Need help with office treats...

mbrown913
mbrown913 Posts: 10 Member
edited June 2016 in Food and Nutrition
How do you guys deal with treats (donuts/cookies/pizza, etc) in the office? It seems like it's always someone's birthday, someone always brings in donuts/muffins/pastries or there is always food leftover from a meeting. Sometimes you bring your own lunch but the temptation of a slice of cake, pizza, etc is too tempting when it's right in front of you in the office. How does everyone avoid the office treats?
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Stay connected to your goals. Make room for a treat when it is something you really, really enjoy. Make sure your lunches are things you truly enjoy so you don't feel deprived.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Eat them within the confines of your calorie and macronutritional goals or practice willpower and don't eat them.

    I know which option I would choose.

    There is nothing inherently wrong with cake, pizza, donuts and no reason to avoid them, just practice moderation.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    I log them before I eat them. If it fits, I'll enjoy a treat, but it usually doesn't. Seeing the numbers is pretty motivating to stay away from that food.

    If I'm really jonesing for a cookie or a bagel, I'll tell myself I can have one in an hour. Usually the scavengers have eaten everything by the time I go back to the snack table, or my craving goes away.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    Pre log your meals and stick with what you planned on eating.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    Stay connected to your goals. Make room for a treat when it is something you really, really enjoy. Make sure your lunches are things you truly enjoy so you don't feel deprived.

    This^

    Learn to walk away from some things. Toll house cookies? .....I'm there. Wal-Mart chocolate chip cookies? ....I'll pass.

    When you get to goal you will still need to manage these kinds of things. A smaller you is going to require fewer calories forever, not "diet" calories.....but still there's no going back to the usual.

    Definitely this. If it isn't worth it don't waste the calories. There have been many things at my work too where I took a bite - realized it wasn't worth it and right in the trash it goes (be subtle - don't scream gross and toss in down right in front of whoever brought it).

    Donut looks too good to resist? Cut it in half or 4ths. Have one slice of pizza not 3.

    Our treat table is directly between my desk and the water cooler. When the treats are yummy and hard to resist - I take a different route. Do NOT walk by the treat table where I am tempted to grab and nibble.
  • Scamd83
    Scamd83 Posts: 808 Member
    edited June 2016
    mbrown913 wrote: »
    How do you guys deal with treats (donuts/cookies/pizza, etc) in the office? It seems like it's always someone's birthday, someone always brings in donuts/muffins/pastries or there is always food leftover from a meeting. Sometimes you bring your own lunch but the temptation of a slice of cake, pizza, etc is too tempting when it's right in front of you in the office. How does everyone avoid the office treats?

    There's no trick to it, you just keep trying until it sticks. I think we're all stories of past failures before eventually finding success. That's all you can do, try and hope your best efforts are enough. I guess the only practical advice I can give you is to remind yourself of your goal whenever temptation strikes. Maybe through some physical item such as a smaller item of clothing that looks really great that you want to fit into? Have it with you at work that you can look at whenever you feel the need perhaps. Also depending on how much weight you have to lose schedule a cheat meal every so often so you have something to look forward to (the more you have to lose the less frequent these should be/but the less you have to lose maybe they can be a fortnightly and eventually weekly thing). Might be easier to pass up office snacks if you know you've got something you really want coming up.
  • JenHuedy
    JenHuedy Posts: 611 Member
    If I REALLY want it, I'll make it fit, but only if it's something I love. Brownies and cakes from box mixes, never worth it. Pizza, bagels, if I'm in the mood. Donuts or cupcakes, from certain locals bakeries... I'M IN!

    Luckily, 9 times out of 10 the treats aren't worth it and I can walk away. And I have always managed to get the few that I did decide to eat to fit in my calories by cutting back on other things and/or adding in an 30-60 walk before bed.
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
    I dont take one. If im forced to ill take it and then take ut home and bin it. Sometimes i take it home and split it for dessert with the hubby.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    if you want to have one and it fits into your goals for the day then have one, if it will not fit into your goals for the day then don't have them. It is that simple.
  • kirstenb13
    kirstenb13 Posts: 181 Member
    This one is so easy in my opinion - I just don't eat anything at work I didn't bring in. Takes no will power at all, it's just not an option for me at all so I never want it anyway.
  • mbrown913
    mbrown913 Posts: 10 Member
    Also another question, what if the office orders lunch all of the time? Most of the time it's usually pizza, or something unhealthy...Do you guys just go for the salad?(If they do order a salad?)
  • mommazach
    mommazach Posts: 384 Member
    We have tons of working lunch... About once a week. I order a salad. EVERYTIME. If they have protein, even better. I also pack my own snacks. I do weekly meal prep to make sure I have enough for home and the office. I'm great with walking away from them, directly to the fridge to get my pre-measured fruits, veggies, or mixed nuts. I'm in competition with no one, but I won't let others sabotage me either.
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    I love free food so I can relate..my mom grew up poor and always encouraged us to take free stuff.

    If its community food I try to think about all the different sets of hands touching the food. You know some of your co workers likely don't wash their hands. Or their keyboards. I can usually walk away. Cuz it grosses me out.

  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Self-control is like a muscle...the more you use it, the stronger it gets. You have to set your mind that you're not going to eat them. Eventually, at least for me, something clicks in my brain and it realizes it's not going to get the treat just because it wants it...and it (usually, I still have my moments) becomes much less of a temptation.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    mbrown913 wrote: »
    Also another question, what if the office orders lunch all of the time? Most of the time it's usually pizza, or something unhealthy...Do you guys just go for the salad?(If they do order a salad?)

    bring in your own lunch ..

    we have office lunch - i am an owner- I dont require that all of my employees gorge themselves...
  • robingmurphy
    robingmurphy Posts: 349 Member
    For me, I had to make a hard rule that I do not eat free food given away at the office. It's easier for me to just not eat it at all than to try to fit it in to my calorie allotment and have to think about the temptation to keep eating every day. I tell myself that if I really, really want that cookie, brownie, etc. then I can wait and go buy one (ONE!) later and fit it in my calories.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    mbrown913 wrote: »
    Also another question, what if the office orders lunch all of the time? Most of the time it's usually pizza, or something unhealthy...Do you guys just go for the salad?(If they do order a salad?)

    My office orders in occasionally, and I always know what day that will be. It's usually pizza, sandwiches, or BBQ, all of which I can make work in my calorie goals. I pre-log what I intend to eat and stick to that. If your office is ordering in lunch a LOT, don't feel bad about bringing your own lunch and passing on the pizza. (We get salad with our pizza, but it's terrible... So no, I don't go for the salad.)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    mbrown913 wrote: »
    Also another question, what if the office orders lunch all of the time? Most of the time it's usually pizza, or something unhealthy...Do you guys just go for the salad?(If they do order a salad?)

    "All the time" - Is this 5 days a week?

    I have a co-worker that eats out every single day. I don't feel obliged to order out (with her) because I bring my lunch. Besides, I wouldn't want a side salad 5 days a week. My lunches are more varied than that.

    If this is once in awhile, then I partake (minimally). Something like this - 2 pizza choices - thin crust, 1 meat & veggies OR pan pizza, meat lovers......along with a salad. I choose 1 slice of thin crust, least meat (most veggies) and then I eat salad. Then I log that. It probably fits reasonably well for the day.

    When you start logging pizza and it impacts the calories you have left for the day......you can let your co-workers dictate your progress or you can bring your own lunches (at least sometimes).
  • TheDarlingOne
    TheDarlingOne Posts: 255 Member
    On thing that's starting to give me a bit better visual of things...
    At first glance I see the precious lovely cupcake calling my name.
    If it's home-made, I may consider what home it was made in (made by which co-worker).
    Knowing it didn't come from MY home, where I control what went in (GERMS AND ALL haha)...I may think a long hard moment before deciding to dive on it or not.

    Like they say about gossipy people in the office...golden rule: "Consider the source!" applies here too haha.
  • hellonew2015
    hellonew2015 Posts: 327 Member
    What works for me is to always feel full. I bring my own food which I enjoy, I do not care if they have at the office my favorite food on earth.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    you just learn to say

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  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
    I like the pre-logging idea, so you know you don't have the calorie budget for those foods, or you know you'd have to run for 2.5 miles to pay for them!

    And not only should you keep an eye on your calorie budget, think about how you will feel. You could budget for your ONE slice of pizza for lunch, 250-350 calories, all good. And then at 2 o'clock you're STARVING because you're used to eating more than that... and that's where I usually fall off the wagon for the day. Knowing that you have a container FULL of delicious healthy foods that will keep you full 'til you get home vs. one piece of pizza that will be digested in about 5 minutes.

  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    edited June 2016
    I usually have some, log it, and make the rest of the day work around it. If I can see that it's going to be too much of a sacrifice to make something fit I usually don't have much trouble leaving it alone.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    I like to enjoy those sorts of foods, and can't do that when tapping away on my keyboard or answering the phone. If i eat them, it's in my personal time but when i was losing, i wanted it so much, the treats weren't worth it.
  • novio50
    novio50 Posts: 778 Member
    I remind myself that there's no sweet item that I can't make taste better than what my coworkers have brought into the office. In my case, this is totally true! Sweets have been a major portion of my life, especially making them. So for me, there's nothing that has come close to one of my old creations.

    But for you, it's only a _______, there will probably be some thing else next week! There's no need to use those cals for something that may not be as helpful to you as it tastes. It's probably not as good as you hope.
  • canadianvampyregurl
    canadianvampyregurl Posts: 231 Member
    I love to bake. When I do bake, I make sure I bake items that fit within my health journey :) I will bring the healthy treats to work and share. People get excited when I bring things to work because they know I bring healthy, yummy, homemade goodies.

    I choose to walk away from the tim hortons donuts that people bring in because my calories are precious and I want to have things that are worth it :)

    We have a chef at work and she bakes pre-made cookie dough and all that stuff from large grocery suppliers. I don't even crave it anymore because I know I can make better and I can track it better because I know EXACTLY what goes in to what I make :)
  • hollyrayburn
    hollyrayburn Posts: 905 Member
    I dont take one. If im forced to ill take it and then take ut home and bin it. Sometimes i take it home and split it for dessert with the hubby.

    No one can force you to take anything. Just saying.
  • mom2colbyj
    mom2colbyj Posts: 119 Member
    I used just to say no and avoid it. However now that I've changed jobs where our patients bring us food (sweets) to thank us after their treatment is finished I let myself enjoy a little. I try and make it fit into my calories but I think it's more important for me to celebrate with the patient than stress about it especially since it's not an every day or even every week occurrence. Life is short, I work at a job that proves it. Either politely decline or just pick a day of the week/month(s) to have something. My last job they seemed to have a potluck every week. It took about a month of me saying that unless they could tell me the exact sodium count and calorie count I couldn't have it before they stopped hounding me.