by Elena Herrera
As a participant in the 6 week long shred competition, I’ve become increasingly more aware of my food and exercise intake. Whereas in the past I had to answer only to myself, the recent addition of a shred partner has made it so that we have to now answer to another person. Human nature (and psychological studies) have shown us that people behave differently and perhaps better when they know they’re being observed. Now that I have a partner who just might read my food and exercise journal, I really don’t want to mess up. And I don’t want to let him down since my results affect his results and vice versa.
Avoid these bad boys at the workplace
I wish I could say that this entire process has been an easy one, but it hasn’t. It’s been frustrating to the point of tears due to the constant temptation and poor food choices of the people I work with. I work over 40 hours a week in a hectic, sometimes chaotic clinic for mentally ill people. Maybe that’s why every single day I’m confronted with junk food that’s offered and even demanded of me to eat. Every day (yes, EVERY DAY) it’s either brownies, cookies, ice cream, or pizza. My immediate answer is “no” to which the inevitable responses become “oh come on Elena, it’s just one cookie, it’s not gonna hurt.” Or, “just take it!” “ugh, you’re so healthy” followed by the eye roll. A few weeks back maybe I would’ve taken a cookie or maybe the comments wouldn’t have been so irritating or offensive to me. But now that I’m actively trying to resist sweets I’m more conscious of the food around me and I’ve become overly sensitive to critical remarks, negative facial expressions and haughty body language. So what can you do if you’re confronted with similar situations either at home or work? I’ve compiled some ways in which I’ve coped and I hope you find them as helpful for you as they have been for me.
Turn to your shred partner. I can’t speak enough about how my partner has helped me through this process. During week 1 I had a particularly tough challenge at work and I unloaded on him about how frustrated I was with the lack of support and rude comments I received from some of my colleagues. The encouragement I got from him was a mixture of empathy along with some “toughen up” words. That’s how he rolls. Check-ins (especially during work hours), encouraging words, reminders of why I’m doing this, and knowing that someone’s right along with me have made all the difference.
Enlist the help of a supportive person. Not everyone at work is bad. A friend and colleague of mine is equally invested in her health and fitness. She knows all about the shred and of my weakness to sugar. When I’ve craved something bad or I’m feeling discouraged about yet another plate of brownies in my line of sight, she’ll either warn me about dangers in the staff lounge, say something funny (“don’t worry their asses are getting bigger, not yours”), or just listen.
Eat mindfully. If I want to eat I do the stop and think approach. I stop for a moment and think to myself “Am I really hungry?” If the answer is yes, then I eat. If I have to think about whether I’m hungry then I go a step further and examine whether my desire to eat is out of boredom (my typical trigger) or something else. If I’m bored then I try and distract myself with something to do. If emotions drive you to eat then learn to identify that feeling and then find a non-edible way of dealing with it (e.g., writing, music, exercise, talking about it).
Pack your food.This takes effort so the excuse of “I don’t have time” goes out the door. Make time. The more effort and time it takes you to plan out your meals and snacks, the more likely you are to eat what you have and not be stuck eating what’s around. I nosh all day long, but I make it a point to pack healthy selections like fruits, veggies, nuts, and protein bars. This way I can run to my cooler for a good choice if I’m confronted with sweets and I can also feel less guilty about wasting perfectly good food.
When all else fails, escape. Recently at work several coworkers of mine decided to hold an ice cream social. This was during week 1 of the shred. I love ice cream and that was hard enough for me to deal with. In addition to that I had to respond to persistent nagging such as “don’t be anti-social,” “come on, just a little” and even “just lie about it.” My supportive coworker described above was trying just as hard to resist the ice cream and suggested that we leave. We took a drive to a fruit vendor and while everyone was throwing back sundaes, we snacked guilt-free on delicious, fresh tropical fruit. Escaping doesn’t always mean driving out for fruit. A quick walk outside or even a few deep breaths with positive mental mantras are also effective.
While it’s certainly easier to meet your personal goals when you have the support of a positive work or living environment, it ultimately remains your responsibility to make changes. My shred partner taught me that (thanks Will) and I’ve become stronger because of it. I hope you do too.
