Colleagues Who Can Make You Fat (A Review) March 17, 2012
Posted by Optifast Blogger in Maintenance.Tags: alcohol, calories, carbs, colleagues, dieting, food, food at work, healthy eating, holidays, overeating, trigger foods
3 comments
The article “Colleagues Who Can Make You Fat” came out this week in the Wall Street Journal, concerning diet-sabotaging treats and behavior at work. Though I agree with the article, I did have some mixed feelings, because I’m both a victim and a perp of this “crime.” I’ve certainly broken healthy eating vows by eating donuts during staff meetings, homemade goodies in the break room, and Chinese food at team get-togethers. BUT, I’ve also brought in my share of cupcakes and other homemade goodies to work, either leftovers or food baked especially for coworkers. In my defense, I can only say that most of my coworkers are hungry men not watching their weight who are very appreciative of anything homemade. There are a couple of women who, like me, are sometimes “watching” and sometimes not, and who have once or twice given me grief for bringing in temptations when they are in a sweets-resisting phase, which has made me feel guilty.
I certainly don’t want to be the cause of anyone’s dieting or healthy eating downfall, and I definitely also know how one slip can derail a history of successful resistance. Of course I would never tease anyone about what they are eating (or not eating), or push food on them, or in any way attempt to change their mind about healthy eating choices – that goes without saying. I have been the victim of ALL these myself, both when on Optifast and at other times. I had a boss who didn’t hesitate to publicly chastise me (with “humor” of course) for my “disgusting” healthy food choices when hers were the opposite.
I found the article’s suggestions about “pushing back” helpful – rehearsing ahead of time how to react at a work potluck, for example. I know one person who visualizes themselves ahead of time making healthy choices. I’m guilty of taking the non-confrontation approach – taking the cupcake handed out to me at my desk, and subsequently burying it in my trash. Especially when I was on Optifast, and didn’t want all the people I work with to know I wasn’t eating. We have one person at work who for years has never attended a work potluck or holiday celebration because she’s always dieting, which I understand, but which is also kind of sad, since she misses out on that socialization.
Some work environments are more diet-toxic than others. The inner offices at governmental agencies, hospitals and nursing homes, teacher breakrooms – these are notorious for having snacks and goodies and potlucks galore. And meetings everywhere, of course, either as a lure to get people there, or to survive the tedium of having to sit through them.
Our team has a staff meeting every two weeks with rotating assignments to bring in snack. I often will bring in one homemade carb item, and then also something healthy, like a basket of tangerines or strawberries. I like the idea of the fruit-and-yogurt buffet mentioned in the article, and wonder how that might go over if I try it at an upcoming staff meeting. (I’m the assigned snack-bringer week after next!)
Where I work, I don’t have the problem of the colleague happy hour invitation – not something we do in our office. (Or maybe we do but I just don’t get included!) But that would be even harder to resist, or to attend and maintain healthy eating habits, at least for me. Even worse would be client meals, where you don’t want to offend.
The problem is that some people really can indulge occasionally in food and drink with no ill effects. But there’s others, and I’m one, that find it much harder. But I do think things are changing, so hopefully respecting each other’s personal choices and being supportive of healthy eating is a growing trend.
I know one person in my Optifast group, who was preparing for a half-marathon, and found that the comment, “I’m in training for an upcoming race” was a very effective and acceptable way to deflect food pressures. I like it!
Transition Here I Come August 31, 2011
Posted by Optifast Blogger in transition.Tags: clothes sizes, healthy eating, keeping the weight off, optifast success, portion size, product, transition, vegetables
2 comments
Tomorrow starts transition. Truth is, it’s transition at a veeerrrry slow pace. So as I’ve mentioned, the first week, we just lose one product, and add in one 4 oz serving protein and ½ cup (just a few mouthfuls, really!) of cooked veg. But the idea is to continue consuming smaller portions and not go back to mega-portions of anything.
In preparation, I’ve done a number of things, some of which are related to meal planning and some which aren’t. For example, I’ve written down some “reminders” to keep with me (even have a copy on my cell phone). I won’t list them all, but here are a few favorites:
- You don’t want to ever have to buy bigger clothes – or regret tossing the ones that are now too big
- Don’t stretch out that stomach – you worked too hard to shrink it
- Do you really want to waste $4300, and 4 months of no “real” food – a summer of no fruit, corn, tomatoes, farmers markets, alcohol, or restaurants?
- Staying down is so SO much easier than getting down
- Do you really WANT to go back on blood pressure medicine?
- Think about how nice it is to buy clothes you LIKE rather than those that hide the fat!
- That food isn’t disappearing off the planet – you can always have some another day, or just a taste
And last, but which pretty much sums it all up:
- Is that food really worth what you’ll lose by gaining weight?
Our group leader is urging us to “eat clean” and consume quality, healthy foods rather than fast food, high-carb, high fat choices. I feel that I ate a lot of fruit, veg, yogurt, etc. anyways, but I want to improve on that, in terms of the amount of vegetables (and fruit) and the variety. There are lots of books and articles out now about “food as medicine” and though I still think food should be enjoyed (not taken like a pill or spoonful of amoxicillin!), I want to be sure I’m eating the foods that contribute to health and longevity.
So I made a chart for the next two months with the weeks at the top and on the left are fruits and vegetables as well as things like beans, nuts, fish, olive oil, etc. My plan is to check these off, use the chart for grocery shopping (so I get a wider variety – like buy grapefruit if I haven’t had any recently, or artichokes, mushrooms, melon, etc.), and just track this to help myself expand my eating choices in healthy ways. I do believe that by adding in vegetables to things like soup, omelets, sandwiches, etc. it’s win-win – you are more full and satisfied after the meal, and you are eating healthier.
It’s all about taking care of my health and my body. I’ve put it through a bit with this somewhat extreme quick-loss diet, and now I’m ready to pamper it, not by dining on chocolate and champagne (though I can’t deny that sounds appealing!) but by saturating it with lots of vitamins and nutrients and all the good things that can be found in the grocery store (a place I haven’t been to for awhile!) if you look in the right places.