Avoiding free food at work?

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  • rrrbecca11
    rrrbecca11 Posts: 477
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    Just say no. :flowerforyou:
  • jhunny31
    jhunny31 Posts: 73
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    Ugh I hate that. I use to work at a job where they had monthly celebrations for birthdays and anniversaries and they would order a huge cake, and have a sub shop, or pizza place cater each event. I found myself skipping them towards the end because it was just too tempting. You just gotta remain strong.
  • MinisterTom
    MinisterTom Posts: 108 Member
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    I chew gum, like the 5 calorie dessert gums to settle my sweet tooth, and it helps to avoid snacking.
  • Gramps251
    Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
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    I just bring my own food and pre-log my entire day so I know ahead of time that I have no room to eat any of that junk people brought in. Unless I DO want it, and in that case I still pre-log and work the rest of my food around the junk.

    ^^ This
  • talithag
    talithag Posts: 10
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    I always plan out my meals and snack for work. When I go into the kitchen at work to put my stuff away, if I see things in there I know I shouldn't eat, I make sure to avoid the kitchen until 11:30 or so. By then, it's usually all gone. (we have a lot of men in our office, and they like to eat.)

    If I know that we are having lunch as a team, then I account for that in my daily intake by only having a protein shake for breakfast and by taking SOME things fomr what is available...not EVERY thing.

    It is not easy!! But it can be done. You just have to choose.
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
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    Bring is a box of like...special K or Fiber One desserts. keep them at your office and eat that instead when you're tempted. You can still enjoy eating without having the most horrible stuff
  • stbrad6896
    stbrad6896 Posts: 135
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    I just bring my own food and pre-log my entire day so I know ahead of time that I have no room to eat any of that junk people brought in. Unless I DO want it, and in that case I still pre-log and work the rest of my food around the junk.

    This is exactly what I do.

    I can usually trust that if I have an early morning meeting and my boss says they'll be providing "breakfast," it actually means he'll be picking up a tray of donuts. Crap food is easy to bring to work. Bring your own.

    I pre-log too. it helps me to have an idea what I might eat the following day and it's always subject to change but I find if I pre-log it's easier for me to stick to making healthy decisions. Also you should try just saying No to some of these treats a few times here and there and then think about how awesome you feel at the end of the day. A girlfriend of mine brought cupcakes over that she made for her daughters birthday - everyone was grabbing them, but I said no thank you, and when the cupcakes were all gone I felt such relief that I stood my ground!! Giving into yummy treats can be instant gratification but the ensuing guilt can really be a drag. The more fattening junk that you avoid the better you will feel about yourself in the end. Buuuut, that all being said, it might be okay to have one little treat at the end of a good butt-kickin' week = )
  • fp64
    fp64 Posts: 128 Member
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    I usually give in and have something like half a bagel w/o cream cheese. Helps stave off the desire to eat six donuts. Life's a compromise, you know?
  • kbaharaeen
    kbaharaeen Posts: 7
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    If you just have a general rule for yourself that you don't eat stuff people bring in to work...then you don't have to make a new decision every time. The decision is already made....I don't eat that. If there is a special celebration (as in YOU are being honored for 25 years of service or YOU are being named employee of the month or whatever), you can decide to make an exception to your rule that one time. Having a rule for yourself makes it much easier to resist. You have to follow your rules, right? :wink:
  • LisaJ2904
    LisaJ2904 Posts: 157 Member
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    I'm a nurse and patient's family are always bringing in boxes of chocolates and biscuits to say thank you. It's impossible for me to say no so I will have one or two and then log it straight away. it becomes a problem if you become greedy. enjoy everything you eat and exercise. x
  • cajungirltx
    cajungirltx Posts: 147 Member
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    I have to fight the temptations as well. Someone baked cookies at work today. One of our vendors is bringing pizza for lunch.
    I did like someone's thread about looking up the calories for something your tempted to eat. That would definitely keep me away.
    I HAVE to know what I'm eating for breakfast and lunch during the week or I will end up going over my calories!
  • beanerific518
    beanerific518 Posts: 152
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    I always allow myself a controlled treat. I know I am going to have a scoop of ice cream after dinner (part of my calorie and macro allotment) so it is easier to say no to treats that pop out of no-where. I also allow myself a cheat meal each week, so I don't want to deny my cheat meal by having a mediocre bagel and shmear from Panera that has been sitting in the lunch room for a few hours.
  • bmqbonnie
    bmqbonnie Posts: 836 Member
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    I have a similar issue. I work away from home and spend 2-3 nights per week with my boss and there is always all sorts of unhealthy food around. It kinda takes practice. I kept trying to log and trying to say no and it gets easier, the more times that you cave in and realize it really wasn't worth it.
  • samhigh
    samhigh Posts: 86 Member
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    I have the same problem, my company has an entire pallet of costco food items delivered every monday - everything from muffins to snack bar, string cheese to potato chips, etc. We also have catered lunches every other week and a monthly birthday cake celebration.

    It is damn near impossible to never take advantage of the cornucopia of processed junk food just steps away.

    Instead of trying to completely avoid it (impossible!), I just try to be intelligent with my timing. I will take a bagel in the morning, but save it for after my day time workout. I always have birthday cake, I just ask for the smallest piece.

    Life is better with the occasional treat.
  • MelodieRSA
    MelodieRSA Posts: 25
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    My company has bagels every Friday - I split one with a coworker who is also trying to stay on track, that way I don't feel deprived and I don't go nuts either.
  • princessnik7
    princessnik7 Posts: 144 Member
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    Well, its not hard for me to say no 95% of the time because i work with 7 women and 89 men in a Maintenance Department and the stories they tell about their wives etc. I would not risk my health, let alone my diet eating the stuff they occasionally bring in, not to mention too many hands in it or to many folks breathing over it is just a turn off for me. Now the occasional Doughnut from a local bakery called Wilsons, I will indulge sometimes but not every time and the vendors bring us some all the time. Also one of my bosses his wife makes a mean pot of jalepeno cheese grits, but those things are my only temptation.

    OH I do have one guy, who brings me fresh fruit, and fresh tupelo honey all the time :)
  • robin68562
    robin68562 Posts: 116 Member
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    I know the dilemma. I run into exactly the same problem whenever I go to a church meeting. It's a Mormon joke --- How many Mormons does it take to change a light bulb? The answer --- 12. One to say the opening prayer, one to say the closing prayer, one to change the light bulb and nine to bring the refreshments.
    I try to make it a rule to make just one trip to the buffet and take only one dessert. Some days I do better than others, but I'm still losing weight. Try exercising it off when you overdo it. That's exactly what I have to do today, after a weekend of dietary debauchery. Good luck and remember --- Discipline is knowing what you want.
  • amybrauch
    amybrauch Posts: 250 Member
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    Plan to eat some of the treats, log it, go to the gym and burn some extra calories. You set yourself up for failure if you constantly deprive yourself.
  • robin68562
    robin68562 Posts: 116 Member
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    Just say No. That's what we teach our kids - can we have the same will power we expect them to have against something as serious as drugs against a candy bar? I think so.

    The trouble with that philosophy is you don't need drugs to live, but you have to eat food, so it's always a temptation.
  • robin68562
    robin68562 Posts: 116 Member
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    I have this all the time at work. I find it helps to look up the calorie content of things. Today is a good example; it's someones birthday, so she's brought in home made cupcakes at just under 400 cals each. When I think what else I could eat for that, it just isn't worth it in my mind.

    I would work in a cupcake! They're a major weakness, but they're pretty easy to figure out the calories. Just so long as they're not the jumbo ones like they sell at cupcake stores now for five dollars a pop. Ridiculous!

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