that was the theme of my saturday evening. i went to a party w my bf, to his friends' place. keep in mind we are all mid to late 20s, even some 30s. there was plenty of booze and loud music. but there on the kitchen table was a spread that looked like even martha stewart would be jealous of. all sorts of chips and dips, and tasty salads, as well as about 6 cakes, at least. really elaborate gourmet looking cakes too. i thought about all that food for most of the evening. i tried to ignore it as best i could, until the end of our stay when my bf asked if i wanted to sit down w him.... at the table... in front of the cakes.... while he sampled a plethora of delectable delights. he's really not a bad guy, i swear. and most of the time, i think he does his snacking purposefully out of my sight so as not to make me feel deprived. maybe it was the drinks talking, or the early dinner we'd had that digested hours ago.

bottom line, his friends' always have parties like this, with lots of amazing gourmet cakes and snacks. which is the total opposite of my friends' parties. which only have booze. they rarely have food even when its not a party.

i dont even remember what a real cake tastes like. something made with fat, and butter, and eggs, and sugar, and chocolate....anyway, can someone please remind me that i am not being deprived of anything. that in fact i am in control over my life, and i dont need a cake to improve my well-being. anyone. i'm having difficulty convincing myself.

Sometimes it helps me not to think of it as off limits. Rather, I remind myself that this isn't my last chance to have this food. I will have other opportunities. So I don't have to have it just because it is there. So, I'm not telling myself I can't have cake ever. I'm just telling myself I don't need it right now, this one time. I'll deal with other times when they come, not now.

You are the one in power! Cake is not healthy. I saw a new perspective today as I was preparing lunch for a toddler I watch. What would I feed her. I don't want anything bad ever going into her system, I do my best to prepare well balanced healthy meals. I'd never give her cake, well not NEVER, but I wouldn't WANT to give her cake...

This about it that way, what would you feed a child who need the nutrition. You need nutrition and healthy foods entering your body. If you're craving cake, go buy a skinny cow ice cream, get a chocolate craving out of the way. cake is not good for you, you're not depriving yourself

try being a cake decorator

Whenever I'm faced with a cake, or pizza, or a Saturday night...I try to imagine what it would taste like if it was covered in something I really hate the taste of (I usually choose prawns and black bean sauce, they can both make me physically sick ) That's usually enough to put me off eating them.

If that doesn't work I think about how I'll feel the following morning when I wake up. I know if I eat it I'll end up remembering it and burying my face in the pillow thinking 'why did i do that!?'. If I don't eat it though I know it's really nice to wake up and know that I resisted temptation, stayed on plan and won't be dragging another cake around on my thighs

Leighish- I just don't know how you do it being a cake decorator! I used to work in a a bakery in high school and I ate EVERYTHING!!! I didn't really gain too much weight but OMG I could not resist! Now I just couldn't do it with trying to lose weight. How do you resist???

stellart- that fact you were able to resist is very impressive. How did you do it? Everyone's suggestions are very good. I try to do all those things. Waking up the next morning knowing I stayed OP and resisted all those temptations is an incredible feeling that no sweets or cakes or anything can every replace. Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels!