I'm not necessarily afraid of buffets anymore, however they are a little more work to navigate. I still took the precaution of communicating with a support buddy going in and coming out. In case you didn't read yesterday's entry--today, I had a family get together at a big Chinese buffet in my hometown.
My strategy was set before the trip South. My plan was to avoid anything fried, anything in a sticky sauce--find some kind of sugarless meat, add some fruit and grab some mushrooms and perhaps some shrimp. I have dined at this place before, so I know what they typically offer, and it was pretty much the same as always. The difference was my approach. My abstinence from sugar makes dining at this place much more difficult. My previous favorite, the coconut shrimp, is deep fried and then coated with a sugary coconut sauce...Yeah, that was off the list! Oh, and the sesame chicken? Goes without saying--not on my plan!
I focused on visiting with family. I consumed my lunch and I left the restaurant feeling satisfied and accomplished. It wasn't a big deal. It's strange, really. I made it such a big deal before--and now, I just walked in--knew the boundaries I had in place, so as I looked everything over, it automatically registered if the particular food was within my boundaries. There were a few entire buffet line sections where nothing fit. I mean, not a thing!
I'm proud of how I handled the Chinese buffet today. The support text back and forth was really good at keeping me focused on my goal, as was the Twitter feed. These are exquisite accountability measures!!
I've made today a rest day and to fully get the most out of it, I'm headed to bed within minutes! Starting the work week well rested is something I rarely do. Monday's are usually my most tiring day of all, simply because I wreak havoc on my sleep schedule over the weekend, then immediately try to correct Monday morning at 4:30am. Dropping in bed shortly after 9pm will feel amazing.
My Tweets:
Good Sunday morning to you! A good cup of coffee is worth every calorie! Sugar free hazelnut creamer. 30CX2 cups= 60C pic.twitter.com/VcjIgaPmZd
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) December 7, 2014
Three whole egg plain omelet with a medium Bartlett pear. 306 cal. pic.twitter.com/XpEn84ZJTe
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) December 7, 2014
Sirloin tips, shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, sautéed mushrooms, imitation crab, cantaloupe & honeydew. 421 cal. pic.twitter.com/RUyElcd8Jd
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) December 7, 2014
Dessert. More melon! Honey dew and cantaloupe. 91 cal. pic.twitter.com/YN9fsJcP4R
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) December 7, 2014
Homemade guac tostada (75g avocado & 15g light sour cream), 2 beef (4oz 96% lean) tacos w/lettuce and salsa. 560 cal. pic.twitter.com/FlTHRJllVs
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) December 8, 2014
Dinner contained 6oz 96% lean ground beef, not 4oz as listed in previous tweet.
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) December 8, 2014
Orange and pear. #lastfoodofday 176 cal. pic.twitter.com/xY7u041W8k
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) December 8, 2014
Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
You navigated that Chinese Buffet beautifully! Do you use your MyFitnessPal to figure calories or are you just aware after all this time? I assume you didn't take your scale in with you, right? You are SO right about a good cup of coffee! I noticed you seem to start your day with the one you make. Then for your next meals or when you are eating out do you just have water? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteLet's have a good week with good food AND good sleep!
N~
I use MFP when I'm out. It requires me to eyeball and guesstimate at restaurants- so typically, I'll over estimate. For instance, the calorie count on the dessert melon is likely much less. I do weigh and measure everything on the scales I keep at home and work--and that's been good practice for when I'm out. I've become really good at looking at a serving of something and guessing fairly accurately the amount. I've tested it at home and I get very close! Practice!!
DeleteI always order water when eating out. Very rare occasion I might order a tea- or add a coffee. But typically, it's water exclusively at restaurants.
I sometimes treat myself to an iced coffee out...
I've thought about taking a food scale everywhere, but I nixed it... I trust my experience when I'm out! ;)