I work in a cubicle setting and am surrounding by people who keep bringing in all this evil smelling food. My nose is being assaulted in all directions by fried chicken, curry, lasagna... And that's not counting the people who buy lunch from our cafeteria downstairs... Pizza, burgers, hotwings... Today my coworker brought in some fried chicken his wife made. He's a really portly dude, so I know his wife can cook, and that chicken smells FREAKING DELICIOUS. I don't even eat chicken, and it's all I can think about to walk up to him, punch him in the face, and steal his lunch! I'm sitting here eating my baggie of raw peppers and cheese.... Totally not the same.

I know I'll feel better about this in the long run. I know that I can control all my thoughts of assaulting these people and snatching their meals off their desks like a mad woman. But still.

That chicken smells so good.

Just thought I'd share a small struggle I face at work everyday

I feel ya. I really really do! I'm a cashier and where I work they make fried chicken and people buy it non stop. I get to watch it come down the belt, grab it, scan it, bag it up, all the while smelling it. Sometimes they put me right next to the thing that holds all the containers of fried chicken!. It's cruel. Every time one comes through my lane and I grab it to scan I want to run with it. The kicker I'm a vegetarian! I haven't had fried chicken in 7-8 years!

Maybe you could burn a candle?? If not, spray some air freshener (pine or something) to kill the smell???

how bout spray the freshner on the chicken...LOL ! (ok j/k) I have a sick sense of humor. I would want it too I LOVE fried chicken

I go thru that daily here at the salon, like there's a girl sitting across from me right now eating sonnys BBQ and garlic toast and yeah it smells good

LOL I am too!! I haven't had chicken or red meat since I was 9 years old! I know I don't like the taste of it; that's why I stopped eating it. But it smells soooo good!! And don't even get me started on the smell of bacon.... LOL

nomorejellybeans - I wish. Unfortunately, I work in a building with people who have very "sensitive" noses and an email was sent out by HR prohibiting the use of air fresheners and strong perfume. And candles aren't allowed at all. Lucky for me, this is a pretty beefy dude and he can inhale a whole quarter chicken in record time. I've been really good about giving in to temptation, but it's just that initial smell that rattles me everytime.

LOL I'd love to, but this guy easily weighs 390 and would CLAW MY FACE OFF if I touched his food!

Thankfully the smell of anything fried now turns my stomach!

The smell of garlic however...I start having food fantasies of pasta and garlic cheese bread! The good thing about that is....I can gohome that night and make something for supper with garlic, skip the pasta and be satisfied.

We have "grill day" every Friday at work. The employee fund buys meat to grill then a few pople bring something to pass. If we have chicken breasts or pork chops I will have some meat, when it is my turn to bring something I usually bring a veggie tray, fresh fruit, or a large garden salad. But some days it is awfully tough watching the guys eating their second helping of dessert.

People have a right to eat what they like and it sounds as though eating in your cubicle is an acceptable part of your work culture, you do it too. Someone may be upset by the scent of your red peppers.

Try taking a walk at lunch time. Hopefully eating at the cubicle is just what is done but not what is required. So if you do not have to work through your lunch time why stay at the cubicle? Go eat your lunch somewhere else.

And it is a great thing your work does not allow perfumes and air freshners,, now those smell nasty. You could bring some 100% natural essential oils, the ones you can hold up to your nose and sniff. They even have ones that are supposed to cut cravings of different things. You only smell it up close and then put the lid back on.

Positive vibes to all those who are overweight like your 'portly' work mate eating the chicken and us too of course. That is why we are all here to be sensitive and supportive. Right? So best of luck.

You must've mistaken the tone of my OP. I'm not offended at all by the smells of the food in my office. It's the opposite, actually. Sometimes I'll walk down the aisle and let all the different scents waft toward me so I can have at least some of the experience of the awesome food they bring in. I was just saying that it's sometimes unbearingly too tempting. And as for leaving for lunch, sadly, I don't have that option. I could, if I want to make up those hours, and as I have requirements after work, I can't stay here longer than 9 hours a day as is. As for this coworker in particular.. I stand by my comments about him. He's been particularly rude to me since I started working here and has compared my body size to that of his petite wife. So me calling him a few names doesn't make me feel bad at all. I don't take kindly to men who like to call out my size while they are larger and unhealthier than me, than tell me "they're ok because they're men." My post was an attempt to make light of the fact that although I'm eating healthy rabbit food and everyone here is enjoying all the stuff old me would be digging into in a heartbeat, I'm fine with it.

I wasn't mistaken but best of luck anyway.

I have a window now. Which overlooks an alley and a parking garage. Where a wings / chicken / fry everything places vents their smoke. Oh, the smell. Technically, it's not good. Sometimes, though. It just hits.

I DO think that the idea of having your own private nosegay to help you through the cravings is a brilliant idea, pulled out of history. I mean, deodorant wasn't invented until this century, and uhm, historically people bathed much less than we do today. And became used to their own funk, even if they were perhaps sensitive to the funk of others about them. So, nosegay.

Take a few cloves, some cinnamon sticks, a nice round nutmeg. Star anise, maybe, anything else you fancy that is durable. Nothing much. Keep it the size of a Tootsie roll pop, the whole package. Tie them up in a pretty square of cotton and stash them in your desk. If the delicious food smell becomes too invasive, pull it out and take a sniff.

Though, try to be discrete about it. You don’t want to get challenged to a duel.

Ooooh, cinnamon sticks? I'd be chewing on those in no time!

Oh yes - I think so many of us deal with this type of horrible, cruel joke! Smelling that amazing homemade creamed beef, pasta, etc. Plus they always bring in the donuts and cookies and the such ...

So I hatched my own plan! I have a small jar of fresh chopped garlic and a small jar of fresh basil that I carry in my lunch. When I'm smelling something that's making me wild and agressive, I open one of those jars! And if I have to eat while they're open, I pull out that bag of veggies.

No, it's not the same - but it does help!

I love the cinnamon stick and will be stealing that one!!

Good luck!

Uuuhhhh I totally dealt with this today. For the first time since starting the ip diet I WANTED food. I was sitting at my desk and was suddenly overwhelmed w the smell of pappa johns pizza and not just any pizza but the veggie lovers. Oh my gosh I could smell those cooked onions (one of my favorites that happen to be off limits to me during phase one of ip). So sad that I couldn't eat that pizza at that moment. It was strange having a food craving again. I haven't dealt with it since I started this diet. It kind of scared me. So far the diet has been so easy, no cravings, constant weight loss. The pizza smell was like a smack I'm the face that; hello! This may not always be easy to stick to and there is a long road ahead.