How Do You Survive the Super Bowl?

Teresa asks:
Only a few weeks ago, I made a resolution to lose some weight and so far my diet has been going well. But, I getting scared about Super Bowl Sunday. With the unlimited spread of snack foods, giant hero sandwiches, pizza, wings, and not to mention beer, that people are expecting at the party, I don’t see how I’ll avoid a diet relapse. Any tips on how I can get thru this fun time at the Super Bowl without it penalizing my waistline? I’ll be handling some of the food choices, so I’ll have some control here. Thanks.

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Comments

2 Responses to “How Do You Survive the Super Bowl?”

  1. dri on January 29th, 2009 6:30 am

    Congrats on your success so far this year! The Super Bowl is tough, but if you’re in charge of the food, you may be in luck. My best advice is to substitute where you can (and nobody will mind).

    For instance, instead of deep fried wings, try oven-frying some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut the breasts into bite size pieces, dip them in egg whites and dredge them in breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven and serve barbecue sauce.

    For the heros, instead of buying the pre-made sandwiches, make a sandwich platter yourself. Use whole grains, wraps and only low-fat dressings.

    For snacks, put out glenny’s, and other healthy snacks and avoid greasy potato chips.

    Good luck!

  2. Jill Fleming, MS, RD on January 29th, 2009 12:24 pm

    Hi Teresa,

    Great question! I am a registered dietitian and the author of the book “Thin People Don’t Clean Their Plates”. Sticking to your health eating plan does not mean you have to eat like a rabbit and feel deprived on Super Bowl Sunday.

    By following a few simple rules, you can enjoy your cocktails and snack foods without feeling like a bloated blob Monday morning. These are the same rules your Thin Friends follow on game day.

    Rule #1: Exercise for at least 30 minutes. This can be as simple as going for a walk before going to your Super Bowl party. When you exercise, you will increase your metabolism for the next 8-24 hours. This will help your body process the food and calories you consume at the party faster.

    Rule #2: Eat a total of eight (1/2 cup) servings of fruit or vegetables before going to the party. You could have a smoothie for breakfast and a large salad at lunchtime to easily reach this goal. This intake of healthy food early in the day will help balance your less-than-healthy choices at the party.

    Rule #3: Eat a light snack two hours before going to the party. This will help keep your appetite in control. You will be hungry, but not starving. This is one of the best-kept secrets Thin People share. They never go to a party starving!

    Rule #4: Stop eating at the point of satisfied. You can choose to eat anything you want to eat at the party, just make sure that you do not eat to the point of uncomfortable. When you eat to the point of discomfort, your body is storing the excess calories as fat. The good news is that, you will be hungry again in 3-4 hours and then you can eat again. Remember, Thin People Don’t Clean Their Plates.

    Rule #5: Drink a glass of water after each beverage you consume. If you drink a beer, then drink a glass of water before having another beer. If you drink a can of soda, then drink a glass of water before having another soda. This will help dilute the number of calories you consume and prevent dehydration, which is the cause of most hangovers. This is due to the diuretic effect of alcohol and caffeine.

    By following these five simple rules, you will be able to eat anything you want at the Super Bowl party without any guilt. You will wake up Monday morning feeling great and ready to continue practicing moderation and balance in your lifestyle choice instead of dieting and deprivation.

    To help you stay on track with your food choices, go to http://www.ThinChoices.com to download a free THIN CHOICES Lifestyle Diary. This diary will help you track your intake of fruit, vegetables and water, as well as your exercise. Writing down your choices on paper is one of the easiest ways to increase your accountability to yourself to make lasting health improvements. Enjoy!

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