Poor Stomachs, Weak MindsMy family and I went to dinner at a buffet and if you have ever been to Las Vegas, Nevada you are aware of the abundance of food choices offered. When I came to Vegas about eleven years ago, it was shocking. Such an over indulgence over things you don't get at home like seafood, or prime rib.
I learned to deal with all the enticing options found on the buffet line and limit myself to eating only what I didn't prepare at home unless it was something common like a vegetable. Yes, I do eat my vegetables. Popeye would be proud. Learning that everything did not need to be consumed and that I can go back to get some other dish again and again instead of everything on one plate. I thought I had controlled the oohs and ahs of what was in front of me and take only the portion size I would eat. I don't like to be wasteful, but I am usually not one to finish every single bite either.
Through the years I have better and worse dining experiences and most often it
is because of me and not the establishment. Tonight, was definitely a bad experience. I was faced with a scrumptious seafood buffet with shrimp, crab legs, mussels prepared in three or four different ways, seafood neuberg, and many options from Asian to New Orleans Southern Style cuisine. For the fact that I didn't go to the buffet with a big appetite, surely didn't help the cause of not overeating. And it certainly inspired me to write this blog.
I had dined here once before so as far as menu items I knew what to except and what dishes I couldn't miss out on. I took Asian first since that station was closest to the table and put on my plate clams in a wine sauce, pad thai noodles, a piece of fish, and one egg roll trying to conform to my rule “don't take too much, you can go back.” As I tried to eat slowly, I couldn't hold back. I felt like my body was on automatic pilot and my brain was left at the control tower. I ate few too many courses after that, enjoying what I tasted but not sure my body agreed even though I waited in between courses to digest.
Everything I tasted was delicious. And the few things I ate that I didn't feel a yearning to try again stayed on my plate not to be touched again.
This is certainly a big issue everyone faces. It is not that are stomachs are saying:
“I'm hungry.”
It is are
brain controlling what we do and how much we do it or in this case; eat it! Drinking a beverage only combats the problem because you become more full. The only relief is to, pardon me, belch. Silently or loudly a belch is the only relief in sight but then do you quit or go back for more?
Survey says; “More!”
Obviously, I am not represented well here but understand that I wasn't ill mannered or eating like a hog. It was my digestive system not working fast enough to digest, and not at all working smoothly with neurons. (Checking scientific terms on Yahoo Answers.)
Part of the issue tonight was that it was a treat to go out, and the cost of the buffet was quite high compared to what I would normally pay if it had not been seafood night. The objection is not the price exactly, for all the seafood dishes offered I could understand the value in the price. Still, since it was a treat meaning not an everyday occurrence I felt the need to “eat to its worth.”
My mom suggested I take a walk outside the buffet to better digest my food. Of course I didn't let on I had any issues. My overeating habit tonight was either going to leave my feeling incredibility stuffed or hunched over a porcelain bowl. I had drank quite a lot so I opted to use the restroom and relieve the excess water. By then I was less full so of course when I went back to the buffet, I had to have dessert. Dessert is my favorite part of the meal. Ask anyone who knows me, I can eat healthy but if I had the option of a Smörgåsbord of chocolates and desserts bye bye veggies, chicken, and fish. I will have the desserts. At this buffet, my palette was very discriminate over the desserts as it wasn't of a gourmet quality. The meal ended with mom saying;
“If you don't like it, don't waste the calories.”
I left cursing myself why couldn't I have had the willpower to just
STOP! This is a common question each one of us faces when it comes to food, and the answer is that we overeat because of our 5 senses: it looks good, smells good, tastes good, someone told you about it so hearing, and touch as you handle the food to your mouth. Cookies are especially tempting right out of the oven with the gooey filling and the aroma. Fried food, pizza, anything we put in our mouths that the doctor says:
“NO!” is a food item we know better than to not have too often and to stay healthy small portions. Now, I sit here writing and its been hours later I don't feel sick except for bloated but I feel remorse over the indulgence and trauma to my tummy.
In conclusion, I reiterate the title of this blog Poor Stomach, Weak Mind saying that our stomachs endure allot from our brains dictating our food choices and each one of us not having enough willpower to stop it. With all this wavering willpower is it a wonder fitness centers make so much money? Guilt is the cause of gym membership skyrocketing, but I digress that is another blog entry.
