If you have an eating disorder all you can eat buffets can seem a great binge bonanza or a nightmare. Here’s a way to redefine your experience, eat well and claim your personal power.

When you are at such a buffet, stop and look first. Don't pick up a plate.  Slowly walk through the entire line, and evaluate your choices.  Make your decisions without a plate in your hand.

Then start the line again.  You now know what and how much to put on your plate.  No surprises are ahead.  You are aware of the presence of your "trigger foods" and you can choose to bypass them.  You know what’s being offered and how much room to leave on your plate for what you have chosen to eat.

By following this procedure you eliminate that sudden urge to impulsively grab what seems to magically appear on the buffet.

There’s no magic. The food just lays there.  You can make healthful and caring choices once you get past that sense of 'grab it now'.

You can even leave a small place on your plate to taste something new.

You don't need to run away from buffets, and by so doing, feel your only safety is in flight.  You can make a plan that's good for you.

You skip the embarrassment of returning to your table with one or more plates overloaded with food.

And yes, learning that you are free to choose wisely is great for developing your self esteem and awareness of your genuine power in this world.

Good luck!