Pot luck/Buffet

xarla16
xarla16 Posts: 84 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
After logging for 46 or 47 days, I went to a buffet. I have not eaten significantly over 1200 calories in that time frame and I have been eating fairly healthy food. I don't have cheat days, but if I have calories left over at the end of a day I sometimes use them to eat a little bit of junk (in moderation).

I feel disgusting. Buffet is the worst possible eating situation to track calories. I have no sweet clue how many calories I ate. I even tried to eat a fairly small portion. I actually can't wait to get back on the calorie wagon tomorrow.

How do you feel about buffets? Do you avoid them? How do you begin to track your food from them?

Replies

  • SCH67
    SCH67 Posts: 21
    I feel the exact same as you do. I usually try to avoid buffets because it really is hard to know how many calories I have eaten... but I do have the odd guilt free day (keeps me from quitting my diet) when I just enjoy myself, no counting calories, and then the next day, I am right back on the wagon. After all, this is life long and we need some guilt free days
  • ShanR77
    ShanR77 Posts: 287 Member
    Right now i think the best option for me is avoiding them. Even eating at just the salad bar could lead to all sorts of confusion.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    Recently I took a picture of my plate so when I got ready to log it, it was fairly easy. The downside to it though is the hidden calories. Taking a picture won't unearth those. If I suspect it was cooked with butter, for example, I add that in too. Sometimes I pad it a little if I think I need to. I stay away from some items like bread and I decide whether something is really worth it or not. Recently I made the taco helpings and added corn salsa on top but left off the shell.
  • reddi2roll
    reddi2roll Posts: 356 Member
    It's something you can't always avoid. Only one day. Just move on and get back in the saddle. No point in kicking yourself. Won't change anything.
  • Tonnina
    Tonnina Posts: 979 Member
    Meh, If you go to one, just eat two plates of salad, dressing on the side then go see what else you can eat... If you are full after the two salads then you can leave...

    If you have a pot luck at work, bring something healthy, but don't tell anyone it's healthy. Make sure you get some of your stuff and a little bit of everyone else's. Don't stress, you can work out later and be fine.

    One plate, small spoons of everything, it's okay. Write down everything you ate in a small note book and then log on MFP.

    Buffets and Pot lucks are not hard to "do" on a diet.
  • beth40n2
    beth40n2 Posts: 233 Member
    Definately fill up on salad with all kinds of raw veggies, then try to find some meat that is not smuthered in sauce and some cooked vegetables.
  • Sarasari
    Sarasari Posts: 139 Member
    Sweet Tomatoes has their menu online. I look it up there and on MFP and plan ahead.
  • ElBo58
    ElBo58 Posts: 44
    I second "plan ahead". I guess it depends on what kind of buffet--my faves are chinese and pizza. For chinese, I look up values before i go and eat only specific things, and lots of veggies. Pizza, I decide beforehand how many slices to have--when I reach that, I quit.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Avoid them!!!!
  • IndyMode
    IndyMode Posts: 54 Member
    I avoid them like the plague!!!! I hate when I'm out with friends and family and their like "Hey! Let's go to the buffet!" I always try to protest..It's near impossible for me NOT to overeat at them.

    If I do go, they usually have a great salad bar and I try to fill up on salad first so I won't eat as much of the other stuff.

    My church has a potluck every 3rd sunday of the month, I don't feel as guilty eating there because all the stuff is homemade, and I never go back for seconds(or thirds), like I do at a restaurant buffet, and it's only once a month.
  • huntindawg1962
    huntindawg1962 Posts: 277 Member
    It's something you can't always avoid. Only one day. Just move on and get back in the saddle. No point in kicking yourself. Won't change anything.

    ^ This
  • xarla16
    xarla16 Posts: 84 Member
    The worst part about it was that it was all traditional food from where I live. There wasn't a real salad in sight! I think people should always try and give some healthy options.
  • beebee0925
    beebee0925 Posts: 441 Member
    Bump
  • bcampbell54
    bcampbell54 Posts: 932 Member
    After doing this for awhile, I don't fear buffets. I just can't, and don't, eat as much as I used to. I don't feel the need to try a plate full of everything.
    Having said that, I do avoid them. Easier since I don't live in Las Vegas anymore.
  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
    I think I'd try to pick the best/healthest foods available and just eat one plate with reasonably sized portions and then stop eating or if I felt the need to eat more, munch on raw fruits and veggies until everyone else was finished eating.
  • tlnurse
    tlnurse Posts: 229 Member
    Just consider a "cheat" meal.....probably worth around 1000 calories (depending on if you avoided desserts). Let it go...but go and do some extra exercise to "work it off" would be my suggestion! We all have unavoidable occassions like that.:flowerforyou:
  • mscrumbyy
    mscrumbyy Posts: 116
    After tracking for a little while I have a fairly good grasp of what's actually in what I'm eating, so I just try and aim for the healthier buffet options and let myself off with the 'hidden' calories for the day. One buffet meal will not ruin all of my progress by any stretch, so I try not to stress about it.

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