People suck.

When my office has a luncheon or potluck I don't eat tons and tons of food...I just eat a normal amount of food and enjoy myself. There are some really exceptional cooks at my office and I enjoy their cooking and I can easily manage to hit my calorie goals and macro goals. Portion control is a beautiful thing...you don't have to eat granola bars and diet food and what not to lose weight...you can eat actual food and stuff.

When my office has a luncheon or potluck I don't eat tons and tons of food...I just eat a normal amount of food and enjoy myself. There are some really exceptional cooks at my office and I enjoy their cooking and I can easily manage to hit my calorie goals and macro goals. Portion control is a beautiful thing...you don't have to eat granola bars and diet food and what not to lose weight...you can eat actual food and stuff.

Many people when they are just starting find it hard to deviate from the plan without going overboard. She is doing a good job by understanding herself and what she can handle. One step at a time.

I'm just starting out and am trying really hard to meet my goal. I'm sitting with everyone and chatting like usual, just not eating the food.

Good job sticking with it!

I too am a vegetarian, and EVERY WEDNESDAY at work between Memorial Day and Labor Day we have a lunch cookout. People are asked to bring in dishes to pass (we've got about 120 employees, and 20 are asked each week to contribute). I get a lot of flack for not eating the burgers (and get made fun of for the alternate burgers I bring), but I don't care! I know that I'm making healthier choices than everyone who chooses to pig out. And I try to do my part too by bringing in a healthier option when it's my turn to contribute.

Hang in there... no one has a right to judge your eating habits! You do what works for you!

Potlucks are bad now? Crap, I'm doing this wrong.

Me too.

I feel ya...I work in an office with a dozen other women. There is always a reason to have a celebration, it nearly always involves sweets and/or a potluck (sometimes they will stretch an "event" into two separate work-avoiders in the same day, both involving food). I used to go, I would try a little of everything, be asked if I "was on a diet or something" and would just shrug it off. There would always be the "well, how come you didn't try my cookies, c'mon, they're really good, just have one" and the hurt, insulted looks after I'd turn them down again. It just got tedious after awhile, especially when these events occur on pretty much a weekly basis. So, I stopped going. Now I'm labeled "anti-social". You really can't win in some office environments.

kuddo's for sticking to it!!

But maybe look at it in another way, at least your co-workers care about you to some degree and didn't want you to feel left out?
You should alway's stick your ground no doubt about it, but some times a different perspective makes it easier to do so..

I didn't put ANYONE down for eating the food.. Even the person who made several comments about what I was eating. It's not my business what anyone eats, just as it's not their business what I eat. Some people can eat 3 plates of that tasty food and not gain a pound. I can't. I don't hate them for it, that's just how it is. The person that made several comments (and put their plate in my face) tends to get offended easily and takes everything as a personal attack. Just because I don't want to eat it doesn't mean I don't like you. No need to be completely rude about it!

And yes, it is a stuff-fest. I've participated before and don't feel bad about doing it or calling it what it is. It's fun, not meant in a hurtful or derogatory way.

On second thought, your attitude about potluck lunches makes me want to wave food in your face now.

I find it interesting that you are willing to look down on them for their food choices (a perfect example would be how you describe the potluck to begin with) but feel very victimized that they were "looking down" on your choices.

I mean, what horrible people you work with, trying to make the new people feel welcomed and creating a social event that will encourage office morale. How terrible that they would want to be sure you were included.

Instead of sitting on your impossibly high pedestal, why didn't you make something *you* approve of and share it, and maybe educate those heathens on the benefits of clean eating?

But hey, I am sure working yourself up into a lathered rage burns way more calories than getting along with the folks at work.

Sorry, but I am not going to pat you on the back for this one.

Pretty much that. Good luck to you!!! :flowerforyou:

*Edited to add...Though, on second thought...the way you describe the catered lunch was kind of snotty, too, to be perfectly honest. Just because you choose to eat healthfully (and, in all seriousness, good for you for it!) does not make you better than your co-workers who do choose to "stuff themselves until they can't breathe" or however you termed it. It certainly doesn't excuse their behavior, but is it possible they were reacting to your attitude about the catered lunch? Honest question. How do you typically interact with your co-workers about food? Perhaps, if you used the same tone and terminology with them, they became defensive about it, and that's what triggered their comments. Again, NOT saying or implying that your co-workers' behavior was acceptable, regardless of anything else. Not even a little bit. And I wasn't there so I certainly don't know how you actually acted or spoke...just making an observation about the possibilities. It's equally likely that you were perfectly polite and they're just pushy jerks .
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The same thing occurred to me.

I didn't put ANYONE down for eating the food.. Even the person who made several comments about what I was eating. It's not my business what anyone eats, just as it's not their business what I eat. Some people can eat 3 plates of that tasty food and not gain a pound. I can't. I don't hate them for it, that's just how it is. The person that made several comments (and put their plate in my face) tends to get offended easily and takes everything as a personal attack. Just because I don't want to eat it doesn't mean I don't like you. No need to be completely rude about it!

And yes, it is a stuff-fest. I've participated before and don't feel bad about doing it or calling it what it is. It's fun, not meant in a hurtful or derogatory way.

I've had the same occur at the workplace myself, but I just blow it off. Sadly, many people live for food and although they may be unhealthy and/or overweight and you may not, it just doesn't click. Personally I believe they subconsciously try to sabotage those who eat healthy, not to be mean, but if they can get you to eat what they eat then it must be okay. I think one of my co-workers spouse may have done this as well when the other one started losing weight and working out. I'm considered a health nut at work just because I don't eat a bunch of junk at work. I've try to explain to them that having a desk job and lots of junk food does not make a good fi (no pun intended).. I'm not a health nut, I just enjoy good wholesome food. But they mean well, at least the folks at my job.

Usually when we do pot-lucks, there is a wide variety of food so that people can eat some veggies and lean meat or they can stuff-their-face. Maybe next time you could bring food that you choose to eat and set it out, then fill your plate with it? Or was this company money that paid for all the food?

I look at it as: either provide what I want to eat in order to participate or simply enjoy free food and eat less of it. *shrugs*

When my office has a luncheon or potluck I don't eat tons and tons of food...I just eat a normal amount of food and enjoy myself. There are some really exceptional cooks at my office and I enjoy their cooking and I can easily manage to hit my calorie goals and macro goals. Portion control is a beautiful thing...you don't have to eat granola bars and diet food and what not to lose weight...you can eat actual food and stuff.

Many people when they are just starting find it hard to deviate from the plan without going overboard. She is doing a good job by understanding herself and what she can handle. One step at a time.

Portion control seems like step one to me. *shrugs*

Again, I didn't put anyone down for the food choices they made. I tried to be as polite as possible when SEVERAL comments were made, including the plate in my face incident (how I succeeded in being nice, I don't know). I would love to eat that food. It's been smelling up the office since 8 am. I didn't exclude myself from the potluck entirely, I just didn't eat that food. I didn't say anything in a snotty way or make anyone uncomfortable. I certainly wouldn't go around saying "I'm eating a granola bar and you're all eating ****ty food, you should be eating what I'm eating because I'm better than you!!" I kept my cool. Not saying I'm perfect or any measure of the word, just trying REALLY hard and they make it hard to stick with it. That's all. I wouldn't go out of my way to put down anyone's choices. Usually I'm excited for the stuff-fest, because I like to cook (and eat) but not this time around.. I know that some were just trying to include me (which I appreciate), but some were just downright rude, per the usual.

Well a great first step would be not calling it a "stuff-fest". Try portion control, it works wonders.

As per your OP, you were irritated and derisive. I'm pretty sure they noticed.

Why not eat the wonderful-smelling foods?