Here we go, another holiday weekend (or week… July 4th on a Wednesday is just weird. Do you take Tuesday off, or Thursday… or just throw in the towel and skip out on the whole week?) Regardless, here come the potato salads, the chili cheese dogs, the american flag cakes, all sorts of chips and dips, cheeseburgers galore and of course, the warm, sweet apple pies. And let’s not forget the sweet teas, the lemonades, Budweiser beer and frozen drinks of all variations. Temptation lurks in every backyard on July 4th, causing all best intentions to get thrown by the wayside. I implore you, don’t become a victim of the July 4th buffet table spread!
“But how?” you whine, “It’s a day of celebration and eating and aren’t we as Americans all about eating these days?”
Yes, you are so right. We ARE all about eating these days; eating poorly!
Let’s take a stand this year and make a promise to ourselves and to our nation that we will overcome the temptations of sugary, salty and fatty treats! Let your patriotism be your guide at the buffet table and let’s stop the spread of obesity!
(Ok, have we all had enough of my Drama Queen? I think so… back in the closet.)
Back to the matter at hand… how does one avoid the typical holiday weekend pitfalls when you just want to relax, have fun and not have to worry about overindulging? My best piece of advice is this: eat before you go AND walk away from the buffet! Clearly not rocket science.)
When you eat before you go, you will undoubtably take the edge off so that when you first arrive at a party, you’re not making a beeline for the buffet table. You can be sociable, mingle, walk around the party and chi-chat without having the evil version of yourself sitting on your shoulder, whispering sweetly into your ear that they just brought out the spinach and artichoke dip, and oh boy, they put it in a huge carved out piece of bread! I need to try that, little evil you says.
It’s that little evil version of you that can get you into all sorts of trouble. But if you eat before you go, evil you need not attend. If you came with a full belly then you won’t be as susceptible to temptation. Of course you can eat something while you’re there, I’m not looking for you to become the patron saint of dieters, I’m just suggesting you not be the one who holds a post at the buffet table. Go once around with the smallest plate they offer and choose only the things you really, really, really want.
After that, the second action comes into play.. the walking away part. For many, this is where it all goes terribly wrong! Too many people get sucked into the buffet table. They hold round table discussions and have friends fetch them drinks so they won’t lose their spot. Don’t let that be you.
Walk away from the table.
Out of sight, out of mind.
If you do both those things, you’re looking at a much happier Thursday morning.
So there you have it, I’ve equipped you with what I feel can help you the most when confronted with an overflowing buffet table. Good luck and Godspeed!
Happy 4th!!
