I want to eat constantly while at work
just four days ago was my surgiversary. I am proud of having this surgery four years ago and it has changed my life.
Unfortunately I still struggle w/ my old habits. I have been lucky in that i've kept the weight I lost off but I still have 60 lbs I never lost and still trying to lose. I am constantly falling off the wagon. I have been trying to pay attention to my urges to eat in hopes i can make a permanent change in how i relate to food. I notice that while at work, I constantly want to eat. once I leave, the urge to eat is significantly less. So what should I do? I know my work is not the most fulfulling and boring but I don't feel that I can leave the job as of yet. so in the meantime, what can i do to stop obsessing about food while at work? any ideas?
Unfortunately I still struggle w/ my old habits. I have been lucky in that i've kept the weight I lost off but I still have 60 lbs I never lost and still trying to lose. I am constantly falling off the wagon. I have been trying to pay attention to my urges to eat in hopes i can make a permanent change in how i relate to food. I notice that while at work, I constantly want to eat. once I leave, the urge to eat is significantly less. So what should I do? I know my work is not the most fulfulling and boring but I don't feel that I can leave the job as of yet. so in the meantime, what can i do to stop obsessing about food while at work? any ideas?
Good on you for recognizing the pattern. Awareness of it is a great start. What about work is it do you think that makes it difficult? Is there always food around beckoning? Is it stress? Is it boredom? Is it exposure to your colleagues? Do you want to eat every single minute of the day, or are there times that trigger it? The more you understand about the emotional reach of the trigger, the better equiped to strategize for it, and to take it's power away.
What kind of work do you do?
What kind of work do you do?
I feel like the urge is all day. i work in a place i am not completely comfortable working in. I am in a technical field, a woman among all men. the work is boring and I sit in front of the computer all day. I do not have constant food around me. I bring it or buy it from the vending machine. I think ultimately I am uncomfortable here. It is a fairly new job. I am not challenged enough and feel like I am not successful here. so feelings of inferiority and like I am a failure. I've always felt this way about my job though.
So, you're battling two distinct things then: the boredom/lack of challenge which is situational, and the isolation/feelings of inferiority. That means you have multiple ways to fight it.
For the boredom, I guess it depends on the nature of your work. If it is sporadic, like tech support then maybe there are brain occupying and challenging things (like suduku, crossword puzzles, drawing, journalling) that you could do to give your brain something to chew on. If it's more consistent, like coding or development work it may be a bit harder. Is there a way to volunteer to take on more accountability, do a special project or something like that? That kind of self-propelling action wins bigs with managers and might help you show what you bring to the job while keeping you busy.
For the emotional side of things, that's a bit harder. You might try exploring mindfulness based meditation, which teaches you ways to be in your body and observe the urge without indulging it, which helps drain it's power by creating space for you to make good choices. You might want to do some reading of books that talk about these kinds of feelings. Brene Brown is a really interesting sociogist I am currently reading and her stuff might help you. Youtube "Brene Brown power of vulnerability" to see what she is about.
Lastly, you might try some cognitive behavioural therapy techniques. When you are in the strong urge to eat, take some time to consider the following questions:
What am I feeling?
What does it look like / feel like / what colour would it be, what shape?
What does this feeling need? What do I need to feel better?
or
What food am I wanting now?
Why that food?
How will I feel once I have eaten that food?
How will I feel 2 hours after I have eaten it?
How will i feel 24 hours after I have eaten it?
How will I feel in the moment I choose not to eat it?
How will I feel 2 hours after that? 24 hours?
Does it line up with the bigger goals I want for myself?
Best,
~Mo
For the boredom, I guess it depends on the nature of your work. If it is sporadic, like tech support then maybe there are brain occupying and challenging things (like suduku, crossword puzzles, drawing, journalling) that you could do to give your brain something to chew on. If it's more consistent, like coding or development work it may be a bit harder. Is there a way to volunteer to take on more accountability, do a special project or something like that? That kind of self-propelling action wins bigs with managers and might help you show what you bring to the job while keeping you busy.
For the emotional side of things, that's a bit harder. You might try exploring mindfulness based meditation, which teaches you ways to be in your body and observe the urge without indulging it, which helps drain it's power by creating space for you to make good choices. You might want to do some reading of books that talk about these kinds of feelings. Brene Brown is a really interesting sociogist I am currently reading and her stuff might help you. Youtube "Brene Brown power of vulnerability" to see what she is about.
Lastly, you might try some cognitive behavioural therapy techniques. When you are in the strong urge to eat, take some time to consider the following questions:
What am I feeling?
What does it look like / feel like / what colour would it be, what shape?
What does this feeling need? What do I need to feel better?
or
What food am I wanting now?
Why that food?
How will I feel once I have eaten that food?
How will I feel 2 hours after I have eaten it?
How will i feel 24 hours after I have eaten it?
How will I feel in the moment I choose not to eat it?
How will I feel 2 hours after that? 24 hours?
Does it line up with the bigger goals I want for myself?
Best,
~Mo
Nicole,
I wish I could say I have no idea what you are talking about. But I notice the same things. For some reason, at work, I seem to just want to snack all day. It is honestly a battle somedays. But then the weekend comes, or during the week when I go home at night, I don't want to eat anything. I almost have to remind myself to eat, especially on the weekends. Do you think it's more of a boredom thing?? I notice the days that I'm busier, it's not nearly as bad.
But just wanted to let you know that I feel your pain..
Becky
I wish I could say I have no idea what you are talking about. But I notice the same things. For some reason, at work, I seem to just want to snack all day. It is honestly a battle somedays. But then the weekend comes, or during the week when I go home at night, I don't want to eat anything. I almost have to remind myself to eat, especially on the weekends. Do you think it's more of a boredom thing?? I notice the days that I'm busier, it's not nearly as bad.
But just wanted to let you know that I feel your pain..
Becky
Drink instead. Make some warm tea, herbal tea, sugar free hot chocolate, sugar free apple cidar, etc. Try to drink constantly instead of eating.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Most Active
Recent Topics