Binging on free food at work

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  • Marcia315
    Marcia315 Posts: 460 Member
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    When I stopped making foods "forbidden" and gave myself permission to have one, it started being easy to resist, or at least not gorge. Have a cookie. Log it. Move on.
  • hzliiz
    hzliiz Posts: 166 Member
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    I feel you OP, this is tough! I'll echo the person who said she tells herself "That's not for me." I do the same thing. I also don't allow myself to feel sorry for myself or like the people who are eating the food "get to" do something that I don't. I tell myself I'm choosing what to eat today, just as those people are choosing what to eat today. I'm not a victim because I recognize that I can't eat every tempting thing that passes by and not get fat. I can do one or the other, but not both. Finally I'll say this is as much habit as anything. I used to partake in the office treats along with everyone else and it became habit. It was a hard habit to break, but now not doing it is a habit. So it gets easier in other words.
  • Wtn_Gurl
    Wtn_Gurl Posts: 396 Member
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    This is what I do since i have the SAME problem. I follow this plan of attack -

    When you know theres free food, you really do have to stop getting up off your seat and walking over there and getting it. If you do not see it, you wont be as tempted.

    however, so that you dont feel like your being left out of the celebration of free food, you have to bring your own treats and eat that instead. A treat that you can eat.

    If all else fails, go to the free food and see if you can pick the best thing there, and have that.

    If that fails, eat one little piece, and walk away and thats it. perhaps it will satisfy your craving.

    Each time you have some control over the food, you will be stronger when you dont answer the call. We can get conditioned just like a dog to answer when the bell rings so to speak.

    That may be something you have to work on - a challenge to not salivate over the free food, and if its hurting you, then really you have to change your attitude toward it. it may be "free" but that taste only lasts two seconds, and then you get fat.. so if you can weight the consequences of eating the free food, maybe its not such a good deal after all.

    You could also try this - you can sit at your seat and not respond to it, but perhaps wait a half hour or 15 minutes and then most of the food by then would be picked over by others, and then there is no food for you left to eat, so the problem is solved that way!

    I do think saying no is the best and you will have to relearn your responses to your bad habits that made you fat. figure out which is more important - being slim or eating treats.
  • grrrlwonder
    grrrlwonder Posts: 59 Member
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    One of the best tips I've used in my previous office where there was lots of goodies every single time, is making myself accountable to others. I used to show my colleagues (by ordering only very healthy lunches for example, or by coming back from an intense workout after lunch or in the AM) that I was very healthy and health food oriented, and they would ask lots of question, we would talk about it etc. I used to always refuse snacks the first few times because I had the willpower most of the time.
    Once this is set up, it makes declining unhealthy foods MUCH easier because well, aren't you the "super healthy girl who doesn't eat junk?" You don't want to hear your colleagues going like "oh YOU eat CAKE?"

    Fake it until you make it kind of logic has never worked better!

    This.

    Additionally, I'd bet you are not alone in your desire to not have junk around all the time. If you talk about it, other people will comfortable talking about it too. Our office has gradually turned into a place that used to order out every day, to now where we all sit around with our salads. After our last office potluck, during which most of us tried to bring in healthy foods, I heard someone tell our office baker (who is also struggling with her diet) to please take the cream puffs home and leave them there. I couldn't have been happier.
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
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    I second the advice that you just remember that whatever the goodie, it's bound to come around again so it's not like you have to eat it because you'll miss out. This was my mindset recently at a restaurant when they had my favorite cookies. I reminded myself that they have these cookies every Friday! I was able to just say no, knowing that at some point down the road I can have one if I really want to.
  • havenoenvyonlylove
    havenoenvyonlylove Posts: 31 Member
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    Same thing happened to me. I had to tell myself sugar and snacks are designed by chemists todo be addictive and it wasn't my fault I couldn't go. I finally decide I wanted my health to be my lifestyle and not to feed into and help fuel my addiction. I made a promise to myself not to have added sugar or processedod, with the occasional cafe latte or hot chocolate on the weekend to help get me through it. Took 3 weeks of staring at chocolates in the grocery aisles, anda grabbing either organic yogurt or coconut water instead, and calling my mom for daily support, who already quit sugar. It was a difficult withdrawal but after 3 weeks I didnt even want the goodies any more.
  • RachelRuns9
    RachelRuns9 Posts: 585 Member
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    I haven't read all 4 pages, but my solution to this was all or nothing. I never have free work food anymore. The only time I participate is when we have "birthday" cupcakes for someone, and I'll go to the "party" with my quest bar and eat that instead of the cake. Free food is in every room of my workplace (tubs of twizzlers, pretzels, chocolates, cookies) and I never ever have any of it. All or nothing for me.

    I just would rather spend my cals on something else, and that's my motivation.

    Edit to say that after saying 'No thanks" a bunch of times, it got a lot easier. Eventually I didnt even crave the stuff. At least not the way I used to. I can look at it and think "oh, looks good!" and go on about my day without even coming close to grabbing one. You'll get there!
  • RachelRuns9
    RachelRuns9 Posts: 585 Member
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    Also, what about inspiring some sort of culture change so that everyone brings in free healthy food instead?
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    I'm a teacher and our faculty lounge is loaded with grocery store bakery goods or the leftovers of someone's birthday cake. I solved the problem by not going in there. My classroom is my haven and I have plenty of my own treats. Besides the faculty lounge is also full of people complaining about kids and that's not good for anyone.

    Decide what you want. . . the crap sitting on those tables or your health.
  • nomorebingesgirl2014
    nomorebingesgirl2014 Posts: 378 Member
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