If special occasions and birthdays at your office seem to roll around quicker than you can say “no more chocolate cake” then you need some good strategies for dealing with them. Some weight loss know-it-alls might suggest avoiding temptation altogether. While this could work, do you really want to miss out while the rest of your colleagues socialize?

Try these tips instead:

• Get your day's eating habits off to a good start with a filling, high-fiber breakfast before you start work - or even at work if you're running late. This will help you avoid snack temptation throughout the day.
  
  
• Resist overindulging when cake is around. Have just one small portion - enough to enjoy the occasion but not blow your diet. Don't forget to take these extra calories into account.
  
  
• If it takes just one taste for you to want to eat the whole cake, have a filling, low-calorie snack beforehand and avoid the birthday food. If you're full already, it's a lot easier to keep your willpower strong.
  
  
• Practice saying no and be prepared with some good excuses such as “It looks delicious, but I've just eaten,” “No thanks, I can't eat gluten,” or “Thanks, but I'll pass - believe it or not, I'm not a 'cheesecake person'."
  
  
• Don't make food the focus of the celebration. Stand away from the food table and focus on the conversation!
  
  
• If you're in charge of the occasion, try bringing along healthy treats instead of the usual chocolate cake. You can guarantee that you won't be the only one pleased to see lowfat options. In fact, you might even start a new trend in your office.