Going to a buffet Tueday, help!

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RKA625
RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
No measuring portions (unless I want to take my measuring cup with me, but I think DH would get annoyed, lol)

We're having a date night and have a gift certificate to this place, it used to be our favorite when we lived closer to it. It;s Chinese food, so it's probably going to kill my calorie count. Do I just throw caution to the wind and not count at all or try to estimate?

I am going to have salad at first with low fat dressing if they have it. But I have tto say, I don't think ANY of that stuff is healthy.

I also don't want to be "annoying" with counting everything I eat, this is our first date night in months, and I want us to have fun. We're going to play pool too, and I am telling myself I'm NOT having any drinks.

ETA: Sorry for the typo in the title. I wish we could edit our titles here. :embarassed:

Replies

  • RKA625
    RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
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    No measuring portions (unless I want to take my measuring cup with me, but I think DH would get annoyed, lol)

    We're having a date night and have a gift certificate to this place, it used to be our favorite when we lived closer to it. It;s Chinese food, so it's probably going to kill my calorie count. Do I just throw caution to the wind and not count at all or try to estimate?

    I am going to have salad at first with low fat dressing if they have it. But I have tto say, I don't think ANY of that stuff is healthy.

    I also don't want to be "annoying" with counting everything I eat, this is our first date night in months, and I want us to have fun. We're going to play pool too, and I am telling myself I'm NOT having any drinks.

    ETA: Sorry for the typo in the title. I wish we could edit our titles here. :embarassed:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Do eat the salad first.
    Avoid anything breaded/fried.
    Eat the rice/lo mein sparingly. Like, one level scoop is usually around 1/2 cup.
    Pick the vegetables with the meat.
    Eat slowly and pay attention to your stomach!
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    I say count.

    Get a workout in.

    Eat "light" throughout the day.

    Plan ahead...look on here and online (dwlz) for cals for different chinese foods that you know you may want to eat. No measuring cup but you will know how many spoon fulls you get (estimate to tablespoons....then convert to "cups" from there, if you need to). Control portion sizes.

    You can still enjoy a night out at your favorite chinese buffet without feeling miserably full. :smile:
  • cbrooks66
    cbrooks66 Posts: 65 Member
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    Don't do it! But seriously, don't do it. Those places are temptation island! :)
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    I must be be the lucky one? I don't know if that's the way to put it.. but I have ALWAYS been so grossed out by the thought of buffets...ppl touching all the food, the way it's slopped on the sides of the serving area...seeing the folks that come fill it up use ungloved hands to shove more iceberg lettuce into the gaint salad bowl. EW EW EW

    Ok, did that help you any in not wanting to over indulge on Tues?

    Ok, I was serious about the above. :sick: That's just how I've always been. To see the plates so piled high I think is what grossed me out as well. I went with friends a few times and I've never seen so many folks eating there fill up so many plates of food sometimes 4-5 times!! EEK

    Well I should be glad that's not a trip up for me:flowerforyou:

    Good luck on your Tues challenge:drinker:

    FC:heart:
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    No measuring portions (unless I want to take my measuring cup with me, but I think DH would get annoyed, lol)

    We're having a date night and have a gift certificate to this place, it used to be our favorite when we lived closer to it. It;s Chinese food, so it's probably going to kill my calorie count. Do I just throw caution to the wind and not count at all or try to estimate?

    I am going to have salad at first with low fat dressing if they have it. But I have tto say, I don't think ANY of that stuff is healthy.

    I also don't want to be "annoying" with counting everything I eat, this is our first date night in months, and I want us to have fun. We're going to play pool too, and I am telling myself I'm NOT having any drinks.

    ETA: Sorry for the typo in the title. I wish we could edit our titles here. :embarassed:
    It's certainly possible to eat healthy that day... if you keep a healthy mind set and eat tiny portions of things you really like but perhaps scan what they have out first. THEN make a decision on what choices you'll make. Remember, you don't have to taste everything but you don't have to throw caution to the wind either....the next day you will want to start fresh and begin ridding your body of all that sodium and MSG:ohwell:

    Remember the place isn't going anywhere...if you eat heatlhy on date night you'll feel better about yourself and your body will thank you for not stuffing it full of sodium and such.

    Drink plenty of water :drinker: and SBS has some great tips it sounds like!:flowerforyou:

    Also as others have shared, I think it's important to take it as any other meal, count it as best you can, keep your workouts up and enjoy yourself. Good practice for portion control!:drinker:

    FC:heart:
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
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    I agree with 12by311.....look into the calories for what you may want to eat and do that. Just because you got a gift certificate does not mean YOU have to fill your plate 4 times. You have to eat throughout the day, so do that, workout. Get a good workout in and add to your regular cals for the day with your excerices calories. Plan ahead. You know what is not good for you to eat, so stay away from that or limit it. fix your plate to include alittle of all you like.

    Let me know how it turns out.

    Good Luck. You can do this and it will be fun!


    GO GREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:flowerforyou:
  • RKA625
    RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
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    Thanks. I am def going to eat the salad first.

    I don't mind buffets, never have, but I know lots of people feel the same way about it being gross with so many people eating from the same food bar. Meh.

    I'm not a veggie person, I hate veggies unless they are very well masked in a soup or stew.

    My fave is rice, peanut chicken, sweet & sour chicken, and dessert, lol.

    The other thing I was worried about is that I can't get easily a workout in that day. We had originally decided to go Tuesday because it's a spin class day for me and I'd earn about 640 calories from spinning, but then DH said I shouldn't go because we won't have time to drive there and play pool (this place is about 40 minutes away) after I get out, shower, etc. I can't go any earlier because the gym daycare isn't open until 4, so maybe I could get there RIGHT at 4 and do 30 - 45 minutes of cardio, either the treadmill or an elliptical. Spin class isn't until 5:30 PM, so that's a no go.

    Or I might call my little sister over early to watch the kids so I can do some elliptical work for even 30 minutes, to help earn more calories. But I feel bad calling her early because she's going to be watching them while we're out as it is.

    I don't plan to stuff myself, I just feel like even 2 bites of the food will be 500 calories.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    This lifestyle takes work, planning, and being able to try new things. Apply those principles to Tuesday's challenge, and you'll be fine. :)
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Can you get a workout in from home? 30 mins of shakin your butt is 250 cals.........


    Go Green!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • RKA625
    RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
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    I really think I'm going to try and get to the gym at 4 on the dot. I'll do 30/45 or so minutes of cardio and then be able to shower and get ready in the locker room while my kids are still in the daycare room. So it actually might be easier to get ready with no kids pulling on my leg, or needing this or that, lol. I can sit in the sauna for a few minutes, then shower, blow dry my hair, apply my makeup, etc all after working out.

    Only thing that stinks is that I work that morning (and I work in the daycare room) so I'll leave at 1:30 and be back there a few hours later, lol. Oh well.
  • sunshine_girl
    sunshine_girl Posts: 48
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    Coping with Buffets

    *View the entire buffet lane.

    *Take a moment to decide what you want to select, then go through the buffet line once, picking the meal you have decided on.

    *Remember, you would have never ordered all that food off the menu, so don't feel like you are being deprived.


    stole this from one of my behavior modification letters.
  • RKA625
    RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
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    Thanks everyone!

    Ya know, even before counting calories, I usually only get one plate of dinner, maybe two but I never finish both. I'm not worrying about eating 5 plates of food really, I'm more worried about just how much calories are in Chinese food, period. :smile:

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