Football season is upon us, and for many of us, that means that every Sunday between now and early February are booked. It also means that you’ll be absentmindedly snacking away all of the hard work you did at the gym this summer. When it’s bluntly laid out like that, it sounds frightfully depressing. We have good news for you, though. Give these five tips a try, and you’ll be on your way to a healthier gameday in no time.
Healthier Gameday Tip #1
Portion control: It’s easy to overeat when you are absentmindedly snacking away. The best way to avoid overeating is to pay attention to portion size. Keep in mind that a proper portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards and a proper portion of starches is about the size of your computer mouse. If you have to, literally fill a plate with an appropriate amount of food, and snack off of your plate, versus snagging a bite here and there. This way you’ll know exactly how much food you ate over the course of the game, and you’ll be ahead of the game on your efforts toward a healthier gameday.
Healthier Gameday Tip #2
Healthy substitutions: Much of what we eat during gameday festivities can be prepared healthier, without sacrificing taste. For example, trading cheese dips for a spicy white bean dip, or opting for grilled fruit over cookies and cupcakes to satisfy your sweet tooth are just a couple quick examples.
Healthier Gameday Tip #3
Watch for hidden sugars: Soda and beer are two typical culprits of hidden sugar that we consume on gameday. But that hidden sugar also sneaks up in some of our favorite gameday foods as well. That sweet and savory barbeque sauce that we cover and or dip everything in is a major sugar offender. You can either opt to ditch the BBQ sauce entirely and top your food with fresh guacamole or a delectable avocado, bean, and corn salsa, OR you could make your own tomato-based BBQ sauce.
Healthier Gameday Tip #4
Be your own chef: Premade foods like frozen wings or pizza are packed with sugar, salt, and fat. Have a healthier gameday by preparing your own food, so you know exactly what you’re eating. Prepare your feast with as many fresh fruits, juices and herbs as you can, as those fresh ingredients will pack in the flavor without adding extra calories. Stay on top of calorie count with the ingredients you choose in your dishes.
Healthier Gameday Tip #5
Give yourself a break: Last, but not least, make the best food choices that you can and don’t be too hard on yourself if you indulge in some food that is less than healthy. If you decide to treat yourself to some chips or fried mozzarella sticks on gameday, don’t beat yourself up. Just be smart about your food, and try to work in healthier fare whenever you can.
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