Beware the Buffet

Deborah Says:
What did you do over the holidays? If you’re like Arlene and me, you probably hit at least one party or one restaurant where there was an ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET. The buffet is a minefield for anyone trying to change their lifestyle.

Chances are the one at your best friend’s party is full of your favourite treats, none of which you made this year because you didn’t want to have them around, and so you spend four hours staring at them, trying to decide if it’s worth it or not. And all the while, you’re drinking wine or some other alcoholic concoction designed to make you say “yes, yes, yes” when you really want to say “no, no, no.” And then before you know it, you’ve sampled a peanut butter ball, two Nanaimo bars, a few chicken wings, some Swedish meatballs, several shortbread cookies and the cutest little sugar cookie decorated to look like a Christmas tree. Meanwhile, there’s an extra 900 or so calories that you didn’t really plan to consume. And that’s before we count the cocktails! Three of these parties and you’ve just gained a pound.

And then there’s the restaurant buffet. Luckily I didn’t get stuck at one of those this year, but it’s a whole other psychological minefield. There’s something about paying $22.95 for dinner that makes you really, really, really want to get your money’s worth. First you have the plate of appetizers. Next, there’s the plate of salad, with the buns – and those little tubs of restaurant butter. Mmmm butter. Do you know that each of those little containers is a tablespoon? Yes, that’s 36 calories and 4 grams of fat (saturated fat to make it worse). And to think, I used to use three to four of those butter tubs per bun at a restaurant. And I usually had two to three buns. After the salad, there’s the main course, full of yummy things in cream sauces and gravies that I would never make at home, so I have to try a bit of each. And then dessert. So basically, if you’ve worked it right, you’ve had four pretty full dinner plates of food at one meal. But you got your money’s worth.

So what’s a girl going to do?

Well there are some hard truths. First truth is I rarely go to buffets anymore. It’s just too difficult to limit and/or measure my portions. But if I wind up in front of a table of food at a friend’s house, I make sure I have something in my hands to keep them busy (a straw in one hand, a glass of water in another). I do have some alcohol, but I am very careful. I know the more alcohol I ingest, the more I am going to lose track of my INTENTION (notice how I skilfully managed to bring my word of the year into this blog? It is the word of the year, after all). And I don’t look. I find someone funny or cute or intelligent to chat with, and turn myself away from the table. Nothing worse than staring and drooling all night long. And if I’m weak and feel that resolve sagging? I leave. With great apologies and thanks to the hosts, but I’m outta there.

As to the buffet, again, you have to plan before you go and state your intention. I know a lot of people always say “fill up on veggies first.” But I have seen people fill up an entire dinner plate with veggies and then go back for salad and then the entrée. I think what they meant for you to do was to fill up at least half your plate with veggies, the other half with entrées and then do NOT go back for more. That’s what I do. And I choose the entrées carefully. Of course they all taste so good – restaurant food is laden with high fat creams and butter to make it slide sensually over our palate – but I know that my intent is not to ingest that much fat in one week, let alone one meal. And again, choose your chair facing away from the buffet. There have been studies done about people that face the buffet and those that face away. Anyone want to guess who ate more?

And lastly, remember, it’s not really about the buffet, it’s about the season and the people you’re with. Enjoy them. And then get on the exercise bike first thing the morning after!

Arlene Says:
Seriously, we should spell Christmas, B-U-F-F-E-T. I did go to one of those deadly restaurant buffets, for New Years. I did have a plan before going. My Implementation Intentions were around “IF they have (buns, butter, salad) THEN I will not put them on my plate. Yep, not even salad. I know that if I choose salad, which takes up a lot of space, I will go for a second plateful. If I only choose hot food, with half of my plate vegetables, then I can stay with my plan of only one plate. It worked. It was hard and like Deb I made sure my chair faced away from the food. I also spent time being mindful, ate slowly, enjoyed the mashed potatoes (I don’t get those at home) and the prime rib. As I took my time I became aware of people around me -- piling up food on their plate, going back for multiple plates, stacking dessert onto plates. It made me aware of that behaviour and how out of control it looked, perhaps as Deb suggested, wanting to get their money’s worth. Hmmm, it can go to waste on the buffet, on my plate, or in my tummy, but too much is always a waste.

Another thing I learned this Christmas is the impact glucose levels have on choice. Yale University researchers have demonstrated that if our glucose levels are low we find high calorie foods more enticing. If we maintain glucose levels with healthy foods it is easier to avoid eating or making unhealthy choices. So next time I am at my friend’s Christmas dinner party maybe my plan needs to be two to one, veggies to almond bark and it may be easier to stop at 2!