I am returning to a facility where I have previously worked as an STNA to work for the last few months of my LPN-to-RN program (as an LPN). It's a LTC facility, nothing fancy, not in a ritzy part of town, but the people that work there are so lovely.
Trouble is, loving people often try to show their love by feeding you. I had a lot of food pressure when I worked there before. Was treated like a crazy person when I brought healthy lunches from home. And on one occasion I was even told off for not eating pizza that I was "supposed to be eating" (and gave in to this pressure and didn't eat my own lunch that night).
Nurses are stressed out and self-soothe with food. I get that. I just don't want to eat things that don't make me feel good. How do I acknowledge that I appreciate my coworkers are trying to take care of me by including me in the 1 am pizza or Chinese food order but still opt out gracefully?
I used to have a hard time with this, too. I grew up in a community that had a large ethnic population of a certain group that would be stabbed-in-the-heart offended if you didn't accept anything they offered you. It's tough. I think you just have to be insistent on maintaining your healthy eating habits. If they give you grief, that's more about them then it is about you. Stay strong! I don't think I could fathom having to eat pizza at 1AM either.
Yeah, it's kind of funny to me. I know millions of people out there are trying to eat more healthily than they used to, but it seems like no matter where I've worked, in my previous career or this one, people mostly eat junk at work. And although I don't eat tooooo much of that at home, I've eaten numerous things at work that I wouldn't normally eat at home (and uh, yesterday is a good example :^) - the willpower isn't always there when you're tired, have been walking-walking-walking at work, etc.).
My two cents... When you eat healthy you're forcing other people to confront their lack of self-control, motivation, will-power, etc. Especially in this field. We all -know- we should make healthy eating choice, we are all intimately involved with the eventual consequences of poor lifestyle choices. When you make good choices, you force these people to confront the reality that everyone else is enabling and participating in. I'm 5'9" 150 pounds, do I eat perfectly every meal? Nope. Don't claim to. But I try to make good choices 95% of the time. When I bring vegetables, fruit, salad, whole wheat this or that for lunch. I get the same questions. I get comments that I need to gain some weight, why are you eating -that-? I know how you feel. I just brush it off. There's a 100 reasons. I want to take care of my body, I want to be here for a long time, I want quality of life. Further, we are healthcare professionals, on some level we should strive to be role models. How can I genuinely educate someone on watching their saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, etc. and then go scarf down pizza everyday at lunch, and hit McD's for dinner? Like I said, I'm not perfect, I love a good pizza, but not everyday, it is about balance. At work, I like food that gives me energy to keep going, not that puts me into a food coma for the rest of the shift. You just gotta do your thing. Hope you inspire someone. And good on you. "How can you take care of anyone if you can't take care of yourself?"
you can always just say something along the lines that you're trying to save money for X Y or Z. The holidays, a vacation, or something else. Or that you're trying to cut back on eating out for whatever reason. Or you can be straight forward and just tell them you're trying to eat healthy. It's pretty crappy that they'd make you feel bad for making healthy choices.
I know a couple that eats out CONSTANTLY. Whenever my SO and I hang out with them we ALWAYS go out for dinner. I'm pretty sure they don't cook for themselves at all besides frozen dinners and junk food. I can't imagine the amount of money they spend on restaurants on a monthly basis. It's absolutely insane. Don't get me wrong, I'm not the healthiest eater, but I know when to stop.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
I have family who are food bullies.
Seriously.
They will harp and insist and gripe and insist some more and insult and joke and make fun of you and insist some damned more that YOU(the victim of their attention) JUST TASTE IT...HAVE JUST A LITTLE BITE...COME ON, IT WON'T HURT YOU...blah blah blah.
Dealing with that in the work place is infinitely more difficult. In my family I can get my stance across with just a couple of words. At work there is a bit more decorum or nuance required.
I wouldn't make excuses. I would simply continue to politely decline and move along to your own scrumptious choices.
Specializes in Infection Prevention, Public Health.
Truly you should just say no. You can still participate is the social aspect of eating together, but eat what is best for you. If they are considerate, they will support you. If they are inconsiderate, I wouldn't let them rent any more room in my head.
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la_chica_suerte85, BSN, RN
1,260 Posts
So what is this NETY-in-reverse to be called?
NETYWWEWT (Nurses-eat-the-young-who-won't-eat-with-them)?
I used to have a hard time with this, too. I grew up in a community that had a large ethnic population of a certain group that would be stabbed-in-the-heart offended if you didn't accept anything they offered you. It's tough. I think you just have to be insistent on maintaining your healthy eating habits. If they give you grief, that's more about them then it is about you. Stay strong! I don't think I could fathom having to eat pizza at 1AM either.