New job is weight loss ****!

  • I got a new job, which I really like, three months ago. The problem is it is a weight loss nightmare. Every work area has a food table, and people talk about food/eat, all day long. The people next to me start munching first thing in the morning and continue through the day.

    People send emails out about where the good food is each day. It is already a sedentary job, and I am trying VERY hard to get a fresh start on weight loss and life......at least I am not gaining. I walk on my breaks and bring healthy food, but it is seriously hard---I feel like I use up so much willpower at work that I am worn down by the end of the day and my resistance is gone. I tried bringing a vegie tray, but hardly anyone touched it. Management supports this environment, so there is not much hope of me changing it. I feel like an alcoholic who has to work in a bar all day. Any ideas out there? I am still at about 240 pounds and taking medicine that causes weight gain (nope, can't change the medicine, already went that route).

    Getting very discouraged. Thanks!
  • Bring your food every day for yourself. Then - some tough love here - you make a rule that says "no free food at work" None - no exceptions! Eat what you bring. Feel free to bring healthy things that you enjoy, so that you don't feel deprived. And - with walking and eating healthy, you will feel so GREAT that you won't mind giving up the "junk" at work.

    Think of this as a gift to yourself. You are special, and you deserve to be fit and healthy

    (BTW - I did this, and I still hold fast to the no free food rule - it really does work)
  • most office jobs are diet ****!
    it might be helpful to think about it this way:
    I have never ever heard any adult speak of how excited they were about all the unhealthy food available to them at work.
    Know that everyone is struggling (even the thin ones)
    Those that succumb, likely want company to stave off their guilt. Know that they too feel like crap after eating crap all day.

    What i'm getting at is this-be strong, don't give in to any real or imagined pressure to eat at work. Be sure to keep tons of healthy stuff at the office to help keep you strong and remember that the 'office' pizza; bagels; mini pastries; and brought in cakes; cookies; etc are never as good as you think they will be and will most likely make you feel sluggish and decrease you own productivity.

    Good luck!
  • My new job is above a restaurant and all meals are on the house. I'm nervous. Very nervous. However, I think it might be harder to have food just sitting out. I'm definitely a "grazer" so as long as things are put away, I'm ok.

    I did have this problem at my old job and I had to learn not to nibble at all. I stuck to my food, because if I had one bite of anything, it was over.

    It also helped to focus on my water intake- keeping busy making tea and filling my water bottle kept me away from the munchies.

    Good luck! It takes a lot of willpower at first, but you'll get used to it
  • My work is similar. I work at a high end grocery store and we always have samples out that are amazing. I've been working there for 3 years now and I'm totally kidding myself if I say I won't snack. To compensate I've tried many things, like doing squats in the aisles, walking while doing lunges. hahah needless to say I'm a part timer and have been there long enough that no one cares what I do. I was discussing this with someone at work, she said she used to have an office job and she brought weights in and did sets of them throughout the day.
  • I manage the Phone Center for a local Pizza company, and everyday they bring up 8-9 pizzas, breadsticks, salads etc for us to eat. We have candy bowls out, lots of soda, etc. so I am faced everyday with these things, and we make really good pizza.

    So I either give in and gain weight, or not give in and lose weight. It's as simple as that. ...and it has to be that simple for you, that clear cut or you will constantly be struggling.

    Bring your own food in and stick with it. Either avoid the other food totally or allow yourself one snack one day per week and if you do choose something, make it count: really savor it so that you are not tempted to have more.

    I make a salad with just the toppings off a pizza, not every day, but that's a treat to me. Once in a while I pop a couple m&Ms in my mouth. If I am really staying on plan, I still easily lose doing this. But I have to be really diligent or I end up eating 4 slices of pizza and gaining a lb or two before my shift is even over!

    Good luck, you are not alone as you can see from this thread so stay here and we will all keep each other strong!!

    Take a look at your co-workers, wouldn't it be cool to be one of the thinnest, most in shape people there?
  • I find that logging food I eat at work immediately stops me going mad. Then if I can eat the odd thing I don't feel deprived and feel I can stick at this.
  • Everyone gave such good advice but I wanted to add that maybe everyday when you bring in your own food make sure that you bring in something healthy but also something you really love. Like your very favorite healthy food. So you will be alittle bit less tempted and look forward to what you brought in yourself. It might take alittle bit of the edge off.

    I work at a school and the teachers and staff are all nuts about food lol. They will use any reason to have a mini potluck going on or bring doughnuts & ofcourse birthday cake is almost always there. it seems every week is someones birthday lol.

    You just gotta be stronger then the temptation *hugs* it sure isn't easy but u can do it!! Goodluck!
  • Unhealthy food is not a reward.
    Unhealthy food is not a reward.
    Unhealthy food is not a reward.
    Unhealthy food is not a reward.
    Unhealthy food is not a reward.

    I repeated this to myself hundreds and hundreds of times when I started Atkins and, it finally sank in. Unhealthy food (for me, that's carbs) makes you gain weight. So, I avoid it. I get no food-based rewards; I reward myself with other stuff. Unhealthy food is not a reward because it hurts you in the long run.
  • DCHound! You're almost at 100 lbs gone! Well done!
  • Ug I KNOW how you feel- my work does this too- people constantly bring in food and I constantly ignore it.

    It's to the point that I've said "no I'm on a diet" so many times people stop offering! lol.

    But really it's like someone brings in bagels weekly, someone brings in muffins, then candies and cookies and so on. Potlucks I've been here 5 months and we've had THREE potlucks! I stayed away from the cookie party (bring in cookies to decorate then eat them!!!) and even the next day when people were bringing around the decorated cookies it was like "no thank you."

    It's been tough but I am sure if I ate that stuff I would have gained 20 lbs by now!

    Can you wear headphones? I'd wear that and then quickly delete any food emails. I listen to the radio all day and at the same time I have my own mini fridge next to my desk full of fruits and veggies and lean cuisines and so on- it's great cuz that helps keep me on track.
  • Ahh I can totally relate... it IS so hard regardless of the measures you take to prevent yourself from giving in. I think it gets easier. I put a bowl on my desk with various types of sugar free gum in it. People come in and take a piece from time to time, so I like to think of it as my little healthy contribution... you might want to try that! And you can get a really cute decorative bowl for it too!
  • Wow! Thank you so much! I have just never worked in an environment where eating and food is so much a part of every day. It starts to make me feel like, "...I want to eat all the time, too. Why not?" But, I don't think everyone is that healthy. And I want to be healthy and not eat junk. Thank you for all the great ideas. I CAN do it. We ALL can do it. Thank you!
  • I mentally make office food unappetizing- I look at it, and think about layers of lard on someone's body, about clogged arteries, etc. This works for me fairly well
  • I TOTALLY know where you are coming from. I work at the all famous restaurant, Buffalo Wild Wings, i have worked there for about a year and a half and have eaten there... about four times a week... and thats def. why i gained most my weight, 100% of the time i am there, i am around food, not to mention at the end of the night when we're closing and everyone orders food and eats at 12:30am together. its very hard. I find that eating right before i go to work so i am full helps. If i stuff myself with vegetables i am not hungry so im not tempted to pick or to order food that isnt good for me. Also, i try to stay busy completing other tasks so i dont have time to eat.