Anyone else have this problem? Free food?

think48

I have discovered in the past 6 months or so, I have a free food problem. I am generally very good with my diet (I slack on my diary, so if you look there it is hit or miss) but when there is free food out there, it's like I *HAVE* to eat it or the world will come to an end or something.

I know lots of you are thinking "just don't eat it". But it's my downfall. Today, there was free pizza from a luncheon here at work. I wasn't even that hungry. I hate my healthy turkey and cabbage lunch and then 2 hours later I felt the gravitational pull of free pizza luring me in. Down 2 slices and I'm done. Blah.

I need to find a fix for my free food problem. lol.

I'm assuming I'm really weird here, but carry on. :laugh:

tami101

I have the same problem! I will have been doing really well all day and I will come in to work ( I work nights) and there will be pizza! Nooooo! I cannot resist! We also have doughnuts every Friday morning, but I have learned to stay out of the breakroom so that is no longer an issue. But the pizza's are usually a surprise.

Balsam1951

Just be sure to count everything you eat. After a while you will realize the calories are not not worth giving up the next meal. I indulge periodically just so I don't feel deprived and want to quite eating right.

abbyface

Where I work (university), free food is used to lure people to show up to talks and seminars, and the leftovers often end up in the breakroom as a free-for-all, so I totally get where you're coming from. "Food I don't have to pay for? COUNT ME IN."

If it happens CONSTANTLY (like once a week or more), then you should consider practicing some restraint and abstaining from the freebies every once in awhile. If they're just showing up a few times a month, I don't think there's anything to feel bad about. Enjoy your free food for the day, and move on.

MemphisKitten

I have no self-control when it comes to food either. You're not alone!!

tinad120

I used to have a free food problem also. I got over it by thinking:

1. Giving up free food won't hurt me in ANY way
2. My goals are more important than free, often cold, food
3. I'm not a poor college kid anymore where all food > ramen.

It gets easier to say no each time.

ahviendha

Ahhhh yes I am like that with stuff, but have controlled my free food impulses.

A couple things work for me.

A) "I can make that so much yummier and better at home! I know what I'm having for dinner!"
"You want to have that ice cream later after dinner, eating that cookie now, that's your dessert! B & J ice cream > stale grocery store cookie" (again back to the I have something better!)
C) My body is a temple sort of thing. Keep out unnecessary chemicals! If this 3rd option isn't working (and is my last resort) then I just focus on the gross ingredients on the ingredient list and say to myself "do you really want to eat partially hydrogenated oils? Do you want to eat food coloring and other fake stuff I can't pronounce?"

If none of that works I just eat it. On with my day!

Shelbert79

I would have the same problem with pizza. We have a lady at work who brings in free donuts once a week, I'm not into sweets so its easy for me to turn them down.

schell81

If I'm dying for something that shows up at work for free, like donuts or pizza or cake, I log onto MFP, search the calories and that usually turns me off. I pre-log my food and I can easily tell if I have room for a snack. There were tim horton's donuts last week and I realized that for less calories I could have a turkey pepperoni stick, a cheesestring, and an apple.

Polly758

I call myself a freegan :laugh:

If we get bagels in the break room, and I really really want one, I eat it, then save my lunch (or some of it) for tomorrow. No big deal.

Mac_X

I was attacked by no less than three calls today wanting me to come to the break room for free doughnuts. I'm only on day 2 of this thing, so my willpower is still somewhat intact. I resisted. Next week? Who knows...

orangelobster

Suggestion:

Free food YES!
Pizza YES!

one slice only YES!
Notice how that second piece just didn't taste quite as good as the first one.

---

Tis the season for free food indeed, around my office the chocolates/cookies/treats etc are already starting to make the rounds. If I _really_ want it then I will consider.
If it's not my favourite then I don't bother, if it is, then just a LITTLE and I eat "mindfully" and enjoy 100% and don't dwell on it. I will make a mental note to work extra hard at the gym next time and just move on.

Another tip: Make sure the maker of the treats sees you take the treat. I've found that cooks

slkehl

I can totally relate! That's actually how I gained all this weight in the first place. I worked in a cafeteria where there was perpetually delicious free food.

I think a big way I could have prevented the weight gain is by logging everything. I also wish I had overestimated the calorie content of the food rather than go for the lower number.

slkehl

If we get bagels in the break room, and I really really want one, I eat it, then save my lunch (or some of it) for tomorrow. No big deal.

My problem is that the bagel goes right through me, and I'm just as hungry as if I hadn't eaten it an hour earlier. So I can't do that and feel good physically.

jennytree

I'm just as bad! We have free cakes and doughnuts in work quite often, and tomorrow night I'm going on a work evening out which will have free finger food and maybe a drink or two too. I'll log on here tomorrow, give myself an allowance and if I feel like I'm going to go over, I might just have to leave :laugh:

Oh_Em_Jayyy

Same here! We cater for clients during audits, and this time of year we have an audit about once a week...and usually leftovers. I'll have a small portion, or try and just fix a salad with a side of free goodies. Or like someone else mentioned, I'll search the MFP database to see approx. how many calories are in the food that are leftover. That's enough to let me skip, or enjoy in severe moderation. That way I'll fix a plate to take home so I don't have to cook dinner for the kids, and will just eat one of my Lean Cuisines I keep as back up in the freezer

I do understand, and struggle with, the mindset of "it's free, don't waste it!!!!!" Something I grew up with and have been re-learning as an adult.

Onesnap

Free food is my biggest downfall.

Especially when I'm traveling for work and work is paying for the food.



It's pretty much the only reason I use MFP.

Someone once told me "there's no such thing as free food." and it's true. We also have a full kitchen at work and there's always food being made.

BritneysStuntDouble

meeshers

this happens to me too! sometimes (and this might be even weirder) i grab a piece or two of the free pizza to take home and put in the freezer. I'll have it as a meal later on in the week that i can plan for and i'll add some veggies. Doesn't mess up my calories for that day and serves as a little treat for later

slkehl

Suggestion:

Free food YES!
Pizza YES!

one slice only YES!

But it's so dang hard to stop at one slice! I can resist the cravings if I completely avoid the pizza, but once I have the first slice, it's like the rest of the pizza is calling me. Still haven't figured that one out. I compensate by working out/eating less the next day.

HermioneDanger118

Yup, I count it as a symptom of Grad Student Syndrome, which I still have even though I've been out of grad school for a year and a half. Other symptoms include citing quotes in emails according to the APA format and bringing books with me everywhere. Though, granted, it's a Kindle and not a textbook.

FitandFab33

Look into food safety, foodbourne illness, and safety regulations... Studying that while studying nutrition pretty much ruined buffets, "grab" foods, foods that have been sitting out, and a whole host of other styles of dining. As far as temptation and willpower- my mantra: "I have a goal, it means more to me than _______" fill in the blank with whatever the current culprit is. :-)

Looking at nutrition data/calorie and fat content is always a helpful deterrent too.

PriceK01

"I have no idea how to count that," is my response when the food pushers are offering something. It's hard, but has been working for me thus far.

darrensurrey

Don't see the problem If It Fits Your Calorie Goals.

Yes, yes, you should eat healthy food.

jmeyer925

Free food is by far my biggest downfall...

I swear if I could just shut myself away from the world I would never have a food problem (yes, i know that's no way to live life, but you get the point).

And I AM a poor college student, so normally I'm going from day to day on what I can afford and what I can make healthily. But you throw in in some free food, and i'm sure I look like a dog who just saw a bone lol.

Office food is the worst sometimes...because I have this mindset that I never know how long it's going to be there for, so it's a now or never thing! OORRRR it just sits there calling my name ALL day, and it's communial, so it's not like I can throw it in the trash.

Mind over matter and all that... doesn't mean it's not hard. Just stick with logging, use moderation, and always tell yourself there'll be more at another time.

think48

I love you all of you!! You make me laugh and feel so much better, or at least, halfway normal!! Brilliant idea about grabbing some and sticking it in the freezer too. That helps with the thought of "oh, it's free, I gotta!" and then save it for a later time to see if I really want it. What really bums me out is I had planned good HEALTHY homemade pizza for dinner tonight, so obviously pizza sounded good. I ate that stuff and now? Eh, it doesn't sound so good for dinner. lol.

Thanks everyone. Love this place.

Moxie42

If I'm dying for something that shows up at work for free, like donuts or pizza or cake, I log onto MFP, search the calories and that usually turns me off. I pre-log my food and I can easily tell if I have room for a snack. There were tim horton's donuts last week and I realized that for less calories I could have a turkey pepperoni stick, a cheesestring, and an apple.

Love this idea!!! Perfect for those times you're not expecting free food but it shows up!

Planning against free food you know ahead of time will be there helps too. We have bagels at work every Friday. Knowing that, I try to plan ahead and pack a light lunch (like a salad, or veggies w/ hummus) so I can treat myself to a bagel. Also, think about whether or not you really want the food- for a while I was getting sicks of bagels but I ate them anyway because they were there! It took me a while to realize I was eating them purely out of habit- once I realized it, I stopped eating them for a few weeks.

zenchild

I'm generally OK with pizza (I'm a pizza snob, I won't touch anything from Pizza Hut, Domino's or Papa John's). My downfall is sweets. Most of the time that means an occasional slice of birthday cake. Unfortunately, I work in a business where we have a lot of vendors. And we spend quite a bit of money with these vendors. And to make sure we keep spending money next year, they send us treats this time of year. Pralines by the box, cookies, malt balls, popcorn, pizzas (good, Chicago pizza), caramel, fudge, etc. The best I can do is try to limit my portions and work extra hard on Insanity.

rainhadoqueijo

Free food is the reason I'm on this site! We cater for clients all the time, and everyone a work is divided into teams (that are named after animals - really, I could go on about the comparisons of my work place to a primary school, but I'll refrain..!) who have totake turns to put on company breakfasts (bacon rolls) and company evenings out (starting with beer and pizza in the office) - aaaargh and the place is full of graduate trainees who aren't old enough for calories to have got the best of them yet! (I'm not bitter, no.... )

I LOVE FREE FOOD!

aimeerocksx3

I work at a chocolate store, and while I'm working, everything there is fair game. So yes, I feel your pain.

SideSteel

Perhaps you could donate your regular food to people in need, then you could just eat the free food. This way, everyone eats free and you eat less calories.