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How to Stick to Your Diet at a Buffet

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If you are like me you have a love hate relationship with all-you-can-eat buffets.

On one hand you love having 500 choices of food items. But on the other hand you realize how awful you’ll feel if you eat too much, especially if you are on a diet. 

It’s tough to visit a buffet and not overeat. Some would say it’s darn near impossible.

With all of the options and temptations sometimes I feel like it’s a miracle if I come out without a belly ache and being able to walk upright with my pants still buttoned.

Some may think that because I’m a virtual fitness coach that eating out is easy for me. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. I LOVE food.  I love to eat.  Sometimes it’s hard, even for me not to over do it.  

I’m going to share my secrets on how to stick to your diet at a buffet, because I want you to succeed and meet your fitness goals.

Buffet This Way

  • Don’t go often. The best way to survive the temptation of a buffet is to not step foot in one in the first place. This tip alone can save you from some unwanted pounds. When going out choose places that have smaller portions. I recommend not visiting a buffet more than once a quarter. 
  • Use small plates. Usually there are dinner plates, salad plates, and desert plates. When making your meals go for the medium sized plate. This tricks your brain into thinking you are eating a lot more, when you are actually eating the perfect size. 
  • Start healthy.  In a study at Cornell University, those who began with healthier options (think yogurt, fruit, salad) ended up serving themselves 1/3 less overall than those who went for more decadent food items.  When making your plate put healthy food options on it first, you’ll eat less food by the end of your visit.
  • Check it out.  The first thing you should do before even picking up your plate is to walk around the entire buffet. Scout out the healthier options and go for those. People who take a look around the buffet first usually eat less than those who don’t, and they make better food choices. Sure you can pick a decadent item, but just pick 1-2. 
  • Share a sweet.  If you have a sweet tooth like I do, share a dessert plate with your man. Let him pick 2 mini treats, and you pick 2 as well. Most buffets have mini desserts so split them in half and enjoy.  You’ll enjoy a “taste” of everything and not feel like you’ve missed out on anything.
  • Drink plenty of water.  You’ll already be loading up on calories with the food, so don’t add extra calories with your drink. Ask for a water cup and tell your server to keep it coming.  Not only will you save money but you’ll also be filling up your tummy with a calorie free drink so that you’ll have less room for the other calorie rich foods at the buffet. 

Remember that this is one meal. It doesn’t have to blow your diet. Drink plenty of water, share your treats, use small plates and chew slowly. Think of it as a regular restaurant where you can’t get refills. Have a game plan going in.  If you start by scoping the buffet for the healthy options and putting them on your plate first you’ll have a much better chance at coming out pleased with yourself. 

Memory

Which Foods Can Help Save Your Memory?

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If I were to write a list of things I was afraid of–losing my memory would be towards the very top.

Being an extremely happy wife, and a mother to a couple of amazing children, having something like Alzheimer’s disease and forgetting who they are scares me out of my mind. 

For years I watched my beautiful grandmother Mama Juanita go through the trials of Alzheimer’s. 

Each time I saw her she would look more and more lost, until finally besides seeing her face, I could hardly recognize her myself. It was a long slow, and extremely painful process.

Though there is no guaranteed safeguard against dementia, there are things that we can do to help prevent or delay it.

I’m all about doing everything that I can to prevent disease, what about you?

Studies show that diets that are high in saturated and trans fats can increase your chances of developing memory loss as you age. LDL cholesterol can not only damage your heart, but now research is showing that it can also adversely affect your brain.

If we want to stay “happy” and remember our families, we need a diet shift to help keep our memories going.

In fact, a Mediterranean diet, which is comprised of foods that are high in healthy unsaturated fats (olive oil, fish, and nuts) has been linked to lower rates of Alzheimer’s and dementia. 

Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet:

Olive oil, fish, vegetables, and fruit improve the health of your blood vessels, which reduce your risk of a stroke that could cause memory damage.

Omega-3 fatty acids help improve your vascular health. Fish is high in omega-3′s, so eat up. Having fish twice a week should be your new goal.

Drinking red wine once a day has also been shown to help heart health in women.

Which Foods Can Help Save Your Memory?

  • fish
  • olive oil
  • limit your red meat
  • lots of fruit and vegetables
  • whole grain bread and cereal
  • moderate consumption of red wine (one glass for women per day)

Basically, everything above are the wonderful foods of a Mediterranean diet. Studies have shown that those who eat mostly this way have a lower chance of suffering from memory loss. Stick to these heart and brain healthy foods and you’ll have a much better chance of keeping your memory intact.

Comment below: Which of these foods will you add to your diet?