Buffets are NOT my best friends

     That's it! I've tried and failed miserably. It is official. I have to avoid buffets. Initially, I had all of the right intentions. "I'll just go and stick to the salad, poached salmon, and maybe just maybe a few piece of sushi." WRONG! That good intention sooner morphed into "Maybe I'll just grab one potato wedge." "A little bit won't hurt besides, it's a buffet and I want to get my money's worth." before I even reached the table! Ughhh! Good intentions down the drain. This got me to thinking. Is it really a good deal if it effects your health in the long run? Now bear with me a bit and just think about it. If you eat excessively because you feel it is a "good deal" and your body just stores it as fat, isn't that the same as just wasting it? Looking back on my younger years if I was blessed enough to get invited out to eat, instinctively I would attempt to eat all I could until I was full. Let's be honest, I didn't know when I would be able to eat this well again. I mean I would literally look at food, see dishes and think I have to try everything because I may never have another opportunity to try this. Quite honestly in most cases this was true. I mean even the school lunches from time to time would appear to be an upgrade. Now, I am not so much complaining as I am attempting to put this all in perspective for you. I mean you did what you had to do to get by. You live and you learn. I mean it would have appeared as if I were absolutely greedy and selfish if I had attempted to eat multiple times a day when a family of five were on an extremely tight budget. Also we, meaning my two younger brothers and I, were always told to eat everything on our plates. That THIS family NEVER wastes food. This would then be followed by a three to four hour lecture on how the children in Africa have nothing and how we should ever be so lucky to have a chance to go to a buffet. As a matter of fact, our dad would actually take our drinks away until we were full. Then and only then could we get our sodas. I so am fighting to flip that now! That is to say I am striving to have a glass of water with every meal and to recognize that it is alright if you have left-overs. It's actually a good thing. Most portions at restaurants are really two servings anyway. I just have to remember it is all a learning process. Until next time.
-SKBarnes