My birthday is on September 27 (my 23rd), but we're celebrating it next Weekend with a family get together. I'm still not sure what they have planned, but I know a cake is being made for me. Everyone loves Birthday cake, so I can't just ask for them not to get one for me, plus It's a tradition with the blowing of the candles and everything. My problem is, it was my Aunt's birthday and Cousins birthday two weeks in a row this past month and I resisted the cake! I didn't even have a sliver. But, how do I turn down a piece from my own birthday cake? I don't want to be rude or hurt anyone's feelings. This year, I've really pushed for a healthier lifestyle, I don't eat any kind of sugar and I'm afraid even if I have a TEENY piece, it will throw me off.

How do you guys handle your birthday's?

I don't eat cake. I have a party and get friends together for my birthday but food is not the emphasis. I have chosen to only use food as fuel for my body, not the center of a celebration.

My inclination would be to go ahead and have a little piece of birthday cake--as an occasional treat, cake is just fine. BUT, since you're worried about the effects of sugar, I think you are right to want to hold strong and resist!

If anyone asks you can explain that you're staying away from sugar at the moment and that you're getting pleasure enough from watching your family enjoy the cake. You don't need to eat it to enjoy it.

Take two or three bites and then that's it. Or, tell them, "please no cake for me". And off an alternative.

Cut the cake and pass the pieces out, mingle, don't sit down, or eat a little piece. For me, I can't have a piece, once I get one taste of something like that it will throw me off for days, but if you talk yourself into a few bites, maybe you can do it.

Angel food cake!!

I'm not eating any sugar right now either and I don't really feel like seeing what happens if I eat some, even a small piece of cake and have that set off cravings that I haven't been experiencing so far.

I would make sure there is some sort of treat you can eat - some nice cut up fruit or sugar free jello, or whatever you like that fits on your plan. Then you can cut and pass the cake and still be eating something while everyone else is eating the cake. You have made such incredible progress so far, hopefully everyone is so pleased and proud for you that they will not pressure you into going off plan.

I'm curious why you can't ask them to skip the cake?

Thank you everyone for your input! I really like your idea April Snow. On the plan I'm on I'm allowed two different fruits a day, so I think I'll cut up some fruit and snack on it during cake time!

Cake is a big deal in my family. Birthdays, Holidays there is always cake. During Holidays there is MORE than one cake. We usually switch out years and this year holidays will be at my Aunt's house. They always make cakes and my Mom, grandmother make cakes and bring those over too.

We're just a big cake family I brought up the idea last month about skipping the cake for my birthday and it was no-go. Because My Mom, Grandmother, Aunt, Cousins, etc are still going to want cake.

It's also a tradition for baking, decorating, blowing out the candles, etc. We usually at everyone's birthday take a picture of the actual cake. There are years worth of cakes in pictures! lol

So let them bake it, decorate it, you blow out the candles and then let them eat cake. If they serve you a piece say thank you and politely decline or just take it and set it down somewhere. You don't have to eat cake if you don't want to and it's ok to tell them if they ask you why to say, I just don't like the way that it makes me feel, or I had enough for dinner so maybe I'll just take it home instead. None of those are lies and you can take it home and throw it in the trash if you want to.

OR you could do something really crazy and bake your own cake made with something you can eat that doesn't make you feel like crud.

To be honest... I would eat the cake on my birthday, but that's just me.

Why don't you have someone make you a low fat cake sweetened with Splenda. Maybe just a few cupcakes of them just for you, after all it is YOUR birthday and your family should be catering to what YOU want. People always want an excuse to eat cake, it's nice of you not to want to take that away from them but if they denied your request not to have cake on your birthday they should be nice enough to make you a healthy substitute.

I am four days sugar free today! Kudos to you! I know how hard it is. My grandma brought some halloween inspired mini cake sandwiches just a little bit ago If they were meant just for me I would have immediately put them in the sink and turned on the hot water then tossed them out after she left, but I live with other family members who aren't dieting so I can't exactly do that.

My family does dessert in a big way, too. Although, the decorating part is a little sketchy some times! We celebrate group birthdays and I just skipped the cake. I can't do it and not fall face first into a bag of chocolate at the next opportunity. Last week I did catch it for turning down fried chicken, though.

This year, my mom had the most amazing black forest chocolate cake for her birthday- like honestly the BEST cake I've EVER eaten. Because of calorie counting, I lived off cake for like 1 week afterwards literally. Not healthy and my skin suffered.

So for my birthday, I got the same cake but in the smallest size available and I had lots of people over and gave everyone generous slices, having a generous slice myself, after all, it WAS my birthday. What little remained, I sent home with my guests, same with all the delicious food. So yes, my birthday was a 2500-calorie day, but the next day with no leftovers, no temptation and only my regular food in my house, I was back on track. Missing that choc cake, but that's life.

Whether or not you do have cake is up to you. Just because it's going to be there doesn't mean you have to eat it. You can serve it up, take a piece for yourself if you don't want to be have to explain at that even why you're not having any but then smoosh it up, put it aside and have jello or fruit salad or something you should probably plan ahead and have ready as an alternate dessert.