Eating habits and work vs coworkers

tbodega

Does anyone else have coworkers who try and give you a hard time because they want you to eat the same junk that they do?

A few months ago I decided that I want to live a healthier lifestyle and get my body back into shape. With that I changed the way I ate by mostly dropping foods with added sugar and carbs as well as sugary drinks. My coworkers of course all still eat all the bagels, candy, fried foods, ect. They know what I am working towards and my restrictions and yet try to force feed me the junk food anyway!!! When I don't accept it they of course try to peer pressure me into it and nag me to eat their junk!!!

Anyone else go through this at work on a daily basis???

ahmommy

My situation isn't exactly the same, but I do get strong reactions when I refuse to eat junk. Mostly I can keep it under control by bringing my lunch and snacks from home, and only eating what I brought. It gets more difficult if a coworker brings in treats to share. They think because I'm thin that I should eat whatever, and don't seem to understand that it takes discipline to maintain a healthy weight, especially as I get older.

I never get grief from men, but a lot of the women will roll their eyes at me. My husband, however, will get comments if he doesn't clean his plate at a restaurant. I don't understand why it's considered "manly" to eat everything in sight.

christopherpm

I only get the odd one or two comments now - specifically when people make cakes and bring them in - I always ask for the calorie count...

However, I would say that since I started and lost so much weight, my colleagues are now all following suit (although to a lesser degree).

Just stick to your guns - your colleagues will get used to it and eventually give up, and may even join you in your lifestyle change when they see what it's doing for you.

Helloitsdan

I dont have any issues per se.....but my co-workers look at me like this......




...when I tell them I Fast everyday till 2pm!

bbateman123

I get the same things as well, especially when donuts are brought in or the boss buys everyone chicken/sausage biscuits from fast food restaurants, or pizza or whatever. Honestly I don't care what they think. I started eating right and exercising for a reason.

JoolieW68

I have both - co-workers who 'get it' and those who don't. People still bring in donuts, bagels, cake, etc. I just ignore it (luckily it's usually not anywhere near me).

I'm doing this for me, not to try and change their minds about something. I don't judge them for what they choose to eat and I don't really care if they judge me for not eating it.

I'm laughing all the way to the next lower clothing size.

Franzibear

I have that too unfortunately, although lately I think people are starting to give up. But for a while they almost seemed to view it as a "sport" to position boxes of timbits and the likes around me. Whenever I could, I said no; whenever I thought it was acceptable, I'd have like 1 timbit (=not often). Whenever there is a meeting with donuts etc., I just don't take anything and watch everyone else gorge themselves on sugary treats. It's actually no longer difficult to say no, so it 's not a big problem for me personally.

SammieGetsFit

My coworkers pretty much ignore my eating habits. But I do know what you mean, I have some friends who do the same.

Hang in there! :flowerforyou:

andreamkelly

I'm lucky, the majority of my office is health conscious and they don't normally bring in treats. My boss is the one who introduced me to MFP and I couldn't be more thankful. I bring in food from home for breakfast and lunch and if the office goes out I stick to salad with dressing on the side unless we go to a restaurant that I can find in my restaurant app. Tax season's are hardest, because the boss brings in tons of food to keep us going through overtime. (Which is why my 'lifestyle change' started in May.) He is buying more healthier foods now, but there is still an abundance of candy, muffins, crackers, etc.

oboeing

My office won a pizza party. I'm 12 days into this, and it's so hard. When I said thanks, but I'm gonna have something else, they all started giving me a hard time and talking about how i could just have one slice and it would be ok, and that if i didn't have one, then there was something wrong with me.

when the truth is, there WAS something wrong with me, and i'm fixing it, and there is something wrong with them for not respecting that.

Itaintnothang

YES! I go through it everyday! Its like they are waiting for me to fall off the ban wagon and they will be here to catch me with a pile of junk food! I work in a Dispatch center and we always go out for lunch, Chili's, Chipotle, and tons of local places. Luckily I started working here at the same time I started changing my eating, so they are used to me bringing my lunch and passing on ordering out. But those days that I didn't pack my luch, they almost seem excited that I'm ordering out with them! Then I sit there and calorie count before ordering and end up with a meal that doesn't sound extreamly appetizing, and then they give me the "your ordering that? thats no fun" Its all in good spirits, but your right, I don't understand why people have a hard time being supportive.

I honestly think its because you have this will-power to make a change and they are so happy eating the way they do, and just want the weight to majically disapear, or they think maybe one day theyll change, but in reality they just don't want it bad enough to do anything about it, so I'm going with its some twisted form of envy that they stuggle to be supportive. Oh and I'm relatively small compared to most of them, so they see me as "Skinny" which I assure you, I am 30 lbs over weight, which makes it worse, as someone already mentioned, they don't understand why you are dieting if you are smaller....

ahamm002

Does anyone else have coworkers who try and give you a hard time because they want you to eat the same junk that they do?

A few months ago I decided that I want to live a healthier lifestyle and get my body back into shape. With that I changed the way I ate by mostly dropping foods with added sugar and carbs as well as sugary drinks. My coworkers of course all still eat all the bagels, candy, fried foods, ect. They know what I am working towards and my restrictions and yet try to force feed me the junk food anyway!!! When I don't accept it they of course try to peer pressure me into it and nag me to eat their junk!!!

Anyone else go through this at work on a daily basis???

It's because you're making your co-workers feel insecure by eating healthy food while they're eating junk food. At some point I started to enjoy annoying my co-workers by eating salad while they're all pigging out.

tbodega

What's really irritating is their short memory span. They think that I don't eat when nothing could be further from the truth!! If they saw my food log on here they would probably be amazed.

I just like my current diet of fruit and nuts vs breads, cakes, donuts, pizza ect!!! It's always the same line too "Come on, one time won't kill you!" LOL

How about NO!!!!!

cmmurphy20002003

Absolutely. I have been told that "life is too short not to eat good food". My response is that I would like for my life to be longer, and I AM eating good food. Sugar and fat do not make it good. They just make it unhealthy. I have since acquired another coworker as a diet partner and we have been able to stick together on this, making it somewhat easier - although the temptation is there when marketers come in with donuts!

wgn4166

I do. Everyone at work knows I am trying to eat better, yet they bring in cake, bagels, you name it. I hear "wish I had your willpower!" So this makes me wonder if they do it on purpose to see if I will cave.
They also know that I limit my fast food to about once a month, if that. At least 2 times a week they want to go to McDonalds or Sonic. When I say no thank you, they tell me that I am just not fun anymore..In my mind I think "oh im still fun, but I am gonna be fun while being skinny

ChristyRunStarr

My co-workers are probably happy that I don't eat it cause then there's more for them lol Seriously-in my office of 50 people, stuff doesn't last long at all! And because of wanting this so badly, it's easier for me to stick to my guns and say no (especially when I don't know the calorie count for it)

bethanylaugh

you're just making them feel guilty about their own crappy diets. keep it up!!

GabrielMaestas

I work at a gym and my coworkers do that ALL THE TIME. At first I said, 'No! For the love of...' But, being business savvy, I now accept the candies and cakes and chips and junk...and sell them to my clients striving to gain weight! ha ha jk, basically I got used to it cuz after years of temptations from within the gym I realized its just not changing. The social dynamics of food are primal yes, but the individual commitment to making better choices are def stronger

sunshinesquared

when the truth is, there WAS something wrong with me, and i'm fixing it, and there is something wrong with them for not respecting that.


^^This^^

chevy88grl

Not anymore because a) my new co workers don't buy a lot of junk to bring in and b) I don't restrict myself like I used to. But, there was definitely a time when my co-workers (at my old job) would drive me absolutely insane about food. They would buy me candy bars or other things and when I refused it, they would be so offended and out of sorts over it. Look. You KNOW I don't want it, so why buy it? I found that people who are ashamed of the way they eat or the choices they make will try and convince you to do it. Since I've been in maintenance, I am a lot less restrictive with myself -- but I don't try and force my way of thinking onto anyone else.

RunnerBlonde808

I don't get it as much anymore but still do. When I first starting eating healthier (almost 4 years ago now), it was awful. Now, I get the random comment every now and then. Like, oh you can eat one donut. Or you can eat a piece of cake, looks like you are going to blow away anyway. Seriously? Stupid people.

Erica27511

I had a co-worker tell me she wanted to shove some cookie cake in my mouth. WTF?! Hater.

tbodega

Wow...that's REALLY extreme. Mine have at least kept those kind of comments at bay...

j_ortiz2

Funny... I was thinking this same thing on my way to work this morning. So far, out of everyone that i have told about us trying to become vegan MOST of them make this face like I just threw up all over them AND tell me how long do you think "this" will last?
Why is it that people are so determined to see someone else fail at a goal they have set for themself? Sad huh?
I just embrace the few friends that are being supportive and keep it moving!

lisag2007

Yeah, I have had a coworker basically accuse me of being anorexic. Well, no....I just try to eat better most of the time and workout more than I used to. I have a two year old son and a husband that I would like to be around for for a very long time. And if I am fat, lazy and out of shape....how the heck am I supposed to keep up with a two year old? I really don't think he is going to lose all his energy until maybe he is a teenager. lol I do not refuse to eat anything. Some days I will have whatever I want.....other days, I try to stay healthy as best as I can or eat one bad meal that day. And if I know say my hubby and I are going to have a date night....I will try to eat really good and workout alot leading up to it, so I can enjoy our night and not worry about the calorie count of something. One date night isn't going to derail me. You have to do what is right for you. Keep up the good work!!

nevertoolate2

So many similar stories here.

Most of my colleagues are hideously overweight but "dieting". They have learnt I won't be tempted except very rarely and when I want to, not when they want me too.

I have turned the tables on them though a couple of times, when they have been dieting, I've taken in treats for them. Pleasures like that give me the motivation not to give in!!

avasano

I eat at my desk most days. They pick and say I am not really eating, and that it is gerbil food. They make a ton of food bring in all sorts of goodies, but I just say no.

karijoeide

I can relate not because of the peer pressure but "tenant" pressure. I work in a long term care facility as a home health nurse. Part of my job is baking and cooking with my ladies, let me tell you these ladies whip up some mean dishes and baked goods. My struggle is packing my lunch and eating only what I bring. We are encouraged at work to eat meals with our tenants as we have family style dining. So I can relate....nothing like 90 yrs olds pressuring you to try their pies, cookies, bars and hotdishes...lol! They are so sweet and hard to say no to! Hang in there and stick with your program!! I will try and do the same! HA!

shannond1980

I just dealt with this yesterday during a meeting. They all ordered pizza for the meeting and I declined. Then they took the leftovers and left them around my desk and at least 4 people asked me why I didn't want any pizza.

They stopped bugging me after a few hours. Yes I could go workout and burn off the ~300 cals per slice or whatever but I'm not just doing this to lose weight. I actually want to be more mindful of what I'm putting in my body.

I think some people just don't get it.

adrushe

I'm so glad you posted this. I am so glad to see that I'm not the only one who has this problem. Mind you, I have only been on my health kick for about a week, but still, I have witnessed this go on in my workplace for the last 3 years that I have been here, mostly to others in the work place though as this is new to me.

I have one boss who is trying to eat healthy and it seems every week there is someone bringing in treats to tempt her. I feel so bad for her, because she is trying so hard, and the others don't respect her choices and still try to push her into eating junk.

I am worried that now that I am on this whole eating healthy kick, that they will start to do the same thing to me. Even earlier this week someone brought in bagels, which I know aren't the most terrible thing out there, but they aren't healthy, either! And they left them out in the open for everyone to see, tempting me every time I walked past them. I was good and didn't have one, but it still bothered me that they were there and calling my name!

The worst is doughnuts. I am a sucker for anything sweet, so I know the next time someone brings doughnuts in, I will probably cave I have little to no willpower

WendyTerry420

Not much yet since I just started, and I keep my diet pretty balanced. Although, today I am having potatoes and broccoli for lunch, with some bacon bits, and they have already said it was strange that I would bring small Yukon potatoes instead of a big huge "baking" potato. I haven't lost enough weight for people to visibily notice, and they don't know that I am trying to lose weight, so they just think it's weird.