Why I Hate Buffets- And You Should Also

So, you say that you want to shed off a few pounds before the end of the year holidays right? Let’s just say that you are trying to get a jump on the Christmas shopping and you’re tired, starving and your bank account is running close to empty. What do you do to in order to fill your belly and save a few dollars in the process? You head to the nearest buffet, right? Wrong! Wrong for so many reasons, and I’m about to tell you why. Let’s look at the pros and cons of buffet eating.

PROS:

1. Budget- there’s no doubt that buffet eating if good on your dollar. You can eat as much as you want for relatively pennies on the pound. Besides getting a meal drink and desert, you have the option of doubling up, taking a break and doing it all over again once you digest your food.
2. Convenience- hey, you’ve got the kid with you. So why not just stuff them as well and let them eat all the things that they want to eat. Veggies? Naw, let them pig out on high carbs and starches.
3. Choice- you have the right to be choosey. Some buffets over 250 selections of eats to choose from. So, if you just want to indulge on meat or vegetables, you can. But hey, who am I kidding? You didn’t come here for that boring stuff, right?

CONS:

1. Silent Killers- lurking beneath all that shine is a wasteful amount of fatty, high calorie substances that can really do some major damage to your body. Atherosclerotic plaques and preservatives make up the majority of buffet meals. Why? Because they have to survive storage. It’s economical for a buffet company to invest I foods that can stand the test of time. They have to unpack, serve and – ready for it – unpack and serve again. I’m just not committed to the fact that most buffet places throw away all that food once it doesn’t get served. So, foods that are caked with preservatives that can survive the process (cakes and fried foods are the most popular) usually make it as ‘left overs’ for the next day.
2. Big Eyes- ever heard of the phrase your eyes are bigger than your stomach? Well, there is no instance better than when it comes to buffet dinner traveling. Most people enter the buffet hungry. You see all the foods you like and start loading them on your plate. You could turn back, start with a salad, go eat it first and then come back in line but that would be way too much work. You know you’d rather grab it all in one sitting. So you stack your plate as much as possible and go to work. Problem is, you’ve decided in your mind the minute you stepped foot in the buffet that you are going to eat. Therefore, once you put it on your plate, you’re somewhat committed to finishing the job…doing the deed.
3. Blood Sugar Rush- once you fill your belly with all those low density lipids, artery clogging fats and high fructose sugars, you’re going to be in sugar shock for the next few hours. You body is going to need a break in order to break all that stuff down. So, the majority of blood is going to be shunted away from your brain, heart and lungs and be sent over to your stomach. So, that leaves you feeling lazy and tired. The last thing you are going to want to do is exercise or move at a high pace. That means that it is time for a sugar crash. You get home; you lie down, and take a rest or full blown nap. Now, any chance of burning off those calories has gone completely out of the window. You can tell yourself that you have plans to do a little light jogging or running when you get home, but that is going to be a long wait for a train that never comes. Also, blasting your blood with high levels of sugar throughout the day set detrimental patterns of eating. Blood sugar is best maintained by eating small meals over the entire day. That way you never go into binge eating from being quote un quote ‘starved’ at any particular time.

So, what is the takeaway from all this? Go to buffets only if you are not seriously trying to take care of yourself. There is nothing positive (healthy-wise) going on at a buffet. If you are serious about taking care of yourself and eating right, don’t be fooled. You are not going to do it in this establishment. Its good advice not to trust yourself with making the right choices. You probably do not possess the self-control that you think you have to survive the buffet visit. Stay safe, until next time.