In case you missed the free webinar that BeU Fitness & Nutrition hosted a few days ago, keep reading to gain four takeaways from Beat the Buffet Blues!
I was lucky enough to have buffet access for two or three meals of my life, months in a row, for five years as I traveled the world working my tail off. However, before I knew it (and before some of my clients knew it too), I was eating multiple plates of food that were leaving me frustrated and resigned with bloating, abdominal pain, and "unexplained" weight gain.
Read on to see what I wish someone would have told me beforehand.
1. DON'T be ashamed for taking time to think before you eat.
I was always rushing through the buffet because I was either A) hangry or B) in a time crunch with my work schedule. I would grab whatever was at the front of the room, or I would grab whatever looked like would satisfy my salivating taste buds. I didn't ask myself:
Do I want a colourful plate, or a beige one? (Food wise, not physical plate wise)
Am I working later? Will I need a lot of energy after this meal?
Do I actually want the food that's quickest to grab, or is it only appealing because it's quick?
Taking a pause might seem tedious- at first. However, that pause actually becomes shorter the more you put it into practice. It's like the routine that you do to get ready for your work day; at first, it feels discombobulated. With time, it becomes more streamlined.
2. DO chew your food; fruits, veggies, dessert...all of it.
If you were asked the question "where does digestion start," where do you think it would be?
The majority would say your stomach. Others may say it starts once you've swallowed your food. Want the real answer?
It starts in your mouth.
We often underrate the power that is chewing our food. By chewing thoroughly, you are breaking down your food into a substance called chime which is basically a fancy way of saying mush that you can swallow. The more that your food is broken down before it reaches your stomach, the more surface area that the stomach can work on to start that breakdown process. If larger particles (chunks) of food are entering the stomach, it's similar to when you put a really crusty, greasy, dirty plate in the dishwasher without pre rinsing; your dishwasher is only capable of working up to a certain extent. It can get most of the food off your crockery, but there's sometimes a particularly stubborn spot that just won't come out in the dishwasher. You have to either A) re wash the dish by hand or B) scrape the crusty food off with your fingernails & just hope for the best. Your stomach is essentially the same operating system.
3. DON'T stick strictly to the safe and healthy options alone.
Back to asking yourself the important questions about what if you have work later, are you just grabbing the easiest things because they're in front of you- don't overthink it. Don't fall into the black hole of "well, I'll be unraveling all of my progress" or "I'll only limit myself to having the foods that I won't feel guilty about." Having food freedom allows you to make the bulk of your food choices more nourishing in the longer term, stick to diet awareness, and thoroughly enjoy making the foods that feed your why less crippling!
Do you feel like you're sticking to safe food options to avoid physical discomfort or digestion distress? I'd love to help you take back autonomy over your health.
DO enjoy trying different foods to what you would have at home!
Honestly? Sometimes it's nice to have the break from your kitchen- I was always SO relieved to have the pressure of cooking my food alleviated when I was living on ships/ out of hotel rooms for work (then I was equally relieved to have it back lol). It's ok if you feel that relief and fully embrace it, too. I find that the buffet breakfast at resort hotels is filled with delicious takes on eggs, has a greater variety of fruits and pastries, and presents everything in a far prettier fashion than I ever could in my own kitchen!
I personally loved hosting this webinar, and want to host more. Have an idea for one? Share it here!