See this is one thing I don't understand. It's one small piece of cake on your birthday. Eating ONE thing will do nothing to your diet, nothing. This idea of denying oneself things for teh sake of dieting usually ends up disasterous. Do you plan to give up cake for your entire life?

Take a piece with the least amount of frosting, or scrape it off saying you don't like frosting and enjoy and then move on for the rest of your 364 days.

Now, if you really don't want it, just say you aren't int he mood for cake, but don't let food rule your life. It's not healthy.

berryblondeboys -- You're absolutely right that one piece of cake isn't a problem. Sometimes I can just have a piece, or even a few bites, and be fine.

But at other times one piece of cake is suddenly six (!) and then I'm eating a bunch of crap I don't want at night too! Sometimes, it can take me several days to get back on track!

So, in many situations it's much easier for me not to eat any cake in the first place, especially if for some reason I don't really want it. Because it looks like one piece, and ends up being more like a whole cake!

Other people can just have one piece and have no reaction, so it's an individual thing.

She said in a prevous post that no...she woudln't be giving it up for the rest of her life...but since she just started she didn't want to indulge in things like that yet. She's not letting food rule her life...she's taking control back.

Thanks mmel3283. That's exactly what I meant. I only wanted to prove to myself that I could have enough self control to say no. For me eating sweets often triggers the urge to overeat in general. I have learned that from losing in the past. I in no way deprive myself. I eat a very healthy, balanced diet and I exercise 6 days a week.
I will one day enjoy a small piece of cake in moderation. It's all about self control for me right now.

Thanks!!

I'm not trying to poke on anyone or even say that the OP's intentions are bad. I just worry about needing to control food. Maybe because when I used to feel that way, I lost weight and it came back on. Because eventually, you lose control - stress is usually the root.

While it's been a long time since I lost a lot of weight (and I'm just restarting), but been slowly losing weight the last 5 years (not with any effort on my part). My highest weight was 275. When I started this with more intention (adding exercise and eliminating simple carbs), I was at 255.

I'm at peace with food now and it doesn't hold any power over me. I can walk by my son's chocolate chip cookies and not want them. I bake bread for the family and can't eat it, and it's OK. It doesn't hold power over me any more. So, I feel that I'll be more successful with this true life change this time because I'm not having a power struggle within me.

So, it just struck a bit of a chord with me when the OP said she was getting anxious thinking about this birthday thing at work. Just more of a discussion point for me I guess.

So Leec37...How did you avoid the cake? What was your excuse? Did you tell them you were on a "diet" or did you fake an illness?

Sorry, I'm just curious...;)

They actually pass it out to everyone. I went ahead and let them put it on my desk and when no one was looking I threw it in my garbage at my desk. Luckily my shift was over 15 minutes after that. No one ever questioned it.
Thanks for asking.

Awesome! Sounds like it turned out well.

I totally understand not wanting to start down the slippery slope of sugary carbs. I personally feel they are more addictive than..well, just about any substance on earth. There are probably more sugar addicts than alcoholics or junkies combined.

Good job.

I was just mentioning to my husband how now that I haven't eaten a simple/sugary carb in about 3 weeks, that natural sugars taste amazing! I had a handful of blueberries the other day and they were so sweet and so amazing. Just a few minutes ago I was enjoying an apple with peanut butter and again, just relishing the sweetness of it. BEFORE, sure, I would say they were sweet fruits, but they didn't have that sweetness I was after or they didn't satisfy the sweet tooth, but now? Who needs cake and desserts and candy? Blueberries please!

I like this idea, and the edible arrangements one.

No need to not participate in the birthday fun, but you can make your own rules :)