Saying no to office junk food
Jenna__XoXo
Posts: 117 Member
I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
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Replies
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I said no so much, most people just quit asking.11
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I just say "no thanks" without any explanation. If they pester, I say "nah, I'm good." I try to keep it light but offer no explanation. It's tough for other people to understand sometimes, and I get their mindset, but explaining why has never really helped. I also never bring up that I'm not having something - I only say no if I'm asked, otherwise, I just pretend the food doesn't exist.13
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most times I find I simply cant resist - I work it into my calories for the day. today is v day and guess what is in our kitchen, an entire valentines day spread.
putting what I brought aside and re calculating pronto. 4 -
psychod787 wrote: »I said no so much, most people just quit asking.
^^^ this is me as well. If I want a treat I have to go actively looking for it!4 -
Could you ask if a healthy option could be included?
Otherwise just say no thanks or work it into your day/week.5 -
RelCanonical wrote: »I just say "no thanks" without any explanation. If they pester, I say "nah, I'm good." I try to keep it light but offer no explanation. It's tough for other people to understand sometimes, and I get their mindset, but explaining why has never really helped. I also never bring up that I'm not having something - I only say no if I'm asked, otherwise, I just pretend the food doesn't exist.
This is almost exactly the way I handle it. I usually eat breakfast at home. If lunches are provided I sometimes A) Eat the lunch and manage calories with portion control or "B)" Bring a lunch from home. Honestly, after a while people started bringing a few healthy choices to the office for some of us who watch what we eat. We reinforced that and it is continuing to happen. As far as temptation - just act like the food isn't there. It took me a bit to learn but you can do it. It's a mindset.2 -
Just to add: Once people realize you aren't partaking, they eventually quit asking. A group at work goes out to lunch every day. They asked for a month or three if I wanted to go. After awhile, they quit asking.4
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I either say no thanks, or I work it into my day/week.
Honestly....IMHO, not that big of deal.2 -
jennamburchette2014 wrote: »I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
Working in an open sewer and landfill sounds unpleasant and hazardous. Definitely do not eat your meals there. Have you talked to your local OSHA office about this?
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jennamburchette2014 wrote: »I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
Working in an open sewer and landfill sounds unpleasant and hazardous. Definitely do not eat your meals there. Have you talked to your local OSHA office about this?
Oh, you. xD
Now I'm actually wondering what that word was supposed to be. "took" is obviously supposed to be "food" but what would sewers be?0 -
RelCanonical wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
Working in an open sewer and landfill sounds unpleasant and hazardous. Definitely do not eat your meals there. Have you talked to your local OSHA office about this?
Oh, you. xD
Now I'm actually wondering what that word was supposed to be. "took" is obviously supposed to be "food" but what would sewers be?
Sweets?
I'm the worst about auto-correct fails, so I have nothing but sympathy for the OP
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RelCanonical wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
Working in an open sewer and landfill sounds unpleasant and hazardous. Definitely do not eat your meals there. Have you talked to your local OSHA office about this?
Oh, you. xD
Now I'm actually wondering what that word was supposed to be. "took" is obviously supposed to be "food" but what would sewers be?
Sweets?
I'm the worst about auto-correct fails, so I have nothing but sympathy for the OP
Yessss, thank you. That must be it. I generally only post on the forums when I'm on a computer partially for ease of typing, but also because I'm so rotten with autocorrect too.1 -
This is my office (not the sewer part ). I've said no so many times that they quit asking. Someone once told me something that has stuck and has helped in this situation. If I'm going to eat that type of food, I'm going to do it in a social atmosphere with close friends and family while I'm having fun. I'm not going to sit at my desk and consume those calories while working.
Also, if people say something like, "One won't hurt", or "You're so good", I always say, "I have goals I want to achieve." That shuts them up every time.7 -
RelCanonical wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
Working in an open sewer and landfill sounds unpleasant and hazardous. Definitely do not eat your meals there. Have you talked to your local OSHA office about this?
Oh, you. xD
Now I'm actually wondering what that word was supposed to be. "took" is obviously supposed to be "food" but what would sewers be?
Sweets?
I'm the worst about auto-correct fails, so I have nothing but sympathy for the OP
Yessss, thank you. That must be it. I generally only post on the forums when I'm on a computer partially for ease of typing, but also because I'm so rotten with autocorrect too.
It's even worse when you create a post making light of an autocorrect fail and end up with an autocorrect fail yourself.4 -
RelCanonical wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
Working in an open sewer and landfill sounds unpleasant and hazardous. Definitely do not eat your meals there. Have you talked to your local OSHA office about this?
Oh, you. xD
Now I'm actually wondering what that word was supposed to be. "took" is obviously supposed to be "food" but what would sewers be?
Sweets?
I'm the worst about auto-correct fails, so I have nothing but sympathy for the OP
Yessss, thank you. That must be it. I generally only post on the forums when I'm on a computer partially for ease of typing, but also because I'm so rotten with autocorrect too.
It's even worse when you create a post making light of an autocorrect fail and end up with an autocorrect fail yourself.
This is why 80% of my posts are edited. Of course I usually notice after they've already been quoted... :laugh:4 -
By boss often brings Dunkin Munchkins to the office. I may have told him I was so happy that he didn't today and if I would have kicked him in the shins....they sit right outside my cube and I have to walk by them EVERY TIME I leave my cube...2
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There's always food being brought into my office...I've never noticed any kind of expectation that everyone should eat it...it's just there if you want it. If there were, I don't really see any big deal in saying, "no thanks...I already ate" or whatever.
I've learned after years of doing this that there are temptations everywhere. Sometimes I indulge and other times I just ignore them and walk away. In most cases, I don't find what's being brought into the office to be of particularly good quality...mostly commercial stuff. Also, it's sitting there in the open with the 95 other people in the office rummaging through the doughnut box which is kind of gross. I'm more tempted when someone brings in homemade stuff, but even then I often wonder about the sanitary conditions at their home and in their kitchen. I've been to a lot of people's homes, and they don't have the same sanitary standards I do.7 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »There's always food being brought into my office...I've never noticed any kind of expectation that everyone should eat it...it's just there if you want it. If there were, I don't really see any big deal in saying, "no thanks...I already ate" or whatever.
I've learned after years of doing this that there are temptations everywhere. Sometimes I indulge and other times I just ignore them and walk away. In most cases, I don't find what's being brought into the office to be of particularly good quality...mostly commercial stuff. Also, it's sitting there in the open with the 95 other people in the office rummaging through the doughnut box which is kind of gross. I'm more tempted when someone brings in homemade stuff, but even then I often wonder about the sanitary conditions at their home and in their kitchen. I've been to a lot of people's homes, and they don't have the same sanitary standards I do.
I work with mostly women. While they might not be the most sensitive with our clientele, they can get quite motherly when they bring food in. They worry about us few single guys. Lol3 -
Store bought items for non-birthdays or celebrations - I have no problem whatsoever just saying "no thanks" and walking away. If you get emotional about me not eating a donut that you just randomly bought on your way into the office, you have issues.
Store bought items for birthdays or celebrations - This is infrequent and it means something to someone, so I make an effort to eat something.
Homemade items - tough call. If I am reasonably comfortable that you don't hate us all and want to poison us and that you don't prepare the food on the same surface where your cat walks after it uses its litter box, I will probably eat it.4 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »There's always food being brought into my office...I've never noticed any kind of expectation that everyone should eat it...it's just there if you want it. If there were, I don't really see any big deal in saying, "no thanks...I already ate" or whatever.
Exactly this. Someone might say excitedly "did you see there's [whatever it is], in the kitchen? Amazing!" and I'll say "oh, yum," and then ignore it.
Every once in a while we do get something really good (one of the assistants has a family baking business on the side and will bring in things she is trying out, and always paczkis before Lent), and I'll have something, but mostly I just don't snack between meals and so office treats are out of my plans and typically don't seem worth the calories vs. something I might intentionally choose to have myself. For a long time I would eat something because it was there, and stopping that kind of mindless eating was key for me.1 -
RelCanonical wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »jennamburchette2014 wrote: »I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
Working in an open sewer and landfill sounds unpleasant and hazardous. Definitely do not eat your meals there. Have you talked to your local OSHA office about this?
Oh, you. xD
Now I'm actually wondering what that word was supposed to be. "took" is obviously supposed to be "food" but what would sewers be?
Sweets?
I'm the worst about auto-correct fails, so I have nothing but sympathy for the OP
Yessss, thank you. That must be it. I generally only post on the forums when I'm on a computer partially for ease of typing, but also because I'm so rotten with autocorrect too.
It's even worse when you create a post making light of an autocorrect fail and end up with an autocorrect fail yourself.
This is why 80% of my posts are edited. Of course I usually notice after they've already been quoted... :laugh:
I am horrible with auto correct and my most unfortunate ones always seem to happen when I am texting a client on an agency issued phone However most of my clients are used to my clumsy fingers by now so they just laugh it off but if I get a new client it can be quite embarrassing. 0 -
I just say....oh thankyou!!! I will be in there in a moment.
Of course I never do 2 -
Bry_Fitness70 wrote: »Store bought items for non-birthdays or celebrations - I have no problem whatsoever just saying "no thanks" and walking away. If you get emotional about me not eating a donut that you just randomly bought on your way into the office, you have issues.
Store bought items for birthdays or celebrations - This is infrequent and it means something to someone, so I make an effort to eat something.
Homemade items - tough call. If I am reasonably comfortable that you don't hate us all and want to poison us and that you don't prepare the food on the same surface where your cat walks after it uses its litter box, I will probably eat it.
A good mental image will always do the trick of "keep away goodies". Meow
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jennamburchette2014 wrote: »I work in an office where sewers and junk took is always on hand and either breakfast or lunch is provided at least a few times a month but it is rarely healthy. How do I turn down these things that I am expected to eat without causing issues or hurting someone's feelings?
You have to pick your battles. I just had to sample a cupcake made by may assistant. I tried talking my way out of it politely but finally gave in. If it was someone else's, I would have stood my ground.
A bite won't hurt anything.....just put in a little extra work in the gym to erase it....0 -
or take a small tiny piece and toss it when nobody is watching. That's my trick when I really can't ignore it or just say no.1
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THISBry_Fitness70 wrote: »If you get emotional about me not eating a donut that you just randomly bought on your way into the office, you have issues.
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Ok just found out...seriously right this minute...the bosses wife is going to bring in these stupendous donuts every Friday...OMG...this is going to be torture1
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I will usually just throw in a little white lie... "Oh shoot, I'd love to... but I just ate." Or a good ol, "Ah dang, I would totally but what I brought is going to go bad if I don't eat it today." Now the planned potlucks are a bit tricky. I usually sign up for a healthier dish, and load up on that and try to find a few other items that are high in protein or load my plate with veggies so it looks like I'm partaking. No one really notices what you have or don't have on your plate, or if you mention, "Gee thanks I'll get one in just a few when I'm done working on this."... they will typically forget all about you.
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Try working in an elementary school...kids would constantly offer me cupcakes for birthdays. I would take one say, "thank you, I'll save it for lunch" and then dump in teachers' lounge trash can.
No hurt feelings.2 -
deputy_randolph wrote: »Try working in an elementary school...kids would constantly offer me cupcakes for birthdays. I would take one say, "thank you, I'll save it for lunch" and then dump in teachers' lounge trash can.
No hurt feelings.
Ya, I once had a neighbor who was an elementary school teacher - she used to share her Valentine's Day candy around our apartment complex.0
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