The buffet is, and always has been, my worst nightmare. I'm one of these people who likes their varity. Unfortunately, I seem to like a lot of my variety and end up with massive portions.
How do you guys survive buffets? I always try and start with small bits of the things I want the most. Then I try to mingle with people. However, when it's either a) a small room so you're always near the buffet table or b) one of those parties where everybody else seems to have formed their own little groups, this one tends to backfire. What does everybody else do?
I had a big party the other night which was buffet style. And you know I figured this is the perfect time to indulge a little. I got to try many different things in tiny portions. These were things that I absolutely can not have in my house, because I would overeat them and they don't fit into my new "lifestyle" and they're things I wouldn't even order in a restaurant because I would then have a whole plateful of the stuff. I had one little mushroom ravioli, 2 piece of vegetable sushi, 2 forkfuls of yellow rice and 2 bites of cake. I was very lucky because they had some yummy salmon which was made with no oil (I think), so I ate a nice sized portion of that along with some cucumber, zuchinni and red pepper sticks. And I kept a glass of seltzer in my hand almost the whole time. So for me from now on I look forward to a buffet - it's the perfect opportunity to eat some "forbidden" food. But do make sure you take along a humungous sized portion of .
And one other thought just came to my mind, I find everyone scrutinizing what I'm eating lately, not necessarily in a bad way, but to see how someone who's lost a substantial amount of weight does in fact eat at a party. So it kind of makes me want to show everybody that I am really in control and can still eat whatever I want as long as it's in small portions.
I have another one of these parties coming up for New Year's and I just hope I can put everything I just wrote into action once again. And then for the love of G-d, please no more parties for awhile, there's only so much temptation a girl can handle. And I quite frankly have had enough.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 12-28-2006 at 08:31 AM.
i agree with you. try eatng a salad o soup before going. this will cut down what you eat. i hate buffets at resteraunts because i wanr to get my moneys worth. glen
I guess buffets at peoples houses are different than ones in a restaurant.
For restaurants, It is pretty easy for me because I don't like buffets unless they are something like soup plantation/sweet tomatoes (which unfortunately MD doesn't have, i'd kill for a good salad/soup buffet here).
I just think:
- That food has been sitting out there for who knows how long, do you really want to eat it?
- This is just like a trough and I think they are trying to fatten me up
Now I won't say I've turned down buffets especially those with big piles of crab legs but for the most part I don't enjoy restaurant buffets..
For buffet style parties, try having a drink in your hand. Drink water and talk and mingle. Maybe if you have a hard time nibbling then that should be all you do? Grab a plate, get a little something, drink your drink and nibble your food. 30 minutes later, grab a little something else, drink your drink and nibble your food. I also think eating something filling but light beforehand sounds like a good strategy.
I try to scope it out before we eat and decide on what I am going to eat. It sometimes works out fine. I try to fill half my plate with a mixed green salad and never go back for seconds.
People really irritate me when they comment on what others are eating. I'm tempted to ask "Are you my personal dietitian?" It's just plain rude! My Mother always said "Personal remarks are seldom in good taste."
Well what I usually do is I tell myself that it is not every day I go out to eat, so when I do I do not eat what is healthiest for me. I do indulge and enjoy my meal. I know that might not be what you want to hear but it is what i do. I know that when people restrict too much they are more inclined to binge. I usually pick one day to go out to lunch or dinner and do just that. But the next day I am right back on the healthy eating. Sometimes I will be walking down the street and smell a burger place and will think, I want that now! Then I remind myself that I CAN have that, just not today. I can have it next week on my "out to eat lunch". SO it keeps me sane.
For a buffet if you really do want to be good load up on salad, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes and go easy on any dressing. Pick some boneless skinless chicken breast and maybe some brown rice. See what other veggies they have and try to have something light for desert.
I find starting with a big salad with perhaps some fish or cheese, drinking lots of water, and talking a lot (!) helps, because it takes so long to eat the crunchy veggies that by the time I'm done I'm not as interested in the other stuff. I try to remind myself it's about who I'm there with, the social aspect, and not just about the food. That helps.
cheers,
Sue
buffet parties are still something I am working on. I discovered recently that the "dont go hungry" doesnt help me in the least. Its not about hunger, its just about temptation. Same with trying to eat the healthier options. All that happens is I eat the healthier options PLUS the bad ones, might as well just go hungry and eat the bad stuff. I am trying to look at doing that route. Only get stuff I couldnt normally eat and taste and savor those, ignore anything that I could get elsewhere (cheese, etc.)
I tried at my last buffet to move away from the table, but the entire group was gathered and chatting at the buffet, there was no one to talk to in the living room
Thanks for the help guys. I was referring more to buffet parties when I wrote this. I think I'll opt for the salad to begin with next time (although the buffet that did me in this week had no salad...hmmm). I've also got issues with buffet restaurants. All you can eat for £5.99 is some funny economics- where has that food come from to be so cheap?!?
I use to live in a dorm that was all buffet style so I have become very good at limiting myself. I still try and use what I learned to help me when I go to a buffet resturant. First, I always try to get a big salad with a low fat/ fat-free dressing. Then for my main plate I will try and get a small portion of meat (no more then 25% of the plate), either one type of potato (no more then 25%) of my plate or a roll, and fill the other half of my plate with steamed veggies. If when I'm done eating I still want more I try and sit there for at least 20 minutes before I go and get seconds and if I do (which is very rear I try and fill my plate with mostly veggies).
Last Christmas I had a buffet to go to at a friend's home. It started at 7:30PM. I don't eat after 7:00PM, so I KNEW to keep my "rule" , I was not able to eat "even one grape" as Oprah has said as part of her plan not to eat after 7:30PM.
I took in my fat-free yogurt in the mini phyllo cups and put them on the buffet table. I got a glass of wine, AND LEFT THE FOOD AREA ALTOGETHER.
I talked to everyone there and found out all about their recent lives. I had a GREAT time dancing to Christmas rock music. I played Twister and giggled myself silly as we all collapsed onto the floor AGAIN and AGAIN! The one thing that I didn't do was EAT ANYTHING!
I proved to myself that many of the things that I had once thought to be true just never happened!
1) People didn't EXPECT me to eat.
2) People weren't offended that I didn't eat.
3) People didn't FORCE ME to eat.
All I needed to say was that I had at the time already lost weight and wanted to keep losing by following my plan. We changed the topic of conversation, and MOVED ON!!!
For years I think that I have been using family dinners, buffets, parties, etc. as EXCUSES for HAVING to eat! I proved to myself that all these years they truly WERE just excuses for me to give myself permission to GORGE myself then blame the buffet, the party, the family dinner, etc. for my gorging!
How messed up is THAT????
This experiment taught me a lot. I learned that I had a lot more say in what I put into my mouth than I ever thought I had. I learned that I had been using everything that I could get my hands on to prove to myself that it was other people's faults that I was heavy. No more!
I won't let any emotion or any person MAKE ME eat when I know that the food is not good for me and/or will ruin all of my efforts at weight loss! I work too hard to lose weight/eat right/exercise and I don't want a stupid table of food to blow all that effort!
Good luck, and may we all have power over what is ruining our efforts to be the person we want to be!!!
Ode to The Buffet
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i agree with you. try eatng a salad o soup before going. this will cut down what you eat. i hate buffets at resteraunts because i wanr to get my moneys worth. 
glen
I can have it next week on my "out to eat lunch". SO it keeps me sane.
