Is your workplace helping you weight loss?

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13

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  • lildevil968
    lildevil968 Posts: 152 Member
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    It sure does. We have a faculty gym downstairs that is open to all faculty, and they allot us 3 hours a week for fitness. Since I work on the Air Force Academy there are a bunch of running trails, and hiking trails as well. Sometimes on non school days our office will take a half a day, and go hiking on the trails around us.
  • njbooklover
    njbooklover Posts: 77 Member
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    bump
  • Matiara
    Matiara Posts: 377 Member
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    My workplace is schizoid.

    If you want to join a gym or something like Weight Watchers or a smoking cessation program, they will pay for half. There are also showers, though I work out at home and have no use for them. A few months ago, they started providing free fruit in our breakroom.

    However, we have vending machines with almost no healthy options. Ditto the cafeteria. I only eat there once a week and get a burger and fries, but still, if I wanted something healthy I'd be limited to salad or a grilled chicken sandwich and they have a huge menu. Also, at the same time they started offering the free fruit, they also started providing free soda.

    As for my coworkers, fuggedaboutit. 70% of my coworkers are overweight and more than a handful are morbidly obese. Those of us who eschew the treats that are brought in or limit ourselves to a reasonable portion are made fun of and told that we need to "live a little". The peer pressue to eat junk food when it's brought in is like some bizarre version of high school. I can't believe these people are adults when they try to get me and others to gorge ourselves silly on whatever "treats" are brought in. The words "No, thank you" are the opening salvo of war.

    They also equate my 2 mile roundtrip walking commute to climbing Mount Everest give me looks of pity when the weather is inclement, no matter how much I protest, and truthfully I might add, that I enjoy my walk.
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
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    We are only 7 people at the firm where I work but all of them are in shape (except one) and NONE of them eat sweets. In fact we never have donuts, sweets, junk food in the office, ever. Everyone snacks on fruits, nuts, etc. One co-worker lifts weights and has lost about 50lbs since last year, another co-worker is thin as a rail (she is 130lbs and is 6'0), one rows every weekend, my boss runs daily, my other boss is a scuba diver, etc.

    When consultants send us treats/kolaches/donuts, they usually sit in the break room without being touched. They eventually get tossed.
  • cjw6
    cjw6 Posts: 94 Member
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    Mine is a nightmare. I work in a hospital and work shifts. It gets crazy busy so we don't always get regular breaks which is really hard. There are always sweets/chocolates being handed round, and on nights (when your willpower is at its lowest ebb) there are usually cakes, snacks, doughnuts etc etc. The combo of low blood sugar because you haven't had a break in 8 hours, being up and working at 3 am and someone handing round chocolates and urging you to have some, is an evil combination!
  • StaceKaiman
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    I am the only female at my work place I work with 4 guys and I have to say I am very impressed with them they are very supportive of the choice I have made to cut out all bad food. When it comes time for them to order in food they will go out of their way to pick me up something healthy and if they are eating something that I would love to eat but know it's bad they will eat in the back warehouse so I don't have to see it. When they have the "Bad" food it used to bother me but now I am happy with my decision and I just can't see ruining all my hard work in the 1 second it takes for me to give in to the food. I really wish we had a gym at my location, our Head office has one plus they have a cook who makes only healthy food for them. I have just learned to always make sure I have something in the fridge Fruit or Veggie to snack on and I make sure I keep something for Lunch at all times or I may find myself making a bad choice.
  • madeanew
    madeanew Posts: 18 Member
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    Currently, there is a group of people doing the Biggest Loser challenge. A coworker lost 62 since beginning weight watchers in January
  • slimmer189
    slimmer189 Posts: 135 Member
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    Mine is awful - I would say that 70% are overweight. There are always snacks, candy etc.. and all of the get togethers that are sponsored by the employee's committee involve donuts, bagels, pizza etc.... of which, I just skip.
  • KelieHerrera
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    While my workplace is chock full of super active people (hikers, runners, cyclists, etc) this place is constantly full of bad food! We have a birthday party for each employee that usually consists of cake or some party, and expensive ones that you feel guilty for saying no to.

    I made it well known that I was on a weight loss war path and wouldn't be partaking of all the gut-busting goodies, but I am still offered them. The other day I was offered a tiny, delicious looking, buttery-smelling, banana rum muffin that my co-workers wife made for the office. I asked the guy how many calories were in them and he just stared at me. He came back later and said his wife said about 350, HA!

    I think they will get it eventually.
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
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    we have goodie days at least twice a month, what do you think lol I have learned to stay away :D
  • tallicedlatte
    tallicedlatte Posts: 11 Member
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    Definitely not a helpful work place environment. I am a teacher, so if kids aren't bringing in birthday goodies, the PTA is providing us with luncheons. The staff lounge always has junk in it, I avoid it like the plague. The cafeteria gives away extra cinnamon rolls for free if they have extra. Just bad news. Yet there are a few who consistently bring their own lunches and eat healthy and exercise. I am trying hard not to have that environment define me and instead realize that I am in charge of my own choices regardless.
  • xxxTiaxxx
    xxxTiaxxx Posts: 304 Member
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    I don't really think my work helps anything. I work in an office and usually find I'm starving myself just to make sure I don't pack on weight. And not to mention being straight in the middle of the City so there's always food around. And in retrospect, there's nothing more to do in Melbourne besides drink and go out for dinner. So... I just don't eat anything. That's something I need help fixing.
  • greensnow
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    Helping? Hahahahahaha...No. Not at all. My office helped me gain weight.

    We have many catered meetings at my office so there is always leftover meeting food. Morning meetings may produce leftovers of pastries, muffins, and bagels. Fresh fruit too if you're lucky. Lunch meetings will have assorted sandwiches, potato chips, sometimes pizza, etc. Then there are always baked goods being brought in: cookies, cakes, etc. On top of that, in my department two different people keep giant candy bowls stocked with assorted and changing goodies.

    These days I rarely eat any food I didn't bring in, except for the rare work pot luck or group cake event (going away party or something).


    Do we work at the same place? haha. Mine is exactly the same.
  • Lozzy_82
    Lozzy_82 Posts: 324 Member
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    My office is a nightmare! Although half the people here always seem to be "on a diet" there is a tradition of bringing in sweets, cakes or other treats whenever it is your birthday, or for any other occasion. The kitchen table is always laden with tempting junk food! Today we have some mint and orange chocolate cake bars, Hula Hoops in all different flavours, Viennese Whirls, cheese pastry twists and mini Bakewell tarts. Argh!
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    I think it is. I work graveyard so I have the frequent freedom of being able to go outside and walk for 30-45 mins. there is a track close by and many buildings with numerous flights of stairs I tackle. as for food we are pretty much on our own. I learned early during my weight loss journey to leave my wallet @ home. this way I resist temptation to hop in my car and just go pick up fast food @ McDonalds/JitB/etc etc etc

    my office does occasionally have potlucks. I control myself and have a taste of everything. last years Xmas was a good accomplishment for me. EVERYONE in my office I work with gained 5-20 lbs. except me, I lost 12 lbs.
  • michelec64
    michelec64 Posts: 120 Member
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    My office isn't realy conducive to eating healthy, with the vending machine filled with all sorts of junk food, folks bringing in cakes and doughnuts, and lunch meetings with pizza. But the funny thing is that in spite of all that temptation me and a good number of my co-workers are taking it upon ourselves to eat healthier. If you look in the break room refrigerator it's filled with brown bagged salads, wraps, yogurt and fruit. It's a matter of the staff taking the lead in living a healthier lifestyle, so hopefully the company will catch up one day.
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,360 Member
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    My boss let me change my hours so I can go to the gym earlier and allowed a co-worker to go part time so she can pursue a semi-pro golf dream.
    We have no break room, they made it into an office!
    They let me use the calibration floor to practice Tai Chi on my break.
    Very few treats brought in, some folks bring in stuff from their garden, (fresh veggies!)
    Very positive notice and encouragement given for fitness gains of all sorts.
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
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    my workplace is pretty supportive. they offer weekly meetings with a wellness coach as well as free gym memberships to different clubs in the area (through our health insurance). we also do a wellness challenge a few times a year!
  • Sariebon
    Sariebon Posts: 52 Member
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    I work for a travel company and we actually have a dedicated 'snack table'. This where you will usually find chips, cakes, chocolates etc.
    To make it worse, even when we don't bring anything, we have sales reps that come in trying to suck up with a dozen bagels and full fat cream cheese.
    I bring a good amount of food to work (including assorted snacks) to deter me from eating from the snack table - but I did give in yesterday and had a handful of cheese popcorn...
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    Helping? Hahahahahaha...No. Not at all. My office helped me gain weight.

    We have many catered meetings at my office so there is always leftover meeting food. Morning meetings may produce leftovers of pastries, muffins, and bagels. Fresh fruit too if you're lucky. Lunch meetings will have assorted sandwiches, potato chips, sometimes pizza, etc. Then there are always baked goods being brought in: cookies, cakes, etc. On top of that, in my department two different people keep giant candy bowls stocked with assorted and changing goodies.

    These days I rarely eat any food I didn't bring in, except for the rare work pot luck or group cake event (going away party or something).


    Do we work at the same place? haha. Mine is exactly the same.

    Just today, I walk in and there is pecan pie and zucchini bread. Mind you we have a meeting later with our summer interns presenting what they have been doing all summer followed by ice cream. Gah. If nothing else, I have learned the value of serious will power from working here and being on MFP.