Workplace saboteurs...

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Replies

  • fromthewild
    fromthewild Posts: 3
    cool; thanks everybody for your suggestions and views.
    My workplace is pretty old-school when it comes to views about eating, so I think I'll just go with the victorious feeling when I succeed in politely passing on the unhealthy food. For me going completely without is much easier than eating in moderation. Once it reaches my taste buds...it's on.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    Don't be afraid of the workplace snacks rather be more intelligent about them. If you've been good let yourself indulge a little (try 1/2 of a piece of cake or brownie) record the calories as accurately as possible then make smarter choices that day and for the rest of the week to keep your calorie goals intact.

    I know this is going to sound hard, but just because there is "free food" doesn't mean your obligated to consume it. Stick to the foods you like and reward yourself the way you like.

    There's a giant sheet cake in the kitchen at my office right now as we speak.... haha
  • k_nicole87
    k_nicole87 Posts: 407 Member
    cool; thanks everybody for your suggestions and views.
    My workplace is pretty old-school when it comes to views about eating, so I think I'll just go with the victorious feeling when I succeed in politely passing on the unhealthy food. For me going completely without is much easier than eating in moderation. Once it reaches my taste buds...it's on.

    That's exactly what I say with eat new trip on the diet train. Too bad I have never lasted long like that and have never met my goals.
  • ftrobbie
    ftrobbie Posts: 1,017 Member


    Word!! If someone brings in donuts or a treat to work, if I want it, I'll fit in into my day. Depriving yourself only leads to binging and falling off the wagon later on, at least in my experience.

    Whole heartedly agree, this is a lifestyle change, you need to get it to work unless you want to avoid the issue for the rest of your working days. You know the problem, now work out how you can enjoy it and stay inside your macros. Generally I give them a wide berth but it does not bother me. On occasions I have included them and then compensated elsewhere, more exercise, restrictions elsewhere. Good luck with your choice.
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
    I hear the people who say "Be a grownup and either say no or fit it into your day." They're not wrong. But especially when you're in the beginning of your quest to lose weight and get healthy, these situations are hard! I feel you, OP! Not everyone's goals/physique/plan can allow for a pint of ice cream a night! (You're bulking, you lift heavy, I get it, good for you.)

    Today at my office we just finally used our Christmas gift card from a vendor to get lunch from a local Italian place. I stuck mainly with the salad and added a teeny scoop of pasta and a decent sized chicken breast. Like someone said above, food is offered because the offerer is being nice. Keep that in mind and it feels less like sabotage and more like an opportunity to learn how to eat well in the real world.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Life is one giant saboteur...
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I generally just go pee on the whole table full of food. And I yell out "I DON'T WANT TO BE FAT LIKE Y'ALL!!!" while I'm doing it.
  • scyian
    scyian Posts: 243 Member
    I've learnt to say no overtime. Or make it fit into my calories/macros. Over Easter someone put cream eggs on everyone's desk, mine is still there. I'm wondering how long it will take for a co worker to nick it.
  • Just_Ceci
    Just_Ceci Posts: 5,926 Member
    LOL, yesterday I brought 2 boxes of cookies to work. I ate 1 cookie. It's up to me to deal with temptations that are presented, no matter where they come from.
  • DoctorMcCoy10
    DoctorMcCoy10 Posts: 101 Member
    I generally just go pee on the whole table full of food. And I yell out "I DON'T WANT TO BE FAT LIKE Y'ALL!!!" while I'm doing it.


    Ha ha ha please come to my office and do this just so I can see their reactions :happy:
  • k_nicole87
    k_nicole87 Posts: 407 Member
    I generally just go pee on the whole table full of food. And I yell out "I DON'T WANT TO BE FAT LIKE Y'ALL!!!" while I'm doing it.

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Ouch my abs!
  • WisheeNY
    WisheeNY Posts: 72 Member
    If I can make it fit, I eat it. Otherwise, I don't. A few weeks ago my job supplied us with a huge amount of food. Like 8 boxes of pizza, cake donuts, cookies, cupcakes, chips, soda, etc. I had one cookie and one slice of pizza, logged em, and called it a day. Was kinda weird having to turn the box of cookies over to scan the barcode for MFP though lol!
  • ginalovefire
    ginalovefire Posts: 66
    Well...I guess it's more than just the choices people make when bringing food to share. There are also those who really DO seem to want to derail my goals. The ones who try to convince me to eat what I would rather not, and give me the "party pooper" feeling when I opt out of a shared food experience.
    I like the idea of keeping my own, more acceptable treats in the drawer to assuage my suffering and growling tummy!

    They say misery loves company. We have a few of them around here. The trick to dealing with these people I have found is to be firm. You'd be surprised how many people are on your side once you stand up for yourself.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I don't much like the food and snacks brought in by others into the office, so I don't have it. If I'm remotely tempted I ask myself if I really want it, and understand that I have to make a trade off elsewhere. Also, if an event is purely intended to promote the consumption of huge quantities of unhealthy, high-cal food (the building's "ice cream social" is a case in point) I don't go. If it's a retirement/birthday etc, I just have a glass of wine/cup of coffee and skip the lardy crap. I don't miss it.

    I did used to always try it, but now people have got used to me just politely refusing, so they're not offended any more. Colleagues get used to it, and a lot of adopting new habits is making others accept your choices too.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    Well...I guess it's more than just the choices people make when bringing food to share. There are also those who really DO seem to want to derail my goals. The ones who try to convince me to eat what I would rather not, and give me the "party pooper" feeling when I opt out of a shared food experience.
    I like the idea of keeping my own, more acceptable treats in the drawer to assuage my suffering and growling tummy!

    They say misery loves company. We have a few of them around here. The trick to dealing with these people I have found is to be firm. You'd be surprised how many people are on your side once you stand up for yourself.

    Oh definitely this. They'll get used to it, or move on to someone else.
  • hidbee
    hidbee Posts: 52 Member
    My office used to be LOADED with junk food. Cookies/donuts/cakes all the time. We run a mentoring organization for kids and we have a healthy snack policy for all of our programs, but it was so ironic that we were eating like total garbage. Some of us finally spoke up and mentioned that casually, and since then there has been a total 180 in terms of the junk food around here. Yes, it's still here, but my employer has been making a very concentrated effort to have more healthy options at work functions and has even started to have a 60 minute free yoga session for all staff members every Monday night. It's been really great to see how supportive and on board they were.

    If you speak up, sometimes people will actually listen :)
  • lioneaglegriffin
    lioneaglegriffin Posts: 3 Member
    I have one that gets offended because i refuse to eat any cupcakes they bring in. Tries to guilt me into eating their fattening treats and making me seem unappreciative.

    I refuse to eat salad and i'm not wasting my budget on empty calories. >:|
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I have one that gets offended because i refuse to eat any cupcakes they bring in. Tries to guilt me into eating their fattening treats and making me seem unappreciative.

    I refuse to eat salad and i'm not wasting my budget on empty calories. >:|

    Next time that horrible person forces their cupcake on you just thank them and take it and go over to their office and smash it into their desk. Preferably their keyboard or the number keys on their phone.

    Really the only way to deal with such horrible behavior is through extreme measures.
  • bizgirl26
    bizgirl26 Posts: 1,795 Member
    I have found that a lot of times everyone wants healthier choices. Every year clients bring me chocolates at xmas. I have 1 client though that brings me a box of clementines. I laughed the first time I saw them but everyone stated how they wish we go healthier treats given to us all the time instead of the sweets . When I bring in something it's healthy. They get the hint
  • eemitchell1984
    eemitchell1984 Posts: 83 Member
    We constantly have vendors and clients in and out bringing breakfast, lunch, and snacks in-between. It's TORTURE! I'm learning to "Just Say NO"... but it's truly a battle. Today we had three different meetings and lunch was catered for all three. This, of course, means there's a break-room FULL of leftover food from Fresh 2 Order, Moe's, and Willy's BBQ. We also had 2 sales reps come in with cookies and cupcakes. In a moment of weakness... I had a quarter of a chocolate chip cookie from Fresh 2 Order... i THEN looked up the nutritional value online and saw that ONE cookie is 447 calories! WHAAAT!! So I just wasted 111 calories on a BITE of a cookie. UGH! :sad:
  • NorthCountryDreamer
    NorthCountryDreamer Posts: 115 Member
    Fortunately, I forget to contribute to group potluck so I then have permission to NOT participate. Since I didn't pitch in I can come in and sit with people and not feel like I can have any. The other angle is I always let others go first and then I just never get in line to eat the treats.

    I did have an awesome scone at a social this week. I just had to forego other calories later in the day to make up for my unhealthy choice.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    This is most common at my office Thanksgiving through Christmas. We have occasional potlucks and fundraisers with home baked goods. I honestly don't contribute to the potlucks and I have a problem eating food if I have never been to the person's house so that solves that. Lol. As far as the rest of the temptations that come throughout the year I have a rule for myself during the workweek which is if it didn't come in my lunch bag I'm not eating it. It's tough sometimes but I always feel good sticking to this rule.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    I generally just go pee on the whole table full of food. And I yell out "I DON'T WANT TO BE FAT LIKE Y'ALL!!!" while I'm doing it.

    Or scream "I'm on a weight loss journey why can't you all be more supportive!!!"
  • RivenV
    RivenV Posts: 1,667 Member
    I have one that gets offended because i refuse to eat any cupcakes they bring in. Tries to guilt me into eating their fattening treats and making me seem unappreciative.

    I refuse to eat salad and i'm not wasting my budget on empty calories. >:|

    Next time that horrible person forces their cupcake on you just thank them and take it and go over to their office and smash it into their desk. Preferably their keyboard or the number keys on their phone.

    Really the only way to deal with such horrible behavior is through extreme measures.
    About once a month, we have a big meeting out in our warehouse, and there are always dozens of trays (>100 employees) of CostCo muffins. I always take one (to be polite), but later on it really grates on me how absolutely sabotaged I feel.

    So then I go throw it up on the desk of the admin whose job it is to bring in the muffins. She still doesn't understand how unsupportive she's being!
  • cstringfellow2013
    cstringfellow2013 Posts: 172 Member
    I'm one of those people that can have a bite or two of a treat and be satisfied, as long as I eat my regular food. I get the benefit of the taste of the treat without derailing my calorie goals for the day - which usually leaves me 292 calories for my 2 vodka and crystal light's a night. :drinker:
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    We constantly have vendors and clients in and out bringing breakfast, lunch, and snacks in-between. It's TORTURE! I'm learning to "Just Say NO"... but it's truly a battle. Today we had three different meetings and lunch was catered for all three. This, of course, means there's a break-room FULL of leftover food from Fresh 2 Order, Moe's, and Willy's BBQ. We also had 2 sales reps come in with cookies and cupcakes. In a moment of weakness... I had a quarter of a chocolate chip cookie from Fresh 2 Order... i THEN looked up the nutritional value online and saw that ONE cookie is 447 calories! WHAAAT!! So I just wasted 111 calories on a BITE of a cookie. UGH! :sad:

    Ugh I'm with you on that one. I had half of a chocolate chip cookie from Panera. 1 cookie is 440 calories! I spent 220 calories on maybe 3 bites of mediocre cookie.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    I don't find it all that hard to resist. We have birthday cakes, cookies, brownies, etc. in the office multiple times a week sometimes. I can go into the kitchen to get my afternoon snack, walk right past it, and not yearn for it. :)

    There's rarely more than 1-2 of us in the kitchen at the same time, so socializing or sabotaging really doesn't happen here. Most of my co-workers know I like to eat pretty healthy, so I doubt their feelings are hurt when I don't eat the goodies.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    I don't really like the term "sabotage" for this type of thing because no one is trying to derail your progress. You are responsible for the choices you make at work.
    This. They may be temptations etc., but just like me seeing a hot girl, I can restrain myself.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • disasterman
    disasterman Posts: 746 Member
    Well...I guess it's more than just the choices people make when bringing food to share. There are also those who really DO seem to want to derail my goals. The ones who try to convince me to eat what I would rather not, and give me the "party pooper" feeling when I opt out of a shared food experience.
    I like the idea of keeping my own, more acceptable treats in the drawer to assuage my suffering and growling tummy!

    What about an easy catch-phrase to reply to those who try to "convince" you to eat certain things ... "Oh, I wish I could enjoy___ with you, but I'm working really hard to stick to certain foods/ improve my health/ feel better" (obviously, use your own words that pertain to your situation).

    I like the catch phrase idea but I never go into details because it invites comment/debate/discussion that I'm not interested in. I usually just say "Thanks, maybe a little later." and that always works for me.
  • jacquid17
    jacquid17 Posts: 2
    Ughh...this is the worst part about working with all women. As I type this I am forced to look at a plate of brownies that are set out for everyone! I'm drinking water instead :(

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