Zen Please – Make Life Easier

Do you start Monday with good intentions, only to find your diet rapidly falls apart when you get into the office? Here’s four must-know phrases to use when your colleagues try to lead you astray…

If the girl at the desk next to yours keeps bringing in homemade cupcakes to share, or if your manager insists on buying donuts for the team, you might find that these unplanned snacks are slowing your weight loss attempts. Go with a cheerful, “No thanks, I’ll have one later.” It’s a great way to deter the office-snack-pusher without offending them.

When colleagues persistently ask nosy questions about your diet (“Hey, how come you’re eating nuts when you’re on a diet?” “Don’t you know that you should never have carbs at lunch?” “How much weight have you lost so far”), it can be difficult to know what to say. Telling them to shut up might cause hurt feelings … they’re probably just trying to take an interest, even though it’s a misguided one. Glancing distractedly at your computer, muttering something about the state of your inbox, then saying, ruefully, “I’d better get back to work” is a guarenteed way to bring the conversation to a painless end.

Sometimes, the planned healthy lunch from the supermarket salad bar can be derailed when workmates invite you to join them in ordering pizza, or in heading to the nearest fast food joint. Brown-bag your lunch, and you’ll both save money and have a ready-made excuse. If you explain “I’ve brought sandwiches today”, they’ll know you’re not refusing on the grounds you dislike their company. (And it can be a sneaky way to get out of those group lunches if you would prefer to eat alone.) You needn’t tell them you’re on a diet — just say that you’re cutting back on your spending.

Does your office ring to the constant refrain of “Who wants a coffee?” If your caffeine-addicted workmates are constantly making rounds of drinks, it’s easy to end up glugging down mug after mug of coffee. Get a bottle of water, keep it on your desk, and answer the offers with a friendly “I’ve got water, thanks.” And make sure you get through that water — slight dehydration can often be mistaken for hunger, and also affects your energy levels and your ability to exercise.