Buffets, an eye opener

KaseyWolf

As an obese person, I've been fond of buffets: Golden Corral, Chinese, etc. I've always conned myself that I make good choices, choose the healthier things, limit the fatty, fried stuff.

Well, when entering the foods I came across a listing for chinese buffet, average plate 1400 calories. I was like "What??" no way.

So yesterday I went to Furr's. It's a buffet style place, tons of different choices. I made good choices, and even tried to mentally measure things as I went along. I thought I did a pretty good job. I didn't try to calculate it out at that moment. It was an experiment for myself.

To my surprise...really surprise, my meal came out to approximately 1315 calories!! And that was NO dessert of any kind. Wow. Basically my whole workout I had done earlier was for nothing with that meal.

Makes me think of how many times we fool ourselves with choices we make, not really aware of what the heck we are shoving in our mouths. It sure opened my eyes a bit more.

I've been reading labels more and more, measuring. I really fooled myself for years with choices I was making.

Kasey

tameko2

really? I'm super curious now, what did you get?

sdrawkcabynot

I am not a fan of most buffets, but I do love chinese buffets. I am now avoiding them, because buffet usually means that you allow yourself to over eat! lol. I may go once every 2 months or so and try to limit it to 2 small portioned plates (and I go with 2 because lets face it - we want our money's worth after all)

BrettPGH

To me that's the real secret of MFP. Finding out how many calories are actually in all those foods you thought "weren't so bad." And once you know you can't ever go back to thinking the same way again.

Wait why is this a gay issue again? :ohwell:

KaseyWolf

Ok, here is what I got: Salad with oil/vinegar dressing, mushrooms, cucumbers; baked fish that had some kind of crumbly stuff on top (took that off); 5 slices of the country fried potatoes; approx 1/2 cup of mac and cheese (didn't finish it); 1/2 cup of chick pot pie; boiled cabbage; grilled vegetables; bbq rib-approx 4 oz (broke a piece off to about that size); unsweet ice tea

I used to get alot more stuff. Good news I got way fuller faster than I used to faster.

jerber160

To me that's the real secret of MFP. Finding out how many calories are actually in all those foods you thought "weren't so bad." And once you know you can't ever go back to thinking the same way again.

Wait why is this a gay issue again? :ohwell:

so true...SALAD was a huge eye opener for me. I just don't like it enough to eat a lot of them.....not at 600 cals per.. ugh..

tameko2

y'all are just thinking of salads wrong. There are two things that make salads potentially high calorie - dressing and ....well, toppings. as long as you keep those in control salads are my diet food. chicken breast, carrots, edamame, low fat dressing = a pretty good macro set and under 400 calories thereby leaving me calories for something tasty like bread nad butter.

jerber160

y'all are just thinking of salads wrong. There are two things that make salads potentially high calorie - dressing and ....well, toppings. as long as you keep those in control salads are my diet food. chicken breast, carrots, edamame, low fat dressing = a pretty good macro set and under 400 calories thereby leaving me calories for something tasty like bread nad butter.

a lot of my meals are under 300 cals..... but I eat more of them and snack at night....dinner might be 450- but that's 2 lean cuisines and an added veggie... I wonder if I could get a nice big chef's salad with sweet and sour or honey mustard for 400 cals... I like my salads drowned in dressing..