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During the work week, I usually stop for a snack around 3 p.m. Yesterday I had a big salad for lunch so I didn't get hungry until about 4 p.m. I went up to the break room to grab a bowl and spoon and I saw a box sitting on the counter. I then remembered getting an e-mail in the morning about one of our vendors dropping off donuts for us (I read the e-mail, deleted it and forgot all about it). I opened the box and took a look at what we had - I saw a bear claw, a cinnimon donut and a couple of cake donuts. I could smell the sugar as soon as I opened the box. I closed the lid and went into the kitchen to grab my nonfat, vanilla organic yogurt from the fridge. On the counter I saw a huge cake tray with about a quarter of the cake on it covered by some parchment paper. I lifted the paper to see if it said anything on the cake and again was hit will the smell of sugar. I didn't see any writing so I put the paper back on, dished out my yogurt, and went back to my desk and ate my snack.
I was not tempted to eat the donuts or the cake. Now granted, if it was cookies and ice cream I may have had a harder time saying no, but with the donuts and cake - not so much. And do you know why that is? It was the smell of the sugar. It was so powerful, it literally made my stomach hurt a little just smelling it. I knew that if I had eaten either of those things I would have had a stomach ache from it.
Once upon a time if I had gone into the break room with the intention of having yogurt and saw the donuts, I would have eaten a donut instead. And then chased it with a slice of cake. Then on my way out of the office for the day I probably would have taken a couple of the donuts with me with my excuse ready if anyone asked ("they're for the kids") and then I would have promptly eaten them in the car on my way home.
When I first started working here 11 years ago we had donuts delivered every morning. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I think I gained at least 20 pounds the first couple of years I worked here.
I've talked about this all on my blog before but it's worth repeating. The safest place for me when it comes to my eating habits is at work. It used to be the opposite - I couldn't resist all the snacks that we have out all the time. They were always calling my name and I always gave into the cravings.
Everyone in my office knows that I eat healthy and exercise now. For some reason it makes it easier for me to make the right choices while I'm here. Plus the fact that I know those treats will never make me feel as good as working hard to lose weight does. It's just not worth it.
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