Healthy Tips for your Superbowl Party
SUPERBOWL!! Just the word conjures up sweet dreams of pizzas, hoagies, wings, chips, dip…I could go on and on! I remember in college getting giant subs, beers and bags of chips from Tony’s in downtown Clinton, New York and camping out in a dorm room to watch Superbowl commercials, er, sorry, I mean the big game! I would always leave stuffed to the gills, and I’d like to say feeling pretty miserable, but I guess that’s pretty much how I ate all of college so it seemed pretty status quo at the time. Fast forward fifteen years and I guarantee that if I ate and drank like that, I’d be sick for DAYS.
So here are a few tips to help you navigate THE event known for it’s food frenzy!
Fail to plan, plan to fail. Remember, everyone has a different idea of what Superbowl eating looks like. If you are worried that there won’t be something for you to eat or only unhealthy options, bring something with you. Simple as that.
Pass on the big portions. It’s easy to OD on chips and dip if you hover over the table or graze from a platter sitting on a table in front of you. Take a plate, serve yourself a normal portion and call it good. No need for seconds, and thirds, and fourths…
Survey your options first. Don’t just start eating the first thing you see. Like a buffet, look at all your food choices and decide what you want most. It’s not going to be the last time you ever have nachos or wings again so don’t fret if you can’t eat them this go around.
Stick to proteins & veggies. Chili is a great Superbowl option! Just be careful you are eating chili and it isn’t acting as a vehicle for cheese, sour cream and chips. Go for the veggie platter. Better yet, BRING the veggie platter so that you have a healthy option at the ready.
Take an alcohol time out. There isn’t a contest to see who can drink more beers here…well, at least I THINK we’ve gone past that point in our lives?? Have a drink and switch to water or seltzer. Alternate so you can still have your fun but keep the binge drinking to a minimum. After all, Monday is a work day!
Don’t show up to the party starving. We all know what happens when you do. It’s like Thanksgiving, don’t starve yourself all day so you can stuff yourself at the big meal. Eat sensibly during the day and have a plan for what you want to eat that evening. After all, isn’t this about the game and the company, not the food?
So there you go. A few basic tips to help you get through game day temptations. What am I having at my house? I’ll be making a batch of my No Chop Chili. To me, chili is a Superbowl staple and I actually think I have some in the freezer so that’s one less thing I’ll need to cook. Good luck and may you all win big in your game day pools! And if your evening ends up a total flop, join me for this month's Challenge Group and toss those extra winter pounds to the wayside!
