How Not to Over-Eat at Work

SeekingKarma
SeekingKarma Posts: 61 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I currently work as a bank teller and I'm really struggling to lose weight. Reason being, I'm sitting around all day in one space and I get bored so I eat. I gained all the pounds I had lost originally because there's always pizza, cookies, and other junk around. It's also free =)

But! I want to make my goal. Is anyone out there who work in an office struggling too? How did you cope? Any other thoughts welcome.

Replies

  • Impy84
    Impy84 Posts: 430
    I prepack snacks. I prelog and if its not in my lunch bag or in the mfp log for that day It does NOT enter my mouth.
    It's tedious and annoying at times but that's how it's got to be

    NOW don't misunderstand I will grab a donut if they bring them in and Im really hung up on thinking about it. Yes it's a fail but I drink extra water and do better the next day.

    If you can't completely give up the work place indulgences or treats try just grabbing half of whatever you'd usually get. Baby steps.
  • ImperfectedBeauty
    ImperfectedBeauty Posts: 124 Member
    I agree with the above, pre log and pre pack. I dont eat it if its not in my diary and if i need a reminder of why im doing this then i look back at my starting pictures which I keep on my phone, or i look at some fitspiration on tumblr. If you REALLY want it, then have some.. but dont have a normal portion.. if you want a donut then have half. Its still your life and you need to spoil yourself sometimes, just drink extra water and walk it off ( literally) :P
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    Just say no when people offer you stuff and take in your own food :) That's what I do... "why don't you wanna eat the garlic roll are you on a diet" is what they say and I kindly respond "I'm trying to eat healthy, all that grease would destroy my stomach, I'd like real food"
  • doubleduofa
    doubleduofa Posts: 284 Member
    I go through the same thing with work goodies. I love free food! I'm such a cheapskate! ;-)

    I have some once in awhile, but the only way to beat it, is to not join it. Bring your own food. And bring enough so that if you are tempted to eat, you can go eat your snack instead. Meal planning is an acquired skill (I basically have to bring all my meals and snacks to work), but it is worth it. But, if you want a free cookie, don't be afraid of it, just eat the darned thing. Just not everyday. :-)
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Just because it is free doesn't mean you have to eat it. A dog turd in the yard is free but you don't eat that.

    If something is really good and you really want it make room in your calories and eat it, but don't eat it just because it is there. This morning we had an event at work, there were cookies, and mini scones, and mini muffins, and donuts. All free. I really wanted the donut - the rest looked fine, but that donut was calling to me. I ate 1/2 the donut, some fruit and passed up the rest. Be selective! And bring some healthy snacks so you're less likely to give into temptation.
  • krisalexine
    krisalexine Posts: 78 Member
    This might be a little crazy. I had this same response in another thread: I keep a picture of women's bodies that I hope one day to have as my phone wallpaper (currently it's Elizabeth Akinwale... Google her). I'm constantly on my phone when I get bored and I know 95% of the population just farts around on their phone when they get bored, so that should prevent you from eating when you're not hungry.

    *Focus on OP's question. If you're going to reply and say, "You shouldn't strive for someone else's body be happy with what God gave you blahblah, I'm not interested.*
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
    I have a rule that I don't eat anything at work that I didn't bring with me.

    And I bring a couple of snacks along with lunch every day.

    Keeps me on the straight and narrow.
  • whit_peav
    whit_peav Posts: 3 Member
    I always ask myself: "Is this going to hurt or help my progress?" Usually, if I take a second to think about it, I realize I don't really want it that badly anymore because I know it's not going to help me in the long run. The little every day decisions are the most important when losing weight and getting fit! Take it a day at a time and don't be too hard on yourself. Enjoy life. :)
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I am fortunate (in my opinion) that my current workplace normally does not have a bunch of free junk lying around. So most of the time it's a matter of just not snacking during the work day, or bringing my own healthy snacks.

    However...right now, it's the holidays, and I work in the front office of a manufacturing plant so every vendor we have is sending in gorgeous treats and boxes of gourmet chocolates...holy moly. This is the sort of thing I can't fully resist. Pizza, glazed donuts, random cookies...I can resist those things. But not a handmade caramel dipped in dark chocolate.

    So what I've been doing lately is purposely having a light lunch and then scheduling myself a "break" at 2:30 pm when I allow myself to eat a free apple along with ONE chocolate. I log it and don't feel guilty at all. I think of it as "dessert" for my light lunch. I've had one of these chocolates every work day since Dec 2 and I've lost more weight so far in December than I did in November. NOT saying I'm losing weight due to the chocolate, of course. Just saying the daily deliciousness hasn't derailed me yet.
  • bobbijodmb
    bobbijodmb Posts: 463 Member
    I don't leave food at my desk and i drink lots of water. So everytime I get bored I drink water instead of eat. I also try to prepare ahead- I bring my food in for the day and thats all I will eat. Best of luck
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
    I pack my lunch and snacks and generally eat that at work. If something that I really want is offered, I'll swap out something that I brought (for example, if the office supplies pizza, I may eat that instead of what I brought for lunch) or will end up eating a lighter dinner.

    But mostly I just eat what I brought and forgo the free food.
  • Swiftdogs
    Swiftdogs Posts: 328 Member
    First, find something to do when you're bored besides eat - maybe a game on your phone? That depends on what is allowed.

    I'm with Seltzermint - we're buried in good stuff right now. I can usually pass on the free food, but I'll find calories for good chocolate. My rule with any treat is to have it - but I have to really want it, and I take a small portion.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Nothing is free.

    Is the food guilt free? Is it having a positive impact on your body and mind? Is it free of ingredients that'll negatively effect your health?

    Just say no! Don't turn yourself in to a human trash can!
  • Skarlet13
    Skarlet13 Posts: 146 Member
    I work in a grocery store with plenty of free food. Giving in to these temptations made me gain an additional 8 lbs so now instead of having to lose 30 lbs I had to start with having to lose 38. It's amazing how many calories a small piece of chocolate has. When I'm tempted I just remind myself that a break is coming sooner or later during which I can eat food that I've brought from home.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I work in a grocery store with plenty of free food. Giving in to these temptations made me gain an additional 8 lbs so now instead of having to lose 30 lbs I had to start with having to lose 38. It's amazing how many calories a small piece of chocolate has. When I'm tempted I just remind myself that a break is coming sooner or later during which I can eat food that I've brought from home.

    Where are these grocery stores giving employees free food? hehehe

    I worked in a supermarket for years and did not get any free food ever.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I teach in a junior high school where the faculty lounge is always laden with donuts, someone's birthday cake, and grocery store bakery goods. I also do what some other posters do. I have a rule that all the food I eat at work is my food that I have brought with me. I always have a supply of fruit, nuts, granola, string cheese, boiled eggs, and a delicious pre-measured entree so that I never have to feel hungry or that I'm missing out on something. Some of my colleagues have taken note of the big bags of food I arrive with each day.
  • jitsuda
    jitsuda Posts: 230 Member
    My co-workers are the best bakers. They are also trying to loose weight so they bring the goodies to work.
    All of the above ( pre-log, pack food and snack, avoid the break room at all cost.. )

    AND..

    1. Try to have a cup of tea (I sweeten mine with Truvia) around.
    2. Chew gum
    3. On a good day that I resist the temptation to grab the cookies, I reward myself with Chick fil A Diet Lemonade.
    (One cup a day. It's pricey.)

    If you look at my diary, I'm not perfect but I tried. It's better than nothing, I guess :)
  • sybrix
    sybrix Posts: 134 Member
    I just eat it. I had 3 mini squares of fudge, a small apricot pastry, and a slice of pumpkin bread today. Someone also brought in Krispy Kreme donuts but I had to draw the line somewhere and turned those down lol. Logged it as best I could and still came in 100 calories under just to be safe. The people in my office are great cooks and I like food!

    The snacks I had originally planned on eating that day I just saved for Monday. I also worked out to offset the extra calories. I'll eat healthier after the holidays but I'm totally eating the free treats people bring into work and fitting them in as best I can. It's okay if I go slightly over sometimes.

    Also... Sometimes some coffee helps tide me over until dinner if I blew through more calories than I wanted earlier in the day. Like today. :laugh:
  • chantalscott1
    chantalscott1 Posts: 25 Member
    Nothing is free.

    Is the food guilt free? Is it having a positive impact on your body and mind? Is it free of ingredients that'll negatively effect your health?

    Just say no! Don't turn yourself in to a human trash can!


    Agreed. Your mental and physical health is worth far more.
  • cavia
    cavia Posts: 457 Member
    I work on a hospital ward and it is like a patisserie around here during the holidays. I've often had to deliver baskets of goodies to the nurses' lounge. My days are prelogged and my calories are spoken for. I have treats worked in so I'm not feeling deprived. Unless I'm willing to give something up foodwise from my diary, I just don't eat it.
  • lngrunert
    lngrunert Posts: 204 Member
    Just because it is free doesn't mean you have to eat it. A dog turd in the yard is free but you don't eat that.

    If something is really good and you really want it make room in your calories and eat it, but don't eat it just because it is there. This morning we had an event at work, there were cookies, and mini scones, and mini muffins, and donuts. All free. I really wanted the donut - the rest looked fine, but that donut was calling to me. I ate 1/2 the donut, some fruit and passed up the rest. Be selective! And bring some healthy snacks so you're less likely to give into temptation.

    Totally agree with this. One of the things that logging helped me with was seeing how many calories I was scarfing down at work on things that I ate just because they were there; not because they looked especially good, or I was hungry. Once I realized that, it was pretty easy to not eat about 90% of the stuff co-workers bring in to the office. OTOH, for that 10% that looks amazingly delicious (like the homemade chocolate covered toffees someone brought in yesterday), I'll find room in my calories for the day for them. And if i go a little over one day because I indulged? An extra 100-200 cals in a week where I'm on target isn't going to derail me.
  • Jkn921
    Jkn921 Posts: 309 Member
    Just say no when people offer you stuff and take in your own food :) That's what I do... "why don't you wanna eat the garlic roll are you on a diet" is what they say and I kindly respond "I'm trying to eat healthy, all that grease would destroy my stomach, I'd like real food"

    If you say that, you'll have no work-friends lol. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone, just politely decline.
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    Just say no when people offer you stuff and take in your own food :) That's what I do... "why don't you wanna eat the garlic roll are you on a diet" is what they say and I kindly respond "I'm trying to eat healthy, all that grease would destroy my stomach, I'd like real food"

    If you say that, you'll have no work-friends lol. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone, just politely decline.

    I couldn't agree more. I don't have to explain my dietary needs to every person I know. "No thank you" is a sufficient response, whether the reason is I don't like that, it looks gross, I'm eating kosher, I just finished my lunch, etc.

Categories