Fitness Pitfall: Co-Workers Who Encourage Overeating

As an office professional, you probably spend a lot of time sitting at your desk and may be too tired or busy to find time for fitness. So you already face challenges in staying fit. But there may also be another big challenge: colleagues who (whether deliberately or not) sabotage your efforts to maintain healthy fitness habits.

There are many ways our co-workers led us into high-calorie temptation. They may organize office potluck events or birthday parties. Or maybe they are generously offering you some of their delicious (but fattening) homemade desserts on a daily basis. Then there are the ones who are always urging you to join them for after-work drinks or meals.

As this article says, there are many ways colleagues can contribute to our expanding waistlines. Their motivation varies as much as their tactics. Some honestly are just trying to be nice and don’t realize you may be trying to eat healthier. Others may feel guilty about their own eating habits and want to recruit an accomplice—or ease their conscience by passing some of their bounty on to someone else.

Whatever their methods and motivation, it’s important to stop these office overeating enablers, for the sake of your health and fitness. It will probably take some willpower, though, as they will do their best to sway you over to their world of sweets. You have to be firm, and keep stressing that you want to maintain healthier dietary habits. Eventually they will get the message and will stop trying.

 How do you deal with co-workers who tempt you with fattening foods? Share tips in the comments.

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