Coworkers who bring in junk food (donuts, chocolate, candy,

I feel your pain! My workplace is very social and food is a super big deal. We work in a "pod" environment, so I don't even have to go to a break room to be tempted - it's right there next to my desk! I work with men who are all very big eaters, and they will go out for ice cream in the afternoon and occasionally order breakfast sandwiches from a local deli for morning meetings (about 3 x's per month), on top of bring in donuts, cupcakes, chocolates, cakes, pies, leftover Halloween candy, etc. The only other woman in the group brings sweets in weekly (so SHE doesn't eat it at home, of course), but leaves it over in our work area. I've gotten the nickname "Food Nazi" because of my hardline stance, but I can't help it - I have no willpower and it is SO easy to indulge when it's there ALL THE TIME.

I agree that 1 donut doesn't ruin your day, but if your workplace is anything like mine, it's not an isolated event and these daily indulgences can really add up.

My only advice is to stay strong and stay consistent! I repeat myself until I'm blue in the face and I still come back to my desk at times with candy or something sitting by my keyboard because they think it's funny. However, I've learned if I don't start nibbling, I don't lose control. Once in awhile I allow myself a small bite or 1/2 a donut or even a breakfast sandwich - especially if I know I'll have a big workout that day. It makes me feel so much better than indulging on my "off" day for exercise.

You have to care more about your success than their judgments. Remember, YOU are setting an example, and you may be inspiring others in the office who are too afraid to say anything, as well. Good luck!!!

Sometimes I will take the food, take a bite in front of them and then just throw it away when I get back to my area. Only on occasion. But I usually just say I am allergic or that I don't like the taste.

Already ate a donut today so the diet is out the window for today :P

This is one of the attitudes that causes diets to fail, it's one of the reasons I dislike the term "clean" foods. People thing that unless their diets are 100% "clean" they can't make progress, and eating 1 "bad" food is a failure. One bad food turns into a day (or longer) off your diet because they rationalize that they were already "bad" so you may as well forget about the diet for the rest of the day (or week).

Calories in < calories out = success. A Doughnut are no more "fattening" than the same amount of calories of broccoli.

I agree with your equation, but 400 calories of broccoli would be a lot of green. I think what I like most about your response is the idea of diets failing. We are not on a diet here. We are developing new habits for eating. This shouldn't stop after a wedding, spring break, or school pictures. It should just be the new way we are.

Bring in carrots and celery, insist that they eat it, and look at them weird when they say no. HAHAHA...

^^HAHAHAHA!^^

Meh. Indulging a little once in a while helps keep me sane, and prevents me from going way overboard later.

When you don't want to, though, I'm a big believer in the little white lie. "I'll grab one later" "Sorry -- my stomach's not agreeing with me today" "Sorry -- I'm allergic to (random ingredient)".

I am one of those people that bake treats every so often and then bring it to work to share. I leave it in the kitchen for those who wish to have a snack. I do not force anyone to eat what they don`t want to. I have lost 50lbs, and I have self control and stick to my calories. No one can force me to eat what I don`t want to eat... and no means no. Whining about others who are just trying to do something nice for others isn`t cool ...and it is not like they are stuffing that donut down your throat. Accountability my dear. There is food everywhere and we are responsable for our own personal choices. Just because you are on a diet doesn`t mean everyone in the whole world has to be. And just because you had one donut doesn`t mean your day is out the window. It just means you have to workout harder or eat less for the rest of the day.

Alright,

This is more of a general venting than anything else.

Trying SUPER hard to stay onpoint with the daily diet and I'm usually pretty successful on my own. But coworkers (especially between Halloween - Christmas) love to bring in empty calories to work to share with everyone else. I'm near my goal too which means I really really need to watch what I eat while trying to lose the weight and build more muscle mass.

I love the "team building" and "team work" aspect of it, but I HATE the forcefulness of the junk food. If you say no it's like you're this weirdo isolated person who doesn't want to be a fellow coworker with anyone. How many ways can a person say "no thanks" or "sounds great but i just ate" or "trying to watch what i eat" before they finally stop putting boxes of donuts and candy nearby.

Drives me insane, went back through my food diary and my diet would be near perfect during the week if others didn't bring in F#@%ing garbage junk food.

Already ate a donut today so the diet is out the window for today :P

1 diet is not out the window cos of 1 slip up, just burn it off with a long walk.
2 if you had given up smoking and they were cigs left about the place would you want one NO, (i have to think of the boxes of chocs and dirty ash trays for me to keep off them)
3 fetch in a fruit bowl and fill it with all your fravs,
Good luck, dont lose sight this close to your goal

Just say "No, Thanks" with a smile. If it's homemade, throw in a compliment: "But it looks/smells great!" If people are gathered around the junk food socializing and you want to partake in the social aspect but not the food, just go over with your coffee, tea or water bottle and join in the conversation. If you are in the mood to indulge, have a little bit ... one of my coworkers cuts donuts or muffins in half. It's not a big deal.

Drives me insane, went back through my food diary and my diet would be near perfect during the week if others didn't bring in F#@%ing garbage junk food.

Already ate a donut today so the diet is out the window for today :P

Re: the first comment - why is it their fault? Unless they force fed you the food, every bite you took was ultimately your choice. I also work in an office that not only has food brought in by coworkers, but also continual food and catered lunches from outside vendors. And we have not one, but three different jars of candy between the two aisles my team occupies.

It's all a matter of personal willpower when it comes down to it. One way I avoid the snacking is to open up my diary and log the food first. I look at what it does to my calories and my macros and more often than not, I delete it back out and don't eat the item. But I also just take a deep breath and walk past 'em each time. When lunches are catered, I just walk by the tables of food, grab my lunch I made out of the fridge, heat it up and eat that.

Who cares what anyone else thinks about what you do or don't eat? It's your choice and no one else's.

Re: the second comment - one item does not destroy an entire day. If you do choose to indulge then enjoy it. But don't look at it as ruining the whole day because then you're more likely to eat more crap later. If you ran a stop sign by accident on the way to work, would you think, "Oh, I've already run one, the rest don't even matter today." and then run all the stop signs for the day? No. So don't look at one unhealthy thing in your diary that way either. Instead, do what running that stop sign would do, make you more aware and even more on top of what you're doing for the rest of the day.

It's all tough, if it were easy everyone would be their ideal weight. It's just a matter of how you approach things to make them easier or more difficult for yourself.