Big evening meal planned: What do I do during the day?

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girlr94
girlr94 Posts: 38 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a bit of a dilemma food-wise today. I'm going to an all-you-can-eat Pan-Asian buffet tonight for my friend's birthday and I'll be eating a 'lot' of food which I can't possibly log. The MFP database entry for this place estimates over 800 cals per average plate, meaning that my evening meal alone (about 9pm) will likely be 1000 calories over my daily goal. In theory I know it would be best not to eat during the day to limit the 'damage', but I'm going to the gym around 9am and I'll be trying to get an essay done all afternoon/ early evening. I tend to feel physically sick if I go without food for too long, and I know lifting weights or even doing cardio isn't a good idea on an empty stomach. I also know I won't be able to concentrate on work if I'm hungry. What should I do? Anything I eat during the day will send me even more over. You could say 'just don't eat much at the buffet' but I know in the heat of the moment when everyone else is having 3-4 plates plus I know I'll end up doing the same. Even if I have breakfast at 8am I'll be hungry by 11. Any ideas?

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  • charlesmollica
    charlesmollica Posts: 1
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    Carb cycling is great. Try to limit carbs durrinig the day so when you eat them at night it will spike your metabolism. It's never good to go more than a few hours without eating! I would recommend cardio in the am to get you metabolism going and eat smaller meals throughout the day with limited carbs. Try to eat protein and limited fat as well. Good luck!
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
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    One day will not hurt you.

    With that being said, bust your butt when you go to the gym. Get in a great workout. Have egg whites for breakfast with whole grain toast or oats. Maybe eat meat and veggies for lunch. Protein and fiber should satiate you. Drink a ton of water, tea or coffee. That keeps me full.

    ...or one day will not hurt you.
  • LazyFoodie
    LazyFoodie Posts: 217 Member
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    Eat low calorie filling foods (egg whites, cottage cheese, veggies etc) and move your workout to after dinner if possible. Try to not go too crazy at dinner and if you do, eat a bit less every day for a week and work a bit harder during your workouts. Maybe before having another plate of food, think about whether it is worth slowing down your weight loss for. If it is, then enjoy. If not then don't eat it. Just try to be mindful first before stuffing your face.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    edited November 2014
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    charlesmollica wrote: »
    Carb cycling is great. Try to limit carbs durrinig the day so when you eat them at night it will spike your metabolism. It's never good to go more than a few hours without eating! I would recommend cardio in the am to get you metabolism going and eat smaller meals throughout the day with limited carbs. Try to eat protein and limited fat as well. Good luck!
    Okay no. It's perfectly okay to skip a meal or go hours without eating. Also do not limit fat. Adding olive oil, coconut oil, peanut butter or any healthy fat will also help with feeling full.
  • StrawberryJam40
    StrawberryJam40 Posts: 274 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Me - and by no means what anyone else has to do. I skip breakfast or have just a light Greek yogurt. It's important for me to concentrate on protein to keep me feeling full. Therefore lunch would be something like string cheese wrapped in a few ounces of sliced turkey breast.

    Then even if you have 4 plates...which you probably won't because you will be so aware of what you are choosing and eating...make them smaller portions on the plate.

    Drink water before, during and after. Eat slowly to give your mind time to catch up to your stomach to feel full.

    And...agreed...one day is not going to hurt you.

    I was so scared to go to a buffet for the first time....yeah I had pie, but I didn't stuff myself or have 4 plates like I thought I would.

    You'll do great!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Late breakfast: an egg and some raspberries.

    Early lunch: A big pile of lettuce. 1/2 of one granola bar.

    Then be hungry until dinner.

    That's what I'd do!
  • brewinggirl_butskinnier
    brewinggirl_butskinnier Posts: 108 Member
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    It's too late now but when I have a big dinner planned I eat a green smoothie for breakfast and lunch (2 scoops of eas protein powder, whole bunch of spinach and some berries) and have a really good workout.
    Then when I'm at dinner, try to hit up the tasty veggies first, and drink a WHOLE lot of water during my meal.
    Then...enjoy the rest of what I want in small quantities, slowly, and don't eat until my belly hurts.

    We went to an all you can eat sushi and buffet last week. It was awesome.
  • ithrowconfetti
    ithrowconfetti Posts: 451 Member
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    When I go for buffets, I usually create a calorie deficit the week before, or I fast the day before, up till the buffet. I don't eat anything during the day, and I can still pack away large amounts (~ 4000 calories) of food despite many claiming that not eating prior will leave your body full of air, hence you'll be unable to eat much. It really depends on you. Like most have said, one day isn't going to affect your weight goals much. Just drink plenty of water for the next few days, and move on. Most importantly, just enjoy your buffet, because it doesn't happen often. :)
  • EHisCDN
    EHisCDN Posts: 480 Member
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    Unless you're going to a buffet on a fairly regular basis then I say enjoy yourself and try to exercise some moderation. Don't eat until the point of making yourself sick or feeling like you're going to explode.
  • allyphoe
    allyphoe Posts: 618 Member
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    I'd eat normally throughout the day, attempt to make reasonably good choice at the buffet (more veggies, more unbreaded proteins, less rice, moderate servings of favorites, etc), and log every bit of it using my best guess (not by the "plate," whatever a plate might be - but it's not that hard to say 2 cups of stir-fried green beans, a cup of sesame chicken, a cup of hot and sour soup, 1/2 cup of soft serve, 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries with sugar, 3 almond cookies - I like Chinese buffet, and eat at one a couple times a month for work, and it's entirely possible to log, or even to prelog if you've been there before and know what you like). Then cut back a bit throughout the week, or even into the next week, to offset those calories.

    Sometimes I will have extra-hungry days, when I end up eating at maintenance or even higher. It's almost always the case that the next day, I feel far less hungry than usual and it balances out.

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