Problems with unlimited food/buffet style

You can stop. You choose not to.

So change your choices. It's not free. Not really. So. Are you willing to pay the price of eating more than you know you should?

just because its there doesnt mean you have to eat it

when youre tired of being overweight and TRULY ready to LOSE weight, and do what it takes to do so, you will learn to put the fork down and walk away.

Log what you eat. Let the numbers either control how often you go back or show when you have done bad.

Then, at the end of the day, forgive yourself for any failure, and vow to do better tomorrow.

Just because it's free doesn't mean you have take advantage of it.

You'll have to change your thinking to reflect this.

The whole world is full of food that you have to make choices about. Learn to make the choice to take small portions of the foods you want.
even when you go to the grocery store, you are buying packages of food that have more than one portion in them, and you have to choose to only eat one portion. Learning to eat in moderation is a journey, but in the end, it will lead to long-term success.

Pre-log it before you have it.

I always find that if I feel like going all out and eating junk, if I force myself to enter what I'm planning to eat, I see just how calorific it is and nearly always decide it's just not worth it.

I'd take a small amount then move away from the food - out of sight, out of mind.

It's funny. When I was younger I always tried to get the most calories for my dollar. Free/cheap pizza or donuts? Awesome.

Now that I'm older it's the opposite. The thought of going to a buffet or eating out always seems terrible because I can afford as much food as I want but I'm spending more to eat less/cleaner in a sense.

I fully understand binge eating at a buffet. I went a long time that I just did not go to those places then realized they are many opportunities to go back to my old binge eating habits. I reached a point that I realized that i had to learn to control myself in these situations so I know longer avoid them. I usually get a full plate of vegetables and a plate of salad with no dressing. I also try to plan on these temptations and account for them before the event.

I am learning to stop eating when I'm full instead of eating more because it tastes good.

We're going to a buffet next week. These outings are so far and few between, that when I do go I eat as much as I can. No holding back!! I make the most of every minute I'm there, otherwise I don't see the point of going to an all you can eat place.
And for $35 a pop, you bet I'm going to get my money's worth

Obviously this wouldn't apply if it was a regular or weekly event..

hmm well I guess I don't agree that the point of going to a buffet is to eat as much as I can, but then again the local buffet is 7.00 for lunch. I tend to get mostly sushi there and sashimi and maybe a dumpling or salad

Enjoy @christinev297!

It took me a long time to trust myself to go back to buffets. And since I pay for it, I am still inclined to overdo it.

So my main strategy involves... not going to one.

But, I do understand the unlimited food at work issue. And really, it just involves a shift in your perception.

It is NOT free. It is costing your calories.
You also MUST log all these things. ACCURATELY! That is a lot of labour.

Is it worth it?
If it is: go ahead!

If it isn't:
(baby steps)
Start with a single full plate of food.
Fill it up with "sane" choices; but as full as you want to.
There is no second trip. That's what you get. If you're still hungry 30 minutes later you can go back. But no sooner.

Then, second step, a few days later,
make it a NORMAL plate of food. Without overflowing, double stacking, or other-tricking.
Same rules.

If it is still too many calories, move down to a salad plate or make better choices (like half the plate salad, 1/4 non starchy vegetables, and 1/4 protein, or whatever the pretty plate thing says since I know I've got it wrong ;-)
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate-vs-usda-myplate/

It's really about what you want to do. If you want to eat a bunch of food, you will. If you don't want to eat a bunch of food, you won't.

Decide what you want, do it and enjoy it, whatever it is.

Do not decide, do it and then get all mad at yourself for doing it. That goes nowhere good!

First of all, it is terrific that you have identified the problem! That shows how much you really care and want to change. It is doubly fantastic that you reached out and asked for support - another indicator that you would like to change! Change is hard, especially habitual patterns and ones that bring us comfort; you have such strength to take this on!

There are a lot of helpful ideas already listed here. Some things that helped me change "automatic" eating habits - set a goal of what I was going to say yes to, and make a plan to whittle those down over a month or so; think about what is offered at work that will help you get to where you want to be - like raw veggies or fresh, plain fruit - fill 1/2 your plate with that first; choose the things you will not eat based on ingredient - maybe that means "creamy" type salads (mayo), or things with melted cheese, lots of processed grains, etc. - and focus on what you can eat. Bring a late morning snack, like a leaf salad, to eat right before lunch. You will be on your way to full and may eat less.

One of the most surprising things that I discovered was what reflecting after eating a lot of food, or foods that were less healthy than other revealed. I discovered that how I felt afterwards was not worth eating what I did, or that I actually didn't even care for them. This was especially interesting with the foods that my body can't handle, like dairy. My eyes were opened to how much pain and discomfort I was in by ignoring my body to eat the food I thought I wanted. I started associating that discomfort with the food. Pizza is the food I would eat 3 times a day if I could. But now even the smell is enough to start my stomach hurting and feeling the bloat I have after eating it. When I do choose to eat these things (and I totally do!), I limit my portions.

Logging your food choices is a really good helper. I have a rule that I log no matter what, the only person I would be lying to is me. And when I see those numbers rack up over a less focused choice, I remember them and arm myself with that the next time I face the same choices and ask myself "Is it worth it?" Sometimes, depending on the situation, the answer is "yes," but I am consciously making the choice, and not letting habit direct my choices.

Last of all, be gentle with yourself. There are no "bad" foods ...you are not "bad" or "weak" for eating any food. There are choices that will help you get to your goals, and ones that keep you from them longer. Note how often you eat a certain food that is keeping you from your new self over a few weeks, and use that to make informed decisions. Remember to take a moment daily and weekly to reflect on what you DID accomplish, not just the things you didn't. Those are important milestones! Perhaps some days it will be "I ate 4 pieces of pizza instead of 5," or "I had 15 chips instead of half the bag" BUT THAT IS CHANGE and you should celebrate it and be proud of it!!! Next time you will do more!

You can do this! You've got it! If you fall down, get up and try again! You will succeed as long as you don't stop moving towards change!

When tackling a buffet ...

First, I head straight for the salad bar ... just veggies, no dressings, or cheese or anything that is going to add a large number of calories.

Then I go back for the dinner portion of the meal, and again, I focus mainly on the veggies. And by then, I'm already a little bit full from the salad.

As it happens, I really like veggies so this works for me.


It probably also helps that buffets are few and far between in Australia.


As for morning teas ...

If I'm really focused on counting calories, I prelog the choices I know will be there, and pick one that fits within my calorie count.

If I'm a little more relaxed, I head for the fruit. There's always a fruit platter with watermelon, rockmelon, honeydew, and pineapple, so I will usually have that ... and maybe one small square of cake.

tomatoey wrote: »

withoutasaddle wrote: »

The only way I can semi get around it is to have itty bitty pirtions of everything

i read somewhere that having lots of little things makes it harder to feel full (vs having more of 1-2 things)

What the what? Mental games....? the amount on the plate is the amount on the plate, regardless as to whether it's 5 different entrees or 2.