Episode Transcript
If you’ve ever walked into an all-you-can-eat buffet while working
on your fitness goals, you probably know the feeling. That little
panic: “How am I supposed to make smart food choices here?” or
“Is this going to sabotage my progress?”
This episode is all about helping you stay on track with your arm-
toning goals, even when you’re in high-risk food situations like
buffets, social events, or vacations.
Hey everyone! Welcome to The Arm Coach podcast, episode 64!
Today we’re talking about something that throws a lot of women
off track when they’re trying to tone their arms and build
consistent habits—eating at a buffet.
I’m going to walk you through:
Why buffets can trigger anxiety when you’re trying to tone your
arms after 50
What it is about unstructured eating that feels unsafe
Why relying on strict rules or dieting isn’t the long-term solution
And how to build self-trust so you can eat in any situation and
still feel in control
By the end of this episode, you’ll have a mindset shift around
buffets—and I’ll give you a simple step-by-step plan to eat at a
buffet without giving up your progress, your confidence, or your
vision of having strong, sculpted arms.
Let’s talk about something most women don’t realize is getting in
the way of their arm-toning progress: the craving for structure
when it comes to food.
When you're trying to get strong, sculpted arms, especially after
50, it's totally normal to want someone to just tell you exactly what
to eat. You want the plan. The meal guide. The rules. The control.
It feels safer, right?
That’s why for years, diet books have topped bestseller lists.
Because we think:
“If someone else tells me exactly what to eat and when, then I
won’t mess it up.”
But here’s what I want you to see—it’s not the plan that makes
you feel safe. It’s the illusion of control. When the decisions are
already made for you, there’s less mental load. Fewer choices to
navigate. And that makes it feel easier to stay on track.
But that doesn’t mean it actually is easier. And it definitely doesn’t
mean it’s sustainable.
Because the second you step into a situation with more
choices—like a buffet, a dinner out, or a weekend at your sister’s
where snacks are everywhere—you start thinking,
“I can’t trust myself.”
“I’m not strong enough without structure.”
But that’s not true.
The amount of food in front of you isn’t the problem. Whether
you’re staring down chicken and veggies or ribs, pasta, and
dessert—it’s all just food. The buffet? That’s neutral. The table
spread at the party? Neutral. Even your fridge at home? Still
neutral.
What makes it feel hard is the story you’re telling yourself in
that moment.
If your thought is, “Well, it’s a buffet, I might as well go all in,” or “I
already blew it,” that creates the feeling of powerlessness. And it’s
that feeling—not the food—that leads to overeating, quitting on
your goals, or waking up the next morning feeling frustrated.
So it’s not the buffet that breaks your momentum.
It’s what you’re thinking while you’re standing there with a plate in
your hand.
And the good news?
You can change that.
Because the more you learn to lead yourself—even in
unstructured moments—the stronger your arms (and your
mindset) become.
Let’s get one thing straight—it’s not that you can eat as much as
you want at a buffet. It’s that they can offer as much as they want,
but you still get to decide how much you actually eat. That choice
is always yours. It’s an internal decision. When you start to see
buffets as neutral—just food on a table, nothing more—you take
your power back. You might have chosen to be there, or maybe it
was just part of the day’s plan. Either way, you’re never
powerless. But you do have to check in with your thoughts ahead
of time. Because if you walk in thinking, “I’m never going to be
able to stop,” you’re setting yourself up to feel resigned. And
when you feel resigned, you give up on your plan and eat until
you’re beyond full. Or maybe your thought is, “I always lose
control at buffets,” which creates that heavy, hopeless feeling.
And when you feel hopeless, your actions follow—hello, second
and third plate. Even a seemingly harmless thought like, “I’ll just
start fresh tomorrow,” might feel like relief in the moment, but that
usually turns into regret later when you’re stuffed and frustrated.
Here’s what I want you to remember: even when it feels like the
food is calling the shots, you’re the one in charge. That buffet is
just a table with options. Your body still has its own internal
thermostat—your hunger and fullness cues are always there,
waiting to be listened to. It doesn’t matter how many trays of food
there are, or how many people are going back for seconds. Your
body is still your business. And your power is never in what’s on
the table—it’s in what you think about what’s on the table. Buffets
don’t make you overeat. Telling yourself that you’ve already lost…
that’s what makes you overeat. So instead of panicking, I want
you to pause, breathe, and remind yourself: this is just food, and I
know how to take care of myself—even here.
Okay, let’s talk about buffets—but honestly, this applies to any
situation where you’re not in control of the menu. A friend’s
house, a restaurant, a party… anywhere someone else is
deciding what’s being served. We get in our heads about it like it’s
this huge obstacle—but it’s not. A buffet is literally just a bunch of
food options laid out in front of you. That’s it. Kind of like a
restaurant menu, only instead of reading about the food, you can
actually see and smell it.
Now here’s what’s funny—we act like buffets are some kind of
trap. But they’re really no different than a menu. Think about it:
when you go out to eat, you don’t order five entrees just because
they all sound good, right? You don’t get the chicken, the pasta,
the burger, and the steak just because they’re listed. That would
be wild (and expensive). You read the menu, pick what sounds
good, and move on. The buffet just makes those options visible.
But your job is still the same—check in with your body, ask what it
actually wants, and choose what’s going to feel good during the
meal and after.
So when you’re standing in front of all that food, just remind
yourself: This is the same as reading a menu. I’m still in charge.
What you eat has nothing to do with what’s in front of you—it has
everything to do with how connected you are to your hunger, your
fullness, and your goals. Buffets don’t take away your power. You
don’t have to sample everything just because it’s there. You’ve
got a vision. You’re learning to listen to your body. And girl—you
can absolutely trust yourself, even here.
Alright friend, here’s what I want you to do next time you’re at a
buffet, a potluck, or really anywhere with a ton of food options in
front of you: look for your food. Not just what’s available. Not
just what looks good. Not just what everyone else is grabbing. I’m
talking about the kind of food your body actually feels good
eating. The food you know won’t leave you feeling bloated or
overly full. The food that supports your energy, your strength, your
arm-toning goals—and doesn’t leave you with crazy cravings 30
minutes later.
So before you even pick up a plate, check in with your hunger.
Use your hunger scale. Where are you? Are you actually
hungry—or are you just eating because it’s there? Because
someone else is paying? Because you feel like you “should”? You
know this, but it’s worth repeating: if you’re not hungry, your
body isn’t ready for more food. That means anything you eat
beyond that is extra—extra that’s not helping you tone your arms,
feel strong, or stay in alignment with your goals.
And here’s the part so many women skip: you can plan ahead. If
you know there’s a big dinner coming, or a party later in the day,
you don’t have to walk in starving or overly full. You can work
backwards and eat just enough throughout the day so that when
it’s time for the event, you’re naturally hungry—but not ravenous.
That way you’re in the perfect mindset to make intentional
choices.
So now you’re at the buffet. You’re grounded. You’re hungry—but
not desperate. You scan the options and you choose the foods
that feel aligned. That might include something fun or different
than usual—and that’s totally fine. You can enjoy new flavors and
still honor your fullness. Because here’s the truth: your body
only has so much space. Whether it’s salmon or lasagna or a
little dessert—you still have a limit.
And just because you can go back up five times… doesn’t mean
you should. You’d never order five entrees at a restaurant just
because they sounded good, right? Same rule here. Buffets
aren’t about piling your plate high just because it’s “all you
can eat.” They’re just a table of options. Your job is to choose
what you want, enjoy it fully, and stop when you’re comfortably
full.
And one more thing—you’ll enjoy your food way more when you
don’t overeat. Cramming past fullness doesn’t make the
experience better—it actually makes it worse. The more you eat
past that sweet spot, the less you taste, and the more
disconnected you feel from your body. So your job? Find that
sweet spot. Eat what feels good. Enjoy every bite. And leave
feeling proud, powerful, and totally aligned with the woman you’re
becoming.
Okay, so here’s what I want you to carry with you moving forward:
there are going to be plenty of chances to practice everything we
talked about today. Maybe it’s a buffet. Maybe it’s a dinner out
with coworkers where you didn’t get to pick the menu. Maybe it’s
a holiday at your sister’s or a big family gathering where the table
is packed with options. It doesn’t matter what the setup is—the
approach stays the same.
You go in checking in with you. You assess your own hunger, not
based on what’s being served, but based on what your body is
telling you. You scan the food, take a breath, and decide from
your higher self—the version of you who’s showing up for her
goals, the one who wants strong, sculpted arms and a healthy
relationship with food. You choose what supports that. You take a
portion. You sit down. And you savor it.
No autopilot. No mindless eating. Just you, your food, and your
future self.
And here’s the big one—just because more food is available
doesn’t mean it’s meant for you. You don’t owe the buffet
anything. You don’t owe the host anything. When your body says
you’re satisfied, you’re done. Mentally, the kitchen is
closed—even if the serving table is still open for another hour.
So the next time one of these moments comes up, I want you to
think ahead. Visualize it. Decide the steps you’re going to take.
Show up like the woman who knows how to fuel her body and
honor her goals. And then write to me and let me know how it
goes—I love hearing your wins and mindset shifts.
That’s it for this episode, but before I go, I want to mention: if
you’ve ever been curious about working with me one-on-one, I do
open a few private coaching spots from time to time. So if you’re
ready to go deeper—into your habits, your mindset, and your
results—just reach out and I’ll send over the details.
You’ve got this, friend. Your next opportunity to lead yourself is
right around the corner. Let’s keep building those arms—and the
trust that goes with them.
