4 Elements of Navigating a Buffet and Not Gaining Weight (part 2)

This is part 2 of Navigating Buffets and not gaining weight.

•            Knowing
•            Planning
•            Execution
•            Commitment

When it comes to hitting the buffets, I have re framed my thinking. In the past a huge mound of food piled on my plate equated pleasure; more grub, more joy.   In the last 10 yrs. I have discovered that I get greater pleasure from variety and not quantity.

Knowing exactly how many calories my body requires for basic energy needs and how many extra calories it requires  when  exercise is involved,  gives me a working parameter to know how much food and beverage can be consumed without gaining weight.  

I’m not a big fan of Calorie Counting but this system is based on knowing exactly how many calories my body requires on a daily basis (BER) and how many extra calories it requires when I exercise (EER).

Basic Energy Requirements (BER) stands for minimum number of calories required on a daily basis. This is calculated as follows (1.3 calories) x body weight (per kilogram) x (24) hours in day. 

Example: 1.3 calories x 97kg. = 126.1 calories per hr. multiply this by 24hrs.  = a (BER) of 3,026 calories per day.

Extra Energy Requirement is factored by the number of hrs spent on physical activity.   This is calculated at (8.5 calories) x body weight (per kilogram) x (?) hours spent in training.

Example:  8.5 calories x 97kg. = 824.5 calories per hr in training x (?)  Hrs in training.  So if I was going to swim for( 1 hr) and do cardio for( 1 hr) I would have 2 hours x 824.5 hence  824.5 x 2 = an (EER)of 1,649 to add to my (BER) 3,026.   The day’s numbers would look like this: (BER) 3,026 + 1,649(EER) = 4,675 total calories required for “party” day. 

Planning ahead and making proper preparation is vital in successfully enjoying a full buffet or party without gaining weight.  Knowing what my (BER) is enables me to plan ahead, project and schedule my physical activity for that day.    The aerobic (EER) supplement gives me another 1,649 calories to consume without breaching my minimum requirement and allows me to participate in the festivities without a need to stress about what I am eating and drinking.   For example a full bottle of Red wine will cost me approximately 700 calories of my 1,649 (EER) allotment.  A Glass of Champagne is 89 calories, light beer is 150 calories, cognac is 102 calories, Sambuca is 103 calories and scotch whiskey is 90 calories.  If I am going to a Gala I can plan on having a light beer when I belly up to the bar for a chat with the boys, and 3 scotch and waters while I mingle and 3 glasses of champagne if it is being served  and a bottle of red wine during dinner.  I can finish the meal off with a couple of digestive such as Sambuca or cognac and I still haven’t consumed my (EER) of 1,649 calories.  That’s a whole lot of booze and a full night of drinking that I can partake in without concern of gaining weight.

 Execution is everything, set limits, be armed with a general knowledge of food and beverage calorie values; calculate the “Party days” BER and EER calorie allotment.  Have discipline; enjoy the party and stay within the planned limits and there will not be a weight gain.

An easy way to pick the best dishes without giving too much thought to calorie count is by using the food colors as a road map.  Pretend that the empty plate is a painter’s pallet and the food is the paint.  Red bell peppers, Green Leaf lettuce, White Fish, scalloped potato, and bright red tomatoes make a beautiful healthy platter.

 Red and orange, fruits and vegetables typically provide a great source of healthy carbohydrates such as bell peppers, strawberries and papaya.   The pale white starches such as potato Ala gratin, rice, white bread, and pasta are to be used as appointments or accents, eat them in very small quantities; they are high in calorie, offer very little over all food value, bloat the stomach and make it difficult to enjoy the full variety of an excellent buffet.

 Red snapper, Tuna sashimi, and salmon all look wonderful on the plate and offer a great source of protein with relatively low and healthy levels of fat. Skinless white meat of whatever fowl is always the healthier choice.  Lamb offers lower fat then Ham, steak offers less fat than pork; if it looks greasy or fatty then it is greasy and fatty and is to be eaten sparingly.

The Pastry chef rarely portions cakes the way we would at home which is good because the small bite sized sweets make it easy to sample several different cakes and delicacies while consuming the same calories as one home cut pieces of cake. When it comes to desserts,  any way we cut it, they are sweet, full of sugar ,rich in butter and cream, loaded in fat, carbohydrates and calories, taste great and are best  sampled in bite size portions.

Commitment to follow the game plan and get a clear picture of what health and fitness means to you.  Accept that change in taste and health come at a price; time and commitment, one day at a time, one bite at a time. Commit to eating smart and exercise, commit to living a good life and commit to having fun. 

Geo,

Go have some fun.