I'm sure some of you have come accross this at work. Those "sugar pushers" who bring in donuts, cake, cookies ect. into work and push them on you.

I am very pleased that I was able to deflect three rounds of sugar pushers at my office on Friday, but they wouldn't take no for an answer. I had to end up taking some cake and throwing it out when no one was looking to get them off my back! YEESH!

Anyone have any helpful ways to get out of this ? I say "no thanks" but then I get the "what?! You don't want my baking I slaved over ..." look.

Depends on your relationship with the sugar pushers. If they are close friends tell them that you have come to a point to where you had to make some very important decisions reguarding your health and that you really need their support. Maybe share with them the diffuculties of having to make such changes. If they are just work associates, I would just BS and say that the doctor ordered you to cut sugar completely from your diet. I mean really are they gonna argue with a doctors orders??

Jenn

I worked with someone once that was super pushy when he brought in stuff. But I just held firm despite his worst guilt trips and eventually he realized he was talking to a brick wall.

At last I can say there is a benefit to having poor health. I have Rhuematoid Arthritis and a whole host of related problems and when my Doc did some pre-Atkins tests for base lines we noticed my blood sugar was also out of whack and I would need to address my WOE one way or another. In short I made a big deal at work on my new WOE and that I cannot take part in the usual office goodies because I don't want to add to my already exhausting list of ailments. They are really great at my work. They still share in the goodies and try for alternatives to include me. When an "bad" goodie is offered they feel guilty, but I tell them not to worry as I have to "count" all that I eat to keep on track.
My mother who hates mayo (and I mean hates mayo in any form) tells people she is allergic to it and it makes it easy for her to avoid it in social situations. I tell folks I can't have sugar and flour as in essence I am "allergic" to it and that works for me too.
I hope this helps.

I'm all for the honesty option, but these are people you have to be around the majority of your day, so I suppose it does make sense not to offend. But I work in a facility of nearly 200 employees, they bring donuts every sunday and everyone makes a deal about making sure I have one. I simply said that I've changed my eating habits to whole and natural foods and that doesn't include processed and refined foods that weren't healthy for my body. Anyone who brought up the guilt trip got a good lecture on why I decided on this, and why I believe these are good food choices for my body and any other LC/exercise info I could think of off the top of my head. They quit asking because they got sick of my 20 minute presentations of the LC WOE. He he he, beat em' at their own game hon!! Bring in LC treats and trick them into trying them, then tell them UH-OH it was sugar-free and good for you!!! That's just my opinion, you've gotta decide for yourself what you wanna do. After all, you're the one that's stuck working with them, not us


~ Cori ~

You could suddenly develop an allergy to wheat (well it's partially true!).

I just simply tell people that I don't want it, I don't eat sugar or white flour. My closer work friends I tell I am on a low carb eating lifestyle. I they don't take the first no, I get forceful and say loudly "I said no thank you" - they usually get the message...but I gotta admit, it is so hard seeing all those yummy treats and not having any -worth it in the end though!

I must work in the same office as you. Everyone is determined to sabotage my weight loss, so they can feel good about eating food they know is not healthy. They say things like "just this once".

You've done very well with your weight loss, and I commend you for not eating the goodies that have been offered (It can be tempting). Little white lies are ok, but the truth is you will live a longer, better quality life if you continue to lose weight. Make them understand this or blow them off. My point is you're doing a great job, so don't let anyone get in your way.

I guess I am lucky at my office, a few co-workers have noticed I have been losing weight and at a maternity leave farewell the ole cake and doughnuts were floating around heavily. One person made sure I was offered and when I said no he asked if it was because of my woe. That gave me the opportunity to talk about LCing and now a few weeks later there are three of us at work doing the WOE with one more asking tons of questions about it.

Looks like my office is going to be a healthier place to be !

I am amazed and shake my head (internally) at the group at work.
They have signed up for "Tasty Thursday", where one person on the list bring enough treats for everyone else.

Now, there are no rules regarding this, and you could in theory bring something more healthy, but the choices usually range from M&M meats desserts (butter squares, Nanaimo Bars, Cream Puffs, etc.) to donuts from the local establishment.

Occastionally there are whole grain breads and cream cheese, dried fruit and nuts, sliced fresh fruit, or other choices, but the majority is fast, quickly purchased, empty junk.

Now, what makes me shake my head the most is the one particular person who has begun Weight Watchers recently (and at last discussion, had lost 15 pounds - good for her - I'm sorry, but I can't see it yet - she has a lot to lose)

Anyway, last Thursday I just happened past the display and there she was - filling up a plate with cinnamon knots (or should I say "nots") and other pastries. I'm wondering where on her points list all that fits in?

She's described her breakfast for me - I don't know how she stands it - One of those hay bales of shredded wheat, sometimes sugar, and milk - I'd be hungry so soon, I'd be giving up that ridiculous plan quickly. Even when I ate cereal for breakfast, I had to eat so much of it just to last till break time - I was starved way before then otherwise. Either her snacks are holding her through the morning (whatever they are), or she has a lot of will power to endure the hunger pains (which I'm sure are there).

Anyway, I think I've wandered entirely off topic, but I started this reply just to say that it seems that every workplace has its sugar pushers. I guess I'm lucky that most of the time, the ones in our office sign up for the pleasure. I've actually brought in LC baking (which I didn't want in the house - too convenient), and it disappeared so quickly, and was enjoyed by everyone who had it - isn't that hilarious? Do you think they even analyze what they're putting in their mouths?

I had 3 day-long meetings last week. Lunch was brought in every day- pizza and sandwiches - enough for 15 - 20 people and we had only 8 in the meeting. Then there was the big overflowing candy jars passed around the table every few minutes. Finally, on the thrid day someone brought in a goopy cake that must have been 13" by 26" (and we still only had 8 people at the meeting!)

I had my usual breakfast at home, and my usual packed lunch of green beans, ground beef, and an oz of cheddar cheese every day. The first day was kind of tough because people wanted to make sure I was offered all of the poisonous goodies. By day three it was actually business as usual ("Let me guess - you're having ground beef and green beans today, right?")

I felt really good about the week, and folks were really good at not sugar pushing once they realized I was serious about not joining in AND that I wasn't feeling deprived or left out. These kinds of meetings have been tough for me in the past, and the worst ones are when I'm traveling and it is harder to pack the right food. Getting past the mindset that there is all this free and potentially yummy stuff has been a challenge in the past. Knowing that I'm currently tracking to be at goal in late July makes it a whole lot easier. It also really helped when the coworkers get used to me not joining in the eat-fest. They got really good at leaving me out of the candy jar passing and other food sharing behaviors once they learned that was the right way to include me in the festivities.

Lynda

my office was exactly the same way. one woman was on CHIPS and claimed she ate no dairy but she apparently wasn't opposed to things that other people made with dairy in it! we had dozens of donuts, bagels, cakes all the time. i honestly never had a sweet tooth for cakes and pastries (pasta was my weakness, so if a pasta day ever arises that could be dangerous). they couldn't believe that someone didn't like to eat cakes & pastries! finally after seeing me not eat it for months they backed off and quit brining it around to my cubicle to offer it to me.

It was Girl Scout cookie hell in the office this week. "Did you see? I brought cookies!" "You saw the cookies, right?" "Have a cookie! Just one won't kill you!"

Argh.


Luckily, they weren't Thin Mints. I can resist PB cookies, but not Thin Mints.

haha i have to do that all the time, i cant stand when you tell someone no but they insist. I just take it and tell them ill eat it in a little while. Then the second they leave it takes a trip to the trash can.

LOL, thanks guys you made me giggle!

I get that whole "did you see the cookies?! ... there are cookies!" thing all the time except it's usually Easter Eggs. I'm just surprised because there are some rather large individuals in my office and it's usually them pushing the sweets on me. YUCK.