Restaurant worker support

[shannoniscats]

I know that's it's difficult to be the only one in a household doing a whole30 or being surrounded by people in an office, free food in meeting etc. BUT being a restaurant worker (I'm a server/bartender in a local yocal pizza/sub restaurant) how do you deal??? I'm surrounded by everything I can't have that I'm used to binging on after a long shift like cookies, pizza, soft pretzels, potato chips, you name it if it's unhealthy and binge worthy we have it. When I'm starting to get hungry but too busy to eat my meal that I packed and still have to serve people their dinner of chili queso dip and calzones ITS SO HARD WHEN ITS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I typically like to pack little baggies of cucumbers & tomato or nuts and dried fruit to hold me over until I can get to my packed meal. Are there are restaurant workers out there with success stories of resisting?

[jmcbn]

I think the key to success is to ensure that when you do eat that you're eating enough to keep you full until your next meal so that there really is no need to snack.
 

On the mornings I don't train before work I eat breakfast @ 6:30/45 and don't eat lunch until around 1:30 - which is a good 7hrs. Sure I can start to feel hungry before that but it's not an urgent hunger, just more of a 'Yeah, I should probably start thinking about lunch soon...' type of hunger. I don't go just as long between lunch and dinner (usally just under 5hrs) but I'm always ready for dinner because I've learned over time how much I need to eat to keep me going for as long as I need.

My breakfast is my biggest meal of the day and if I skimped on it I'd probably be playing catch up all day.

Make sure that the meal before you start work is big enough to tide you over, and maybe try something more satisfying (& less snacky) than dried fruits & nuts, like a hard boiled egg, if you really must snack. And before you open that little baggie of whatever you've got stop & take a second to think if you're genuinely hungry, or if you just fancy a little something 'cos you're surrounded by all this food... and if it's the latter focus on how much better your meal will be than the crap you're surrounded by & hold tight a little longer.

[MeadowLily]

Eat proteins with a nice dollop of fat.  

 

You need leftover steak and chops in those baggies...something you can sink your teeth into.  Leftover grilled salmon or fish, too.   Tiddly wink raw vege and nuts will not get you through the day.  

 

The aromas of bread and pizza are constantly stirring up your appetite.  Professional chefs and cooks have made it through a Whole 30.   It is completely doable.  

 

It's going to take some mental preparation and WANT POWER.  WANT trumps will power.  I was surrounded by SAD food.  It wasn't fair of me to limit my family members in any way with their food choices.   We can't drag our family members through a Whole 30...kicking and screaming.   We do it for ourselves until they WANT it, too.  Seeing is believing.  At some point, they usually want to feel better.

 

I used quality protein and fats to get through any craving.  You have to gear up with baggies of leftovers from your house.  Eat it on the run.  Raw vege has little satiety and can cause bloat.  You need roasted vege in those baggies, too.   Meat, fish and roasted vege with good fats.  Every day.

 

This will require cooking on your own time.  Leftovers will be your go-to foods to get you through this.  You have to eat a big honking breakfast.  That is absolutely a must before you go there.  

[Physibeth]

In addition to the great advice you have already gotten change your mindset from "can't have" to "choosing not to have." You are an adult. You can eat anything you want. But you are CHOOSING to do a Whole30. You don't have to. It's a choice. So when you see something that is off plan just say..."I'm choosing not to eat that right now, but I might choose to have it when I'm done."

 

None of these things will disappear from the planet in 30 days and none of them are worth giving up on your challenge and self growth for.

 

You can do it!

[chrisch]

I feel your pain. My husband is a co-owner of a Chinese restaurant and I work there full time. They serve 3 meals a day to the employees. Usually I'm there all day. Virtually everything has soy. I'm on day 9. If I make it through, don't know if I'll ever do another one again.