the best option at buffet places?

[Joy2012]

I am a newbie. I am experimenting with doing VLC and mostly raw animal foods.  (My diet for the past month includes beef, salmon, a little animal organs, cheese, coconut oil, macadamia nuts, walnuts, a tiny bit fruit/vege juice.  Except for coconut oil, everything is raw.)   I do not think I have entered ketosis after several weeks. Maybe I eat too much protein/carb.  But I feel dehydrated and sometimes I have a mild headache at the front part of my head. So I guess I am not far from entering ketosis.

I have socials a couple times a month, usually at Asian buffet places. I am trying to figure out what would be my best choice of foods at this stage of my diet:

(1) I could eat only fresh low-GI fruits;
(2) I could eat only  fresh vegetable salads with my home-made sauce;
(3) I could select  raw meats/seafoods from the Mongolian BBQ counter and ask the chef to cook them with water (not with cheap vegetable oil)--then season with my home-made sauce.

I cannot decide which option is least harmful to my health/experiment. I will appreciate input.  (No I will not eat raw meats, which I bet are of low quality and could cause serious stomach upset, not to mention causing disturbance among my friends.)

[cherimoya_kid]

I usually just get the raw meat from the barbecue counter and take it away before they can ask me if I want them to cook it.  I also do eat steamed clams at these places.  It's not ideal, but at least they are not baked/fried/boiled.

I've had no problems with the raw meats at these places. 

Considering your diabetes, I'd avoid the fruit and eat the salads.

[Joy2012]

I usually just get the raw meat from the barbecue counter and take it away before they can ask me if I want them to cook it.  I also do eat steamed clams at these places.  It's not ideal, but at least they are not baked/fried/boiled.

I've had no problems with the raw meats at these places. 

Considering your diabetes, I'd avoid the fruit and eat the salads.

You do not have problems with the raw meats at these places? I will think about it...maybe I would try a little....
What about the small raw shrimps at these places?

I do not have diabetes or any obvious health issues.  Where did you get this idea?!

[aLptHW4k4y]

Why wouldn't you eat high-GI fruits then if you don't have diabetes?

I'd go with the fruits btw. The way you described it, everything else sounds like a hassle (home-made sauce, questionable food quality, etc.)

[cherimoya_kid]

You do not have problems with the raw meats at these places? I will think about it...maybe I would try a little....
What about the small raw shrimps at these places?

I do not have diabetes or any obvious health issues.  Where did you get this idea?!

I don't eat those shrimp.  They are farm-raised. 

I'm sorry about the diabetes thing, I got you mixed up with another member.

[Joy2012]

Why wouldn't you eat high-GI fruits then if you don't have diabetes?

I'd go with the fruits btw. The way you described it, everything else sounds like a hassle (home-made sauce, questionable food quality, etc.)

I think high-GI fruits are not good for anyone. They result in high blood glucose.  Isn't that true?

I would enjoy eating a fruit meal. But I wonder if a couple fruit meals a month will prevent me from ever entering a ketogenic state. As I said, I am experimenting with VLC  so that I might expereince how it feels to fuel myself largely with fatty acids/ketones.

[Joy2012]

I don't eat those shrimp.  They are farm-raised. 

But the meats there will be from farm-raised (grain-fed/trough-raised) animals too.  Do you consider them better than farm-raised seafoods?

BTW, since these meats/seafoods are farm-raised, do you think they are more likely to have parasites (compared with grass-fed meats and wild caught seafoods)?

[eveheart]

I am faced with Asian seafood buffets often at work. I eat some fruits (strawberries, melon) but not a plateful, any sashimi and raw oysters, plus some of the steamed/boiled/poached seafood if I feel weak about saying no. Never the greasy fried seafood. I used to really like these buffets, but now I think they are a waste of time and money. All restaurants make me feel this way.

[Joy2012]

I am faced with Asian seafood buffets often at work. I eat some fruits (strawberries, melon) but not a plateful, any sashimi and raw oysters, plus some of the steamed/boiled/poached seafood if I feel weak about saying no. Never the greasy fried seafood. I used to really like these buffets, but now I think they are a waste of time and money. All restaurants make me feel this way.

Do raw oysters have parasite problems? There are raw oysters in the buffet places I go to. But I am worried about parasites.

[Dorothy]

I went to an all you can eat Asian buffet and demolished every tray of sushi rolls they brought out - eating only the fish and throwing away the rest.

The problem was that because the quality of the fish was so poor I still did not feel very good afterward.

As dumb a suggestion as this sounds - can you bring your own food? Can you talk to the management and say you are on a special diet but would like to eat with your friends so would it be ok to eat your own food in the restaurant? I've never had a restaurant not allow me to bring my own food when I asked.

[Joy2012]

As dumb a suggestion as this sounds - can you bring your own food?

I do not want to as yet. I just started experimenting with RAF and I have not seen much difference in my health as yet. I am very motivated by the testimonials given by members on this forum. But as yet I have not yet become an evangelist regarding RAF.  So  I do not want to cause discomfort to my dining mates who sometimes are the hosts paying for the buffet...

As to eating raw fish and throwing away the rice roll, I might get away with doing one or two rolls... More than that friends may stare at me....

[cherimoya_kid]

But the meats there will be from farm-raised (grain-fed/trough-raised) animals too.  Do you consider them better than farm-raised seafoods?

BTW, since these meats/seafoods are farm-raised, do you think they are more likely to have parasites (compared with grass-fed meats and wild caught seafoods)?

You're right, the meat is probably grain-finished at least.  I don't eat very much of it, when I do eat it.  I think you're better off eating steamed clams/oysters, if you eat any flesh foods.

Re: oysters and parasites--I don't think shellfish have any parasites that humans can get. 

[Dorothy]

I do not want to as yet. I just started experimenting with RAF and I have not seen much difference in my health as yet. I am very motivated by the testimonials given by members on this forum. But as yet I have not yet become an evangelist regarding RAF.  So  I do not want to cause discomfort to my dining mates who sometimes are the hosts paying for the buffet...

As to eating raw fish and throwing away the rice roll, I might get away with doing one or two rolls... More than that friends may stare at me....

I wasn't referring to just raw foods if you don't want to stand out in that way to bring if you want to hold onto eating low carb or grass-fed or wild caught or whatever - but fair enough about not wanting to put your friends paying for the dinner out. Didn't realize you were on the invite.

If this is something that happens frequently at one establishment I would suggest eating one thing each time to see which thing you feel the best from. You never know all the ingredients in those places.

[cherimoya_kid]

If this is something that happens frequently at one establishment I would suggest eating one thing each time to see which thing you feel the best from. You never know all the ingredients in those places.

Agreed 100%.  This is why I avoid prepared dishes, and stick with either raw stuff, or stuff that has been very simply prepared, just steamed, or something similar, and no extra ingredients.

[Joy2012]

Thanks to all for ideas, which help me to think about what is really my priority at this time.