Chinese Buffet?!

Well, tomorrow I'm being forced to enjoy a nice family lunch at a Chinese buffet. Chinese food is known for it's bad reputation with oils and unhealthy foods.

I know the calories in these food are all very high and it's mostly fat and sodium, but does anyone have any tips to help me out at what options to avoid and what options to try?

What I do know: I'm definitely going to be picking up a plate of steamed vegetables and seafood if I see the chance. I'm going to avoid the sauces and beef for sure as well.

Thanks for any help you could provide me. I really need the confidence! XD

If it's a once in a while thing for a special occasion, I say enjoy it.  Eat anything you want from the buffet and eat until you are satisfied (not STUFFED and SICK like I used to do at buffet places ).

Eat healthy the rest of the day, and enjoy yourself at the buffet.  There's nothing wrong with eating unhealthy and eating too many calories at one meal every once in a while.  As long as it's only occasionally and you stick to your meal plan the rest of the time, I think it is good for you to splurge every once in a while.

who taught all you people who  LEAVE SOMETHING ON YOUR PLATE

what the heck is that.. to me ... its just plain being wasteful.  I was never taught to be wasteful.. If you take an egg roll .. eat the egg roll.. if your not going to eat it then leave it alone.  if your going to eat 1/2 cup rice.. then take 1/2 cup of rice.  People who take food and only eat half irritate me.. and are inconsiderate.

eat what is on your plate.. or dont take so much.

I can't believe how nasty and unproductive this post is, how is it being helpful to sakeru and being supportive to each other.

Get a grip people and start looking at what we are trying to achieve here.

Everybody is entitled to an opinion, just because you do not agree with that opinion is not an excuse to attack and be nasty. Just give your own view

Sakeru, I recently went to a chinese buffet and limited myself to just two heaped dessert spoonfuls of what I liked the look of. I know that sounds tiny but when there are in the region of thirty different dishes available it's actually a lot. You won't be depriving yourself of anything nor will you be piling up on bad choices. You don't need to touch anything you don't fancy. I promise you will truly enjoy it and if you stick to the two spoonfuls (not ladles people) you can keep some control.

Also, don't forget that it's not the odd meals that pile the weight on it's consistant, ongoing overeating. Enjoy and just increase your activity for a week afterwards.

XG

Original Post by louisebrookingmcdow:

who taught all you people who  LEAVE SOMETHING ON YOUR PLATE

what the heck is that.. to me ... its just plain being wasteful.  I was never taught to be wasteful.. If you take an egg roll .. eat the egg roll.. if your not going to eat it then leave it alone.  if your going to eat 1/2 cup rice.. then take 1/2 cup of rice.  People who take food and only eat half irritate me.. and are inconsiderate.

eat what is on your plate.. or dont take so much.

 

 I do not recommend doing any such thing.  This mentality is a horrible mentality.  If you take too much, then eat what you want/need and leave the rest.  Remember the next time and don't take as much.  Period.  Eating everything that is on your plate if you're no longer hungry is just plain stupid and leads to weight gain in the long term.

This forum is about weight loss.  If you don't have constructive advice, don't say anything at all.

If you take too much and you don't eat it, it's a waste.

If you take too much and you do eat it, it's STILL a waste.

Sometimes we overestimate how much we need to be full, and put more on our plate than we need to eat. Especially in a buffet setting, where you think that you are getting appropriate portions, and then realize the other side has all the good stuff.

It happens. The idea that eating the unneeded food is less wasteful is just silly. Of course it would be better not to have taken the unneeded food in the first place, but sometimes <gasp> people make mistakes.

Original Post by amethystgirl:

but sometimes people make mistakes.

 NOT ME! I AM PERFECT! (just kidding)

Original Post by michachu:

Original Post by amethystgirl:

but sometimes people make mistakes.

 NOT ME! I AM PERFECT! (just kidding)

Well, I am too. But I've learned to make allowances for mortals.

people on this post are taking food way too seriously.  eat whst you need and make things other than food important in your life.

You are all just crabby because you are hungry. Can't we all just get along?

Original Post by janie921:

You are all just crabby because you are hungry. Can't we all just get along?

 I don't like people.  But I might be able to make an exception for the other perfect person who posted!!

(just kidding again)

Hey,  everyone is overthinking this whole thing.  Most of us got where we are by OVEREATING and that starts with the LARGE americanized servings we have become used to.  PORTION control is where we will all win if we practice what we preach.  Where to start a buffet whether it is chinese or mexican or italian is portion control!!  Use the salad plate it is smaller and will look fuller and you will eat what your portion control dictates.  Look up before you go what 1 cup of rice looks like,  what 1 meat serving looks like, 1 cup steamed vegs,  get the picture and eat like you would whether you are home or in a plate to order resturant.  Good luck,  we mostly got where we are by grazing and a buffet doesn't give us the the cart blanche but a test of can we eat the way we know we should.  Practice, practice, practice, and more practice will make it finally a normal way of life in years to come.

Yes I agree.  totally.  take inventory of what is on your plate and what you are going to eat.. it is hard, and yes there will be times when our eyes are bigger then our belly's needs.  I also leave things on my plate from time to time but I never do it intentionally.    I have maintained my weight since I was 15 years old.. It is hard but it is always worth it.. and yes there are times when I do indulge a little too much.. I am very supportive of all on this site and read most of the posts on a regular basis.. I did not mean to stir up anyones sensitivity to the subject and am sorry for that.   Good luck to all.  One little piece of information  that was said to me a few weeks ago and I guess we go through life and are always finding that little thing that helps up get through our problem times with the battle of the calorie counter..  Think of your body's calorie burner as if it was a small fire that required a constant maintaining all day.. keep a small fire burning with a small meal on a constant basis and you will maintain your weight.  If you stock up too much you will snuff out the fire and slow things down which takes time to burn and get back to a small fire again.. I thought that was a great analogy and hope it helps some.

To bring the thread back to the original topic.  I love sushi too.  but got a terrible shock when I learned how many calories were hidden in those little rolls.  Often the rice is sweetened and if you look at the ingredient list on the grocery store ones they often contain mayo as well.  I am now very careful about sushi especially the California rolls.

When i go to chinese buffet.  I start with hot and sour soup move onto any veggies ours serves a fantastic stir fried bean sprout dish, no sauce, just a smoky , peppery taste. I never take the rice or noodles instead I treat myself to one of the fried appetizers or a small desert.

At the buffet I think the hardest part is stopping when you are full.  I have heard it said wear your tightest pants so you get uncomfortable while eating and stop. (never tried it though).

now that is also a good thing to do.. Some people dont eat all day if they know they are going to a buffet or a large dinner engagement.. That would make one very hungry and have a greater tendency to overeat.  I like the idea of wearing smaller pants to make you feel full faster rather then the wearing the loose pants so you eat more and then feel really stuffed once it all settles in.  Good idea.  I will certianly use that one next time I am feeling low on self control.. :o)

I eat Chinese food on a regular basis, and I still lose weight.  I have a few rules I follow that helps me.  I eat one of the chicken potstickers, you know the strange meat on a stick.  I eat anything that has lots of veggies and not a sweet sauce.  I pick out the veggies and leave the meat, using the potsticker as my protein.  I fill my plate full to almost overflowing with veggies, so I feel like I am really getting a lot.  No rice or noodles for me, because they are empty calories.  Then I order water with lemon to conteract the sodium I am going to get.  I make a point of drinking two glasses of water with my meal, and only going through the main portion of the buffet 1 time.  The plates are usually smaller than most restaurant plates, and if you fill them with veggies, you save a lot of calories.

Then I get a second plate and go to the dessert area for fresh fruit and one of the small pastry items.  I feel like I've really splurged when I eat one of those cream eclairs, but they are small enough you cannot go too far overboard with them. 

If I gain any at all, it's water weight, so I make a point to drink plenty of water the rest of the day, and the next day, I'm good.

Hope you enjoy the food and yourself.

I actually think the arguing on here is funny.  I have been to China and it was just as greasy and carbey there as here.  I would almost avoid the whole get together if my family went to such a restaurant.  If you eat sushi you're getting a lot of empty calories in the rice (and no, I have NOT seen sushi at any Chinese buffet here in Seattle EVER).  I lived in Tokyo and gained 10lbs the first month I was there by the way.  Everyone is different. 

If I were you, I'd take a bowl of rice and some sour or egg flower soup.

myrlwhite-

In america, the chinese buffet typically serve a lot of different types of food.  Not just chinese.

I have read most of the post and I don't think anyone has mentioned what I think is very important.  Don't concentrate so much on that one meal!  Think about what you are going to eat the rest of the day.  If you going to the buffet for dinner, eat your regular breakfast and have a bit a a heavier lunch or add a small snack before dinner.  If you go to the Buffet and you are not starving and you have not stressed yourself all day about what you can have and how much you can't eat, you will be able to make better decisions on your portions.  Even if you don't choose the most healthy items, if you are not extremely hungry when you get there, having one egg roll is not going to make or break your day.  Have a protein bar that contains about 10 g of protein and about 140 calories or less (depending on your daily intake) and go to the Buffet and nibble on a few things and enjoy the day with your family!

Oh.. you are a strong one.. I get around food and have to bring in the will power.  My sister is like that.. Wish I could as well.. but I have to continue

to find my will power when ever im around food. 

Our chinese buffets in Florida often have a seafood bar with tons of peel and eat shrimp and crab legs. No fried elements. Pure protein.

If it was me, though, I've tried and couldn't manage to limit my intake of other buffet items when I've been forced to dine in a buffet setting.

Remember, it's not what you eat at any one meal, but, you're aiming for a greater goal over time. Sometimes it helps kick up the metabolism to have an off day of enjoying a yummy meal.

If you can stick with soup and salad, GREAT!!! But, if you cannot, rejoice in being able to eat a great meal, after sticking to a healthy and calorie controlled diet. Don't feel guilty or undermined if you eat an egg roll or spare rib, or have to have a few bites of General Tso.