Super Bowl Food = Super Calories!

I knew that it was typical for someone to eat a couple thousand more calories on Super Bowl Sunday, but after reading a few studies, it shows the average person puts away 6000 to 10,000 calories during the Super Bowl.  My mouth dropped.  After reviewing the typical foods offered during a Super Bowl Game, it added up fast, including fat in the hundreds and sodium as high as 25,000mg.  This tops the average consumption of calories at a Thanksgiving meal!

Many think that just going crazy for one night isn’t going to hurt them, but trust me, it hurts in ways you may not realize.  Our Special Occasion to splurge begins on Thanksgiving, then suddenly we give ourselves a license to binge at Christmas, before you know it, Super Bowl Sunday is here and once again, free for all!  Soon, every office and birthday party becomes your special occasion and now you are having battle of the bulge!    

Food hangover.  Ever had one?  It is that terrible feeling you experience the day after your grease and salt fest, the bloating, the indigestion, possibly headaches and just feeling like a biggest whale on a beach for indulging so much.  Your whole system has been so overloaded, your organs have overworked themselves and are waving the white flag.  Although it is one time, it is damaging to you system.  It may even cause you to crave more of the bad foods you ate the day before and thus, you continue on towards  bad eating habits.  Just don’t do it!

Now before the thought of replacing your favorite chips and dip with radishes and pine needles, understand it doesn’t have to be that way.  Making a few small changes in the menu can make big differences without sacrificing the taste.  Simple things like replacing your chips with baked chips or making your own by baking them in the oven with a little spray of olive oil and a dash of sea salt.  Mix some 100%  whole grain cereal in with your nuts to avoid overeating high fat nuts.  Be sure to eat a good breakfast and lunch so you won’t be starving come game time and overeat even more.  Drink water or unsweetened drinks so you can save more calories for the food.   Little things make big differences! Here are some other tips:

• Use plain yogurt instead of sour cream to mix up the dip.
• Use baked or low-fat chips and veggies for dipping.
• Avoid the blind side; many dips and dressing contain far more calories than you think.
• Limit portions!
• Make nachos using reduced fat cheese and baked chips.
• Take a walk at halftime.
• Make sub sandwiches using 100% whole grain rolls, rotisserie chicken, low fat cheese and a lot of veggies
• Order a fruit tray from your local grocer instead of a cheese tray.
• Make a pot of vegetarian chili instead of the regular beef based, or use low-fat ground turkey breast instead of the regular beef.
• Skip the cheese and crackers and substitute whole wheat pita wedges and hummus dip.
• Dance along with the music during half time or put on your own half-time show. :o)

Check out this website for some recipe ideas to help make your super bowl food something you won’t regret eating the next day!

Here is a website to give your snacks makeovers!

Most of all, enjoy the game!  Don’t let food be the focus, let it be friends and family!