Co-workers! UGH - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

emeraldjules · 06-13-2008, 06:18 PM

Several of my co-workers have decided to have candy dishes. Before I started to decide to have a plan of action, I rarely noticed them. NOW I can't help myself from the candy dish. Maybe I should just go back to the plan of just exercising alone. Not worrying about the food for now.

nelie · 06-13-2008, 06:23 PM

Don't let candy dishes rule over you. You are stronger than any candy dish. It may take some practice but ignore the candy dishes. I used to sit in office, less than 5 feet from all sorts of goodies including cookies, candy bars, chips, etc. I just learned to ignore them.

Iianae · 06-13-2008, 06:28 PM

I TOTALLY feel your pain, I have a coworker who has an ENTIRE candy BAG hanging from her cube wall right across from me and she fills it constantly...I am proud to say I have been 3 weeks of not going into it but it can be quite the struggle sometimes.

JayEll · 06-13-2008, 06:29 PM

Hey! Exercise alone is probably not going to do it. You just have to treat those candies as Not Yours. The more you practice restraint, the easier it will get. Remember Glory87's mantra: My hand, my mouth. You're in control of what you eat!

Jay

chick_in_the_hat · 06-13-2008, 07:32 PM

There are candy dishes where I work, too. I normally just avoid them. Some days, tho I just really want some chocolate. The rule is, one piece on the way out the door. That way there is no going back for more.

Having my own food at my desk is helpful, too. It's easier to resist when I have healthier choices close at hand.

FlabulessPhyllis · 06-13-2008, 07:50 PM

I get donuts, muffins, cookies, brownies and candy dumped on my desk. I've learned to ignore them. Just think about how bad you'll feel when you're done eating that stuff and move on.

JulieJ08 · 06-13-2008, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chick_in_the_hat

There are candy dishes where I work, too. I normally just avoid them. Some days, tho I just really want some chocolate. The rule is, one piece on the way out the door. That way there is no going back for more.

That's a great idea, that may help next time candy hits the office.

emeraldjules · 06-13-2008, 10:16 PM

Wow thanks everyone! I love that everyone is so encouraging.

shelby897 · 06-13-2008, 11:09 PM

Don't give in!! There will always be "candy dishes" in the world in the form of parties with off plan foods, treats brought to work, dinners out, etc. Use this as a learning lesson to prepare you for the future. It will get easier!!

KLK · 06-13-2008, 11:27 PM

OMG I feel your pain! We don't have so much by way of candy in my office, but the office pantry is RIGHT by my desk and when I first started working there, I figured it would be no problem, but gradually I began snacking from it (things like Petridge Farm Soft Baked Chocolate Chip cookies, Milano cookies, cheese sticks, chocolate bars, etc.) until I couldn't RESIST snacking from it. Sitting in that office 8+ hours a day, on my behind, and all those snacks single handedly made me regain about 10 lbs of what I lost. I managed to gain control of myself before matters got even worse, but office food can be DEADLY especially if you're surrounded by people who have no problem just walking right past the snacks without a second thought (thus making all the food essentially yours).

BUT as others have said: YOU are stronger than a dish of candy. As tempting as it is, eating is YOUR decision. You decide what to eat, when and from where and candy dishes be damned bc candy cannot control you; only YOU can.

fiberlover · 06-14-2008, 08:30 AM

If the candy is sitting open, like M&ms or something - think of all the people who have touched that candy, and how many of them probably didn't wash their hands after using the restroom. Or who wiped their nose, or picked something off the bottom of their shoe. Ick.

Iwanawurkit · 06-14-2008, 09:25 AM

I have a head cold and I think I caught it by dippin in the candy dish at work. Honestly....no one around me at home is sick.

You are stronger than any candy dish.....you are stronger than any candy dish.....

Slashnl · 06-14-2008, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiberlover

If the candy is sitting open, like M&ms or something - think of all the people who have touched that candy, and how many of them probably didn't wash their hands after using the restroom. Or who wiped their nose, or picked something off the bottom of their shoe. Ick.

Wow! That's good. I never thought of it that way. Gag. We have people in my office too, that keep candy dishes and since I'm not into candy, I can avoid it. But, keeping this in mind will make it that much easier.

WarMaiden · 06-14-2008, 11:15 AM

Here are some things I do when I'm at work and the urge to snack on junk hits:

1. Change my desk position to standing, put some headphones on, and listen to dance tunes while I work and dance a bit. Keeps me occupied so it takes away the boredom motivation for snacking, plus burns extra calories.

2. Chew sugarless gum. Helps when I have the feeling that I want to chew something. (Which often happens when I'm frustrated or bored with work.)

3. Drink green tea.

4. Take a short walk outside.

5. If I'm snackish because I'm actually hungry, then I'll eat something healthy that I brought with me.

WildThings · 06-14-2008, 04:58 PM

I used to work in an office where diets went to die. Practically every minute of everyday revolved around food. There was candy, constantly. Holiday candy, every day candy, vending machine candy. On top of the candy where potlucks, birthdays, company lunches, ordering lunch and a cafeteria nearby that added an extra dose of fat and grease to everything they made. The availible junk wasn't the only problem. 75% of the conversations revolved around food and anytime a new fad diet came through, everyone had to jump on the bandwagon. Top all of this off with the stress of the job (collection call center) and the fact that we all sat in a chair for 8 hours a day, 90% of the people there were overweight.

I made my eating habits into a competetion while I worked there. I am not an outwardly competitive person, but in my head, I turn almost everything into a competition...mostly with myself. I would challenge myself to say no, to not fall victim to the ever plentiful food. It worked for 3 years...I actually got down to my lowest weight ever at one point. It helped that a friend I had there had lost 65lb before starting there and practiced healthy eating habits. I knew that he wasn't going to eat it, so I wouldn't either. Unfortunately, when I went back to school, the stress from my work and the stress from going to school full time pushed me over the edge and then, with all the food around, after 3 years, I just couldn't keep myself out of it anymore. Is there anyone at your work that you could team up with to combat the urge to eat the candy?

I have a new job now. It's a small office of only seven people including myself. We rarely talk about food, and never about dieting. It is so nice for food and dieting to not be the center of all conversations. We don't have candy sitting around and the only time we have any food in the office, other that what we bring for our own lunches is once a month we have doughnuts for Board meetings. Some months I eat the doughnuts, some months, I just stay out of the kitchen and ignor them...out of sight, out of mind.