Have A Big Sales Meeting Coming Up

[jasonD2]

i will be meeting all the reps in the company for the 1st time and im sure everyone will be going out to eat. i will have very little control here and im concerned. i cant tell everyone im going to eat by myself and im afraid of being the picky, annoying one in the group when we are ordering food. also i have one colleague that always pokes fun at me and tells me im too skinny and am a pain in the ass when i order food..hes just joking and means well, but theres just so much i can take of it. i feel like if this happens again im gonna loose it and say something i might regret. this may not seem like a big deal but im freaking out

[msmini14]

Simply explain to them that you have food allergies and when you consume wheat your body attacks itself. I deal with it everyday, my co-workers ordered pizza yesterday and offered me a piece. When I declined I was told, oh just eat it. Yes it gets annoying but you can handle this.

Again just simply tell them you can not consume wheat. Let them know that wheat is in everything. Order a chicken breast w/ no spices, fresh vegis and a baked potatoe. As long as the chicken isnt pre-seasoned/marinated you are ok.

[Phyllis28]

Below are the several coping strategies:

1) Have a cold meal with you at all times. Something like chicken, salad. ect... Join your co-workers and simply pull out your meal.

2) Same as above but only a parital meal. Sometimes I bring along cold chicken and order a baked potato, a salad (made in clean bowl) and a drink.

3) Research restuarants in the area and suggest ones you can eat at. Have options 1 or 2 as backup in case they choose something else.

4) If you know in advance where you are eating call and ask for the manager to see if a safe meal can be made for you.

5) If you have a chance to go back to your hotel room eat before you go out and order only what seems safe on the menu (like number 2)

If you are prepared by having food with you or in your hotel room you can adapt to nearly anywhere your colleagues choose to eat. You will probably have to do a quick explanation when you bring your own food out. Something like "I am eating my own food because wheat, Oats, Rye and Barely" make me very ill and I am not sure if the food here is safe for me to eat. I travel some on business and my colleagues very quickly accepted my bringing along my own food.

Hope all goes well.

[jasonD2]

good advice but theres no way im bringing food into a restaurant with me - ill never hear the end of it. ill do my best to just order food as plain as possible

[ShayFL]

I guess I have just gotten over my fears of "what will they think". Maybe Im just getting older. Maybe I have evolved. But I honestly do not give a rats behind what anyone thinks of me except me.

I take my own food. And they can deal. If they want an explanation, I will give it.

Jason....many communities offer classes on "assertiveness". They could be extremely helpful to you given your job and all of the rep meetings and eating out. People respect assertive people. People admire assertive people.

You are simply allowing yourself to feel bad about this all of the time. It really has NOTHING to do with them and EVERYTHING to do with you.

I am sure you were interviewed for this position. There must have been things about you that impressed your boss. He didnt ask you about your dietary habits on interview I presume. Your value to him is in your ability to produce in your given field.

He may not like that you have a disease, but he will respect your saying so. Trust me on this one. I have been a "boss" to many employees in the past. The way you are handling things looks bad. If I were your boss, I would be wondering about you.

You can clear the air here and give your boss nothing to worry about. And you may just find, you become one of his stars.

[aikiducky]

At the very least really go to the trouble of explaining to the restaurant about cross contamination. Just ordering something off the menu hoping it will be all right isn't going to be enough. While everyone is getting seated, go and have a quiet word with the manager about your restrictions, so you can come up with a safe alternative for you.

I still think you're being way too coy about this though. Tell people you have a medical condition that requires you to eat a certain way, and just stick to your story. After a while it will be old news and everyone gets used to it. You're getting teased so much because they don't know that you have a legitimate reason for being "picky".

Pauliina

[Phyllis28]

good advice but theres no way im bringing food into a restaurant with me - ill never hear the end of it. ill do my best to just order food as plain as possible

I think you are incorrect about "never hearing the end of it". I have found after a brieft explanation that most people are accepting about my restricted diet and what I need to do to stay well. None of my colleagues want me to be sick. Very rarely have I been teased. I would rather deal with the risk of being teased than being sick.

Also, by being prepared with my own food my colleagues never feel my diet is a burden to them.

[munkee41182]

I remember the first time going to a restaurant and eating out with work I ended up crying. We went to a place where I could not eat one thing on the menu....not even a salad. I ran to the bathroom and started crying and ended up leaving the place. The next day, my boss called me into his office and asked what happened and why I left....and I told him about celiac. The first thing out of his mouth was, why didn't you say anything to us? And like you, I was a little embarrased about people fussing over me and trying to find a place that I could eat at that everyone else woudl like. So whenever we would go out to lunch or have a holiday dinner, they would pick 3-4 different places and I got to make the final decision. If the 3-4 restaurants weren't gluten-free friendly, then I had to pick one myself.

If I were you, I'd be the person that picks the restaurant....or at least come up with options. All of us on here have the same obstacles (sp??) with eating out....some of us had them longer....some of us not so much. Just take a deep breath and jsut say to yourself...this is who I am, nothing can change that...and if they have a problem with it, then forget them. You and your health is more important than anything else....and like PP said, talk to the manager/waiter right when you get in....or sit at the end so you don't have to scream your order over everyone else at the table.

You'll be fine and don't worry about the guy busting your chops all the time. He's just jealous that he's not as unique as the rest of us on this board

[jerseyangel]

I guess I have just gotten over my fears of "what will they think". Maybe Im just getting older. Maybe I have evolved. But I honestly do not give a rats behind what anyone thinks of me except me.

I take my own food. And they can deal. If they want an explanation, I will give it.

I have to agree with this, Jason. I always bring my own food with me, or eat ahead of time and bring a snack so that I can just order a beverage.

Things are not going to get easier for you until you explain, in no uncertain terms, that you are gluten intolerant and that foods that either contain wheat, barley or rye--or come in contact with those things will make you ill--and not just a little indigestion--sick --as in not able to function.

Own this--and once you have explained the situation, do what you need to do to stay well. After that, it's really their problem, not yours if they can't grasp the seriousness of your condition.

I have found that once you get through the initial explanations and begin bringing your own food (or however you choose to handle it), people get used to it and it just isn't an issue anymore. I admit, it does feel strange in the beginning, but you can't go on trying to "fit in" by eating things that make you sick. It's not fair to you--you deserve to give this job that you love a real shot

Others have given you some very good, creative ideas on how to avoid getting sick....we've all been there and understand. Please give yourself a break and give it a try.

[ShayFL]

And you say that you think you "might lose it" with them. This is the absolute worst thing that can happen in this situation. There is nothing more humiliating to someone than to be punished/yelled at/etc. by someone for something they knew nothing about. If you lose it with them, then you send a clear message to your boss and your colleagues. And t isnt a good one.

It isnt their fault and you are being completely unfair to them by not telling them. You are not giving them ANY credit as human beings. They should at least get the chance to do right by you. Some may prove to be jerks, but at least you will know where you stand with everyone and you can get on with your life.

[jasonD2]

Thanks for all of the outpouring of support - I will be upfront with everyone and do what i have to do to survive-

many thanks!

[ShayFL]

Bravo!! Here's wishing you a successful outcome and all of your fears were for naught.

[jerseyangel]

Thanks for all of the outpouring of support - I will be upfront with everyone and do what i have to do to survive-

many thanks!

That's the spirit!

Honest to goodness, I don't think it will be nearly as difficult as you think. Just be honest and speak with confidence and you'll be fine.

Keep us posted

[home-based-mom]

Thanks for all of the outpouring of support - I will be upfront with everyone and do what i have to do to survive-

many thanks!

GOOD! This is the best thing I've heard you say! For all you know, there are other sales reps with food issues, too!

[psawyer]

Thanks for all of the outpouring of support - I will be upfront with everyone and do what i have to do to survive-

many thanks!

Yay! I've been on this journey almost eight years now, and I tell people that I cannot have any gluten (I usually say "wheat or barley"--rye is seldom an issue), and while not everyone gets the full import of things like cross-contamination, I have never had a problem with the basic concept.

I don't hide that I am a celiac, nor that I am a type 1 diabetic. These are genetic autoimmune diseases. Nothing I did caused them, and nothing I could have done would have prevented them.

Most people respect honesty. Those that don't, don't deserve your respect.