Question: Is it Rude to Excuse Yourself from Office/Work lu

Ask a friend or two to help you bring some healthy dishes to the picnic. Be part of the solution. Ten to one there are a few fellow employees who would like to see some healthier fare at work as well.

Nope, not rude at all. Next time they are planning one, perhaps you can suggest a place where you can go. That way, you show you ARE interested in being with them... just not the bad food.

I don't think it's rude but expect for some co-workers to say rude comments.
A while ago, I think I was pregnant with my first at the time, a group of us from work went to eat at a diner. One of the girls, who was on a strict diet and barely eating at the time (or so it seemed), came with us and ordered a pea soup, just a pea soup. She thrashed her spoon from one side to the other and ate maybe a quarter of her soup. Then she excused herself to go use the bathroom and one of my bosses blurted out, "What are you going to do now, throw up!"
Very rude. That is just how people are.

I don't think it's rude, I think it is smart. I know a co-worker who is trying to lose weight, but can't, because she keeps getting take away with the rest of the girls every night. I think if you ever want to treat yourself, but if it helps you stay on track, go for it.

I definatly agree with making an appearance to these functions, but eating before hand might be a good idea so you can eat less there or at the picnic get together with fellow employees and make some healthy foods, share your drive to be a healthier person with them you'd be suprised how contagious it is

I don't think it's rude either. I'm really lucky because there are only two of us in the office here and my boss is trying to lose weight too so he's very supportive. However, I used to work in an office of over 120 people and they were always throwing pot luck lunches or having cakes for baby showers and going away parties. If I had enough time to plan ahead, I'd factor it into my eating for that day and try to make good choices.

If it was just cake, I was able to just go into the kitchen to join in the celebration but not partake of the cake part.

It depends on the dynamics of your office I suppose.

I teach and we have monthly birthday luncheons which happened to be today. I walked by and it was these giant vats of pasta. Which figures because I'm low carbing it right now. I ran outta there like it was the plague!!!!!

I think any work function that expects everyone to be there is absurd. Especially when it's after work during the week or ever worse during the weekend. People have lives and stuff to do outside of work and no one should dare get upset with someone if they don't feel like going to something like this. YOU at least have a good reason which should be just fine.

They should be able to understand. I personally don't and usually never participate in office functions for the sole purpose of the gossip that goes around. I don't care for office gossip and so I stay away. However they do bring loads of junky food and that's a no go for me. They are used to me not ever attending anything because I am "shy" or so they think I am. I've been here for 12 years and I've perhaps gone to 5 things max.

Don't feel bad...if you explain and they don't get it there's nothing you can do. You need to watch out for yourself which is most important. :happy:

It depends. There are some work functions I've had that are kind of put on by the higher-ups, and part of their reason for having it is to see you (or someone else) & get a chance to talk to you in a more casual atmosphere about career or anything. If I were to always slough these off it would hurt my chances of being successful. So I go, at least for a while, and try to eat what I can. I've had others comment about why I'm only doing salad or whatever - it's no biggee. But I do try to plan ahead & either have some of my healthier stuff right before or right after the function, if I don't like what'll be offered there.

Something occurred to me while reading over this thread again. Do you have something physical you've wanted to do but haven't because of your fitness level? Most of us do I believe. For me, I have several and could easily rotate through them as I accomplish them from easier to harder.
It's super easy for me right now because my most immediate goal is to get completely off of insulin. I also have a 5 year old and at age 50 I need to get fit to keep up with him so that's number 2, also of course to be around for him later but while it is actually urgent it won't be perceived as such by others because they are not educated on just how dangerous diabetes is.
Anyway when people get snotty about your dieting, it is often because they have never been successful and thus have bought into the whole be comfortable at your "natural" weight. Unless you have a glandular condition or are physically impaired in some way that keeps you from getting enough exercise(both of these situations are extremely rare), there is nothing "natural" about being obese.
Our modern lifestyle has done this to us. Very few raw foods in most diets so not a bunch of caloric effort but into digestion, fiber stripped out of lots of stuff so again, not much caloric burn required to digest and also not as filling so you want more. Body wants water so we give it caffeine, sodium and sugar laden beverages with carbonation to leach the calcium from our bones and our teeth.
Most of our fresh veggies that we eat raw have been shipped and most have been picked before they were ready and thus not at optimum nutrient levels. The only things we actually need to cook are meat and grains and we can get away with not cooking meat from a purely digestive point of view. We also were not meant to do any one activity for a majority of the day. Not supposed to move all day long, not supposed to sit all day long, not supposed to stand in one place and only move our arms all day long either.

My point is that we, as a society have the odds stacked against us. Those off us who are making real effort, sticking to it (looks slightly sheepish) and seeing real, lasting results are going to garner resentment. The others have not reached the tipping point for them that makes them want to change, or maybe they don't have the support at home, could be anything. So they resent people who are "on a diet" because they have tried and tried diets but didn't exercise as well and thus failed, and they don't want to do the hard work that it takes. This is also why you have the friend/relative who is constantly throwing temptations in your face. This is of course excepting the few who have naturally good metabolisms or who have maintained an active lifestyle or are still young enough that it's still easy for them to eat what they want.

The other part is that we as a society, while not necessarily participating in, glorify sports, and sports heroes as well as entertainers. Can you imagine anyone being rude to someone who says "I'm trying to stay on my training diet because I've always wanted to (insert goal here)" if you have an event that you are shooting for then add the details. I think they would not only applaud you but maybe even be supportive.

I still stand by my previous statement that it is rude, however it is also an opportunity to provide a positive example! good luck!

I would say definitely not rude. A job is just a job, co-workers are just co-workers, that's it. You have no obligation to them regarding your eating habits. Your health and your life is what's important. If they don't like it, oh well, eventually they will get used to it.

Rude?
-Maybe

Should you care?
-I wouldn't

I go to events and bring my cooler with my meals... not even the ball parks I have been to have refused me... only at one party did I get a look from one person that seemed to say "how rude" that I brought food I could eat... and she wasn't the hostess (the hostess was absolutely amazing). 66 pounds and 11 inches later, it indeed works...