Pot Lucks at Work are the Worst!

krnlcsf

I just want to vent a little about the unnecessary gorging that happens when people plan a pot luck at work! We've had 2 in the last week (1 baby shower, and 1 farewell party for the lady going on Mat leave) and another at the end of May (which doesn't feel like that long ago) and I find it so difficult to keep my will power in check! Yesterday we ended up with 5 desserts - talk about a weakness!! Yikes... I don't want to be the person who doesn't participate in them because let's be honest... people bring some pretty incredible food to these shindigs! And really... who brings a salad with low fat dressing to a pot luck..? No one. Plus I work in a small department of only 10 people, so we're a bit like family, and it would seem kind of rude if I would decline the invite. With Thanksgiving coming up and having to celebrate with 2 families, plus my birthday, and then Christmas not too far behind, I don't need the added binge eating at work too!

Any suggestions of HOW to resist the urge to eat EVERYTHING?!

engineman312

you guys couldn't roll up the baby shower and the farewell party into one?????? lol.

no, it would seem a little rude to bring only a salad, but you could bring two dishes. and i'm sure their are healthy options you could bring. and as far as other ppls foods, you just have to have self control and discipline to control your portions! no one said this would be easy, but you can do it!

Sharon009

I hear you! We dont have potlucks at work but I do have to attend a lot of business dinners/lunches where the food is already chosen for you and it is always sauced up. Since I dont have the option not to eat, it is a real challenge for me. The dinners especially because it means I've been at work form 8AM to 9pm with no time to exercise and the usual amount of calories arent enough. Thank you for letting me vent.

cnsmith2

If you are close with everyone like a family, you could be honest with them so that they understand why you go to participate in the celebration, you just don't have much if any of the food. You could eat before you go, or you could get get a plate and take it back to your desk because you are "busy." You could get a small portion of a couple things and get a larger portion of something more nutritious to fill your plate up?

Gigi_licious

My suggestion would be to not eat potluck unless you only eat the dish you cooked. You never know who went pee, played with the animals, rubbed their feet and then fixed that dish without washing their hands. I'm not a fan of potluck and especially don't partake in work potlucks.

voluptuous_veggie

We have a WEEKLY PotLuck in my department, and quite frankly, I see nothing wrong with bringing a salad with a healthy homemade dressing. Why? There's a lady I work with who brings one every time...it's honestly the biggest salad I've ever seen (have no idea where she found a bowl this big!), and it is ALWAYS the first thing that disappears! Maybe if you don't want to do that, you can contribute some sort of veggie dish? I always bring in my signature veggie chili in the crock pot...it's super hearty and way low-cal, and it's always a huge hit, too! There's definitely healthy ways to enjoy a potluck, you just have to seek them out on your own sometimes!

dls06

I would just take a taste of everything that way you won't feel sick for eating too much.

Tracyrocksss

Wowww- You are preaching to the choir, girl! I have NEVER seen so many doughnuts/potlucks/pitchins as i do at my schools where I teach!!! I have decided that, at least for the BEGINNI*NG part of my journey here ( full day ONE today!!) that I am going to simply AVOID the situations altogether. I know that is not an option FOREVER, and that I will have to eventually "ease slowly" back into chatting/schmoozing while maintaining control about the food in those situations. However, I am very comfortable and happy with my decision to simply not participate right now...I think I need to build up my strength, determination and routine before attempting to try my wings at being strong and making the right choice with my "drug of choice" dangling inf ront and all around me, you know what I mean!????:)Good luck to you in however you decide to handle this challenge!!xoxo

xtravisfx

I say bring the salad and eat mostly that if you dig salad. Feel free to have a small portion of each dessert (a couple bites of something is enough to enjoy the taste) or else get a full size serving of one dessert and skip the rest (make sure you pick your favorite). And if there are two in a week, I think you're well within reason to opt out of eating at one of them. It's your body and your journey. Don't let other people's perception of whether you're being rude by not eating everything from the table.

And don't let those things be excuses that get in the way of your success. It's all too easy for me to talk myself into eating things I know I shouldn't and any excuse will do. I need to remember my goals daily. That's what I like about this site. It keeps my calorie goal before me at all times. Before you eat from the table, enter the calories for what you're thinking of eating into your diary (even if you just have to use something similar and you're not sure if it's exactly right). I know when I do this and I see the number of calories left for dinner dwindling, that's usually a good motivator for me to make better choices.

Iwillshyne

Portion control and make the healthiest of choices....

UsedToBeHusky

I let my co-workers know about my weight loss goals so that they understand. I try to save lots of calories in my day for work pot lucks and plan in advance, but if push comes to shove then I just save enough room for cake. The party isn't necessarily to eat. It's too socialize and if you have a piece of cake and some conversation while eating it, then no one can say that you didn't participate.

ilookthetype

I've got mega food allergies, so I don't eat food I don't make.

What I would suggest is just telling them what's up, bring something healthy make that the thing you eat and if people give you flack for not eating their food remind them it's not their business...

krnlcsf

Thanks for all the support everyone! In the future I will hopefully have the will power to "Just say no" to the extra helpings and large portion sizes at these events. And although i do try to bring healthier options (last time was turkey meatballs, and time before was veggie tray) i find it hard to resist the other things!

Thankfully when we have these events at work I often don't feel hungry for dinner later on... so I guess I'm saving there. Anyway, just trying to find any sort of silver lining.

Thanks again!

Qarol

If y'all are a bit like family, as you say, then they'll understand. I see nothing wrong with bringing a salad. They don't like what you bring...they don't have to eat it. And you don't have to eat what they bring. I do this.

lor007

Just go with it, use good portion control, eat whatever you want, exercise and start again the next day OR bring something healthy that you can eat as your main dish guilt free.

vim_n_vigor

I just want to vent a little about the unnecessary gorging that happens when people plan a pot luck at work! We've had 2 in the last week (1 baby shower, and 1 farewell party for the lady going on Mat leave) and another at the end of May (which doesn't feel like that long ago) and I find it so difficult to keep my will power in check! Yesterday we ended up with 5 desserts - talk about a weakness!! Yikes... I don't want to be the person who doesn't participate in them because let's be honest... people bring some pretty incredible food to these shindigs! And really... who brings a salad with low fat dressing to a pot luck..? No one. Plus I work in a small department of only 10 people, so we're a bit like family, and it would seem kind of rude if I would decline the invite. With Thanksgiving coming up and having to celebrate with 2 families, plus my birthday, and then Christmas not too far behind, I don't need the added binge eating at work too!

Any suggestions of HOW to resist the urge to eat EVERYTHING?!

Since we have a healthy initiative in the office, we challenge people (even have competitions) to see who can bring in the best tasting healthy dishes to get togethers.