Chinese buffet - PLEASE HELP

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124

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  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
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    When I know I'm going to any buffet, I try to eat lighter for my other meals, then enjoy that one meal out without counting calories. Also, maybe spare a couple hundred calories from the days before and after? (I look at my weekly totals.) this isn't an everyday thing, so enjoy?
  • Mr_Starr
    Mr_Starr Posts: 139 Member
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    1- Drink water
    2- Eat a bit before leaving for the buffet
    3- Drink water
    4- ONE plate rule at the buffet and go for the sashimi (sushi without the rice)
    5- Drink water
    6- Tell EVERYONE that you are watching your cals intake and eating less...
    7- Drink water
    8- Go to the bathroom (Hey you must get rid of that water...)
    9- Talk, enjoy, talk, enjoy, talk, enjoy !
    10- Have a fruit salad for desert, they're good and always present at buffets...
    11- Ok stop drinking water now !

    ^ I like this ... and the ONE PLATE RULE

    except I usually don't tell everybody i am watching my cals.

    I usually only get one plate full. But I get 2 half plates. I do this for two reasons: 1) it forces me to eat slower eating a half plate at the same speed everyboy else is eating their overfull plates, and 2) i can go the the buffet again with everybody else.

    I also Plan Ahead and take a picture of my plate.

    For planning ahead, there are often lower calorie choices that I love every much as the higher calorie ones. If I plan ahead I won't be surprised. But i also won't stop getting that delicious high calorie item i want... Since I know and planned ahead... I will just get a 1/2 portion instead.

    I also take a couple of pictures of my plate so I can remember what and how much of what I ate. I always log and count everything.

    .... These are my tips. And I eagerly want to see what other folks are doing as well, because even with my best intentions I still find it difficult to eat at my calorie goal at good buffet.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,835 Member
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    fast
    lift
    eat everything

    (not Chinese though, don't like it)
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I feel your pain - I love chinese food - I would enjoy the buffet and eat in moderation - try and be aware of your serving sizes so you can sample a bit of all the things you like :smile:

    Then make sure you drink lots of water and stay on track for the next couple days. It is okay to enjoy the things we like.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,626 Member
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    Extra cardio beforehand so you can enjoy the celebration guilt free..

    More sushi, less Chinese. Don't have deep fried stuff including stir fries where the meat is deep fried before being incorporated in the stir fry. This category includes General Tso Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Lemon Chicken.

    At dinner, keep asking yourself, "Am I really enjoying this?". If so carry on eating. Don't eat just because food is plentiful.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    [slight thread hijack]

    I enjoy Chinese food but haven't been to a buffet in some time. Is it really as common as this thread makes it sound to have sushi at a Chinese buffet?

    [/slight thread hijack]

    the ones here do.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    Normally I just go all out, eat whatever I want, drink lots of water, and get back on it the next day.

    If you don't want to do that though, you could stick to a "1 plate rule" :)
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Eat before you go. Have a decent amount of protein and fiber before you go. They say it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to send the signal to your brain that you ate and aren't hungry...by the time you get there, you won't be as hungry and can hopefully have a reasonable amount of just that stuff that you really really like.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    Just came to say this is my all-time favorite title of a MFP post
  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
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    Since I nor.ally don't go out often, when I do I enjoy myself
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    If you start seeing imaginary fish judging your actions, it's time to stop.

    Until that point, om nom nom.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,521 Member
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    I get a big plate for my 1st serving and smaller plates for my subsequent servings. As far as chinese food, sushi is probably your best bet. I ate 24 pieces on Tuesday. It's kinda high on the carb side, and not a huge amount of protein; but lower on cals than a lot of other options, and that much sushi made me feel like I had definitely had enough.
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
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    [slight thread hijack]

    Is it really as common as this thread makes it sound to have sushi at a Chinese buffet?

    [/slight thread hijack]

    I wish it was. Never was in my experience. I love sushi but find Chinese buffet food to be disgusting.
  • molonlabe762
    molonlabe762 Posts: 411 Member
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    I give myself a cheat day every week or 2. Use this as yours, just dont go super crazy and make sure u stay under your calories the rest of the week. Works good for me.
  • angrose247
    angrose247 Posts: 2 Member
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    I say stick to simple things like broccoli and chicken and maybe not rice... not anything fried if you can. If you do add exercise...
  • Kenazwa
    Kenazwa Posts: 278 Member
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    Go around and look at all the possibilities before you make any choices, then load up on vegetables as much as you can. Our local Chinese buffet has green beans that are to die for; I fill half my plate with them.
  • Fit2Strip
    Fit2Strip Posts: 280 Member
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    EAT EVERYTHING!!! Your body can't absorb it all if there's too much to process! Just do a few laps around the buffet for every plate.
    1 plate rules for buffet are ridiculous. A buffet is to be ravaged!
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Devour everything and get back on track the next day. No way I'd go to a buffet and just eat one grain of rice.
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
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    I have never had good sushi at Chinese buffet for the record.

    Last time I went to a buffet was my first time in a year, and I went IN. LOL I rarely hit buffets (two all of last year). I usually just "have at 'er".

    ...Then hit the gym the next day and try to hit some PRs :D
  • sillyvalentine
    sillyvalentine Posts: 460 Member
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    Have some self control. Period.

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