Football is one of our favorite national pastimes, and Super Bowl Sunday has become a much-anticipated holiday. And for most Americans, holidays mean it’s time to splurge, with the Super Bowl now marking one of the biggest feasts of the year. (It’s second only to Thanksgiving, according to some national surveys!) In fact, Americans will consume an estimated 1.25 billion chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday. That’s enough to cover more than one million football fields!
With the game falling only one month after the start of the New Year, deciding whether to stick to your healthy resolutions or dig in to chips, dips and fat-laden apps can create quite the stressful conflict.
Never fear! Enjoying the bowl doesn’t have to mean ditching your new, healthier lifestyle or forgoing your favorite Super Bowl snacks. No matter which team you’re rooting for, here are some solutions to your snacking and relaxing game plan:
First Down: Re-inventing the Super Bowl Spread
Most party foods are loaded with fat and calories — Buffalo wings, onion dip, salty chips, you get the idea. Sure, there’s the obligatory vegetable tray, but usually no one touches it. Instead, try one of these satisfying appetizers — all delicious, healthy and easy to make:
- Turkey Taco Mini Stuffed Peppers
- Lightened Up Spinach Dip
- Greek Seven-Layer Dip
- Broccoli Cheddar Bites
- Oven-Fried Chicken Bites with Tangy Dill Dip
Second Down: Stay Hydrated
It’s not uncommon to mistake thirst for hunger, so make sure you’re fully hydrated before you load up your plate, especially if alcohol is in the mix. Need a celebratory beer? Make sure you sip with food and water. That slows the entry of alcohol into your bloodstream and helps you recognize when you’re full.
Third Down: Get Competitive
The key to staying active on game day is generating some healthy competition.
- Before the game begins, pick sides and participate in a mock game.
- Then, after kick off, make fitness a part of the festivities. See who can do the most push-ups or sit-ups during a commercial break, or who can hold a plank position through your team’s first offensive series.
- You can even create benchmarks during the game. Any time one team scores, fans of the other team have to do 20 squats (and vice versa). And when either team gets a penalty, make all fans do 20 lunges.
Fourth Down: Have Fun
When there are chili dogs, potato salad, brownies and beer, how can you say no? The good news: Even if you’re a couch potato all day on Super Bowl Sunday, one day of indulgences won’t derail your otherwise healthy lifestyle. So eat, drink and enjoy…but do it all with long-term health in mind!
For more recipe ideas, check out our LiveWell recipe videos. You can also read more nutrition and fitness advice in our EatWell and MoveWell sections.
To get weekly health and wellness tips in your inbox, subscribe today.
