Posts Tagged ‘tailgate’

Football food: You need a game plan or your diet gets penalized.

By The Refresh You Staff   Category: Gallery , Weight

Football is brutal, especially on diets. And when you live in a state filled with rich pregame traditions (and by rich pregame traditions we mean creamy fat-laden cheese-globbed bacon-covered traditions), a good game plan is essential.

So this fall, whether you’re attending a tailgate on Regent Street, hitting the local sports pub in Monona or entertaining fellow fans at your home, don’t let your diet get, um, sacked.

We’re not suggesting you nosh on salad and drink ice water in a sea of burgers and beer, but there are some ways to keep things under control.

PERSONAL FOUL: UNNECESSARY CALORIES.

Items labeled as fried, crispy, creamy and cheesy aren’t going to be the most healthful options. Before your festivities get under way, try eating an apple (or another fiber-filled snack) to avoid showing up hungry. And it really does make a difference when you sub out a side of deep-fried onion rings for steamed broccoli or opt for the no-cheese, no-mayo version of a sandwich.

PERSONAL FOUL: HARD-TO-MONITOR PORTION SIZES.

When you’re with a bunch of people, it’s easy to chow down on a appetizer and assume you didn’t consume many calories because everybody’s eating it. For example, an order of hot spinach and artichoke dip with chips packs as much as 1,200 calories and 90 grams of fat. So  even if you split it four ways, that’s 300 calories per person. Ouch. Instead, opt for foods you can eat by the piece.


PERSONAL FOUL: NOT SPLITTING.

OK, so you don’t want your friends to give you a hard time for ordering a tiny salad with light dressing, but you know you don’t really need a big ol’ hamburger with fries, especially if you’ve snacked on the appetizer. See if a friend wants to split your meal with you or ask the waiter to put half in a to-go box before bringing it out. You won’t miss the calories one bit, especially with the destraction of the game.


PERSONAL FOUL: FAILURE TO PLAN AHEAD.

If you know where you’re going ahead of time, check out the nutrition information, choose what you’re going to order and then do it. Most restaurants have some healthful, lower-calorie, non-salad options available. For example, Buffalo Wild Wings has a grilled chicken sandwich that weighs in at only 470 calories and 7 grams of fat (without fries, of course). Not the greatest, but way better than huge sandwiches.

PERSONAL FOUL: FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND HOW MANY CALORIES ARE IN THE DRINKS. We all know that football and beer go hand in hand, but those empty calories can add up quickly. With light beers, you can be well under 100 calories for a 12-ounce serving — not bad if you limit yourself to one or two over the course of the event. Microbrews, on the other hand, can get close to 200 calories per serving. With other types of alcohol, especially when mixed with a sugary base, the calories per serving can be outrageous. Just do some investigation and planning before the event, and you’ll instantly know your limits.

With these tips, football season doesn’t have to be the end of diet season. For your next tailgate, see if you can make some healthy, positive changes.

Enjoy the game!