How do I say NO, or just stop myself from swinging by Craft for snacks?
violet456
Posts: 674 Member
Here is the situation. I need some tips on this.
I have changed jobs in the past month. Going back to the office in film. The film industry likes to feed it's people because we do work long hours.
Here is what they offer. Catered lunches, every day, some good, some bad. Some days it is like sitting at a Chinese Buffet, and walking away, but in my office I can smell it, so then it makes me want Chinese food after work. Very hard to say no. I have done well so far, as for not taking lunches I get $15/day. Upside and a good motivator.
However, they also provide what is called the "craft service" space. This has snacks all day every day. It is like a fully stocked snack kitchen, Chocolate, cheese, bread, coffee cakes in the morning, trail mix, chicago mix popcorn, chips, cereal, oatmeal, bagels, candy, fruit, ice cream, pop, licorice, pepperoni. And if that isn't enough, if there is something you would like, just ask and they will get it, within reason.
The upside to this job, from my last job, my daily steps has almost doubled, but I haven't really lost weight, and I'm starting to gain, mostly due to the snack kicthen. Chocolates, and jube jubes, and Chicago Popcorn (Caramel, and cheese popcorn mix) are my three weakest things to resist, oh, and cookies. Just walk by and grab One small bite chocolate, no harm, but do that a couple times a day, and then have some popcorn and then, and then, and then it seems.
Usually it helps not to have these fun snacks around the house, if they aren't there, you won't eat them, but I can't not be around this.
I've got a picture of my little one above my desk to help remind me this is who I'm doing this for. Not helping enough.
I'm up for tips to help me resist.
Help Please
I have changed jobs in the past month. Going back to the office in film. The film industry likes to feed it's people because we do work long hours.
Here is what they offer. Catered lunches, every day, some good, some bad. Some days it is like sitting at a Chinese Buffet, and walking away, but in my office I can smell it, so then it makes me want Chinese food after work. Very hard to say no. I have done well so far, as for not taking lunches I get $15/day. Upside and a good motivator.
However, they also provide what is called the "craft service" space. This has snacks all day every day. It is like a fully stocked snack kitchen, Chocolate, cheese, bread, coffee cakes in the morning, trail mix, chicago mix popcorn, chips, cereal, oatmeal, bagels, candy, fruit, ice cream, pop, licorice, pepperoni. And if that isn't enough, if there is something you would like, just ask and they will get it, within reason.
The upside to this job, from my last job, my daily steps has almost doubled, but I haven't really lost weight, and I'm starting to gain, mostly due to the snack kicthen. Chocolates, and jube jubes, and Chicago Popcorn (Caramel, and cheese popcorn mix) are my three weakest things to resist, oh, and cookies. Just walk by and grab One small bite chocolate, no harm, but do that a couple times a day, and then have some popcorn and then, and then, and then it seems.
Usually it helps not to have these fun snacks around the house, if they aren't there, you won't eat them, but I can't not be around this.
I've got a picture of my little one above my desk to help remind me this is who I'm doing this for. Not helping enough.
I'm up for tips to help me resist.
Help Please
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Replies
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PS I do try and bring healthy lunches as an alternative, but that is just a drop in the bucket of issues here.0
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Drink plenty of water. Often our bodies want water, and we think we're hungry. If you find you want to eat something, drink some water and see if that helps.
There was a good blog post a few days ago by @SideSteel where he discussed a research study into the flavor of food, and cravings/overeating. Basically, good tasting food makes you eat more and overrides the full indicator in your stomach. He discussed how he ate the same amount of food as he normally would one evening, but devoid of added flavor, and he found it hard to finish. He also discussed how he could taste the food this way, and still enjoyed it. So if your wanting try be full, stick to the less flavored and sweet items.
I've found after a time of abstaining from sweets I don't want them. This causes binges in some people, so it may not work for you. When I do have a doughnut, or something similar, I'm typically hungrier the rest of the day and have to eat less somewhere else. Remembering how much better I feel, and posting/reading the forums helps me remember: I don't want sweets, I want vitality, energy, happiness, to be able to move at will, and to be the best I can for my loved ones.
The last solution is to go with IIFYM (if it fits your macros). See if something palatable on the table would cover your cravings (stop and think what your craving), then eat a small portion, log it, and adjust your day otherwise. You can have sweets, but have to be careful in the quantity.
I worked at a place that provided all kinds of regular size candy bars, chips, snacks, soda, etc and I put back on all 65 pounds that I had lost before starting there. I wasn't prepared to make the sacrifices elsewhere in my diet (and had just started with a 3 hour roundtrip commute), and was tired-hungry, and lost all the ground I'd fought for. I hope what's above helps, because I know the challenge and how easy it is to lose sight of the goal.0 -
I find getting more protein earlier in the day helps me resist snacking. And if I need to snack, I try to limit it to higher protein foods, which satisfy me more. Sweets and carbs tend to just drive me into hunger-snack-hunger cycles.
Maybe grabbing some cheese, or requesting jerky or boiled eggs if they suit you, would provide better "resisting power" than the chocolate and cookies?0 -
I find getting more protein earlier in the day helps me resist snacking. And if I need to snack, I try to limit it to higher protein foods, which satisfy me more. Sweets and carbs tend to just drive me into hunger-snack-hunger cycles.
+1 on this as well. I have more protein early in the day to help keep me sated.0 -
Drink plenty of water. Often our bodies want water, and we think we're hungry. If you find you want to eat something, drink some water and see if that helps. I do try to drink plenty of water, I try for 3/4 liter first thing in the morning then a liter while I'm at work.
There was a good blog post a few days ago by @SideSteel where he discussed a research study into the flavor of food, and cravings/overeating. Basically, good tasting food makes you eat more and overrides the full indicator in your stomach. He discussed how he ate the same amount of food as he normally would one evening, but devoid of added flavor, and he found it hard to finish. He also discussed how he could taste the food this way, and still enjoyed it. So if your wanting try be full, stick to the less flavored and sweet items.
I've found after a time of abstaining from sweets I don't want them. This causes binges in some people, so it may not work for you. When I do have a doughnut, or something similar, I'm typically hungrier the rest of the day and have to eat less somewhere else. Remembering how much better I feel, and posting/reading the forums helps me remember: I don't want sweets, I want vitality, energy, happiness, to be able to move at will, and to be the best I can for my loved ones. I am hoping being part of the groups again will help remind me, but it is still hard to say no.
The last solution is to go with IIFYM (if it fits your macros). See if something palatable on the table would cover your cravings (stop and think what your craving), then eat a small portion, log it, and adjust your day otherwise. You can have sweets, but have to be careful in the quantity.I try to start small, and one day I may succeed in mostly staying within my calories etc, but then the next day I have a bit more, and then the next is worse and I'm completely derailed from logging.
I worked at a place that provided all kinds of regular size candy bars, chips, snacks, soda, etc and I put back on all 65 pounds that I had lost before starting there. I wasn't prepared to make the sacrifices elsewhere in my diet (and had just started with a 3 hour roundtrip commute), and was tired-hungry, and lost all the ground I'd fought for.How did you say no while you were working there to stop the gain and get back on track?
I hope what's above helps, because I know the challenge and how easy it is to lose sight of the goal.
I have made some inserts into the text above in Bold. (I think,) The biggest question is, while you were still at the job that had the snacks and chocolate, how did you get back on track and start to say no?
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I find getting more protein earlier in the day helps me resist snacking. And if I need to snack, I try to limit it to higher protein foods, which satisfy me more. Sweets and carbs tend to just drive me into hunger-snack-hunger cycles.
Maybe grabbing some cheese, or requesting jerky or boiled eggs if they suit you, would provide better "resisting power" than the chocolate and cookies?
I'm finally at an age where I think salt is effecting my water retention. Lately my ankles/feet are ballooning by the end of the day. It isn't good. I do try and have the babybel cheese etc for a snack, but I just find it so hard to resist the bad for you snacks too. It's not that I'm hungry, just used to eating that junk when it is around.
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In that situation, I would pre-log everything. If I'm in the mood to get a snack, I immediately go to MFP and make sure it fits in with my calories for the day. If it does, yay! If it doesn't, then I don't eat it. Much easier said than done, but I think knowing how many calories you're consuming beforehand helps with eating moderately.
Something that really helped me out was understanding why I was eating so much. For me, I ate so much because it was how I dealt with difficult situations in my life. From there, I learned other ways to handle those situations (take a walk outside, read a chapter, write, etc.). After a while, I realized that it's just food. It shouldn't hold any power over me, and I'm not going to allow it to anymore.
I gained about 100 pounds in the span of two years when I first started a desk job. Food was around me all the time, and I realized the problem wasn't what I was eating or how much I was drinking but how I was treating myself. That made a huge difference.0 -
Straight force of will is your short term solution. Once you get your body "reprogrammed" for healthier impulses you won't have the same level of difficulties.
Commit and repeat your goal to yourself: I just decided that my long-term health was more important than the instant gratification provided by the sugary sweets.
I didn't do this my first real diet, I only limited my calories and didn't allow good in the house that would tempt me to over eat. When I got to the new work location it was a disaster, and I gained back all the weight I'd lost. This time I didn't restrict what was at home, or work, and changed my mind.
Train your impulses and cravings: I'm assuming there are fruits and veggies, I would make yourself eat those until it becomes a habit. Once you reset your pallet for less sugar the high sugar will taste weird, and the impulse when you walk up to the table will be to look at the fruits and veggies first.
I sold it to myself every day, "i don't want x i want something that will help me reach my goals, and make me healthier." It's gotten to where when I walk thorough a bakery I don't want to look at the sweets; I've programmed myself not to care about/obsess over sweets, and so I just carry on my way. I'm not saying I never want sweets, but when I do it's as much a craving as any other food and isn't overwhelming.
Keep telling yourself why: Just keep telling yourself why you don't want the high calorie snacks, set up motivating pictures and quotes (rotating computer background maybe). If you think through all the alternatives and decide you do want one sweet, then make it fit into your calorie range. I didn't allow myself any until I'd completely abstained for a while to reset my cravings, and it was hard mentally and hurt some people's feelings because I wouldn't eat their "contributions" to morale. It was worth it though; my relationship is now more healthy with food.
Now when others are eating from a dozen donuts, I think "would I like a doughnut?" Then, if I do that day, I think "how can I fit one in?" If I make a miscalculation, and am too high on calories I eat a smaller dinner.
In the end you have to convince your body what is good for it, and convince your brain to stick with the healthy things the majority of the time. It's a delicate balance between lack of desire and forbidden fruit, but it's one you'll have to feel out for yourself.
Hopefully this isn't too disjointed or confusing, I'm writing it on my phone.0 -
Scargnx: that is probably the most realistic advice i heard in a long time, its hard to rewrite our brains but it can be done!!0
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jocoblossoming wrote: »In that situation, I would pre-log everything. If I'm in the mood to get a snack, I immediately go to MFP and make sure it fits in with my calories for the day. If it does, yay! If it doesn't, then I don't eat it. Much easier said than done, but I think knowing how many calories you're consuming beforehand helps with eating moderately.I will try and pre log, it's a good idea.
Something that really helped me out was understanding why I was eating so much. For me, I ate so much because it was how I dealt with difficult situations in my life. From there, I learned other ways to handle those situations (take a walk outside, read a chapter, write, etc.). After a while, I realized that it's just food. It shouldn't hold any power over me, and I'm not going to allow it to anymore. One of my biggest killers is if I don't have a good night's sleep and I am tired. As easy as it is to say, just get to bed early, I have two kids under two, neither of them sleep through the night consistently. My wife takes the newborn mostly, but him waking is disrupting, but I take my 17 MO when he does wake which is usually at least once a night. When I am so very tired, I go to food for energy, I do try for more protein for lasting energy, but coffee and sugar are my weakness in times like this. Other things are just, I'm wanting good food.
I gained about 100 pounds in the span of two years when I first started a desk job. Food was around me all the time, and I realized the problem wasn't what I was eating or how much I was drinking but how I was treating myself. That made a huge difference.
Thank you for the suggestions.
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Sugar is evil! When you consume sugar, your body craves more. Once you begin limiting the amount if sugar you consume, your cravings will diminish and it will become easier. You can do it!0
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Mimilucious wrote: »Sugar is evil! When you consume sugar, your body craves more. Once you begin limiting the amount if sugar you consume, your cravings will diminish and it will become easier. You can do it!
I fully agree. Thank you. I"m trying. It's a work in progress.
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LOL, aren't we all?!0
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