很多人說(shuō)吃自助餐都是“扶墻進(jìn)，扶墻出”，進(jìn)去的時(shí)候快餓死了，出來(lái)的時(shí)候快撐死了。反正，進(jìn)了自助餐廳，不玩命吃好像就不正常似的。這股子猛吃的動(dòng)力因此也就得名“自助餐動(dòng)力”（buffet momentum）。

Buffet momentum is the lack of self-restraint one experiences after having started eating at a buffet. This phenomenon causes a person to consume above and beyond what comprises a regularly sized meal. This feeling usually occurs in the first fifteen minutes of the buffet and is further perpetuated by:
Buffet momentum指在自助餐廳開(kāi)吃以后就難以自制，不停要吃東西的情形，即“自助餐動(dòng)力”。這種動(dòng)力會(huì)讓人吃下遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超出常規(guī)飯量的食物。“自助餐動(dòng)力”一般出現(xiàn)在自助餐開(kāi)始的前15分鐘，然后會(huì)通過(guò)以下的方式延續(xù)：

a) remembering something delicious that you saw earlier and didn't have room on your plate for
記起來(lái)之前看到的某個(gè)好吃的，當(dāng)時(shí)盤(pán)子太滿沒(méi)裝下

b) wanting more of something you just tried
剛嘗過(guò)的東西，還想再吃

c) the desire to make the price you paid worthwhile
想把付的錢(qián)都吃回來(lái)

d) the need to illustrate to your friends that your stomach is indeed a bottomless pit.
想證明給自己的朋友看，你的胃的確是個(gè)無(wú)底洞。

For example:

"Wow, I just consumed three plates of food. Maybe we should wait a while before hitting up the dessert table."
哇！我剛吃完了三盤(pán)子，我們過(guò)一會(huì)兒再吃甜點(diǎn)吧。

"I disagree. In about 10 minutes my stomach is going to realize that it's full, so I think I'll just make use of the buffet momentum that I've developed and get dessert right now."
不行。10分鐘以后，我的胃就該意識(shí)到自己已經(jīng)滿了，所以，我認(rèn)為有必要利用現(xiàn)在的自助餐動(dòng)力把甜點(diǎn)給吃了。

（中國(guó)日?qǐng)?bào)網(wǎng)英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 Helen）