The countdown is on to one of the greatest days of the year, Super Bowl Sunday!!
It doesn’t matter if you’re a diehard football fan (not me) or a casual on looker (more my style) Super Bowl Sunday generally has something to offer for everyone.
I mean, a day of socializing with friends and family, a smorgasbord of eats, drinks, expensive commercials and hopefully a competitive football game with an entertaining half-time show that goes off without any wardrobe malfunctions J isn’t so bad, is it?
Really, what could possibly be so bad with a “fat” spread of freshly made hoagies, bowls of ooey gooey cheesy dips, mounds of chips, piping hot pizza, that unmistakable hot sauce aroma rising from a red hot plate of fresh out of the fryer chicken wings, or the distinct sound of cans a cracking or bottles a poppin’ to unleash one of the stars of Super Bowl Sunday, BEER?
Infographic and stats provided by toilet spray company Poo-Pourri
Unfortunately, there are plenty of things bad with this day of indulgence!
Did you know that Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest eating day of the year coming in just behind Thanksgiving?
It is estimated that during the 4-5 hours spent viewing the Super Bowl that the average American will consume over 2,400 calories. This short 4-5 hour feeding frenzy results in the consumption of more than your recommended (2000 calories) total caloric intake for one entire day.
Insane! Oh and not to make things worse but those calories are the type that can do some major damage! These foods and beverages are full of salt, bad fats, grains, alcohol, and processed items that will MESS you up (yes that’s a technical term) and ultimately wreak havoc on your health.
So when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday you need to have a strategic game plan in order survive the day.
Here are 8 Tips To Help You Survive Super Bowl Sunday:
- Have a pre-game meeting with yourself: Have a game plan going into your social Super Bowl Sunday gathering. Game day will be loaded with temptations so don’t fall victim to them. Have a plan for how many drinks you will have and know what foods you will and will not eat. If you have a plan going in then you are less likely to fall victim to your impulses.
- Hydration: Before, during and after the game be sure to stay hydrated. Before going to the party load up on water. It will fill you up so there is less room in your stomach for the junk. During the game continue to drink plenty of water (see #4 below). After the game drink more water to help counter balance the dehydrating and hangover causing effects of the alcohol and to also assist with “flushing” the toxins out of your system.
- Pre-game meal: That’s right, have a BIG healthy pre-game meal full of fresh veggies, lean protein and plenty of healthy fats. This meal will fill your belly with healthy nutrients and as a result there will be less room for the indulgences from the buffet table.
- Limit alcohol consumption: First and foremost be sure to drink responsibly. Don’t overdo it. Too much alcohol is bad for your health and it will have you not caring about a thing in no time at all. As a result you’ll be almost certain to fall victim to all of the treats on the buffet table. Set a limit on how many drinks you will consume and over what timeframe. Also make a deal with yourself that for every drink you consume that you will follow it with a tall glass of water. This will help neutralize the impact of the alcohol and will make you feel fuller so that you will consume less.
- Scout out the buffet table: When you arrive at your Super Bowl party run right over to the buffet table and size it up. What foods are available and how will they fit into your pre-game meeting goals? If you’ve decided that you’re going to have some wings then make a deal with yourself that for every wing that you eat you will follow it with 3 veggies before you eat the next one. You’ll be able to indulge a bit but without over doing it.
- Half time and commercials: Get off of your rump, move around and go socialize. Movement will help you burn up some of those calories that you have been consuming and plus it will get your mind off of what snack you’re going to grab next. In addition if your mouth is busy talking then there will be less food going inJ.
- No All-out blitzes: Do not rush the buffet table all at once. Instead select a small plate, make frequent trips, and take your time. Spacing out your trips and taking your time will allow your food to better digest and will allow the FULL signal to register with your brain so that you’re less likely to gorge yourself.
- Post-game recovery plan: After you’ve indulged a bit and more than likely fell off your healthy eating wagon it’s now time to get back on track. Don’t let this one day lapse in your healthy eating plan destroy the future. It’s ok to “cheat” every now and then but it’s important that you get refocused or else things will spiral out of control. Trust me, I know. Been there, done that. Make sure that starting the next day you get right back to drinking plenty of water, eating good healthy meals and exercising.
So who’s ready for some football?
Super Bowl Sunday is such an awesome time of the year but don’t let it break your healthy habits.
If you follow the 8 tips that I’ve shared above then I believe that you will truly enjoy the game along with all that it has to offer plus you will not regret the decisions you made the next morning.
As always, I hope this information has served you and will take you one step closer to your desired health goals.
Did you like this information?
If so, please be sure to let me know what you liked by sending me an email at DrKirk@PerformanceHealthandChiro.com or leave me a comment on Facebook. I would love to keep the conversation going.
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Until we chat again remember: Eat Well, Move Often and Stay Healthy!