Keeping snacks at work
I keep little serving size containers of snacks in my drawer at work. It’s mostly carbohydrates – triscuits, barbara’s bakery shredded oats, pretzels, sometimes a granola bar or animal crackers. The idea is that these snacks are there to supplement my hunger if I need them in the afternoon. I try to eat fruit, vegetables, and sometimes dairy products before I resort to these snacks so I don’t overload on carbs.
I’m finding it is both beneficial and harmful to always have a snack there.
It’s beneficial because I am always prepared – if I am unexpectedly hungry, I know I have something small and somewhat healthy that will tide me over until I get home for dinner. I don’t have to leave my office in search for a “healthy snack.” Sometimes, that is hard to find!
It’s harmful because I know the snacks are always there. Sometimes, I will start thinking about a snack, when I am not even hungry, and my mouth will start watering. It’s really hard then, to tell myself “no,” when I want it so badly.
I’ve tried only bringing one snack at a time, but that always turns out to be the day I am hungry for more. And it’s more convenient to bring a bunch of them in at once so I don’t have to carry one every day.
I’ve been really stressed out lately. Stressed out about things I don’t want to discuss here, right now.
Yesterday, around 4:00 pm, all of the stress got to me. I was trying to prepare for a meeting and was having a hard time getting the documents I needed from someone. I started eating my snacks. One by one, until they were all gone, and I had reached my day’s goal of calorie intake! I wasn’t eating the snacks mindfully, I was shoveling and barely chewing.
After I was done with my snacks, I felt the urge to keep snacking. I was worried and scared. I hadn’t felt that urge in a long time – the urge to stuff my face until I got sick of it. I used to have that urge everyday! I wondered if something was changing in me – if all of my good eating habits were going down the drain.
I went downstairs to our building’s convenience store, searching for something to munch on. I knew, in my mind, that I was just frustrated and stressed out. I thought about the emotional eating book, and the fact that I was just trying to brush aside those feelings and focus on something soothing.
But I didn’t care. So I kept searching for something to eat, and finally settled on a package of pop tarts. Do you know how many calories are in a package of pop tarts? At least 400! I even thought about that, but still took the package back to my office.
Then, I got back to my desk. And put the pop tarts in my drawer. And thought about how I wanted to eat dinner with Steven and exercise afterward. And how I was going to feel really crappy if I ate those stupid pop tarts.
I decided not to eat them. Before I left, I put them in the kitchen for someone else to have.
So why is this story so long and drawn out and even worth telling? Because it is a BIG DEAL that I did not eat those pop tarts, and fall into one of my binge eating patterns. I think if I would have eaten them, I would have had something else to eat on the train, then snacked on some stuff at home before Steven got there, then had dinner with him, then snacked some more afterward.
Usually, I can’t stop once I start. But this time I did.
And I don’t think this stress is going to go away, so I have to remember I have the power to say “no” to mindless eating. I know this may sound silly and dumb for those of you who do not struggle with this, but mindless eating has always been a huge problem for me.
Do you keep snacks at work? Do you find it beneficial or harmful? Do you “mindlessly” eat them?
Themocracy
I don’t keep snacks at work. It’s tempting enough that the vending machines are so close. My downfall is that there is food sitting out all the time. Someone is always baking something, bringing in doughnuts, bagels, etc. And if it is sitting there…….
Robin – Is there an office that doesn’t have food sitting out all the time? This is what I wonder 😉 It’s hard to say no to yummy treats all the time.
One of the sorta-nice things about my job is that we don’t have assigned seating in my office. We have tables and chairs; if we want our own personal space, we can get a locker…
So, whatever food I have with me, I keep in my backpack. Life as a consultant is normally so nomadic that it’s kind of like being in the military – you have to have *everything* with you that you could possibly need. 😛
Good job of exercising your control muscle! Every positive choice makes you that much stronger next time.
Today I had lunch with Juli, and I’d decided ahead of time exactly what I was going to order (I thought of you while I was reading the menu online!). But driving over, I decided I was going to cut myself some slack and have a tuna melt and fries. And I was okay with that. Only when it came time to order, I found myself requesting a salad in place of the fries, and then picking out the croutons, and even removing the top bun to eat the sandwich open-faced style! It seems my control muscle has gotten strong enough to be at work even when I don’t call on it. I was pretty damn proud.
As for snacks at work, I keep “safe” snacks in my drawer, because our kitchen is a hellhole of temptation. I’m very glad I have such a hike to get to it! Much easier to just open the desk drawer.
E – That is really interesting! I’ve never heard of an office set up like that! Do you like it? Or do you sometimes wish you had your own desk?
SJ – I’m so proud of you! It takes a lot to fantasize about one menu item, then replace it with something more healthy. I wonder if eventually you won’t even crave things like french fries anymore! Is that even possible? 😛
I have a novel to write on this subject–I’ll email you. 😉 Yesterday I had a breakdown in the evening and stuffed my face. It was all food I was allowed to eat, but it was still WAY TOO MUCH.
So just know that I TOTALLY sympathize, and I am VERY PROUD that you didn’t eat the Pop Tarts!!!
I used to keep snacks at work. But, inevitably, I’d eat more than one sharing … sometimes more than 3 sharings in one sitting. So, I’ve gotten rid of those snacks. Now, I bring snacks to work … one granola bar and a couple pieces of fruit. The problem is, my office has a candy bowl … and sometimes it gets the best of me.
Here’s a thought. Maybe you should participate in BlogSecret in order to relieve yourself of the burden of keeping those stresses inside? Just a thought…
Yay you for not eating the dreaded Pop Tarts!! That’s definitely an awesome accomplishment!
I work from home so there are ALWAYS snacks around waiting to be munched. I try my best to not let their name calling get the best of me, and most days am successful.
i’m proud of you for not eating the pop tarts too!!! very good!!! i understand what you mean, i’m an emotional eater too and i’m so scared since dc left today that i’m going to undo what i’ve done so far… at least you caught yourself and recognized what you were doing, i’d say that’s a damn big impressive accomplishment!!! baby steps sister, baby steps!!! (and if you ever need to talk you can call me or email me!)
=^..^=
i used to keep snacks in my desk but don’t anymore. it seems when i bring them they sit in there forever. last week i threw out some 100 calorie packs that expired in 2007, oops.
one more thing i just thought about (dang allergy medicine is killing my brain today!), i suppose you could say i’m lucky in the fact that we don’t ever have food to share in the breakroom here… i wouldn’t eat it anyways, i work with a bunch of disgusting people!!! icky!!! sometimes this is a good and bad thing, lol!
=^..^=
diane – Thank you 🙂 Mine was all food I could eat too – just too much. I suppose if we don’t do it EVERY night, we should be able to get over it? It’s just hard 😉
Nilsa – Sometimes I feel lucky that my office is so small, because we do have a dish that sometimes has stuff in it, but it is all the way in the kitchen. We have one client that has candy bowls every 20′ or so! I can’t imagine being in that environment! I am thinking about BlogSecret.
Lisa – I think if I worked at home I would use food A LOT when I got bored! Good for you for not succumbing to them all the time!
CourtneyInControl – Maybe if you feel the urge to snack while dc is gone, you can call him, or write in your blog or do something else to distract yourself! You’ve been doing so well! You will probably be fighting boredom when he is gone, right? I am sorry your coworkers are so disgusting! 😉 😛
First – Hugs kudos to you for avoiding the pop tarts! There will always be days when we slide a bit but you did escape the calories of the toaster pastries and that is something to pat yourself on the back for. Concentrate on the good. Also, here is something to help you NOT want to keep snacks in the office. It was caught on video at night at my hubby’s work. http://www.vtroom.com/2007/06/27/teenis-tips-x/
Cheese Nips, Red Vines, instant oatmeal, Resse’s Pieces, green tea and Orbit White gum are my staple snacks I almost always have at work. I mix it up sometimes, but for the most part, that’s my regular stock.
teeni – Oh my gosh! Was that on his desk?!?! That is scary! Ha ha. Good thing I keep all of my snacks in plastic containers. I haven’t noticed any little tiny teeth marks 😉
martymankins – That sounds like a good stash!
Snacks are very dangerous to have around, yet very nice. I’m like you in that regard. I know they’re there so I want to eat them, but if I don’t have them, that’s when I have hunger pangs up the kazoo.
Usually I have saltines, cans of soup, and granola bars. Some candy on occasion as well.
kapgar – I wish there was some way to only remember they are there when we are actually hungry! 🙂
“After I was done with my snacks, I felt the urge to keep snacking. I was worried and scared. I hadn’t felt that urge in a long time – the urge to stuff my face until I got sick of it. I used to have that urge everyday! I wondered if something was changing in me – if all of my good eating habits were going down the drain.”
That is SO me! I had one of those moments myself last week. And I am super, super proud of you for giving up those Pop Tarts. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. 🙂
Jillian – This is bad, but every time I hear someone tell me they struggle with the same thing, it makes me feel so much better. It makes me feel more normal. Thank you for your encouragement. I hope we both continue to fight it!