Cakes and the office environment

[stevie69]

So, I have recently moved to a new role in my organsiation. In my previous role, things were sorted—from a cake point of view. I managed a small team, who all sat in one office. If anyone brought in cakes, they would be placed strategically out of my line of sight. That little gesture was an amazing help to a constantly recovering over eater

Fast forward to now. I still manage a small team but we're located in a large open plan office. The 'cake' table, conveniently located near to my desk is constantly brimming with goodies as there is always someone who (a) has a birthday, (b) is leaving, (c) is having a baby, (d) has been on holiday. Any excuse for cake really.

Does anyone have any tips as to how I can best manage this situation? I'm absolutely desperate to get on top of it. I don't even like sweet things all that much but I'm concentrating quite hard on my new job and sometimes feel the need to break things up—which sometimes involves a little stroll and a grab of what's available whether or not I need it, or even like it

How do you guys manage this?

Thanks for your help.

[UnrelentingFruitScoffer]

Just. Don’t. Eat. Cake. Ever.

[peachypetite]

Keep fruit and other healthy things to snack on at work which you can eat instead of reaching for the cake?

[halfwitpicker]

Say you're gluten intolerant. Works for Joyce.

[stevie69]

Just. Don’t. Eat. Cake. Ever.

I fear you may be right

[ArkAtEee]

I had this problem too. I moved desks. Is that an option?

[Badgerlady]

I struggle with this too. I am really all or nothing: so I can do NO cake. But not moderate cake! I do occasionally buy fruit for the snacks table or put healthier savoury things like popcorn on it.

[ememem84]

Ah the food table!!! In my old job it was always right near my desk. One of the team used to very kindly keep the basket stocked with haribos.

Every time I got up pretty much I’d have a sweet.

In new job now and all food is in the kitchen area. More of an effort for me to get up and get it though...

[BrownTurkey]

I have got better. I bring my own food, including a daily sweet thing. If I wanted something that was on the table, I would swap an equivalent calorie portion for my sweet thing. I might put a small bit aside for my break later (to avoid those instinctive ‘its going to run out feelings’). I don’t usually bother.

Putting stuff away in tins might help too.

[beela]

Yes, I have to do the 'no cake' thing.

The cake table means nothing to me. It is dead to me.

That's what I tell myself anyway

[IrenetheQuaint]

This is my downfall too. Written a tricky email? Time for a piece of cake! Just out of a dull meeting? Definitely deserve a chocolate digestive.

The key (though I often fail) is bringing in healthy snacks and only eating those. Plus reminding yourself that most cheap cake is horrible anyway.

[MeeWhoo]

I think it's gonna have to be no cake, or maybe have a set day where you can gave 1 slice, so say Wednesday is your Cake day every week.

[76mum]

Start bringing in fruit to share? We did this as a couple were dieting and soon we found we had set an example and people wanted to join on so would bring some cakes and bags of fruit to share

[Rainatnight]

Oh God I have this with sweets in my team. In fact, I'm sitting here eating chocolate right now.

Maybe I need No Sweets. And healthy snacks

[CurlyRover]

This was my massive downfall in my old job. I wasn't in the office where the cake was but it was on my way to the kitchen and I drank a lot of tea so I passed by the cake table lots every day. Eventually I told everyone I was lactose intolerant (I'm not) and that seemed to stop me eating the cake.