My Job is Ruining my weightloss...

Options
135

Replies

  • jocember
    jocember Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    Oy, I know how it can be in a small office. Fortunately, my place of work is big enough that they figure us all to be adults who can handle the smoke/pee breaks we need in a day so long as work gets done. But in a reallllly small office (esp. those without HR), there is often a ton of micromanagement going on. And that sounds like what you're dealing with.

    I think the best thing in your case would be to claim an allergy in regard to the food - gluten free is a big thing right now that they'll likely have heard of and it'll help you get out of most types of food/snacks brought in.

    As for the bathroom, I'd point blank tell your boss, "I have to pee a lot because I drink a lot of water to stay healthy and hydrated. It's against OSHA regulations to limit my bathroom breaks. I promise I get my work done, but I can't compromise my health."

    And for water: get a filter! Either one to put on your faucet or a brita-type pitcher. I used to never drink water until I moved in with my fiance and he had a pitcher. Now it's the only thing I drink besides tea and the occasional coffee. I drink at least 2-3 refills of my water bottle at home and drink throughout the day at work, too. It's a lifesaver and will save you so much money (plus the environmental benefits from not buying and throwing out tons of plastic bottles).
  • acerz
    acerz Posts: 18
    Options
    Talk to your boss and let them know about your new healthy lifestyle. Sometimes people get talked to about too many bathroom breaks because the boss thinks they're taking a smoke break or chatting with people instead. If you don't want to offend people who buy you food, go ahead and just take the food home (if you can) and offer it to a friend, roommate, etc or dump it off site.

    Just my opinion though. I'm not sure how helpful it is where you're at. Good luck though :smile:

    I agree, talk to your supervisor and let him/her know about your lifestyle and water helps fuel you. It's not good to hold it in when you have urges to go #1, but try to stay busy to take your mind off of it until you just need to go. That's what I do to avoid taking many bathroom trips, And just be polite to your colleagues about them buying you food. Let them know about your healthy lifestyle too. No reason to come up with any lies to hide it. Chances are, if your colleagues give you lip about it, they're most likely envious that you have the disciple to maintain a healthier lifestyle.
  • suztheq
    suztheq Posts: 171
    Options
    About a month ago I got in trouble for to many bathroom breaks at work.... Stupid if you ask me because I drink about 2liters of water at work and that is just so I feel better hydrated and can concentrate well through the day...... But now I can't take TOO MANY bathroom breaks and that sucks so I barely drink WATER at work and when I am home barely either because I only have tap water and I don't wanna go out n by water bottles every five minutes! .. Plus everyone at work eats such garbage and always buys me lunches and I sometimes eat em a little, other times I put em in the fridge but one time I didn't eat it and left it in the fridge and my supervisor said he was offended. I wanted to be like "well I was offended you thought I would put that garbage into my body" ugh i honestly donno wat to do any advice

    Dang. For a minute, I thought you and I had the same job. I started drinking more water at work as well which meant more bathroom breaks for me too. When it was pointed out to me that I "seem to going an awful lot a day..." I just pointed out how many extra smoke breaks everyone else gets that I don't (on top of our scheduled 15 minute breaks -every two hours). Even people that don't smoke go outside for smoke breaks to socialize with the smokers. I smell BS there. The guys also eat horribly. Fast food everyday for lunch and when we are working OT, they provide dinner which is... Fast food. I had a couple of gallbladder attacks at work, so they now understand why I eat 'like a health nut freak" and they are no longer offended that I won't eat what they provide. They still think I'm nuts for exercising. Guess you can't win 'em all...

    I think your coworkers may be a little jealous that you are trying to take care of yourself. I agree that you should keep drinking water during the day. Maybe you can drink more before work, some during the day and more after work (just not too close to bed so you aren't up all night peeing). If you don't like your tap water, try to get a water filter either for your faucet or a pitcher with one. You can even get water bottles with them. I do understand them wanting workers to be efficient, but if drinking more water makes you more productive, maybe you can politely tell them that. I hope they get off your back. It's so stupid what people care about and what they let go. My company nitpicks the stupidest crap and they would still miss the most obvious crap even if came up and bit them. Good luck!
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
    Options
    Personally, my mode of dealing with things like this is telling them what the law says and highlighting the health benefits and the savings they could see in their health costs for me. That usually works in my office...
  • sarahjean0612
    sarahjean0612 Posts: 5
    Options
    Just start peeing in your chair.

    I second this.
  • ohnuts14
    ohnuts14 Posts: 197
    Options
    What?! You get in trouble for going to the bathroom?! That is so ridiculous. My last job was like that too. I ended up finally getting a doctors note, saying that I'm diabetic and have to go frequently. No one should NEED a doctors note to use the bathroom though. And "frequently" was maybe once or twice a day. I needed a doctors note to use the bathroom once or twice a day. I don't understand why employers or bosses act that way, you're not in school, you're not a child, and they shouldn't treat you as such. I remember in jr. high and high school they would never let us use the bathroom. It feels like that sometimes all over again.

    Unfortunately I don't have any helpful advice for you. That's so stupid that he's offended, you shouldn't have to eat something you don't want to eat, and he should be more understanding to the fact that you're trying to lose weight. They did this to me at work all the time too. My bosses and everyone were all getting offended as well. When I told people I was trying to lose weight, and that's why I was turning down all of the junk food and candy, it seemed to anger them. I don't know why this angers people but it frequently does. I wound up just telling everyone I was diabetic so they would stop bugging me. I didn't want to tell people because I don't want them judging me when I want to grab something unhealthy, because truthfully I'm only pre-diabetic, but I found this to be an easy escape. Not saying this is what you should do, but... you could try it if you want! Haha. It got people off my back!
  • KarateGoddess
    KarateGoddess Posts: 93 Member
    Options
    I missed the part about lunch. Your supervisor sounds like a real asstart! They can't tell you what to eat either. Try dealing with it the nice way first - like I saw someone else say. Thank them for thinking of you but let them know you bring your own lunch and are not interested in having lunch bought for you.

    Your best bet though is to know your rights. It is extremely empowering when someone is trying to bully you into conforming to a 'standard' that really is NOT.
  • llacos54
    llacos54 Posts: 8
    Options
    I BUY GALLON JUGS OF WATER INSTEAD OF BOTTLES. IT HELPS WITH $$$ SAVING MONEY..
    TALK TO YOUR CO-WORKERS ABOUT YOUR NEW LIFE CHANGES (SMALL TALK) , THEY WILL UNDERSTAND WHY YOUR NOT EATING CERTAIN FOODS. MAYBE BRING IN SOMETHING THAT IS HEALTHY FOR EVERYTHING AND SEE IF THEY WOULD ENJOY A NEW HEALTHIER ITEM..
  • burtcole35
    burtcole35 Posts: 7
    Options
    I have a very similiar job by the sounds of it I work in a call center so I have 3 scheduled times that I am able to use the bathroom/eat/doing anything but be on the phone. My breaks are at different times every day based on work need, so I understand where you're coming from about drinking a lot of water and having to use the bathroom frequently. HOWEVER, working here I'm also asked every single day whether I want a donut or whether I want some candy or join a team potluck, and my answer is always "No". It's that simple you have the power over what you put in your body. If anyone is offended by that then that's their problem not yours. People who love you and care for you will support you no matter what you chose, anyone who doesn't support your choices obviously doesn't love or care for you. Stand up for yourself and don't let anything get in your way or become an excuse.
  • sarahjean0612
    sarahjean0612 Posts: 5
    Options
    I missed the part about lunch. Your supervisor sounds like a real asstart! They can't tell you what to eat either. Try dealing with it the nice way first - like I saw someone else say. Thank them for thinking of you but let them know you bring your own lunch and are not interested in having lunch bought for you.

    Your best bet though is to know your rights. It is extremely empowering when someone is trying to bully you into conforming to a 'standard' that really is NOT.

    I agree with this, especially about the asstart part. You are a young girl with your stuff together, and the morons in your office are trying to bully you, I am sure out of jealousy. It sounds to me like you have a solid case of harrassment on your hands. If you are getting your work done, and not abusing bathroom breaks to socialize or whatever, there is no way they can legally bust you for peeing. In fact, trying to do is harassment. And, anyone saying they are "offended" that you chose not to eat the CRAP lunch they brought in for you is being a bully, pure and simple. If that happens again, look that fool right in the eye and say, "Im sorry you feel that way" and walk your *kitten* away. You don't owe them anything else because they are self serving jerks wwith an agenda to bring you down. If it continues, then back down to HR you go with further harrasment complaints. I would NEVER tollerate that crap from any job or co-worker.

    Crap like this just fires me up to no end. I can't stand hearing stories like this.
  • aotto87
    aotto87 Posts: 50 Member
    Options
    Just start peeing in your chair.

    :laugh:
    LOVE THIS.
  • kaaaaaaa
    kaaaaaaa Posts: 29
    Options
    Just start peeing in your chair.

    :laugh:
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    Options
    Sounds like you are ready to give up. People all over the world make their diet work no matter what the circumstance. If you want to, you will figure it out. As far as what you CHOOSE to eat for lunch, well, the same goes for that. Keep on... don't give up yet.
  • LordBezoar
    LordBezoar Posts: 625 Member
    Options
    As for your tap water situation at home, check into a Brita filter. This is the one we have:
    Optimax_for_web.jpg

    It helps a ton with our tap water and the filters aren't terribly expensive.
  • kaetmarie
    kaetmarie Posts: 668 Member
    Options
    Sounds like you are ready to give up. People all over the world make their diet work no matter what the circumstance. If you want to, you will figure it out. As far as what you CHOOSE to eat for lunch, well, the same goes for that. Keep on... don't give up yet.

    I agree with this. I spent years blaming my weight gain on my circumstances (grad school, low budget, etc. etc.) and it got me nowhere. There's always going to be something or someone that can ruin your efforts, but you need to make the choice to overcome this. It's ultimately up to you whether you succeed or not.

    Make the choice to do this thing!! You can do it!
  • KarateGoddess
    KarateGoddess Posts: 93 Member
    Options
    You got in trouble for taking too many bathroom breaks? Do you work in a concentration camp? You should speak to the Department of Labor. There is def something wrong with that

    right? becuase they say if I take to many bathroom breaks I don't get enough work done... wow I was like I won't take lunch & you have to give me that because it says it in the application I filled out, so ill use that time to GO PEE 30mins total I can spread that out in a day, but they said no.... haha ! Office jobs! pffff

    are you in the US? If so, the Dept of Labor specifies that if you work 8 hours you are required a minimum of 30 minutes for lunch and two 15 minutes breaks a day. This does not apply to wait staff, because they are supposedly given "down time" between tables"....

    That being said, I once managed a call center, where the phones had to be manned 100% of the time, and staff could only take bathroom breaks during thier scheduled 15 minute breaks, unless it was an emergency... but- each and every staff person was scheduled a break during thier morning and afternoon slots....


    http://webapps.dol.gov/dolfaq/go-dol-faq.asp?faqid=317&faqsub=Work+Hours&faqtop=Wages+&+Work+Hours&topicid=1
  • wannareduce
    wannareduce Posts: 91 Member
    Options
    hey... I have never heard anything like this before... exactly every 1 hr 15 mins.. I had to take a break... even if am in meetings as I drink like 3 ltrs!! Ah I cant believe that bosses are starting to have issues with loo breaks... wth!!!

    And on the food part, I would say 'no thanks' just pointing to some kind of health reasons..

    anyways hope you get into some kinda healthy understanding environment.. good luck!!
  • jbella99
    jbella99 Posts: 596 Member
    Options
    I don;t think they can deny you bathroom breaks. I drink about 4l of water during my work day and use the "loo" about 5 or six times. I also pack my own lunch which I pack the night before. this includes a morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack. I try never to deviate from my planned meals. I will sometimes cave to choclate but I find if I have adequate protein and carbs during the day I don't get the cravings.
  • Lorrie_73
    Lorrie_73 Posts: 104 Member
    Options
    Personally, my mode of dealing with things like this is telling them what the law says and highlighting the health benefits and the savings they could see in their health costs for me. That usually works in my office...

    Amen, Amen, Amen! Print out the OSHA requirements someone else posted earlier. Ask your boss for a meeting. Point this out to him and discuss your new journey to a healthy lifestyle. Ask for his support regarding lunches and necessary bathroom breaks. Clearly, he doesn't believe you are JUST using the bathroom. Communication is key and we don't do enough of that these days.
  • gurlondrums
    gurlondrums Posts: 187
    Options
    I work in a medical office and my co-worker uses the bathroom frequently (well, we both do). But she told me about a time about maybe a year ago where the managers didn't believe that she actually had to just pee THAT frequently so the one manager would follow her and stand outside the bathroom door and listen to make sure she was peeing and not using a cell phone or doing something else. Outrageous! Luckily, this has never happened to me. But I am well aware of my rights to use the facilities and I would make sure that management was well aware of OSHA rules if they tried any kind of that bull crap with me.

    As for the food, I have the same problem. The VP always does pizza & hoagie parties, ice cream parties, cake & pie parties, pot lucks, etc. I usually bring my own. But a few of us mentioned to her that we would like healthier food next time, and the last time she bought food for a "party", there was a giant Caesar salad and subs with whole grain bread instead of the white/italian variety.

    So speak up! People listen. If any of your co-workers feel the same, have them join you in telling the bosses. Squeaky wheels get the grease! Good luck to you! :drinker:

Categories