We’ve all been there. Whether it’s the holiday season, someone’s birthday, or a certain coworker simply decided to bake several dozen cookies for everyone, your workplace can easily become one of the most destructive environments for your diet.
After all, you just want to be good and stick to your strategy, but a persistent coworker who looks as though they’d be offended if you don’t have a piece of birthday cake or taste their nona’s famous biscotti recipe can toss a wrench into the works.
These individuals aren’t actually trying to cause you harm. They’re not trying to sabotage your efforts to reach your goal. However, their well-intentioned forceful sharing can still make it much more difficult to reach your desired weight, particularly if it happens regularly. As a result, it’s important for you to know how to stand up for yourself and say “no” with grace.
There is no single way to turn down every attempt, but if you know the main ones, you can have a method designed for each one. Here are some of the most common ways co-workers will try to push food on you and some of the best ways to refuse them.
• “It’s my specialty” or “It’s my grandmother’s recipe, you must try it!” – Simply reply that you will try it in a little while. Most likely, the individual won’t follow up. If they do, tell them you forgot, but you’ll try it next time.
• “This is my favorite. You’re going to love it” – Simply say that you’ve tried it before and that the individual is right. It’s great. Once you’ve agreed, the push for you to try it is diffused.
• “It’s just once a year” – Reply that you’re skipping this one so you’ll be able to celebrate many more. When people see your dieting efforts as health related instead of a matter of vanity, they’re often more willing to back off.
• “You’re obsessed with your diet. Let yourself have one treat!” – Try to be light about responding to this relatively aggressive attempt to push food on you. Instead say that you’re not obsessed, but you’re proud of how conscious you’ve become of what you eat.
• “I’ll be offended if you don’t try my dish” – This direct attempt to force you to try something is surprisingly commonplace. Simply choose an ingredient and tell the person you don’t like it or that you can’t eat it.
• “You’re already so slim. You need meat on your bones.” – Simply tell the person that your health isn’t in any danger, you’ll make it through the day. By trying to throw in a bit of humor, you can lighten the situation while making it clear you’re not budging.
