Goodies (cake) at work

rachael52
rachael52 Posts: 86 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on MFB for a couple of months and it's working well for me. But I have terrible willpower. Once in a while, people who work with me bring in a beautiful cake or zucchini bread that is way too many calories for me. I pretty much can't resist. I adore eating that kind of food. In the past, I've been known to visit the cake three times in a day, hopefully when different staff are around so people don't see me. Yes, I have struggled with food issues my whole life.

This a.m. the dreaded gorgeous cake came in, with the birthday person not wanting sweets at home because she's lost 75 pounds with Weight Waterchers.

OK, I had a sliver of it. Now I feel remorseful. But it's going to be sitting there at the lunch table when I go in for lunch in a few hours. I'm determined not to eat it. I thought if I typed this message it might help me.
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Replies

  • Ph4lanx
    Ph4lanx Posts: 213 Member
    Eat your lunch away from that area, if possible? I don't know if you buy your lunch on-site or bring it in, but personally I would just take my food elsewhere. Out of sight, out of mind. :)
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    You can do it! Avoid the cake!
  • kehuizenga
    kehuizenga Posts: 151
    I have this problem too. We often order sweets when visitors come in to our office and then there are always leftovers. What I am finding works for me is to occasionally let myself have some, but I will cut off a bite-sized chunk--for example, this morning someone brought in doughnuts and I cut a piece that was probably about 1/8 of the doughnut and had it with my coffee. If there are cookies, I might let myself have 1/4 of a cookie. Most of the time though, I just try really hard not to touch it by thinking about my goals when I see the sweets. When I think of it that way, I know I would rather reach my goals than eat cake!

    You can do it!
  • 3boysin20136
    3boysin20136 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm a complete germophobe and i just think about all of the people breathing on or touching the food that appears in the office, and I have no problem avoiding it at all - no matter how good it looks!
  • rachael52
    rachael52 Posts: 86 Member
    Thanks, everyone. I like the suggestions.

    One thing I'll do at lunch today is avoid eating with this cake right in front of my face. I'll eat elsewhere. It'll be less torturous.

    For work celebrations, I may partake but will try for the smallest sliver of cake I can manage. Plus there's usually fruit.

    A few helpful words can be so useful. I love these discussion groups.
  • RiyaO
    RiyaO Posts: 19
    You're already feeling guilty with just a sliver of it, imagine the feeling when you eat more? Nothing tastes as good as feeling in control! Go outside for lunch!
  • Megatoine
    Megatoine Posts: 137 Member
    It is always best to avoid those things when you have a goal in mind. However, I look at my approach to this as a marathon - not a sprint. It isn't realisitic for me (nor desirable, frankly) to think that I will NEVER have cake or sweets. That isn't the life I want. I LIKE CAKE! So - I have trained myself to realize two things when this issue comes up - (1) if I am going to have it, have a very small portion, (2) if I have it, I better put in the EXTRA exercise to burn it. If I can't commit to BOTH, then I avoid it completely. For me, that's a more realisitic approach to how I will handle those cravings and my reaction to them long term. Good luck to you - try to adjust your reactions. It helps!
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    I have this same problem. Today its one of the guys birthdays so he's brought in muffins, doughnuts, cookies, cream cakes and all kinds of yummy cakeyness!!!

    I just try and forget its all there...I hate it! There's loads left and I can almost feel it calling me from across the office. Since he didnt produce said cakes until 11:30 I'd already had my snack so I couldnt work it into my calories for the day. Usually I'd skip the rest of my snacks and fit it in but not today :cry:

    Hope you manage to resist - if I've managed today then I'm sure you can :happy: good luck!!
  • Zylahe
    Zylahe Posts: 772 Member
    I feel your pain.
    I've found that mondays and fridays are worst.
    I know i can't resist the food, so this is what i try:
    1. have a small piece, but have it instead of my snack. (if its gone by the time i'm supposed to have my snack to bad).
    2. Enjoy it.
    (if i'm going to have that many calories i may as well like it. If i find i'm not really enjoying it dont pick that cake again.)

    3. try and work off as many of the calories as you can.

    Unfortunatly i failed today :(
    I had half of a chocolate chip cookie after lunch (90 cals)
    and a small slice of cheese cake (200 cals)
    though i will say that cheesecake was amazing, I've never had it before, and I wont be buying it formyself. :)

    so i guess I'll be going for a walk this eveing, to burn off all that sugar :)
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    DONT EAT IT! its that easy. just dont. say you wont...and you wont.
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
    Do you really want to have to log all that cake and see it in your diary? Thats just a question I ask myself on days like this. (Although I will admit that I splurged on cake at work but only because it was my birthday cake and I had been turning it down for the last couple of months.) Try it and see if it works for you. Treats are ok every now and then but not every single time. Good luck.
  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    Full disclosure: Someone brought in munchkins from Dunkin Donuts this morning and I ate one. It was tasty.

    I try to think of all the better things I could eat with those calories. I'm a big believer in eating as much as possible while staying in my calorie goals. It is tougher with homemade baked goods but I just calculate it out before eating it and then think "well, I can have that or I can have these 4 other things"
  • lorib75
    lorib75 Posts: 490 Member
    :drinker:
    It is always best to avoid those things when you have a goal in mind. However, I look at my approach to this as a marathon - not a sprint. It isn't realisitic for me (nor desirable, frankly) to think that I will NEVER have cake or sweets. That isn't the life I want. I LIKE CAKE! So - I have trained myself to realize two things when this issue comes up - (1) if I am going to have it, have a very small portion, (2) if I have it, I better put in the EXTRA exercise to burn it. If I can't commit to BOTH, then I avoid it completely. For me, that's a more realisitic approach to how I will handle those cravings and my reaction to them long term. Good luck to you - try to adjust your reactions. It helps!

    The most sensible, realistic way to approach this situation!! I applaud this answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Zylahe
    Zylahe Posts: 772 Member
    ooh i like that
    what if you log it BEFORE you eat it.
    (and if you've put in the rest of todays food, you might see that big red number......)

    -199 for me :(
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
    I'm one of those who brings in the goodies to work. :embarassed: lol!

    Just today I brought in some leftover Reese's Cheesecake Brownies...

    But I'm the same way. I can stay away from my own treats that I bring in but if someone else brings something, I have to have at least a tiny taste.

    I agree with those who suggest eating away from that area. It'll help with your willpower.
  • mlightvt
    mlightvt Posts: 12
    I'm a complete germophobe and i just think about all of the people breathing on or touching the food that appears in the office, and I have no problem avoiding it at all - no matter how good it looks!

    Now that is a very good reason to hold back on the office goodies, the germs! I will think of that whenever I am tempted - which is often. Thanks for the tip!!
  • MtnKat
    MtnKat Posts: 714
    Step...away....from....the.....cake! :-)

    Otherwise, have a small piece and feel good about it. Nothing wrong with treating yourself....just make sure you log it and keep it within your calories. Kind of silly to think that you're never going to eat it....that's just asking for a let down.
  • ginnyz1
    ginnyz1 Posts: 49
    I agree with Zylahe - just a bite or two will ease the craving. I've had the same situation twice in the last month with my weekly knit-night. If you just have a bite or two then get to the fruit, you will not feel deprived and will still be able to stay on track. Denying yourself the things you love may work short-term, but let's face it. The cake and stuff will always be there. Learn to limit the portions and enjoy a few bites instead of a whole piece.
  • Meatsies
    Meatsies Posts: 351 Member
    My office is notorious for this, too! (I think everyone's is.)

    What I do is try for this, first: tell myself that, chances are, whatever it is...it probably won't taste good enough to combat the guilt I'll feel later. I've found that, the times when I *DO* indulge, this always holds true...it was never 'worth it'.

    Secondly, and I recognize that this may make me seem b!tchy - I swear, I'm only b!tchy on occasion! - I allow myself to feel slightly superior for having avoided the temptation. Really. Everyone in offices complains about how many goodies are brought in, and then they stand around the water cooler, and complain about the sweets WHILE they're bringing that fork to their lips. I totally allow myself to slip into superior pat-myself-on-the-back mode, thinking to myself, "Why are all these people complaining about it WHILE they're eating it....? Sheesh. The best way to combat the whole scenario is just to NOT EAT ANY!!!" And then I feel good about myself and get a bit of mileage from my pat on the back. Makes me think, "See? I *can* make smart choices!' and sometimes that smart choice is just about NOT picking up the sweet.

    And thirdly, sometimes, hey...let's face it: you break, you snag that sliver. I did that last week: had a very small sliver (so small, it essentially fell apart) of someone's celebration cake. It came out to exactly TWO bites - small ones - it satisfied the craving, and when I logged it, it was under 50 calories. WIN-WIN! :)

    Good luck! Stay away from the cake, girl!
  • rachael52
    rachael52 Posts: 86 Member
    I do think that one's own birthday cake is somewhat different. Each to his or her own, though.
    I'm avoiding it this lunch time, and I can actually do that. It's just not worth the calories.
  • backonbandwagon
    backonbandwagon Posts: 36
    So feel your angst - it is like a freaking magnetic tractor beam drawing you towards the goodie! You know it is there even if you're trying not to think about it - weirdness... Evil cake :tongue: Besides imagining nasty aliens dropping the goodies into your day just to send you into a flat spin, perhaps wouldn't be such a tempting indulgence if you imagine that you brought it. I dunno, I always think it is a treat if I didn't have to make it. "oh, it's just the cake that I brought for everyone to enjoy" not biggie... Or put your mind into food snob mode. You only eat high-end quality goodies. If it is a bought birthday cake with icing made from a petroleum by-product base -- stay far, far away. You only eat the good quality cake with the real butter icing, because you're worth it :wink: And it if is homemade - too dangerous, you don't know if their kitchen is food safe - a complete lie but we're trying to justify abstaining, right? :ohwell: Good luck! Know that we're (your MFP friends) are thinking about your immediate temptation hoping you make it through the day without cracking. You can do it!!
  • samasche1
    samasche1 Posts: 64 Member
    I spit in that cake!
  • shivles
    shivles Posts: 468 Member
    Make yourself some healthy alternatives to leave in the office! Some protein bars/cookies would be handy to have about in times like these :)
  • phoenix8633
    phoenix8633 Posts: 137 Member
    I'm pretty good at resisting the cake at work. Even though it looks delicious I have to say no to myself!!
  • warpedlogic
    warpedlogic Posts: 30
    The cake is a lie! lol, had to. Anyway, what I do whenever this happens is I usually wait until lunch to have my little sliver and then only eat it after I ate my meal. Also if you've learned to interpret when you're full, then avoid the temptation by saying 'no, I'm full and don't need any more food.' This is my mantra as I know what the full feeling is like.
  • mangobadango
    mangobadango Posts: 294 Member
    I sneezed on the cake. I am very sick today. Oh and it is stale too. Tastes awful.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    I normally convince my self that the baker spat on it because he didn't like the person who bought it. Or make up some scenario like that in my head. Do you really wanna eat the spit cake or the one with cockroach wings in it?
  • BABetter1
    BABetter1 Posts: 618 Member
    Okay, some folks are joking around about sneezing or spitting on it or whatever. But, I heard a true eye witness account of a lady who thought it was funny when nobody was looking to lick each and every cookie, cupcake, or whatever treats were brought in to the office. Then she would sit and laugh every time someone else came in and picked one up and ate it. I was disgusted by the story, but it has definitely made me think twice about eating the office sweets.
  • sydnisd183
    sydnisd183 Posts: 247 Member
    Good for you for writing it down. Seeing it in black and white will sometimes take the power out of it. And congrats for only having the one little slice.

    Thank goodness no one really brings in goodies around here, although when it's holiday time that's a different story. I have a planned cheat/relax day which is Sunday, where I don't weight train, run, etc and I can eat what I feel like eating. I've found that that keeps me in check. I would rather relax with my treats while watching a movie in my own home instead of snacking on goodies in the office. Just think about somebody sneezing/coughing on that cake or the grossest person in your office running their finger across the frosting and licking their finger saying "yup that's some good cake right thereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" :noway:
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I personally refuse to give up even slivers of cake for the rest of my life.

    If you really love cake, eat a small piece - or half of a small piece - and take it out of something else in your day. Life is to short to say no to everything.

    Remember - the first bite is the best - and you get less pleasure out of every one after that.

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