

FitDeck Blog with Founder Phil Black

13 Tips to Control What You Eat at Work

Posted by Phil Black on August 1st, 2014

I'm not sure where it's more difficult to control what you eat - at work or at home? In my case, the workplace has become more and more challenging. I'm a firefighter in San Diego and last week was a rough one. Wildfires have been raging all over Southern California and we've been working night and day.

During tough times like this, our friends in the community drop off tons of goodies at our fire station to show their appreciation for our hard work. We receive aluminum trays filled with brownies, lemon bars, candy, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter bars, Girl Scout Cookies, cupcakes, and fudge. We really appreciate their support, and well wishes, and love - but sometimes it gets a little overwhelming.


As thoughtful as this is, the abundance of food can wreak havoc on our diets. This was not a normal week at the fire station, but I still wanted to highlight some strategies that I use to keep the temptations at bay.

  1. Drink water - my appetite is suppressed when I have a stomach full of water at all times
  2. Brush your teeth - when my mouth is clean and minty, I'm less inclined to sneak a brownie
  3. Chew gum - it's easier to walk by the macadamia nut cookies when you're chewing gum
  4. Workout - cupcakes are less tempting after a 30-minute run and bodyweight workout
  5. Stay away - what you don't see can't hurt you
  6. Eat healthful meals - snacks are less appetizing after a salad, veggies, and piece of salmon
  7. Hide and seek - place the goodies out of sight, in a cabinet, or buried in the refrigerator
  8. Freezer - goodies are less appetizing when frozen
  9. Donate to shelters - homemade treats are especially appreciated by those without a home
  10. Stay sated - don't let yourself get even the slightest bit hungry - or you're dead in the water.
  11. No such thing as "just one" - one leads to two, then to three, and so on. Don't even start.
  12. Ship overseas - our brave soldiers overseas could use some extra calories (and some love)
  13. Throw away - it's rude, but if the food hampers your performance, you have a duty to get rid of it in order to stay fit and perform at your best.

Your workplace (and hopefully your home) is probably not as extreme as a fire station, but the principles are the same. Try some of these tips the next time you're faced with a kitchen or break room that is constantly filled with goodies and snacks.

Do you have any other ideas on how to handle this situation? Can you share some strategies that help quell food temptations? Please share your thoughts.

Until next time - stay strong,

Phil Black (FitDeck Founder)

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