Food Pushers

This can be a hard situation to get through. Most people know that I had surgery so it usually isn't a problem. But there are people will tell me to treat myself.

Which I have to take the word treat out of my vocab.

I think say next time are you really trying to send me to the hospital with a stroke. Or say I don't eat sugar anymore.

HALA told me to always say I don't instead of I can't.

Sorry I wish I could be more help.

I would try to channel my inner Captain Awkward here. (She's an AWESOME advice columnist.)

Sadly these things are easier said than done...

So Captain Awkward's big advice is to have scripts for things and, when it comes to boundary scripts, the basic method is "acknowledge you heard the person then REDIRECT." And the redirection should always be the same so that it becomes really obvious that you're not going to waver and that you ARE redirecting.

This means that, on first offer, I'd say something like, "No thanks. Hey, can you believe that Daenerys had sex with one of her dragons on GoT last night?!" (She didn't.. I'm just currently finishing up watching season 6 so GoT is in my brain.)

If the hint isn't taken and insistence continues, I'd say something like, "I'm not going to eat a donut. Hey, can you believe that Daenerys had sex with one of her dragons on GoT last night?!"

The third time? "I'm sorry, but my eating habits aren't up for discussion and I'd like to drop this topic. Hey, can you believe that Daenerys had sex with one of her dragons on GoT last night?!"

I'd repeat that entire thing for any subsequent instances. "I'm sorry, but my eating habits aren't up for discussion and I'd like to drop this topic. Hey, can you believe that Daenerys had sex with one of her dragons on GoT last night?!"

Eventually.. people get the point that, no, you're not going to debate or talk about this with them. I believe that this is a better option than trying to explain/justify why you're not going to eat whatever - because that makes people think that there's room for discussion? When, really, there isn't.

But, like I said, easier said than done, eh? I'm about to post about an issue I've been having and you'll see how I suck at my own advice....

I tell people that I am allergic. In my chart in hospital - sugar is listed as an allergy. I tell people that food like that can me make really sick, and taht I have days taht I chose not to take the risk. or- when really force into eating something - I may take a bite - chew it then spit it- telling the person taht I really don;t like it... and toss the rest what they gave me into the trash. Often - that is the last time someone tries to make me eat something.

I still can eat some things that I normally don't - but I don't allow food pushers to make me.

So the same group offered cookies in a meeting today . There was only one subtle pusher today-, funny enough he's the same one who just told me hes started a weight loss drug. I should have asked him how that cookie interacted with his weight loss drug.

Then they brought in hoagies- I was brought 4 by well meaning staff who didn't want me to miss out. They don't tempt me at all so I put them in my lunch bag and will bring them home for the family-- hoagies for dinner!

Wow, it sounds like a really nice group of well meaning people you work with! I mean that sincerely, and I do think they mean well. We are conditioned in society to show caring and to celebrate through food.

Maybe you can, as the HR Manager, launch a wellness initiative at work? Especially if there are others who are trying to lose weight, and now on weight loss medication. It might be a good way to change the focus, and it not be about you, but the organization...

I agree that they are well meaning-- I don't think there is any bad intent. We do have a wellness initiatives. That's what they chat about getting back on track with while they eat the cookies & hoagies :-)

Oh dear!!!

Bringing treats into work IS well meaning, Ms. "3.14" ;) however, Repeatedly insisting another person Eat that garbage is down-right passive-aggressive! Your ticker indicates you've dropped close to 150 lbs in the past 2 yrs - fricken Awesome Job, btw - could there be some (unconscious) jealousy at work...uh, At work?

As we continue to walk the path of good health and wellness, we will continue to evolve...Lol...as will our tolerance to environments that now begin to sometimes feel a wee bit toxic... One day we stop asking ourselves why it feels as though people we genuinely like are using food as a weapon, and instead we begin to ask ourselves why some environments are still okay...
**(Great discussion topic, btw, fantastic suggestions, everyone - got to love the way we'll spontaneously jump on-board [Lol...no pun intended] when the topic hits our collective nerve...THIS, right here, gang, is "community"!)

You might say" Doctors orders - I can't eat sugar or white flour, sorry"

Diane S

Awe Peach that sucks.

Now me being who I am I would have taken a bite and then made a beeline to the waste can making gaging sounds the whole way and spit it out. I would have then proceeded to let the folks know that the food was awful. Yup I can be *****y and there is no way in hell anyone is going to trick, guilt, or force food on me.

I did that to my oldest sister last year. She makes this lemon cake that is so sweet my horses wouldn't even eat a piece and they love sugar. She kept hounding me and hounding me at this party and I finally in front of everyone took a bite and then proceeded to spit it out. She was all sorts of butt hurt over that. My mother just giggled behind me. My family knows all about my surgery, but my oldest sister is ignorant and doesn't think of anyone but herself. She gets mad if someone says they like something I make. Yea because I don't put 3lbs of sugar in my desserts. They are all made as sugar free as possible.