I made it past Xmas feeling pretty good about my food consumption.

Then, last night, my dh and I found a wonderful HUGE buffet........

"Eat all you can" was clearly displayed on the window. Like moths drawn to a fire we were mesmerized. We were FORCED to obey the command---eat all you can!

For only $7.95 we gorged, consumed and binged! YIKES It was a chinese buffet with a mongolian grill. YUMMMMMM.......... Sooooo good at the time....... But in hindsight I can't recall what ate!!!

Ok, I could cry about this lack of restraint, lack of sanity and excess of gluttony!

My dh LOVES the buffet concept. HELPPPPPP......

Is there anyone capable of curbing the binge monster at a buffet?
Does anyone have any advice to help me survive?

Perhaps the best advice is to AVOID. I would like to go with my dh but maybe it would be like an alcoholic going to a bar?

Thanks for letting me vent.....time to get back on track

I'm sorry you fell off the wagon, hon.

Those all-you-can-eat buffets are terrible things, aren't they?
I avoid them now, but if I HAVE to be there, I go with the mentality that "I'm not there to make the restaurant go broke". Eating until you're ready to burst is no bargain.
Eating out should be a treat, but only because you're there to enjoy good company and the fact that you don't have to make it yourself.
Be thoughtful in your eating... the only one who gets "taken" at those buffets are those who think they need to get their moneys worth!

Forgive yourself and get back on track, girl... you can do this!

I have very little control at buffets too. I just try to go as little as possible. When I do go, which is maybe once every few months I treat it as a splurge then forget about it and get back on track. It hasn't hindered my weight loss too much so far.

I start with a giant salad (fat free dressing)....take it slow...it starts to fill you up before you start in on the fattening stuff. Then when I do go for the main meal I try to pick the healthier stuff with just a taste of the really fattening stuff. Wait a while before you go back for more...drink lots of diet soda or water...then the dessert section always kills me - but at least I'm already feeling pretty full...my DH is a big fan of buffets, too. I try to steer him to Fresh Choice (soup and salad buffet) more often than to Home Town Buffet...

I know buffets can be the downfall of even the most well intentioned dieter, but I have to say, I rather like a good buffet. I feel lucky that I have a totally different mindset about buffet eating than I used to. Rather than going there to gorge and get my money's worth on all sorts of delicious foods that I don't normally have all at once, I look at it as a way to really enjoy very small amounts of all sorts of delicious foods that I don't normally have all at once, plus partake in what is usually a fabulous salad bar. So I'm staying on plan, feeling completely satisfied, doing some constructive indulging and feeling like I got my money's worth because of all those reasons. It's wonderful; I'll take a good buffet any day!!

But my advice is to do what works for you. If you just can't trust yourself around a buffet right now, then don't. It's not worth beating yourself up over and feeling like crap. No matter what though, what's done is done. Chalk this up to a learning experience and move on. Just look at every meal as a new opportunity to get it right, and you'll be fine.

Beverly

I know what you mean...we have a Chinese buffet we frequent. They have a regular iceburg (boring) salad and plain shrimp which I guess are the most weight-loss friendly items there. They have an assortment of vegies and lean meat and fish but most (if not all) are swimming in some sort of sauce. I usually endulge in a little of one or two of these dishes (like chicken & broccoli or pepper steak and try to get as little oil and sauce on my plate as possible but this is not easy!). I skip the rice and noodles but sometimes I get a little of their "sushi" (maki nori?) which has rice in it but I get the kind without the raw fish, so I guess it's not real sushi. I usually just have one plate and take my time. Think of the word "buffet" as variety which can be a good thing and forget about the "all you can eat" and just eat until you are satisfied not stuffed. Think of what you like before you go in and treat yourself to one or two servings of what you really like or try a little of something new and limit yourself to one plateful and a plate with a salad and/or plain shrimp if you like. Don't beat yourself up over it...now you know what they have for next time so you can plan ahead. Good luck to you!

I find most buffets mediocre and get grossed out thinking about how many people who don't wash their hands after using the bathroom have touched everything

If that isn't enough to disgust you, just think -- you can come and eat from this yummy buffet whenever you want -- every day if you want. You don't have to eat the entire buffet in one night.

When I go to a potluck or buffet, I try not to be first in line, I look at everything first and I only take a tablespoon or so of food I think I will LOVE. If I taste it and I don't love it, I don't eat the rest. Why eat food I don't love? After trying to savor and enjoy the food I've taken the first time, I try not to go back unless I'm still honestly truly hungry. After all, I can always come back to the restaurant or cook anything myself that's being served. The world isn't going to run out of food. Don't get me wrong -- I don't always stick to this perfectly, but the more I do it, the better I get at it.

EWWW!

I worked at a Ponderosa back in '85-'86. I could tell stories that turn everyone off buffets forever. There wasn't a handwashing problem but our hair wasn't properly restrained and people with hair-metal do's got hair in everything! Also one time I accidentally dropped a tub of macaroni and cheese on the floor. Instead of getting another one, this girl swept it off the floor and put it on the salad bar!!! Floor sweepings and all! I don't know how many people ate from that before I took that pan off the hot buffet.

I worked in food service for many years. I don't know how I can eat at a restaurant anymore.

My parents were fans of Ponderosa! My sister and I called it Pondergrossa! I guess we had valid reasons to, huh?! Thank you for giving me more of a reason to dislike those sorts of restraunts!

Thanks to everyone who posted great suggestions!
Thanks to Ellis for the cyberhug ---you are so incredibly nice!

Best wishes to all chicks for the new year!

I hear you hun! I just posted about my success of avoiding the binge at the buffet. I just focused on a healthy meal and what my WW points allowed. I took my time and filled up on salad before hitting the "real" food and I actually felt full before I was even done with my first plate. I also drank a good bit of diet soda between bites to help me feel fuller too. Don't feel bad about splurging, you can get right back on now and do better next time (((HUGS)))

My parents were at Shoneys not long ago. While they were at the salad bar, they noticed a man sticking his fingers into the dressings then licking them and sticking them into other foods. They promptly left.

I had the chance to go to a pizzeria buffet for lunch today. I'm so glad that I didn't! Yes, it would have been nice to visit with my co-workers, but I came home instead and relaxed with my doggies and ate a healthy lunch. One small victory for me.

Honestly, what i would do it stay in the cold section. Usually the cold section has stuff like Jello, Salad, Soups, you know the light stuff. Staying in that section will allow you to attend and not binge! I am serious it works! Just tell yourself stay in the cold section, and think of it as all you could eat buffet of Salad! Sometimes buffets have sushi...if you like it you should try it. It's pretty healthy and some of it is raw...which is good for your health. Unless you're doing a diet that does not allow rice or any of that stuff...then scratch that out. but anyway these are my two cents.


Erika

I know where I live the newspaper posts the grades that local restaurants got during their heath inspections and the buffets here always get terrible scores, so I just stay away. My grandparents love buffets, they can eat for cheap, maybe that is why they are overweight?? My advice, by pass the buffet and go another restaurant.
Erika