Resisting Free Food at Work
Replies
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Missomgitsica, it's not as simple as "Say no and move on". If it was it wouldn't be an issue. We say no and move on all the time, that's how we lost weight.
Work foods often sit in eyeshot (and nose shot) all darn day, for a full eight hours, while other people are taking slow deliberate bites rattling on about how good it is all around you, often as compliments to the chef but sometimes just because it really does taste great.
Saying no and moving on is easy, for eight hours straight plus a visual temptation is NOT.
In most normal life we can just remove ourselves from the situation (leave the party, prepare before hand for a holiday pot luck, choose to eat at home not a restaurant, etc etc) but we can't leave work.
I sympathize because my office does this almost daily sometimes, and they don't put it in the break room, they put it on the table with the fax so I have to see it while doing my job all day.
I won't complain, they're trying to treat us well, and my diet is my issue, not theirs. I don't want everyone to suffer for my interest.
But then we come on here and vent.0 -
I am all about free stuff, too. It's hard. Here are a couple of suggestions, and things I would do if I had to deal with this:
1. Help yourself to small portions and log it (half a donut, etc)
2. Avoid the office kitchen if you cannot control your portions - Find lunch options that don't need to be kept in there (insulated lunch bag with an ice pack for items that should be cold) For example, hummus & veggies, cheese sticks, soup in an insulated thermos (if you preheat a soup thermos with near boiling water from a tea kettle, then dump it, then put in really hot soup it'll stay hot until lunch, a sandwich, and so on.)
3. Are you eating breakfast? Is it something that will keep you feeling full throughout the morning? High protein options can do that for you.
4. Keep healthy snacks, like almonds, at your desk. Eat a few before you head into the kitchen if you must go in there.0 -
Oh man do I Identify with this. I could put 30-40 of the pounds i needed to lose when I started in December down to this habit. I'm a purchaser at an intercontinental hotel. I work closely with the kitchen which is right beside my office. For a (long) while there not a day went by without a couple of pastries - plus they feed us what are usually good healthy lunches - I just ate too much of it - top it off with experimenting chefs handing me plates saying try this and tell me what you think. The accounting team (which I am part of) always have snacks and food out, and then they order in food regularly (I've turned down several of these since January - though I will go if we are going out to eat)
Self control has never been a strong suit, though I like to think quitting smoking last July after 40 years helped with that (as has quitting drinking in December)
Prior to this job I was on my feet 8-11 hours a day and always moving I could eat whatever I wanted for the most part0 -
There is tons of free food at my office. If I ate it every day, I would never lose weight.
I used to eat a lot at the office. I'd just swing by the table where the food is lying and pick up a cookie or a donut, or a piece of candy, or a piece of cake and go back to my desk. Later, I'd swing by again and pick up something else. ARRGHH. This was a terrible habit and I knew when I decided to lose weight I would have to get it under control.
This type of eating was never planned, and I usually was not even hungry, I was just eating because the food was THERE.
Now I bring snacks to work and when I am hungry I eat one. I hardly ever eat the food people bring in because I am much more conscious of why I am eating and whether I am really hungry or just eating because food is there. If I see food at work, I ask myself, "DO I really want this and am I really HUNGRY?"
Usually the answer is no and I pass the food by. If I really wanted it, I would eat it and LOG IT.
The fact that I log everything I eat stops me from eating things that I should not because I planned out my food day and they don't really work in the plan. I also focus on food that will keep me satisfied, higher protein, healthier, and the food that people bring to work is just sugar/carbs and will give me a sugar rush and then I'll be hungry again.
Also I feel a lot better now that I rarely eat this kind of food. Once you start feeling better from not eating that type of food, it's easier to say no.0 -
If I know there's something in there I shouldn't have, I just don't go in there.
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If I know there's something in there I shouldn't have, I just don't go in there.
I wish that was an option but usually it's out in my office, not the break room. While stressing about a difficult client or something it's in eyeshot and nose shot!0 -
Either eat a little and stay within your goals or suck it up and say no thanks.
Seriously, I don't get these "how do I say no to free food?" question posts.
.
if only life was that easy.0 -
Oscar Wilde once said, "I can resist anything except temptation." All of us have our weaknesses and will cave in from time to time. However, at least from my perspective, developing mental self discipline is just as important as being disciplined in our work out routine as well. For me, the battle has been more about the mental challenge than the physical so I try to work on that just as much as I do making sure I keep my commitment to work out 3-4 days a week. And sometimes I blow it, other times, I don't. But I'm getting better and stronger at it. In other words, I purposely focus on my self-control every day rather than, "what do I do in this situation or that situation." Hope that makes sense.0
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Missomgitsica, it's not as simple as "Say no and move on". If it was it wouldn't be an issue. We say no and move on all the time, that's how we lost weight.
Work foods often sit in eyeshot (and nose shot) all darn day, for a full eight hours, while other people are taking slow deliberate bites rattling on about how good it is all around you, often as compliments to the chef but sometimes just because it really does taste great.
Saying no and moving on is easy, for eight hours straight plus a visual temptation is NOT.
In most normal life we can just remove ourselves from the situation (leave the party, prepare before hand for a holiday pot luck, choose to eat at home not a restaurant, etc etc) but we can't leave work.
I sympathize because my office does this almost daily sometimes, and they don't put it in the break room, they put it on the table with the fax so I have to see it while doing my job all day.
I won't complain, they're trying to treat us well, and my diet is my issue, not theirs. I don't want everyone to suffer for my interest.
But then we come on here and vent.
What I'm saying here is it's not A SITUATION where you make a choice. It's 8 hours plus lunch, 60 minutes per hour, so we're talking 9 x 60 = 540 situations where you have to make a decision!
A situation is EASY. 540 situations to deal with makes your prospect of %100 no failure rate unprobable.
I think some of these people commenting on here don't work so cannot relate, but want to make comments like they have a clue.0 -
There is tons of free food at my office. If I ate it every day, I would never lose weight.
I used to eat a lot at the office. I'd just swing by the table where the food is lying and pick up a cookie or a donut, or a piece of candy, or a piece of cake and go back to my desk. Later, I'd swing by again and pick up something else. ARRGHH. This was a terrible habit and I knew when I decided to lose weight I would have to get it under control.
This type of eating was never planned, and I usually was not even hungry, I was just eating because the food was THERE.
Now I bring snacks to work and when I am hungry I eat one. I hardly ever eat the food people bring in because I am much more conscious of why I am eating and whether I am really hungry or just eating because food is there. If I see food at work, I ask myself, "DO I really want this and am I really HUNGRY?"
Usually the answer is no and I pass the food by. If I really wanted it, I would eat it and LOG IT.
The fact that I log everything I eat stops me from eating things that I should not because I planned out my food day and they don't really work in the plan. I also focus on food that will keep me satisfied, higher protein, healthier, and the food that people bring to work is just sugar/carbs and will give me a sugar rush and then I'll be hungry again.
Also I feel a lot better now that I rarely eat this kind of food. Once you start feeling better from not eating that type of food, it's easier to say no.
This! I went through almost the exact same thing at my office. I actually put on a few pounds after starting my job because I too would simply take food when I saw it most times. Candy, doughnuts, cake, cookies and other random treats, not to mention the constant potlucks...
I had to seriously evaluate my situation and make a change. I started bringing my own snacks, ones that were healthy or at least ones that would fit into my calorie goals. It's not easy obviously, but I resist the temptations of work food on a very regular basis (there is something floating around almost every single day). Maybe once a month, I'll enjoy some office goodies, but I will make sure it fits into my day and I log it. You really just have to make yourself resist. Life is tough and that's the way it goes.
My advice is to bring snacks from home or to look up the calories in whatever office food is tempting you because the shock may just help you to resist. There were Krispy Kreme doughnuts at my office Monday morning and I looked up the calorie content. When I saw how high the count actually was, I was floored and easily held myself back from taking one.0 -
Nothing in life is free. Think of your daily calorie and macro goals as currency. If the FOOD is not costing you any money, are you willing to spend your CALORIES on same option? If not save your calories for a better "purchase."
Anything in moderation is not a big deal. Taking advantage of a sandwich provided to you as your mid-day meal ... or wrapped up to take home as your evening meal, is not a big deal. It's when you eat your lunch and then eat the office lunch that will cause the problem. Or maybe eat the sandwich but not the chips and cookie (or whatever).
So remember ... calories are currency. How do you wish to spend today's budget?0 -
Oh man, I've been having the worst week! Someone in this office has a little Girl Scout under her wing. We have no less than 3 boxes sitting around at any given time! I've given in everyday, but limited myself to just one. So it hasn't wrecked me yet but I'm scared...0
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I wish I had this issue where I work!I never turn down free food, even if I have to save it for future reference.0
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Willpower! I struggle with this too. When I resist, my coworkers sometimes make fun of me or say things like "oh right, you're on a diet" all snotty like when no, I'm not on an effing diet, it's called LIFE. Anyway. If I REALLY want something, I eat a sensible portion and log it and adjust my other food for the day. But it has to be something special. Like someone else mentioned in this thread, if it's just something you can get from the grocery store yourself, why bother? (Unless of course you really have a craving for it that day!)
I would say it's all about balance. Don't nom on it every single day, but once in awhile (define that for yourself - once a week? once every two weeks? etc) and IF you are actually REALLY craving and wanting that item, go for it! Just don't forget to log it. 0 -
Stay out of the office kitchen. Bring your lunch in a paper bag and keep/eat it at your desk. Temptation removed.0
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Free food at work is awful. Where I work, the food is within plain site because its on the counter across from our workstations. Right now there is chocolates on the counter and while I have walked past it for three days, today is definitely a challenge.
Log the food, no matter what and just work harder at the gym ?0 -
When I was a poor biologist, eating free food at work was often one of the few ways I could get a meal.
Later on, when this wasn't an issue I'd just have a little bit of what was offered and very slowly eat it. If you already have something it tends to stop people from trying to force more on you. This also seems to work with drinking.0 -
Nothing in life is free. Think of your daily calorie and macro goals as currency. If the FOOD is not costing you any money, are you willing to spend your CALORIES on same option? If not save your calories for a better "purchase."
Anything in moderation is not a big deal. Taking advantage of a sandwich provided to you as your mid-day meal ... or wrapped up to take home as your evening meal, is not a big deal. It's when you eat your lunch and then eat the office lunch that will cause the problem. Or maybe eat the sandwich but not the chips and cookie (or whatever).
So remember ... calories are currency. How do you wish to spend today's budget?
I love this post - so right on. Great way to think about it! 0 -
Food gets put out on the break station in the main hallway near the bathrooms, so I'll walk by it several times a day. On top of that, people are walking around with it in hand, constantly reminding me that it's there. For the people saying "Just avoid it," sorry, that's not an option.
Things I do:
-Most free food is regularly scheduled. I know there will be breakfast tacos on Wednesdays, bagels and ice cream on Thursdays, etc. If I wake up and a breakfast taco sounds better than my protein shake for breakfast, I skip the protein shake. I also pre-log everything to make sure my calorie numbers will work out.
-I remind myself regularly that there will be bagels next Thursday, and the Thursday after that, and after that... and if I really have to have a bagel, I am capable of going out and buying one. That bagel in front of me in that moment will not be the last bagel I ever will have the opportunity to have.
-If people bring in baked goods, I assess them. Do they look like the best damn brownies in the world? No? Ok, don't need it. (But I ate a brownie yesterday that put me over calories, and it was the best damn brownie in the world. No regrets.)
-For things like sandwiches, I'll pre-log them before I eat them. I often find if I eat the turkey and veggies but not the bread it helps me meet my protein and fiber goals without going over calories. If you can't resist the temptation, make the snack work for you.
-Save a sandwich for later. It will save you money on dinner.
-Always, always, always, always, always pre-log it before you eat it. Always. No impulse decisions. Think about how much that morsel that you won't be able to taste a minute after you eat it is really worth to you.
Edited for a typo.0 -
Yes! Log it before you eat it is great advice!
I was going to have a sweet the other day, but when I saw in my log it was 500+ calories, I declined!
Sometimes even a small sweet can be a huge blow to calories.
A few days ago I had a peice of cake.
I weighed it. After the dinner was over I logged it and that sucker was 900 calories! 900 calories in my peice of Wal-mart cake!
That's great advice.0 -
Thanks so much for all of the replies everyone! The food is not scheduled so I can't pre-log it at the beginning of the day, but I can absolutely log it to see if it will fit in my calories--and ditch it if not. I love the idea of thinking of the calories as currency, so it's really not free food at all! Usually I don't miss it if I don't eat it, it's just walking by the kitchen (15 feet from my desk) that makes the temptation extra present.
With the exception of a couple "suck it up"s (this is the motivation and support section, thank you), I really appreciate all of your tips!!0 -
When I have my treats, I buy really high quality ones now. Is that wal-mart cake worth the slice of coldstone creamery raspberry ice-cream cake? Is having a couple of thos gummy worms worth the piece of sees candy I have at home? or the euphoria truffle?
And, this is unkind of me, but I have a co-woker that is only 1" shorter but the same weight. I watch her walk slowly and painfully over to the free food, help herself and then slowly move back to her desk. The baggy clothes, the jiggling...well, I know that I would look like that too, and I just cannot bring myself to do it anymore.
Between the diabetes and the office holiday video, its become much easier to just say no.0 -
Yes! Log it before you eat it is great advice!
I was going to have a sweet the other day, but when I saw in my log it was 500+ calories, I declined!
Sometimes even a small sweet can be a huge blow to calories.
A few days ago I had a peice of cake.
I weighed it. After the dinner was over I logged it and that sucker was 900 calories! 900 calories in my peice of Wal-mart cake!
That's great advice.
that; ^^^^^^^
I have pretty much given up on any serious sweets low cal pudding has been it or a square or 2 of Dark chocolate . I also gave up post dinner cheese plates when i did the calculation of what they added up to ( a small plate of 4 cheeses with a little bread and figs or membrillo - 7-800 calories eeek:sad: (Mind you wonce i'm at goal weight i will have this again to make up my intake to maintenance once in a while)0 -
OMG. ALL. THE. TIME. I've honestly had to stop walking into the breakroom!! I go all the way to the other side of our office complex to fill my water bottle at a small kitchenette station!!! But that's okay.....it helps me add steps to my Fitbit!! :bigsmile:So one of my biggest challenges has always been turning down the free food that magically appears in our office kitchen after meetings. Yesterday it was giant sandwiches and potato chips, this morning already there are donuts!
I'm really trying to stay focused on my goals, but does anybody have any tips or similar experiences with staying on track? In the past I have always sabotaged myself, gone for it, and then been so embarrassed that I didn't even log the cheat.
Since office freebies seem to be getting more frequent, I could really use some tips and/or stories.0
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