One of the things I love most is going to a buffet with close friends during the festive season. But can you actually eat well and not gain weight while eating at a buffet? It can be very hard watching others fill up their tummies with delicious food while you have to carefully calculate how many calories you have just swallowed if you are on a diet. Do not worry, I am going to share some great tips for eating well at a buffet...
For people who are trying to lose weight, the order that you eat food in is just as important as what you eat.
I normally start with lean protein and vegetables, and then a moderate amount of carbohydrates. If I am still hungry, I will choose some more protein options to finish off.
The rationale behind this is: lean protein is very satisfying and makes us feel full for longer. Vegetables are a great source of fibre, which also fill up our tummies quickly. A moderate amount of carbohydrates gives us sustained energy. If we fill up our tummies with these foods, we will only have a small space for the dessert at the end, which will save us lots of calories.
I like Korean BBQ buffet a lot, and recently went there with some friends, so I have used it as my example. If you go to a buffet somewhere else, even though the type of food may be different, you can still apply these same guidelines.
AT THE BUFFET
Before I chose the foods, I had a look at what they served first. Basically, there were four types of foods: 1. Lean protein like beef stew, and a variety of seafood; 2. Fatty protein such as chicken wings, pork belly; 3. Vegetables such as fermented kimchi, salad, and picked vegetables; 4. Carbohydrates such as rice, noodles and dumplings.
First, I had a look at what protein they served. Compared with BBQ chicken wings, lean beef stew has way less saturated fat and more protein to keep you fuller for longer. So to start off, I grabbed myself a plate full of lean protein (beef stew) and lots of Korean vegetable salad and fermented kimchi. Yummy!
I am a big fan of seafood. Every time I see-food, I always eat a lot. This time I filled my plate up with raw prawns, mussels, calamari, and a bit of beef for BBQing. Soooo good.
I felt great and was very satisfied after the first two plates full of lean protein and vegetables. My third plate took me to carbohydrates. I chose some Korean beef dumplings, a bit of rice, and more quality beef stew. Icy water is a great way to keep me hydrated in the hot water, plus I don’t want sugary drinks to spoil my feast.
Hmmm, after the third plate, at this stage, I probably was already 80% full. I still felt like a bit more. Therefore I shared a plate of prawns, mussels, calamari, and oyster beef with one of my mates.
Dessert time. Dessert is normally dense with sugar and fat and could be one of the common foods that cause obesity. There were plenty of them at the buffet. However, luckily at this point, my tummy was full of food waiting to be digested. I just didn’t have space for it. Therefore, I just had a couple of spoonfuls and that was it.
In A nutshell
I was purely satisfied and knew I probably wouldn’t feel hungry again for another 4-5 hours. Lol, life is great!! In a nutshell, look at what I just ate: lots of quality lean protein, plenty of vegetable, moderate amounts of carbohydrates and plenty of water. Plus, in the right order! Who said you cannot eat well and lose weight while still enjoying the food you love.
I have just shared my way to eat at a buffet. If you happen to be at one in the near future, feel free to use some of the tips here, and enjoy it!