Working is ruining me.

So strange!

I used to have a serious problem when I didn’t work. I would stay home and eat all day.

Now that I work I have an issue eating because I need something fast and I am a serious emotional eater. So, the second I am stressed I grab for that fast food.

So, the strange thing is….

I’m home: I don’t even think twice about over eating or eating anything bad. I do wonderful. I drink a ton of water. I am active: cleaning, dancing, stairs, etc…

How do I master work?

Please don’t tell me to eat chicken or salad…..

LOL….I’ve eaten enough of that last a life time.

I can so relate!

At the office all we have is cookies and more cookies...

When I decide no more binging what I do is being myself a loaf of bread and cottage cheese or non fat kraft, apples, and gum.

If Im weak I go and make myself a sandwich - so its a decent amount of food and even if I go over my calories at least it has some nutritional value...

Hope it helps

T 

try stashing those 100-cal snack packs at your desk at work?  or granola bars, string cheese, anything that's a fast grab and a relatively low amt of calories (or at least an amount you know, so you don't get ambushed by what's in your fast food)

i keep snacks at my desk. individual servings only though. I can't keep a whole box of snack crackers, cereal or anything like that, it has to be individually packaged otherwise I'll eat too much of it.

I usually keep small boxes of cereal, 100 calorie packs, fruits like apples, tangerines, oranges, or grapes, nuts, and oatmeal packets. I'm a major carb-oholic. I have to almost force myself to eat protein so that's why the nuts work well.

i also go home for lunch, but I know most people don't have the option. If I know I have a meeting or something and I can't go home, then I pack a lunch in an insulated bag.

PLAN AHEAD!!  Plan your breakfast, snacks, and lunch for the workday.  Pack them the night before so you don't even have to think about it.  You're less likely to stop for fast food if you know you have a good lunch in the fridge at work.  And if you get stressed and want to eat, go for one of your pre-planned snacks.  And bring extra snacks to have on hand.

Oh how I feel your pain! I don't really have any good advice because I am the exact same way. I will eat great at home without even thinking about it, but lunch time comes and the fast food calls to me.

 I actually just ate out with my boss even though I brought food to eat at the office. Lunch is my favorite meal to eat and that is always the time I want to splurge. Forget the late night eating or cravings for sweets. I want a cheeseburger and fries.

 One thing I have found that helps me is the quaker oats mini rice cakes. I eat the ranch or the cheddar ones and they really help. I also might bring in a grilled burger from the night before and eat it without a bun. I'm not big on the whole chicken or salad everyday either.

My guess is this is a fairly common issue.  I know I have it.  South Beach Diet has some great snack bars that are 100 - 150 calories.

I also like the nuts, but can get out of hand with them because I can't stop :-)

I'm looking forward to seeing other peoples ideas

I was kind of the opposite. I had to start taking my lunch to work so I would stop going into the fridge for more. I also pack snacks for the morning and afternoon. Fruit, veggies, boiled eggs, Pillar's Turkey Bites, rice, chicken. I'm trying that 6 small meal thing. I've only been at it for a couple of weeks so I'm not too sure how it's working yet. Anyway, that's what I do.

I had the same problem with work.  For one thing, I used to go out to lunch several times a week with co-workers, and giving that up was difficult.  Plus, there are so many high calorie snacks around, that resisting temptation can be difficult.  After a bit of experimentation, I've found that the key for me is preparation.  I take some time at home in the morning to get my lunch and several healthy snacks ready. With vegetables and fruit, I find I can snack pretty often, and still keep well within my goal.   For me though, vegetables are something I eat because I should, so I always try to bring at least one or two tasty, yet healthy snacks as well - nuts, wasabi peas, yogurt, etc.  The important thing though is to take that extra time either in the morning, or the evening before to plan what you're going to eat. 

I have also had this problem in the past.  Now, I have an entire shelf in my office that my coworkers have termed "the grocery store" that I have stocked with healthy snacks and "just in case meals".  It really helps me on those days that I over sleep or am running late in the morning b/c I have eliminated my excuse to stop by a fast-food place because I know there is food at my office. 

Here's what's on my shelf right now:

4 cans of Soup at Hand- Chicken in Stars

2 cans of Healthy Choice Soup

1 box of Kashi Granola Bars

1 Box of Quaker Weight Control Oat Meal

1 giant canister of Whey Protein

1 apple

about 5 clementines

a can of cashews

and reduced fat creamy Peanut Butter

In the office fridge: milk for protein shakes, and yogurt for snacks/breakfast

My stash of healthy(er) foods keeps my coworkers stopping asking for snacks.  So I feel good about stopping them from raiding the vending machines, too!

Hope this helps!

Amy

Original Post by laschndr:

PLAN AHEAD!!  Plan your breakfast, snacks, and lunch for the workday.  Pack them the night before so you don't even have to think about it.  You're less likely to stop for fast food if you know you have a good lunch in the fridge at work.  And if you get stressed and want to eat, go for one of your pre-planned snacks.  And bring extra snacks to have on hand.

I AGREE!!  Planning ahead is one of the best things you can do.  I literally bring my tote bag with my snacks and lunch and bottles of water so that I have everything I need (I also have my food diary in the tote).  Otherwise, I will either skip eating until I get home OR end up with a bunch of junk (fast food, chips, candy, etc.)

Yup, planning ahead is something that has been 100% instrumental in my office. I work in law enforcement (dispatching) and sometimes it's really busy and sometimes it's just dead and when it's dead I get bored and feel like snacking. So every night I bring celery & peanut butter, a bottle of water that I refill and other little snacks that I feel comfortable munching on.

It's very difficult to NOT eat because we get food brought in to us (case in point, one of the guys brought us all milkshakes and he does this at least once a month). I passed on the milkshake, though, and ate my celery. Working the day shift is even worse because they order breakfast and lunch every single day. Talk about draining on the pocket, too! 

I also over-pack my lunch so that if I don't feel like eating one thing I can substitute it for another without hitting up the vending machine (we know nothing good can come from there!). And I leave my change at home!