停不下來的“自助餐動力”

很多人說吃自助餐都是“扶墻進，扶墻出”，進去的時候快餓死了，出來的時候快撐死了。反正，進了自助餐廳，不玩命吃好像就不正常似的。這股子猛吃的動力因此也就得名“自助餐動力”（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指在自助餐廳開吃以后就難以自制，不停要吃東西的情形，即“自助餐動力”。這種動力會讓人吃下遠遠超出常規飯量的食物。“自助餐動力”一般出現在自助餐開始的前15分鐘，然后會通過以下的方式延續：

a) remembering something delicious that you saw earlier and didn't have room on your plate for
記起來之前看到的某個好吃的，當時盤子太滿沒裝下

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

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

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，你的胃的確是個無底洞。

For example:

"Wow, I just consumed three plates of food. Maybe we should wait a while before hitting up the dessert table."
哇！我剛吃完了三盤子，我們過一會兒再吃甜點吧。

"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，我的胃就該意識到自己已經滿了，所以，我認為有必要利用現在的自助餐動力把甜點給吃了。

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen）