Chinese buffet - PLEASE HELP

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Replies

  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    Honestly? Eat. Eat less afterwards for a few days. Add some exercise.

    ^^ This


    Enjoy the birthday party and eat what you will. Drink plenty of water. Go back to your deficit the next day.

    Yes. Don't make that sweet and sour chicken feel bad since you didn't have room on your one plate.

    It's one meal; enjoy it!
  • shantizzlerose
    shantizzlerose Posts: 63 Member
    The last time I went to a chinese buffet, I logged what I was going to eat the night before. And to my surprise, I didn't even eat as much as I had planned. Also, get water with your meal rather than a soda. It made me feel better about binging on chinese haha.
  • gabbygirl78
    gabbygirl78 Posts: 936 Member
    Sushi!!! and stay away from the fried stuff. get steamed white rice instead of fried rice or just eat what you want but small portions.
  • fittoday14
    fittoday14 Posts: 128
    Goodmorning/afternoon/night everyone.

    Tomorrow is my sister's 18th birthday, so we're eating dinner at a Chinese restaurant. I loooove Chinese food, always have. There's going to be a buffet of all kinds of dishes and I think that maybe this restaurant also has 'running sushi'.

    It's just that last time I ate at a buffet I totally binged(and I'm not talking about the oops-i-shouldn't-have-had-that-extra-piece-of-sushi typical buffet binge, I'm talking eating around 20 pieces of sushi + different dishes with sauce and meat and rice ++++ cake and icecream when I wasn't even hungry anymore.)

    Now I want tomorrow night to be a good night, and I want to enjoy myself. I'm not interested in staying away from the buffet and ordering something from the menu, I really want to do as everybody else does and eat from the buffet.



    So you guys! Do you have any advice on how to tackle a buffet without overeating? What's your go-to method?

    I don't care for Chinese food, but that's besides the point.

    If I were you, I'd go for the food that has the least amount of sauce on it. Fried Rice is FINE, but stay away from the Noodles (the calories aren't worth it). Eat lots of vegetable and meat options (meat that isn't battered and fried).

    Enjoy!
  • bloodhoundlady
    bloodhoundlady Posts: 80 Member
    Go ahead and start with some soup. Egg drop or wonton. Then stay away from the sweet sauce entrees. Eat chicken or veggie based. Most places have a healthy plate like dteamed shrimp and veggies. Load on the salad and.... if you do have things you shouldn't make sure you drink up water .
  • fittoday14
    fittoday14 Posts: 128
    Sushi is NOT THAT healthy! It can be just as bad as any other unhealthy food (if its loaded with fried fish, cream cheese, etc.)
  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
    Side note:

    It was funny, my dad always preached the "1 plate rule"

    Problem is, at a buffet, his 1 plate with food on it would be about 2 feet tall. :noway:

    This just made me think of John Belushi in 'Animal House'! :laugh: :drinker:

    Favorite quote: "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"

    OP: if you're going to implement the 1-plate rule, please don't let it look like Belushi's! :wink:
  • YorriaRaine
    YorriaRaine Posts: 370 Member
    When I go out to eat, Chinese buffet's included, I allot 75% of my calories for the day to the "going out" part. I also give myself some wiggle room the week before (or week after if it was unexpected), and then those left over calories from those days go out to eat.

    Exercise the day you go out, if you use the mfp default method, to give yourself even more calories.

    Between all that, you should be just fine, if you go over, chances are you still would not go over maintenance calories for the day.
  • MyIrishSpirit
    MyIrishSpirit Posts: 43 Member
    Honestly? Eat. Eat less afterwards for a few days. Add some exercise.

    This! Eat food. Like some others have said, this is a lifestyle change not just a diet. You will be faced with parties and holidays for the rest of your life and you should enjoy them. I had to learn that one day at the buffet does not kill all the work you've done. Just go back to your regimen the next day and you'll be fine!

    I'm being taken out for sushi tomorrow night and when we go to this place it's a big deal. It's a 2 hour long enjoyable gourmet sushi dinner with several courses. I will love every second of it and every bite and the next day I'll be back at the gym eating my oatmeal and oranges :tongue:
  • KBrenOH
    KBrenOH Posts: 704 Member
    Honestly? Eat. Eat less afterwards for a few days. Add some exercise.

    ^^ This


    Enjoy the birthday party and eat what you will. Drink plenty of water. Go back to your deficit the next day.


    I agree with everyone else that has said to just eat and enjoy yourself. One day will not hurt you in the long run, but definitely drink water water water. Chinese is super high in sodium!

    Enjoy!
  • scarrletti_girl
    scarrletti_girl Posts: 479 Member
    well think of how much ur stomach will hurt and how bad you will feel afterwards if you over eat. and so just stick to what will make you full and no longer eat more lol it is what i do and it works for the most part lol and one day wont hurt. just don't eat after your full. lol
  • xoeva
    xoeva Posts: 209 Member
    Eat one plate of food
    Half of it should be vegetables
    remember why you are there (to celebrate, not to binge)
    drink lots of water
    don't go famished (so don't save all your calories of the day.... ) I find that a small snack, 1 T of peanut butter and half an apple before I arrive to the restaurant helps me be patient and not eat everything in sight
    when you are finished chew minty gum or a tic tac or brush your teeth...it helps
    Try eating 100 calories less for the following 3-4 days and/or burn 100 calories more per day for the next 3-4 days.
    Remember MSG and sodium...water retention (just in case you weigh yourself the next day)
    Enjoy!
  • FailVibe
    FailVibe Posts: 9
    Oh what would I do without you guys. Thanks for all the tips.
  • Sunshinelioness
    Sunshinelioness Posts: 2
    I agree with a lot of advice given here.
    1.) Put what you want to eat in your calorie counter, if its too high, opt for what you KNOW are healthier options.
    2.) Hot and Sour soup! 80% water will fill you up a bit so you dont go crazy :)
    3.) Green Tea ;)
    4.) Veggie heavy dishes. I just had broccoli beef (5.4 oz = 120 calories) and string bean chicken (5.4oz = 170 calories) for lunch and my entire lunch was 300 calories. (Panda express)
    5.) listen to your head, you know what the fuel you put in your body should be.
  • hmaddpear
    hmaddpear Posts: 610 Member
    Some good advice above. It's a celebration, so enjoy it. Load your plate with food you actively enjoy and don't put so much on a plate. Go back if you're not feeling full yet, stop if you are. Eat smaller amounts of the fried foods and rice/noodles, eat more of the stirfried veg. Don't drink soda with your meal, drink water or chinese tea (if you like it) - not only are you skipping those soda calories, but the water or tea helps to cleanse the palate, so you taste more, which in turn leaves you more satisfied with your meal.

    I don't know how long you've been on your weight loss journey, but I found the last time I went to a buffet, I could barely manage two plates. And I used to eat four or five previously!

    Oh, and have a fantastic time!
  • eyecandyrayce
    eyecandyrayce Posts: 260 Member
    I always start with round 1 = salad then ~~ round2 = loads of vegetables like the string beans,bok choy,broccoli ,~~ then I go for round 3= my meat and then I go Round 4 for the fresh fruit and if I have calories and room left in my belly i choose 1 dessert plus I always eat my fortune cookie .

    This is a great idea! Going for the low calories/healthy options first fills you up more for when you go for the higher calories stuff. I'm doing this next time :)
  • ChaplainHeavin
    ChaplainHeavin Posts: 426 Member
    Just something to consider from what I read: Binge eaters often eat even when they’re not hungry and continue eating long after they’re full. A lot of people over eat, not because they're hungry, but want to eat.
  • kellyskitties
    kellyskitties Posts: 475 Member
    I have this same problem OP.

    I end up there sometimes at "Hubster's choice" - and not a special meal where I might just let it roll.

    Fried rice - KILLS my calories. I was shocked at the calorie expense of rice for so little fill up. 1 Cup + 363 calories and leaves me hungry. That's nearly a meal's calories for me! I LOVE the noodles so I let myself get just a few strands (to keep the peace). If I stick to a small serving of noodles. An equivalent amount of lo mein noodles = 270 calories.

    Sushi - 8 pieces California roll (one of the few choices at my Chinese restaurant) = 140. Not bad.

    I also love the "Chihuahua on a stick" or chicken teriyaki on a stick. 109 calories each - and I can eat a dozen - but is 18g protein!

    Hot and Sour soup... 100 calories/cup

    I guess soup, sushi and some chihuahua wouldn't be a bad buffet plan. End with fruit. unsweetened tea or water. That's my plan. Plus a few lo mein noodles cause I love those :) More than the sticky breaded saucy meats.

    Another of my downfalls is those dumb fried biscuits - dang... who came up with that. It is total crap... shouldn't even like them. It's not anything special and there I am eating them. And crab rangoons. Might need to work one of those in or two.

    I'm no help here... (walks away)
  • kellyskitties
    kellyskitties Posts: 475 Member
    Just something to consider from what I read: Binge eaters often eat even when they’re not hungry and continue eating long after they’re full. A lot of people over eat, not because they're hungry, but want to eat.

    I would agree - but that doesn't make it easy to stop. I can eat loads - it's seldom hunger related. Stopping it is the hard part.
    I don'tk now that it's always a "want to eat" thing - sometimes it's an emotion or obsession driven thing.
  • ChaplainHeavin
    ChaplainHeavin Posts: 426 Member
    I hear ya. I just posted it because some of the suggestions were talking about eating before so she would be more full and as I posted, being full is generally not the issue for overeating.
  • DonaldChadDavis
    DonaldChadDavis Posts: 89 Member
    Eat until you are full. Enjoy the company and the experience between bites, drink water, and don't fret over it.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    [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]
  • 58ttom
    58ttom Posts: 9 Member
    I'm glad to find this discussion because my wife has been wanting to go out to a Chinese Buffet and I've been afraid of it. But I think it's excellent advice to eat till you are full but just don't stuff and drink lots of water. Enjoy yourself and eat the foods you like and get back on your routine of heathy eating and exercising tomorrow. One night of splurging won't kill you.
  • AlyssaJoJo
    AlyssaJoJo Posts: 449 Member
    I eat whatever I want but I always start at the salad bar and make a salad. Normally buffets have green beans and mushrooms at the very least so I have a big serving of those with every plate. And if sushi is an option I eat more of that. The only trick I do is I take a picture of EACH plate for logging it afterwards.
  • superfox12082
    superfox12082 Posts: 512 Member
    Do you go to buffets often? Get an extra hard dose of exercise in that day.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    just eat however. one day isn't going to change anything.
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    Order off the menu and avoid the buffet.
    /thread
  • Alissakae
    Alissakae Posts: 317 Member
    Perfect advice!
  • mjglantz
    mjglantz Posts: 508 Member
    If I'm going to go, I enjoy and pretty much eat what I want. I can't eat as much as I used to so that's the good news. I try to not pile the food on my plate and don't go back for thirds!
    I can balance out one big meal like this with healthy eating and keeping to my exercise. My weight may go up, but that's usually just water retention.
  • alasin1derland
    alasin1derland Posts: 575 Member
    Put on your plate only a bite size portion of each thing so you know you've tasted everything you are interested in. Then if you are still hungry, you can go back for only things you really really liked. (I like chicken on a stick) For desserts like pie or cake, i take the server and just cut the tip off and just have a bite of the deserts I'm interested in. that way if there is 3 i want to try, I can but its like I only chose one dessert. No matter how good you are the scale will fluctuate with the sodium. OR go all out and enjoy yourself. If you don't do it all the time, its not going to be overly damaging. and water water water

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