Co-Workers!!!!!

[JenLynn]

Are driving me crazy!!!!

Every day bringing, cookies, cake, donutes, etc. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!

Like this morning. But I still ate my string cheese and drank my water instead.

[Bettestress]

I've heard that will power is like a muscle, the more you excercise it the stronger it gets. Just look at it as your daily will power workout!

[purplecat]

It will get better. I've even had coworkers threatening to cancel boss's day luncheons because I wouldn't participate in their food binges. It didn't work. I stood my ground and I can honestly say that now it doesn't bother me when they bring in donuts (like yesterday). Like Mary Jane Blige sings, "I like what I see when I'm looking at me when I'm walking past the mirror". I don't want to go back to square one and thus it keeps my eating in check. Hang in there and stay strong. You can do this!!

[sallyseachange]

I've got to the point that cheese and water are almost more appealing. So will you.

[Mirya]

omg. my bosses offer us saturday overtime if we want it but try to entice us with having pizza. I refuse to pick off the toppings. Someone had a doughnut today, ONE DOUGHNUT, and I could smell it 2 isles over. I felt like a freaking bloodhound.

[jrnyback2life]

grins, in all reality, its part of learning to live a lifestyle of eating this way, you have to be able to say no, and not give into peer pressure. Why not bring in a veggie and meat tray for everyone to enjoy one day. They bring in what they enjoy, you bring in what you enjoy and i will bet the veggie and meats will disappear and who knows, next time someone brings in donuts or junk, they may actually think of you and bring in something they believe you can have. I don't believe they are trying to be mean or such, people just like participation, its a form of approval to many people.

Hang in there, and great job on sticking to your plan. People will eventually catch on or they will continue, either way, you have you to feel proud of and the results you see in the mirror every day of your determination to say no to peer pressure.

[EmDee]

Wouldn't we all be better off if we just looked as food as fuel, not as a treat or reward ... we need to feed our bodies just as we need to pump gas into our cars....it makes them GO.

This change in thinking has been the hardest for me ~ I grew up with a Twinkie Mom who gave out sweets as a key part of her early childhood behavior modification system!

[Hoping]

Good job

[blue996]

I always talk about Atkins at work and how I believe my co-worker's high sugar and high carb diet is slowly killing them. With a statement like that how could I possibly eat the stuff they bring in? It makes me put my money where my mouth is.

[jrnyback2life]

Hi EmDee,

I agree to an extent... and this may slightly go off what you were saying but it has only recently become a problem when people started needing "rewards" for everything they do to make life "convenient." I just believe people have stopped "enjoying" food.

Many cultures celebrate with a social concept which includes food, and many cultures know how to make a meal a celebration that focuses on the people involved not just the food without overindulging and going to extremes. Many cultures make food a pleasure sometimes taking hours to enjoy a meal with family and friends, however, this doesn't mean they are all overweight and out of shape, what they have learned which is what most Americans have not realized is food is to be enjoyed, many times people shove as much in as they can because they crave the food more so than "enjoy" the food, they shove in as much as they can because they are on a time-clock and don't stop and enjoy what they are tasting and therefore, they eat far more than if they would stop... take time to really enjoy their meal and the pleasure different flavors and such can stimulate. For example, donuts at the office, if i ate healthy etc, and decided to have a treat offered (i.e., a donut), there is nothing bad about it because i watched my weight, worked out, and ate most of the time healthy and within reason and not overindulge on "treating" myself because of a bad day, etc. Its the emotions most people fuel as you basically stated. So no, a treat now and again of a delecdant donut lol is not a bad thing, the problem is most people don't understand now and again doesn't mean every day, every minute, twice a day, or I will start tomorrow concept lol.

But i think a huge part is most people don't know how to enjoy the quality in food and learn to enjoy it and instead opt for quanity because they don't pay attention as they eat and instead shove it down on the run, watching TV, reading the paper, etc. I bet if you stop and watch, people if they get together to socialize and enjoy each other more with food involved, eat less than those who don't and have food to satisfy something they are missing.

Sorry for the long post, your post just got me thinking about how and why people eat, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying food you have to eat anyway, so why not enjoy it.

I don't think its food people are addicted too and need to "see it as fuel," I believe people have to stop, relax, enjoy, and realize when they are hungry and when they are not... but when they are enjoy the flavors, tastes, textures etc.

I think many times people just don't stop to enjoy food, which leads to overeating to grab some feeling they are harboring or trying to cover up, it leads to eating a whole lot in a short time and not recognizing when they aren't hungry anymore. They feel they deserve a treat for "everything" or a reward for everything and they "celebrate" by themselves more so than celebrating with people instead of food (food is the 2ndary not the primary reason for getting together. That is what i see many other cultures doing, while they may use food in their celebrations, they are together for a more important reason -- the people and socializing and sharing of each other, not the food.

I fully believe that cultures should not change how they celebrate, i think people need to recognize they don't have to reward themselves for every little thing and to see food as the secondary -- not the primary reason as a tool to celebrate.

I think i may start a thread lol what are you doing to enjoy your food today lol, and perhaps with many people involved we can start recognizing how to enjoy food again, instead of seeing it as something other than what it is -- as you said fuel to be enjoyed.