Office parties
lizzmongoose
Posts: 4 Member
What do you do to aviod looking like a wet blanket at your office parties/potlucks during this holiday season? And how do you answer the "why aren't you eatting question".
My office is a smaller call center with only 25ish staff members but it doest stop us from ordering fatty food, and bringing in treats from home to share. We have parties for nearly any holiday which means about 4 parties between the end of October and beginning of January.
I personally will bring in a food I don't like, so I look like I'm partipating (generally sweets as I dont eat sweets). I also bring in my lunch and eat it during the party time. Would work perfectly if this didn't result in being asked about 24 times why I'm not eatting the other food with everyone else.
I know it's only a few days out of year but it happens to coincide with the time of year where we are all also attending constant family and friend parties for these same holidays.
Just trying to get a glimpse on how others handle these social obligations.
Thanks
My office is a smaller call center with only 25ish staff members but it doest stop us from ordering fatty food, and bringing in treats from home to share. We have parties for nearly any holiday which means about 4 parties between the end of October and beginning of January.
I personally will bring in a food I don't like, so I look like I'm partipating (generally sweets as I dont eat sweets). I also bring in my lunch and eat it during the party time. Would work perfectly if this didn't result in being asked about 24 times why I'm not eatting the other food with everyone else.
I know it's only a few days out of year but it happens to coincide with the time of year where we are all also attending constant family and friend parties for these same holidays.
Just trying to get a glimpse on how others handle these social obligations.
Thanks
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Replies
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Don't be afraid to bring something to share that you actually can eat or that's less unhealthy. I usually bring a really nice home made fruit salad or a caprese salad. Both are usually a huge hit.5
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I'd fit some party food into my day...0
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There are several ways to handle this.
You could plan to eat some party foods. Fit it in by eating less each day, starting now.
Be ready for the comments and questions. If someone asks if you are on a diet, just say, "I'm just not that hungry today for some reason." or "I just felt like having salad today." Never tell anyone you are on a diet or are trying to lose weight. It somehow turns people into the Diet Police. From then on, every time they see you eat something, they will ask... "Is THAT on your diet? " Every bite you eat from then on will be cause for comment.
And of course you can tell them what you eat is none of their business, but this does tend to make office life difficult after the fact. Diplomacy goes a long way here even though you may feel it all seems to fall on you to be diplomatic. Take the high road. There are many reasons why food pushers exist. Let that be their problem.
Regarding family get togethers. If you have any input, suggest buffet style meals. That makes it a lot easier to eat less if you get to plate your own food. Even then, there will be the pushers. Take the whatever they are pushing, eat a bite or two. Chat a bit and then slowly head for the garbage can. Or "I'm full, may I wrap it up and take it home?" That takes the sting out of the fact that you aren't going to eat it right then and there just to make them happy. Once you get home, you have control over it, throw it out, freeze it or eat it, but you are charge of it, not them.
Good luck. It can be difficult but being prepared will make it doable.
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I eat some food...I don't eat all the foodz. We're having a potluck at work for our Christmas party...I will have a nice plate of food and call it a day...I mean, I'm gonna eat anyway.5
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courtneyfabulous wrote: »Don't be afraid to bring something to share that you actually can eat or that's less unhealthy. I usually bring a really nice home made fruit salad or a caprese salad. Both are usually a huge hit.
This. My "go to" potluck is a bunch of chopped yellow, red, green and orange peppers with a few different types of homemade hummus, pita chips, pesto with grapes. It's festive and fairly healthy.4 -
I skip office parties all together.. If I want to let loose it's not going to be with those dweebs4
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lizzmongoose wrote: »What do you do to aviod looking like a wet blanket at your office parties/potlucks during this holiday season? And how do you answer the "why aren't you eatting question".
My office is a smaller call center with only 25ish staff members but it doest stop us from ordering fatty food, and bringing in treats from home to share. We have parties for nearly any holiday which means about 4 parties between the end of October and beginning of January.
I personally will bring in a food I don't like, so I look like I'm partipating (generally sweets as I dont eat sweets). I also bring in my lunch and eat it during the party time. Would work perfectly if this didn't result in being asked about 24 times why I'm not eatting the other food with everyone else.
I know it's only a few days out of year but it happens to coincide with the time of year where we are all also attending constant family and friend parties for these same holidays.
Just trying to get a glimpse on how others handle these social obligations.
Thanks
Will power combined with self-indulged my body temple is holier-than-though attitude seems to work. You get used to it year after year after year after year.
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Going by your numbers: 4 parties in the span of 3 months. Personally, I just relax and enjoy the food reasonably and eat at around maintenance, that's a total of 2000 calories I haven't lost in these 3 months (assuming a 500 calorie deficit). I simply let it go, the effect on my overall diet would not be that large. That's only 0.2 pound slower per month for a total of just over half a pound over 3 months. Not worth the stress and headache. If I want to be extra vigilant I just bank extra calories for these days or make up for them by eating less next day.
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I use a couple of tricks. If there's a food line I wait and get on the end of the line. I feel like there's less pressure to dive into the food and fewer people watching you do so. And then there's less time for eating after. It also helps if some of the dishes are empty by the time you partake. I've noticed very often the folks who rave the most about the food eat the least...I think it's on purpose, to please the folks who brought food, and give the impression they were all over it, when they only ate one bite of the dishes they wanted. I also eat VERY slowly...if there's still food on my plate when others have cleaned off their first round, it looks I had a bigger plateful than they did, and the comments about not eating enough, or not enjoying it disappear. And frankly, in this day and age with allergens, gluten issues, irritable bowel, sodium issues, and a host of other concerns that don't even have to do with dieting, people should be learning not to comment on other's food choices.5
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I think the trick to handling these questions is to avoid them.
Do not tell people you are on a diet. Do not draw attention to yourself by doing something obviously different like eating a packed lunch from your lunchbox while others eat party food. Or commenting negatively about the food or the event
Do bring something to share that you like and can have within your goals - eg green salad, fruit platter, soup etc.
Then have mostly that and any other low calorie options and small amounts of other things. Keep a small amount on your plate which you toy with and slowly eat it.
Mostly people are really not that interested in what other people eat and don't look that closely, IME, unless it gets drawn to their attention.3 -
You know when the party is going to happen so make sure to allow calories for it so you can eat something there.
Some people bank calories from earlier in the week, some people will do IF that day, some people do more exercise around it.
Personally I fast in morning (because thats what I always do), have a lower calorie lunch, hit the gym before the party and then enjoy myself in moderation at the event. Then make use of all the calories the next day with some more exercise.3 -
lizzmongoose wrote: »I personally will bring in a food I don't like, so I look like I'm partipating (generally sweets as I dont eat sweets). I also bring in my lunch and eat it during the party time. Would work perfectly if this didn't result in being asked about 24 times why I'm not eatting the other food with everyone else.
Why would you bring something you don't like? Bring something you do can eat ... perhaps a fruit and veg platter, or a low-cal banana bread, or crackers and cheese, or something. Do some research ... look for some lower calorie recipes for something you could make or put together.
Fill your plate with the fruit and veg options, and then have one or two of the other choices.
I imagine you would get questions if you brought in your own lunch! Don't bring your lunch to work at all on those days. Use the food at the party as your lunch ... just be selective and don't go overboard.
And then do a bit of extra exercise.
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How do I get by? By not subscribing to the 'all or nothing' mentality. There is a middle ground between 'I must eat it all!' and 'I can't eat any of it!'. For the potlucks, I like the strategy of having my protein (our mgmt usually carers BBQ for our potluck at work) and then 3 of my absolute favorite sides. Eat one plate, maybe a small sweet or two, and I'm done. Usually it's enough. If not, switch to vegetables.
It's all about balance, and not leaving feeling stuffed and miserable. 2 -
No doubt you're not the only person who would like to eat a bit healthier at these functions. I agree, bring something you can eat, sounds like there's plenty of crap being offered, you don't need to add to it. It's refreshing to have healthy options available. Why bring something you aren't going to eat?courtneyfabulous wrote: »Don't be afraid to bring something to share that you actually can eat or that's less unhealthy. I usually bring a really nice home made fruit salad or a caprese salad. Both are usually a huge hit.
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lizzmongoose wrote: »I personally will bring in a food I don't like, so I look like I'm partipating (generally sweets as I dont eat sweets). I also bring in my lunch and eat it during the party time. Would work perfectly if this didn't result in being asked about 24 times why I'm not eatting the other food with everyone else.
Why would you bring something you don't like? Bring something you do can eat ... perhaps a fruit and veg platter, or a low-cal banana bread, or crackers and cheese, or something. Do some research ... look for some lower calorie recipes for something you could make or put together.
Fill your plate with the fruit and veg options, and then have one or two of the other choices.
I imagine you would get questions if you brought in your own lunch! Don't bring your lunch to work at all on those days. Use the food at the party as your lunch ... just be selective and don't go overboard.
And then do a bit of extra exercise.
This. Bringing something that I don't like has never even occurred to me. If I'm going to take the time and money to make it, it's going to be something I will eat.
Other than that, change your point of view. You refraining from eating something does nothing to decrease a normal coworker's enjoyment of the party. If a person is completely bugged beyond reason, that is his/her problem, not yours.
I have to say that I never run into anybody asking why I don't eat something. We have plenty of parties here at work that I have attended to congratulate the honoree and then walked out of without eating anything and nobody has said a word to me about it.1 -
I'm trying to learn to eat as if I was at my goal weight and not trying to lose any more. These types of events are going to happen throughout your life. You (I) need to learn how to deal with them in a healthy way. So yeah, I'm part of the party and eat an appropriate amount of food. Might mean a light dinner or just a protein shake for dinner (assuming a potluck lunch).
Figure out a way to deal with these things that will work for the rest of you life.0 -
My advice, after years of miserable failure and regression, I would suggest the following approach if you are trying to lose weight over the holidays.
- Your goal is fluid, to be somewhere between maintenance and your deficit goal. So taking a 1 lb per week goal (3500 calories), if you have an office party and you overreat by 1000 calories. Oh well you only burn 2500 calories that week (or you can bank calories or get an extra workout in to make up for it). The main goal is not reach the point where you say 'F this, I'm going to go crazy and eat everything and start start next year'. The worst you should be is the same weight as you went into the holiday season as.0 -
Eat something. Don't eat everything. Problem solved.2
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Portion control is key. I also suggest you bring something you can eat. A pretty veggie platter is a nice offering.
Drink A LOT of water at the event.
When someone says why aren't you eating? Say I'm not hungry. If they persist ask an equally rude question back, such as why are you pigging out? When they get offended apologize but point out that based on what they asked you, that you thought it was a new thing, ask your co-work an invasive Q day or something.2 -
I take a bit of what I like at parties. I don't necessarily eat all of what I put on my plate...I may actually just not be hungry for the total amount...it depends. I don't usually have anybody ask why I'm not eating, because I am wandering around with a plate.
I used to do this for "celebration" lunches at the office too.0 -
This is my plan or what I have been doing. Plan for the event - exercising more that day, eating less that day and maybe the days around it. Then I will plan to indulge, but only on the things that are really worth it - items that are my favorite or that I only really see at this time of the year. I am not wasting calories on things that I only "kind of" like. And still watch portion control, such as only allow myself one trip through the food.
And I agree with the comment that I have attended many events like this and have never heard anyone comment on why someone is or is not eating.1 -
I eat or bring a veggie platter almost every time. It helps that I love veggie platters- don't torture yourself by bringing something you don't like.1
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I tend to avoid office parties. Like someone earlier said, "If I'm letting loose, it's not with them." But if it's something I can't avoid - like holidays when people are bringing stuff in or lunches during the workday - I pre-plan by drinking a lot of water and black coffee to fill my stomach. I also have veggies in the office fridge and snack on those. If I feel full, I'm less likely to pick, and if I do, I won't eat too much of anything.0
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I bring my lunch and eat it before the party in my office. I almost always forget there's going to be a party unless it's a potluck and I'm contributing.
Then I take a small amount of whatever looks tasty at the party and take my time eating it. Anyone who asks why I'm not eating more gets told that I forgot and had lunch earlier, so I'm happy with just a few treats. No one ever complains.
If I bring food to a potluck, then I'm just careful about what and how much I take. I've never had anyone comment on how little I eat in that case.0 -
I skip office parties all together.. If I want to let loose it's not going to be with those dweebs
I
this. And agree 100%
I work 12 hr nights with people who plan parties around anything and everything (like "it's Tuesday, let's have all bring in food") so it's not just at the holidays for me. I skip the unit Christmas party because it's not at work and I prefer to be on the clock if I have to hang out with the coworkers. We do at work shift parties so I bring something like a veggie platter and just try a bit of the things I like, but with so many people eating, it's easy to rationalize just taking a spoonful or two. I did make a decision not to participate in those spur of the moment parties (someone has an urge for grilled cheese or tacos, and wants everyone to bring food in to participate) because I don't want to eat what others decide they want, it's too many and too costly etc. If I don't bring something in, I definitely don't participate. No one blinks an eye anymore. I do find preplanning my food for the day helps me see how much wiggle room I have if I decide to participate.
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