Office parties and moderation?

People don't really notice how much you eat, I think. If you refuse food and sit there without anything they might notice, but if you just take reasonable servings and eat slowly they don't.

Drinking to excess at an office party seems like something to avoid for reasons beyond diet. That's another thing where if you are drinking something (I generally drink diet coke) people don't normally know what you are drinking. And if they really do drink too much they will notice less.

I work for a law office (there are 3 total offices). The main office (all 3 offices are invited) normally does a big party in the evening with dinner served and an open bar, which you can chose not to go. However, this year, they decided to do a luncheon and made it mandatory! I have NO idea what we are going to be eating, but the same day our office is having a Christmas breakfast. So, that Friday is going to be pretty bad... lol. I decided I would just eat in moderation. I get out of having to not drink. And since both are supposed to be buffet like, I can make my own decisions on what I want to eat.

I usually just try to eat and drink in moderation. If I don't want to drink, I just grab the same glass as everyone else and fill it up with diet coke/diet dr pepper.

I just had my own office party last week. To be honest.... if your goal is maintenance and/or weight loss, and you're able most of the time to take off 1-1.5lbs a week consistently, and willing to make the time to exercise- don't worry about splurging, enjoy yourself- just as long as you get back on track the next day. (it takes discipline, but it works). As I've had it explained to me- permanent wieght is gained over a long period of time- not a short one.

To put things into perspective- what's the worst you can gain in a sitting? remember- every 3,500 calories you eat= 1lb of permanent weight. In order to gain 1lb, these 3,500 calories have to be what you eat IN ADDITION to your BMR. If you gain 2lbs- that's 7,000 calories you have to ingest. For a person on a 1,400 calorie diet (with -1000 calorie deficit)- this means in order to gain 1lb- you would have to eat the equivalent of 3.5 ENTIRE TYPICAL DAY's worth of food- in just one day. And then - there's the fact that your body is likely not even going to metabolize a good chunk of those calories... and also spend a huge amount of calories digesting the food...

Likely, as long as you limit yourself to that 1 day- what will happen is your body will hold on to the food you ate, maybe regain 5-6lbs of water weight- then lose most (if not all) of it within a week. It's when you splurge constantly- then weight gain becomes a problem.

The closer you are to retirement, the less ya gotta participate for the politickin'. If you go, hold your "drink" in your hand but refrain from boozing. Look festive but not bootylicious, be seen but not obnoxious, and never wear a jacket (coat or outer-wear). That way, you can slip out the door quieter when no one is looking.

The very last place you want to overindulge in alcohol is the office party. Many a career has been cut short by someone acting the fool because they hit the punch too hard. Have one drink then switch to something non-alcoholic. If you feel there's pressure, ask the bartender to make you a non-alcoholic drink in the same glassware (a diet coke with a lime wedge in a tall skinny glass so people think it's a rum and coke, for example).

As for food? As long as you are doing well with your diet, I see no reason you can't eat more calories than you ordinarily would. You don't have to go crazy but take a little bit of everything, sample the desserts, and enjoy yourself.

I've never known anyone to actually monitor my consumption at the office party. In my extensive office politicking experience, good general participation is expected...meaning interactions with people, etc...doesn't necessarily mean stuffing your face and drinking all the booze.

Actually in my experience, getting too drunk is generally frowned upon...maybe not by your direct peers, but by the people who actually matter.

The social expectations at office parties around alcohol really vary by industry.

Sticking to 1-2 drinks at most is good practice and expected for many conservative industries. But in some industries, like advertising, the norms are different, and there's plenty of heavy drinking (and other substances, legal or otherwise) at office parties. There often is pressure to keep up in the alcohol department, lest people think you're a stick-in-the-mud.

Having said that, I agree with everyone else who said that most people are focused on themselves and won't notice what you're drinking or not drinking. Don't leave unreasonably early; don't sit there with an empty plate refusing food all night, and don't treat everyone to a long speech about how you're on a diet. As long as you avoid these things, and just consume in moderation and have fun, nobody will care.

Also, if there's a dance floor, spend as much time as is reasonably possible on it shaking your groove thing. Not only does dancing burn calories, but nobody will accuse you of skipping the social niceties if you're out there enjoying yourself and being the life of the party. Plus, when you're dancing, you're not eating, and nobody expects you to.