Avoiding free food at work?

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  • robin68562
    robin68562 Posts: 116 Member
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    someone earlier this week said to pretend it had been made in a dirty kitchen! I am going to try that next time someone brings it!

    I like that idea. Pretend the people who made it live in absolute filth. A kitty litter box in the kitchen, cats straight out of the litter box and cockroaches crawling all over the counters. It works for me!
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
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    Everyone realizes that it takes conscious effort to insert food into the mouth, chew, and swallow it, correct?

    So, depending upon which circumstance you find yourself in, your reaction will need to be different.

    Code Green (food is in the same room with you): do not walk over to it.
    Code Yellow (the food is on a table in front of you): do not reach out to pick up the food.
    Code Orange (the food has been placed in your hand): do not activate your bicep to bring the food to your mouth.
    Code Red (the food is being brought to your mouth): do not engage the muscles in your jaw, which will keep your mouth closed, thus preventing the food from entering it.

    **like ***
  • sportyredhead01
    sportyredhead01 Posts: 482 Member
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    My workplace is extremely CHEAP and rarely has free food. But the rare chance we do have it I avoid it like the plague. I'm at the opposite end of the building and by the time I get down to the office kitchen I'm not sure who's
    touched it,
    spit on it,
    OR coughed on it.

    People think I'm odd for turning down free pizza. If odd is the worst thing they call me, I can live with that.
  • Tann19
    Tann19 Posts: 94 Member
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    I grew up with home cooked meals, so if it's not home cooked I'm not very interested. At work most people don't like to cook so it's not that hard for me to resist. Even when it's a potluck most people don't cook, it's usually fast food or something from walmart.

    When there is home-cooking I just have a taste, I never have enough for a meal or to feel full. It's just a part of life that you will always have to deal with.
    I gain weight from my own cooking! no one else to blame:drinker:
  • eberg83
    eberg83 Posts: 6 Member
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    This is brilliant. I have never thought of it this way. Granted, a donut feels a lot less risky than illegal drugs, but most of us are probably more likely to have to deal with the health consequences of being overweight vs. doing drugs, and both have very serious implications. So really... they are very similar. Thank you for the new outlook!!

    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.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 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 two aren't comparable.

    Recreational drugs are dangerous, illegal, expensive, often hard to access and not necessary to support human life. Food is necessary, often cheap, legal, and omnipresent. There are often social pressures to eat.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    It's hard because deep down we sometimes want to cave, as do others (or at least they want to see us "enjoy" their food). Try brushing your teeth before such gatherings -- it's unpleasant to consume sweet things after applying toothpaste. There are some mouthwashes that instruct users not to eat for 30 minutes. You could try swigging bottled water.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I agree with the "just say no" philosophy. There is always a ton of free food at my work. Leftover meeting food (pastries, bagels, doughnuts), catered lunches of sandwiches, pasta salads, potato chips, etc., my admin keeps an enormous bowl of candy at her desk at all times...

    Temptation is everywhere and eventually you need to learn to live with it or you won't succeed in losing *and* maintaining that weight. I try and "just say no" the bulk of the time but do make exceptions. For example, cake at a retirement party = yes. Eating a danish just because it is there = no.
  • Zylahe
    Zylahe Posts: 772 Member
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    "The person who mde that cake didn't wash their hands after going to the bathroom/ played with the cat/ dog/ bird. Just before they baked the cake."


    Just keep telling yourself that and

    "I'll eat the cake when I'm skinny."
    which is really a modification of..
    "I don't need to resist forever, just skip the cake today."

    One odd thing that helped my last week, was i grabbed a cookie at the start of the week to have the next day when my cals were under.
    Turned out it was safe sitting in my desk till friday (I had the brainwave that if i only ate 1/3 of the cookie it would be in my allowance)
    Knowing the cookie was sitting in my desk safe from other ppl made it easier for me to resist.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    I agree with the "just say no" philosophy.

    I have a feeling that if she could have adopted that attitude she already would have.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    pure strength of will. develop it! mine becomes stronger when saying "no" repeatedly to well meaning, but sabotaging efforts by my co-workers.

    sometimes they bring food to me anyways, and it goes either A) Trash or B) Boyfriend's belly.
  • Jesstruhan
    Jesstruhan Posts: 331 Member
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    I have this, too. I'm also gluten free, so it helps to think "well, I can't eat it anyway" and keep walking. Or that it's not special because I have already tried it before. Once it's not a treat anymore because you don't want it or don't care to try it again, it helps.
  • doggiesnot
    doggiesnot Posts: 334 Member
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    Advice:

    Bring your own food and snacks. Then, it's easier to say "No" because you have built in that excuse, i.e. "I brought my own".

    I have the same struggles at my office. They will "treat" us to randomly bringing in donuts, or kolaches, or even spontaneously cook sausage and eggs! I mean, if you've already eaten breakfast, who wants to eat AGAIN?!? Maybe people who aren't aware of what they're putting in their bodies, but not us MFP folk! ;)

    Think of food in terms of how it fuels your body, and not just on taste alone, and that will take you far on making healthy food choices.
  • Pheonix2012
    Pheonix2012 Posts: 61 Member
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    The majority of my coworkers are aware that I am trying to make healthier choices, so it helps keep me accountable.
    If I end up do wanting one of the sweets I get the " Now you told me not to give you any cake anymore, so don't be mad at me" and half the time it will remind me why I'm not eating the sweets and I'll turn it down.
  • SHHitsKaty
    SHHitsKaty Posts: 301
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    I just simply say no. I think, is this free piece of pizza or free cookie or free piece of cake really worth it? To me? No. I'd rather snack on a banana or an apple and be more proud of myself for not giving into temptation.

    I'm constantly asked at work every day, them knowing that I bring my own lunch and snacks in, "do you wanna go to Wendy's?" "do you wanna go to McDonalds?" "anyone want to go get a pizza?" No, no, no and no! Quit asking!
  • TexasTroy
    TexasTroy Posts: 477 Member
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    Where can I get a job that feeds me every day? lol.
  • Zylahe
    Zylahe Posts: 772 Member
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    Todays cake is carrot cake
    Brought in so the baker wouldn't eat it :explode: :explode:

    I just looked it up 1 " slice of carrot cake is 390 cals.....

    So not worth it ( i could make a tastier cake at home)
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    Ask yourself , "Will I be satisfied after I eat this?" If the answer is "yes" then eat it and log it and move on.
  • sarahbrown1015
    sarahbrown1015 Posts: 92 Member
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    If I know it's coming (like birthday treats or something) I'll plan to have a little.

    Otherwise I don't think of it as free food. I think of it as free fat. That usually stops me.




    I will now think of it as free fat!!!!!!! Thank you!
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    When I worked in an office, I'd avoid looking at treats and think about something I hate. "Bleh; it's all black licorice," I'd tell myself. Thoughts of black licorice are enough to ruin my appetite. I weighed less than I do now when I worked in an office. My kitchen is too close to my at-home work station, and I know exactly what goodies I have in there.

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