buffet, shmuffet
/early service was amazing this morning! so much so that instead of heading back home, Sonny suggested we go out for breakfast this time. i didn't mind at all, especially since he chose Luby's!!
people, i know there are a gazillion other brunch options we could have picked LOL, but Luby's is a childhood favorite of mine that i'll never, ever let go of. i am more a fan of their lunch/dinner options (especially their mac n cheese), but they have a breakfast buffet that is crazy cheap and reasonable, as most buffets often are. *sigh*
it's goin down.
i had a scoop of the veggie/egg scramble with salsa, hash browns, 1 piece of bacon from Sonny's plate, one pancake, and one piece of french toast. the oatmeal was for the little guy, but i had a few spoonfuls of that too.
the food coma inducing buffet used to be a scary place for me. i have mentioned before that my will power is flaky and is sometimes non-existent. because of this, i used to try my absolute best to avoid buffets completely. however, who wants to live like that?? i have learned to have and promote a healthy relationship with food at all times.
you can conquer the buffet.
few of my fav tips:
- relax. calm down. it's not that big a deal. this tip is actually per Sonny (unsurprisingly). when we would be discussing dinner options and he dare throw out the name of a buffet, i'd always be like 'no!!! i would have worked out harder this morning!!' or 'no!! i don't want to get FULL full like that tonight!!'. ok, nobody is forcing me to shovel food down my throat or get so full it hurts to move. don't let the pressure of the abundance of food make you feel like you have to eat an abundance of food.
- stick with water. it's calorie and fat-free. the last thing you want to do is drink even more calories, carbs, and sugars when the buffet will most likely put you over your normal intake already.
- soup or salad first. is there a broth based (not cream) soup or salad available to start your meal with? go for it- it will take the edge off of your hunger. if neither are available, load up on veggies. again, you won't be so, so hungry and liable to inhale everything in sight by the time you are ready to eat the more calorie dense foods.
- scope out the entire scene (plate-free) before you dive in. i can't tell you how many times i've started from the front of the buffet line and just kept piling my plate higher and higher cause i kept seeing things that i wanted! doing a once-over helps you pace yourself, plan your meal, and weigh your options.
- MINImize your portions. nothing wrong with wanting to sample/taste a bunch of different items at a time- heck that's what the buffet is all about. just reduce your portion sizes. again, especially with the more calorie dense foods. if there are multiple sides i'd like to try, i'll get 1-2 heaping tbsp's of each. maybe you only see 1 or 2 sides total that you want- ok, a bigger serving size is cool. if it's pieces of something (chicken strips, pizza, wings, etc.) try one of each to start.
- sauce on the side, always. most buffets are self-serve, but if a server ever asks you if you want any sauce (tartar, syrup, salad dressing, etc.) get it on the side in a separate container. you want to remain in as much control of your meal as you can at all times.
- use your resources. you didn't go to the buffet alone, did you?? (if you did that's totally OK.) talk to your friends and/or family! put your fork down every now and then and carry on conversations between bites. it normally gets quiet when people start eating in my house. that's not a mandatory rule. chewing with your mouth closed is though, haha. if you did come alone and you are in no rush, bring a newspaper, your ipad, smart phone, etc., and read some articles, blogs, or do some facebooking.
ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz.
le
