scooped rice, macaroni salad, and baked beans. I DID mark them in my food diary on MFP. But having literally a "bite" worth of something doesnt add up to much calories.

I also knew we were having a bbq lunch so i brought some wheat bread from home so that i wouldnt be tempted to eat the white bread it came with! success!!!

When it came down to the cake and icecream. I participated in the celebration by singing happy birthday, but i did NOT eat. I went ahead and sat back down at my desk so that i wouldnt be tempted.

Also, My co-workers know im eating healthy so they don't try to shove food in my face.

Good luck!

Zylahe

Hi my names Zylah and i'm a free cake adict.


I've become obsessed by the free cake at work. Its gotten pretty bad......

I know which times and days are more likely to have cake, who brings in good home made cake and who buys cheap stuff.

I had 3 pieces of cake on monday alone, and unfortunately thats not a one off.

I've had to make a decision that i'm giving up non cake club cake till easter.
So far i managed to resist boh cakes and the cookies on offer today. ( it did help that i was in a meeting till hey were all gone)

My plan is to bring in a healthy snack to have instead and. O just take each day at a time.

SCV34

I never turn free food down at work or any place for that matter. My boss was nice enough to bring me lunch from a meeting he had today. I ate about half of it and put the rest away for tomorrow.

nomoreyoyo67

My company has got to be the worst in that kind of thing (even though we have a health program). Donuts, cakes,luncheons,etc. I do partake in the luncheons but I try and make healthier choices or just east a couple of small pieces of pizza. I do however stay away from the sweets, once I get started on those I can't stop:)

hadirk

At work we have a cake every other week, the kitchen is stacked with all sorts of junk from hard candy to chips & pork rinds , and the fridge is always full of soda. I bring my snacks to work with me and plenty of them although i only eat 2 snacks, and make sure I go to the kitchen area when I'm full. it helps but it's still very hard not to grab some dried fruit or a cupcake

huneydrop

Our society is obsessed with food which is why so many people become obsessed with it. I still do not understand the need for all this free food in the office........ I avoid it all because a) it's junk - I don' t need that stuff and b) I'm usually not sure who brought it (ie: do they wash their hands??)

And usually the people eating it are the ones who should NOT eat it the most but they see free food and all self control goes out the window.

I would appreciate it if there was some kind of rule against it. The smell is distracting and it just contributes to an unhealthy work environment. Employers should be concerned, the more unhealthy their work force the more missed work time. If people just have to have junk they can load their desk with it but stop making it a free for all in common areas ya know? I woulb bet most people wouldn't stock their desks with this level of junk so it would be better for all in the end.

caroldavison332

Welcome Zylah!

If it tastes good, it won't kill your diet to take a tiny sampling of those foods you like.

But typically work food is warehouse store sheet cake. Gross! With sweet "lard" for icing which makes it worse.

In my office we are all great bakers and make birthday cakes 10 times a year. I take the smallest piece and log it here. And kept going.

Alternately, brush and floss your teeth with minty or cinnamony tooth paste. You won't want to eat after that.

cwolfman13

If it happens to be something I want then I have it and fit it in...otherwise I have no problem walking away. This kind of stuff will exist wherever you go for all of eternity..you have to learn to deal with it. I'm pretty into nutrition and fitness, so it's really not a big deal to not eat all the cookies or whatever.

andreyadonna

I have problems with both free food, and fast then binge habits. So, as a result I have recently moved to a form of portion control. I like to eat because I like the taste, and man does free cake at work taste delicious (it's laced with not working and sweets, so hard to resist!). So instead of straight out telling myself I can't have the cake, I have been actively choosing to have ONE SMALL piece. And then I savor that sucker because I know it's all I get. chew each morsel thoroughly, and I find if I chew each piece well by the time I'm done with a tiny slice, my need is sated and I can go back to work.

MystikPixie

I do NOT turn down free food, never have, never will. I take for what it is, and work around it. You can always exercise a little more that day or eat a little less at another meal. Or even just consider it a treat for yourself. You don't have to deprive yourself of everything that tastes good to lose weight. If you do, you're dooming yourself before you even start. As long as you have something to look forward to via a cheat day or a tasty treat that's horrible for you, then you will work to make it too that tiny goal of getting to eat it. Otherwise it's just endless years of water and bland food until you die of old age. Boo to that!

mufamuscles

Ugh yes, I hate this. Several times a week my office will have free donuts/bagels/sandwich buffet/cookies etc...I just avoid. It's annoying because in addition to looking delicious it's FREE and I could use the saved $, but I just can't do moderation when it comes to free food...Once I ate a bagel and 4 cookies in about 5 minutes from a work platter lol.

MrGonzo05

I used to struggle with this, but that was before I invested in a weight loss bubble. I miss human contact and fresh air, but it is the only way.

Josyurtos23

We have bagels in our office almost every day. They are the New York style ones that weigh 16oz. I know this bc I purposely weighed one to account for it. If I do(which is on most days) eat one it's only half and only once that day. I'm so addicted to them and it's very hard when they show up fresh and hot.

We also have free lunch every Friday. It's either pizza or sandwiches with a tray of grilled chicken and a tray of salad. The chicken is palatable some days and the salad is basic iceberg lettuce tomatoes and cukes. I really don't like iceberg lettuce so Fridays are also very hard no matter what plan I try to stick to.

The only advice I have is to try and picture gross things on the bad for you food. It's childish I know but it is the only thing that helps. Lol

beautifulwarrior18

I work at a hospital. Usually a thank you for us is a basket of candy or baked goods (the Best Maid cookie factory is located here too so we get cookies a lot). Only on a rare ocassion does someone send us a fruit basket or something healthy. And people wonder why nursing has such a high rate of obesity.

smantha32

Yeah there's always free donuts or pastries here in the mornings. You have to just have the willpower to lay off or before you know it you've gained 50 pounds in a year.

Kymmu

I have never ever worked anywhere that gave us free food ( or anything).
Just a Xmas celebration meal ( we buy our own drinks)
Is this mainly an American thing ( the freebies) or have I always had tight bosses?
I'm in Australia.

trivard676

I used to work at a grocery store - temptation at its finest. Right now, at some of the offices I stop at, there's some free food hanging out, but it's always small stuff. So long as you don't overdo it, I think it's ok to grab a timbit every once in a while.

eldamiano

No. I dont find it difficult at all. Just say no.

acpgee

My workplace is awful in terms of food culture. There are cakes, cookies, crisps and doughnuts lying on top of filing cabinets everywhere.

People bring in cake to mark any occasion. Birthday, birthday of offspring, going on vacation, returning from vacation or leave, project completed on time, even resignations. Really? Resignation cake?

Sammun

I hate eating any food that everyone has touched which helps generally. Most people dont wash their hands properly. I work in childcare, so any food stuff contains far too much poop for me. Even if I weren't in this environment though, consider the amount of people that dont wash their hands after the loo. No plated sandwiches for me. :P

Also I LOVE cake. But I'd rather pay for a good slice at a cafe, than eat a chunk of sheet cake that someone else has cut up and touched...