Do you struggle to eat well when there is too much choice?
I am back from my holiday and back on the blogs. While I was away, I thought it would be great to write a blog on how to manage your way around an eating situation when there is a lot of choice and it is really easy to overeat. I am going to talk a little bit about how I navigated my way around the breakfast buffet at our hotel.
My top tips:
1.
It’s often very daunting to choose food when there is a vast quantity of different food and so much choice that is probably quite different to your breakfast at home. You want to try it all and it all looks delicious. So the first tip is to look at how many days you are staying at that hotel or visiting that restaurant. If you are only there for one visit, then allow yourself to eat what you want. Just make sure you are also getting lots of micronutrients on the plate as well. One meal, eating however you want, is not the end of the world and you can just enjoy it. If you are staying for longer, I was away for 10 nights, then you want to make sure you feel great for the whole holiday and therefore want to eat a more balanced breakfast each day.
2.
My second tip is to eat in stages. Don’t overfill your plate and follow a bit of structure with your plates. Most days, I started with a plate focussed on protein. I had an omelette with some avocado and a hash brown. Its really filling with lots of veggies and a really great option to start. I would then have a plate of fruit with yoghurt and maybe some bread or toast. Then finally I would have something from the pastry section or a pancake/french toast. By navigating a buffet this way, you fill up on the ‘healthier’ foods which will stop you getting hungry too quickly later in the day. You then have less room for the more calorie dense foods that you are often drawn to first. Balance your meal so you are getting a good selection of fruit, protein and yummy food.
3.
My third tip, choose a smaller plate and make it colourful. It makes it much harder to overeat when the plate is small because you can physically fit less on there. We often want to have a full plate and you can do that when your plate is much smaller and still have lots of food that you really want to eat. But make your plate look interesting, eat lots of fruit and vegetables that are bright and colourful. It just makes eating a much more enjoyable experience.
4.
My final tip, is to try new food. A buffet situation is the perfect chance to try a little bit of food that you may not normally buy or eat. You may find something new that you really love. If you are abroad, try some of the local food, its often delicious and far more fresh due to it being eaten my the local community regularly. Make your meal times enjoyable.
So, there are my top tips for how to navigate when there is almost too much choice of food. Enjoy your food and fuel yourself to feel great. I would love to know if you have any other tips for the same situation. Follow me on Instagram for more top tips.
If you missed my last blog, head here for help with getting back into exercise.