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-   -   Rant about excessive holiday "treats" (https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/living-maintenance/129144-rant-about-excessive-holiday-treats.html)

Megan1982 12-19-2007 08:32 AM

Rant about excessive holiday "treats"
 
Warning, big rant:

Why oh why can some people not see that food does not equal love??? I have 2 roommates and one is like me in that she tries not to eat junk (I probably eat less than her, but she tries!) and we both know not to bring sweets in the house b/c the other will not thank us for it, and we will both end up binge eating. The other has just insisted on making multiple batches of her Christmas fudge, cookies, haystacks, and leaves some at home and brings it to the office even though we already have trays of cookies and sweets at the office. And she gets mad when I won't sample it when she's making it at night at home (when I'm actually able to exert willpower over myself, knowing that if I eat 1 I will eat 20 - "occasional treats" lead to big problems for me). She'll do things like be cooking for a party 3 days away and say "but aren't you going to eat it at the party?" I've explained to her that if I get that sugar taste in my mouth, I can't stop eating sugar after that. Our other roommate told her it wasn't necessary to make them b/c we already have so much at our office, and she told me that roommate 1 totally blew her off. Our office is very small - trays and trays of sweets are not needed for so few of us, and most of us are trying to watch what we eat, and she knows this. Grrrr!

I recognize that just because I don't want to eat sweets doesn't mean that everyone doesn't want to eat them. So part of the solution is just me needing to grab onto my willpower, b/c there will always be temptations. But that we already have so many sweets around, she knows many of us are trying to watch our food intake, and gets offended if we don't eat - that really frustrates me!!!

I know we've all had similar experiences, I just had to get that off my chest. Thanks for letting me do so!

paperclippy 12-19-2007 08:51 AM

Megan, I totally understand. My office is so full of sweets right now. Yesterday they had a holiday "party," which basically translates to "dessert buffet with chocolate fountain." I went (it was in the middle of the work day in the break room) since my coworkers were going and I wanted to be social, even though I wasn't hungry at all. I ended up eating a pile of junk food. Then, they came around and gave everyone a little box of chocolates as a "happy holidays from the company!" treat. I already felt crappy for eating all the junk at the dessert buffet, and I was completely not hungry, but I ate all four chocolates anyway. Ugh!

The past few weeks have just been a parade of free cookies, cake, cheesecake, brownies, chocolates, and any other junk you can think of. I can resist free pizza and sandwiches and tacos just fine, but sweets are my weak spot. There is a reason I try not to ever have them in the house!

paperclippy 12-19-2007 08:52 AM

You know, I would much rather they gave everyone a $5 gift card to Starbucks than a box of chocolates. Why don't they ever do stuff like that as company treats?

Meg 12-19-2007 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paperclippy (Post 1964949)
You know, I would much rather they gave everyone a $5 gift card to Starbucks than a box of chocolates. Why don't they ever do stuff like that as company treats?

Amen, Jessica! And these are the same companies who are complaining about health insurance price increases due to obesity. :rolleyes:

Megan, rant away! :hug: There aren't any good solutions, but you are so not alone. It sounds so easy just to say "don't eat it" but we all know it's a lot more complicated than that. Let's all just do the best we can to survive and get right back to our healthy lifestyles in January. At least we can keep up the exercise part in the meantime!

missingmyerica 12-19-2007 09:10 AM

I work in a HOSPITAL and right now the break room is overflowing with chocolates, fudge, popcorn, cookies....you name it! Guess who sent it all? The Doctors! LOL....I guess they are trying to make sure they stay in business! A few years ago one of our cardiology groups stopped sending sugary/salty treats, and instead now they send fruit trays with yogurt dipping sauces. The sent a card encouraging the staff to live heart healthy. I was so impressed by that, and everyone looks forward to it.

KforKitty 12-19-2007 09:40 AM

I think these occasions are sent to try us and will always be there. I do think its up to me to say 'no' and not be a killjoy for others in my office. People seldom try to tempt me now - they know what the answer will be.

Kitty

ThinAgainBeginAgain 12-19-2007 09:43 AM

I work for a large computer corporation, and today, every conference room in the building is filled to the rim with everything from barbeque chicken to fudge, mostly sweets, but pretty much anything you could think to put in your mouth. Crazy, isn't it? And I do have to laugh, on January 1st, everyone I work with will be on a 'diet' and trying to log in their hours walking/running/weightlifting, in order to get the $150 physical activity rebate incentive from our company health care plan...

I for one plan to NOT stuff my face with all the poison in these conference rooms today. It will feel SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good to NOT have to lose any more weight than I've got left to lose!

Remember, AWARENESS is 80% of the battle, following through is the rest. Let's do it!:carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot ::carrot:

WaterRat 12-19-2007 05:51 PM

Arrrrghhh! I can so relate! At the library we get leftovers from the story time parties, people bringing us stuff, and our own employees bringing stuff in. At least yesterday it was a pineapple and oranges. :) Today it was 2nd graders from the Christian school across the street - little kid-made cookies. Sigh. The sticky green rice krispie treats I can avoid very easily, but the others.... I'm trying!

Our City is giving each employee a gift card instead of the actual turkey/ham, which is great, but they're doing it at a punch and cookies reception! Maybe I can just hold a glass of punch, which to me is the ultimate in empty calories - and usually way to sweet for me anyway. :lol:

baffled111 12-19-2007 08:54 PM

I just got back from the Y and was horrified to see, as I walked past the staff office, a giant table piled with sugar cookies, muffins, cakes and other empty calories. What are all the professional fitness people doing with that much sugar?!

Meg 12-20-2007 04:52 AM

Baff, I wonder if what you saw in the staff office was all holiday "gifts"? Most fitness pros wouldn't touch any of that stuff on a bet. Our Saturday morning staff meetings at the gym always featured trainers eating tuna for breakfast, for heavens sake! :lol: But well-meaning but idiotic clients and members bring in junk like that for holiday gifts all the time.

Least I hope that's the explanation!

JayEll 12-20-2007 08:06 AM

Megan, your roommate is a food pusher. She might as well be offering heroin. Of course, she doesn't see it that way--she sees it as her "love offering," which is why she feels justified in being offended.

It is HER problem! Let her be offended! Maybe she'll get the message and stop making so much of that stuff.

Some women seem to be taught from birth that baking at Christmas is a required activity. Maybe it's genetic, I dunno. ;) And this baking urge seems to happen even to women who have lost scores of pounds and ought to know better! It's like making a recovered alcoholic tend bar!

Just hang in there! Don't give in to make the baker "feel better." If you wouldn't shoot heroin, don't eat the sugar!

Jay

Megan1982 12-20-2007 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missingmyerica (Post 1964972)
A few years ago one of our cardiology groups stopped sending sugary/salty treats, and instead now they send fruit trays with yogurt dipping sauces. The sent a card encouraging the staff to live heart healthy. I was so impressed by that, and everyone looks forward to it.

See, if you must send food, that's so much better! Last year for Christmas my dad got me a Harry & David's fruit of the month club subscription, and also Harry & David's smoked salmon. It was really nice - a food treat I normally would buy myself b/c of cost, but food that I really enjoy and fits into my healthy lifestyle. I personally give away fresh lettuce from my garden, and everyone (even more unhealthy eaters!) love the fresh organic greens.

JayEll, I know, she is definitely a food pusher! I've offended her several times already, and I will continue to do so. I'm ok with that. My mother (though I love her dearly!) is a food pusher too, so I've got 25 years of experience. It's funny though, mom is proud of me for losing weight and sticking with the healthy lifestyle, but she still is a food pusher, even when I call her out on it. Maternal instinct? I dunno :dizzy:

sportmom 12-20-2007 09:15 AM

BAFFLED - OMGoodness - I had the SAME experience at the Y last nite! The swim team kids were bringing in cookie tins for their coaches & also passing them around in the changing room after swimming. Sweet thought yes, but as I commented at the front desk, seeing tins of cookies floating around the Y is as bizarre as seeing someone outside the front door smoking!! I mean, really! Not that I equate eating cookies w/smoking, but that's the thought that came to mind. They're in the midst of a 12 days of fitness contest for t-shirt prizes, the close in parking lot is reserved for moms & the elderly while the rest of us hike in from an overflow lot, you have to climb 2 flights of stairs immediately upon entering the building to get into the main area, etc. It's just really intense there, so yes, cookies seem foreign!! And yes, the aquatics office was overflowing with snacks and tins. And the only people I could see eating it was the daycare ladies who would come down on their break - which is fine, I know from myself, it takes alot of sugar to keep up with crying toddlers, esp at 5 in the afternoon ;). But no, I didn't see coaches or trainers eating it.

I struggle with the same genetic link. I grew up enjoying baking and making cakes (but wasn't overweight) and now I feel like if I don't teach my girls the same talents, there will be a missing link or they will somehow feel deprived!! I've convinced myself that's crazy and times change, and learning to BAKE is really no more required than learning to sew your own clothes anymore or the must learn to play the piano for girls (yes I'm old!). So I've often looked for the cookie cutters in the stores (they are not mainstream now, I've only found them in like a Michael's) and then decided that teaching them how to make a veggie tray or wrap presents is just as good a skill right now, right? :lol:

paperclippy 12-20-2007 10:18 AM

Megan, my mom is just like yours! She even lost weight herself, but she is still a food-pusher. Like whenever we come to visit, she has to make all these desserts, because "it sounded really good but I can't make all that food just for the two of us." The sad part is, I am just like her. Luckily now I have a small-batch baking cookbook, but other than that I always bring junk food to parties because that way I have an excuse to make a cake with a guarantee that I won't eat the whole thing!

Sportmom - you can still teach your kids to bake! Teach them to bake healthy things, like wheat bread, or bran muffins. I think learning to bake, cook, sew, and play the piano with my mom were all valuable lessons. I may not be able to make my own clothes, but at least I can replace a button! DH says, "How come girls always know how to do these things? Is it girl magic??" I think it would be great if moms taught their sons these things too!

I dunno, someday when I have kids, regardless of their gender, I think they should learn to cook, sew, play a musical instrument (unless they are totally tone deaf), do basic home repairs, and set the clock on the TV/VCR/whatever is blinking 12:00. Aside from music, these are all things I put in the category of "basic life skills," along with reading and arithmetic. I just have a soft spot for music since I am classically trained, and I think learning an instrument can help kids learn a whole lot of other things too (from math to history to self-discipline).

Okay, enough of the totally off-topic rant. I have to admit that I snuck some M&M's from a candy dish yesterday. :o

Glory87 12-20-2007 07:03 PM

Ha, I almost posted this exactly same rant earlier this week. The office is FILLED with holiday food everyplace. Cookies, Harry & David moosemunch and gift towers, peanut butter filled pretzels, nuts, etc. I won't even talk about the big yearly cookie competition and the 10 huge piles of cookies that were within eyesight for an entire day.

I hate it :( I did get a box of Harry & David pears from a big gift basket and I am doing much much much better than I would have done 4-5 years ago, but I've still eaten more cookies and honey roasted cashews than I would have wanted.

I just want my routine back! Stupid holidays :(


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