My job requires an enormous amount of willpower!

BrittanyErica
BrittanyErica Posts: 74 Member
in Motivation and Support
The title says it all. I work in a bakery as a cake decorator, and I would love to hear of some other peoples jobs that require an enormous amout of willpower when trying to loose weight/tone up.

There are ALWAYS samples, and there are ALWAYS people asking, "would you like a piece?".. or, even worse, "have a piece"! I'm talking every baked good you can imagine. But, I'm not afraid to admit, that I do have a small sample once or twice a week. This is my THIRD time at claiming to have "changed my lifestyle", and I'll tell you why this one is different.
My first 2 times at "changing my lifestyle" were highly unrealistic. I would NEVER touch any sort of sweet, unhealthy fat, alcohol, etc.. noooothing unhealthy went into my mouth. After three months (each time), I crashed. I gained my weight back. Blah blah, you guys all know the story.
So, I haven't beaten myself up about those failures, because they weren't failures. They were infact lessons which I needed to be taught. I've learned that it's not realistic to never eat/drink any sort of junk again. It's doable, but it's a constant struggle, rather than a constant excitement. You spend all your day thinking about food, rather than enjoying the beauty of life right in front of you. This is why I sample a cookie, or a small slice of pie, or cake at work once or twice a week. It keeps my cravings under control. It'll prevent me from going off track once again, and I'm not afraid to admit that. I know that those small amounts of "bad foods" aren't making a negative impact on my health. And I'm in no "rush" to lose weight. That "rush" that people always go through is sadly, just setting them up for failure.
I'm greatly improving my health, I'm losing weight, and I'm happy. What more could I ask for?

That's my rant / small briefing of my personal story for today. What's yours? :)

Happy fitness everyone! :)

Replies

  • 2012asv
    2012asv Posts: 702 Member
    wow, wish I had an answer for you. Cupcakes and pastries make me weak in the knees. The only thing I can think of is trying to change your mindset. It takes time of course, but maybe just seeing all that food as "work" not as food.

    I used to work in a bank, and at first carrying around 150k cash in a duffel bag used to make me SO nervous. I felt like someone was going to attack me all the time lol Eventually it was like nothing... just "paper" just "work".

    Good luck to you!!
  • chinatbag
    chinatbag Posts: 249 Member
    I saw something similar on a TV show. The lady was a chef instructor and had to taste all the food that her students made. The intervention for her was to chew a small bite and then spit it out. So I can totally understand the frustrations.

    However, don't fret, we're here to support you :D
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    The title says it all. I work in a bakery as a cake decorator, and I would love to hear of some other peoples jobs that require an enormous amout of willpower when trying to loose weight/tone up.


    Happy fitness everyone! :)

    The most important rule of thumb in any food-prep/food establishment is actually set by the Health Dept. You are not supposed to be eating anything in the common working areas where you work with food, prep food, build recipes, etc.... its a healthcode violation. To keep ones job, that should be more than enough will power to have... never mess with the Health codes!

    The number one way a customer could tell is when they see the food coloring from the fondant or frosting on your teeth and/or tongue. Cake bits stuck to the frosting which is stuck to your tongue.. and then of course the sweetness of the frosting can be smelled.

    I handle a small side catering biz as well and the one thing I will never do is eat while on the job in the middle of a task. I never sampled anything - couldnt anways even if I wanted to: I have alot of food sensitivies/allergies...
  • ellehcimyelhsa
    ellehcimyelhsa Posts: 110
    I worked in a restaurant for years. I did everything from prep cook to baker to server. We always had to taste the new menu items "so we could tell the guests what it tastes like" and suggest our favorite. I used to drool over all the holiday orders...pies, cookies, breads.

    Ironically, now I have a desk job and weigh more. I sit right next to a break room full of donuts, pizza, cakes, and fast food! I am going to wear a sign that says "please do not offer me food!" :grumble:
  • DMBrenneman
    DMBrenneman Posts: 2
    Try reading - The Diet Cure by Julia Ross - very good - she talks about amino acid replacement to help with carb and sugar cravings to turn off the exorphine (like endorphine but because the food is an external source stimulant of excitement it is called exorphine) stimulant. I found it extremely helpful!! :smile:
  • KaidaKantri
    KaidaKantri Posts: 401
    I know exactly how you feel! I worked at Walmart deli. The deli itself was bad, and plus the bakery was literally right next to it. You walked into the opening, deli on left, bakery on right. Bakery would always come over to our area and since the bakery had the computer that told you your schedule, all the deli people would be over at bakery. I don't work there anymore, and while I worked there, it was impossible for me to lose weight, I just couldn't handle my cravings, and they would always have a random schedule, which made it where I didn't bother, because I'd ALWAYS get super hungry in the middle of working :\
  • courtneyleem
    courtneyleem Posts: 20
    I find I'm the opposite! I'm a compulsive baker, whenever I'm sad or angry I bust out the MixMaster and start making cookies, cupcakes, brownies, whatever I can whip up with what's lying around the house. By the time I'm done making and baking, I don't even want to look at the finished product. It's my fiance who has the problem. He can't turn down a sweet that's in front of him. He's made me feel terrible whenever I bake. I have to bring it to school for the other teachers, or to my old workplace (who spent two years eating my goodies, and miss them since I'm gone).

    I wish you good luck though, and your outlook sounds like it's just right.
  • Mykaelous
    Mykaelous Posts: 231 Member
    That must be horrible, I can just imagine breathing in the fat :(
  • jasondcooper
    jasondcooper Posts: 125
    I can't speak to the health code implications like cramernh does, but as far as watching the calories, I zeroed in on this statement:
    My first 2 times at "changing my lifestyle" were highly unrealistic. I would NEVER touch any sort of sweet, unhealthy fat, alcohol, etc.. noooothing unhealthy went into my mouth. After three months (each time), I crashed. I gained my weight back. Blah blah, you guys all know the story.

    If watching the calories is your main concern I fall back on the old adage that "moderation is key." I've been logging every day for over eight months now, completing my full diary most of those days. If I've learned anything it's that I haven't had to completely swear off the things I like to eat and drink. I have, however, had to watch the portions of some of those things.

    I am fortunate to not have the sweet tooth that some have (although I did go over my daily calorie allowance yesterday due to some chocolate chip cookies that were available at work. Ironic, huh?) My biggest trouble spots have been things like pastas. Mexican and Italian food tend to push me over the line unless I am vigilant about limiting my portions.

    The bottom line is that even Mexican and Italian are among my favorite things to eat, I haven't had to give them up. There is some willpower involved, but it's also a learning process that takes some time to work through. (I've been on this fitness and health journey for over three years now.) The process of teaching (or re-teaching) oneself how to eat healthily is the best benefit of maintaining a food journal, in my opinion.
  • BrittanyErica
    BrittanyErica Posts: 74 Member
    Thanks for all the feedback everyone! It's great to hear what everyone else is doing :)

    You are not supposed to be eating anything in the common working areas where you work with food, prep food, build recipes, etc.... its a healthcode violation.
    and about this; the food isn't actually eaten IN the workplace. It's taken from the items pulled from the shelf/not appropritate to serve to a customer, to the lunchroom when we take our lunch/15 minutes breaks. ^^

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