How does a recovering binge eater keep control with tons of free junk food at work?
I try and stay strong at work but I'm surrounded by lots and lots of candy, I've never craved chocolate this much. I've developed an intense love for Reese's peanut butter cups! Guess what? They're always available! For free no less. Then someones always bringing in baked goods, chips or buying us lunch. I'm strong some days but other days there is no such thing as a piece or 2, I ATTACK! I never had this amount of access to free food at my old job. This is all new to me and I've gained another 10 lbs since I started working here 3 months ago. I drink tons of water and I eat every 2 hours but it's hard to be surrounded all these temptations everyday for 8 hours. When I attack, I don't care, I just keep going and say screw being healthy. Any suggestions?
The psychologist that has written some books on losing weight, Dr. Gullo, has a great saying: "if I don't start, then I have no problem." It's been my mantra. I too have been surrounded by "free" food and I know myself. I can't stop at just one of anything. Also, I tell myself that "free" isn't really free--it costs me my health, my well-being, etc. Maybe bringing some tasty lower calorie snacks would help. Planning how you will behave when tempted should help. Best of luck--you can do this!
I agree with LRH! Bring your own snacks. Maybe you could bring celery sticks with a little peanut butter and put a couple dark chocolate chips on top for a little chocolate fix!
And resisting those kinds of temptations are hard, I know, I have been there. When you get a craving immediately find something to do. Clean something, count something, stock something. Anything just get your mind off it!
If worst comes to worst and you can't handle the temptation maybe you need to look for a different job, not ideal, but its a choice you might have to make
I agree with LRH and Silverfire. Bring your own healthy snacks and reach for those instead of the junk food at work!
I have a huge sweet tooth and find it so hard to resist any cookie or baked good! I also have a terrible time allowing myself just one cookie because it'd just trigger me to go all out eating everything, so I've done my best to avoid them altogether until I've become more disciplined. Now I've turned to healthier sweets to satisfy my sugar cravings like fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, Fiber One bars, and nutrition bars. I especially like the Fiber One bars and nutritions bars because they're super sweet and delicious carbs, but much more filling and healthy than cookies. My favorite nutrition bar is Zone Perfect fudge graham and dark chocolate flavors!
I know eating junk food feels so good, but I've learned to feel even better about eating healthy foods that are just as sweet as junk food but infinitely more nutritious! I just feel so much happier after eating healthy, and I'm sure once you accomplish this, you can remember that great feeling and use it as motivation to stay away from the junk food you know would make you feel bad.
That's excellent you're drinking a lot of water, too. Most of the times when I think I'm hungry, it's usually just me being thirsty. Keep up the water drinking as it definitely helps a lot!
My husband loves potato chips, not on my list, they are the devil!
I tell myself, those are NOT MINE.
That given, the peanut brittle, and homemade caramels that are left over from the holidays at work, is giving me fits.
We put it out in the lobby today. Anything leftover tomorrow at 1:00 pm is in the trash!
This is an agreement between me and my coworker.
The time thing is because by that time the boss, who brought it, and won't eat it will be gone for the day, and it's all history! We just won't have to put up with him whining that we tossed food. If he does not see it, he'll be ok with it. Strange, I know.
My family has a history of Type II diabetes plus I've watched my BIL deal with it (successfully) over the last year. He always ate lots of ice cream and other high carb foods. Now, he has to watch his diet. He is very good about sticking to his diet plan, but when people repeatedly offer him candy and such, he will just politely tell them he has a medical condition that doesn't allow it. I don't have Type II Diabetes for which I'm very thankful. But it dawned on me that I do have a medical condition -- I'm morbidly obese. So, now when I'm some place that has a lot of sweets around, I think in terms of not eating it because I have a medical condition as opposed to allowing myself to start rationalizing ways that I could just eat a couple of something. Might now work for everyone, but it's helped me a lot for some reason.
I live in a house of 4 other people. A mother in law, my husband, my teenaged son, and a 7 year old son and myself. I eat no breads, cakes, cookies, rice, pasta etc. However, my family does. I teach at a Sunday School and there is always a treats table full of crap. My weapon are my own snacks. I would be in a world of trouble otherwise.
The possibility of avoiding all those things around me is impossible.
I do bring my own healthy snacks everyday. I try and keep myself busy to avoid the internal battles. Some days I spend the entire day trying to talk myself out of attacking. I get so frustrated when I break only an hour before it's time to go home. It seems like I can keep going strong this time until the beast in me gets out and I care more about food than getting back down to my happy weight. The weekends are really hard too. I break on Fridays often. If I'm good all week at work I tend to gain it all back and then some by Monday. This is truly a vicious cycle I know I can end but the question has always been will I?
maybe if you stop resisting and just try to be relaxed around that food it would help you, i know it's probably always on your mind that it's there and you can't avoid it, but have you tried eating few pieces and really enjoying it, savoring it, maybe with your coffee while chatting with some coworkers, it doesn't have to be a bad thing. you can make a ritual out of it. for me, if i know it's gonna be there always and if i can have it every day then i don't feel the need to binge around others. the problem is when i come home and if i'm alone.
How does a recovering binge eater keep control with tons of free junk food at work?
