Under Pressure...

Have you ever been working toward a goal and seemed to have everyone around you trying to keep you from achieving it? Well, that's how I felt today. Not only is weight loss already impossible in and of itself, but with the constant temptations, peer pressure, and just downright guilt trips, it seems like an impossible battle I'll never win.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have FANTASTIC supportive friends and family. Most of them know how hard its been for me to lose weight. However, its those pesky peers that aren't really friends, but you have to be polite to them and eat their food they are placing in front of your face or you get that "if you don't like the food I just gave me, you must not appreciate my effort" face that you can't turn down.... yeah. Them.

I managed to turn down amazing Mediterranean food for lunch with friends, but still got pulled into a meeting where they bought Pizza Hut for everyone, and of course the pizza was placed directly in front of me on the table. I tried to not eat any. But of course the leader who bought it for everyone is sitting directly across from me at the table. What am I supposed to do? Sit and say, no thanks, I'm on a diet. Thus insulting her on her food selection for everyone, and acting all snobbish. BLAH! So, I took the tiniest sliver of cheese pizza possible, inconspicuously dabbed as much grease off of it as possible, and ate it very slowly.

Honestly, I should have said I am allergic to Pizza Hut or something, but who believes that?! But seriously, I am in so much pain from that one piece of pizza. So much grease, and my tummy just doesn't agree. Anyway, that was a rant... but a good example of how impossible it can be to be a "healthy eater" in a work or social situation.

To make matters worse, I have this pesky habit of really really caring about other people's feelings. Babawa would say that I am a "Blue" personality, (for those of you who have done the SDI personality test) and that it is my nature to do so. However, I think it is a pretty good reason that I gain when I do, aka Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July....

How many of you eat because someone made it special for you? Or its a work party, and you should "join in the festivities". Or, in my case today, its a work lunch and all we have is this INSANELY greasy pizza and wings. Or, its a party, so you should have cake and ice cream, and while you are at it, try this special cookie/candy confection that I made just for this event that I had to attend cause I love this family member/boyfriend/sister/mom... etc. The list goes on and on.

Why has it become a culture of peer pressure to make someone eat? Not to sound like a little snot or something, but why is it rude to not eat something that is presented before you? Why is it not acceptable in society to say, no thanks, I can't eat that right now. I am trying to lose this weight. Oh.. and then if you do say something along those lines, you get this sympathetic remark about how they are trying too, and ohhhh how hard it is! GRRRRRR!! All I want to say is THEN WHY ARE YOU SHOVING THIS IN MY FACE?!

Ok. Temper Tantrum over. How have you handled the work food situations?