Tuesday Tip of the Week – Healthy Superbowl Tips

January 31, 2018 by Achieve Wellness Leave a comment

For many of my clients, the Superbowl is the first big test of their dietary resolve.

Chili, chips, dips, alcohol, and sweet treats can all add up and ruin all of the hard health and wellness work you’ve put in this year.

Fortunately, you can still enjoy the big game and stick to your diet goals, just follow a few simple tips:

1. Make smart choices about what you eat.
2. • Sure, potato chips and pepperoni pizza are delicious, but they can wreck your diet goals.  Look for tasty ways to satisfy your hunger while still staying healthy.  For example, substitute roasted vegetables for pepperoni on your pizza or choose whole grain crackers over potato chips.
   • Load up on fresh raw vegetables rather than pretzels or popcorn.
   • Replace fat laden dips with hummus, salsa, or use greek yogurt in place of sour cream in dip recipes.
   • Guacamole is another great dip option, but use it sparingly.  Remember even though it contains “healthy”  Omega-3 fatty acids it is still high in fat calories.
   • Skip extras like shredded cheese, sour cream, or barbeque sauces on you chili, nachos, or burger.
   • Try a grilled chicken breast in place of a hot dog or burger and skip the bun.
3. Limit or avoid alcohol.
4. • Alcohol not only adds nonessential calories, it can also lower your inhibitions and make you to eat more.
   • Replace alcohol with sparkling water flavored with lime or orange slices, iced tea, kombucha or a tasty mocktail.
   • If you absolutely must drink, limit your intake to no more than 1-2 drinks.
5. Practice portion control.
6. • It is okay to nibble on a few of your party favorites, but limit yourself to 2-3 special treats and if possible limit yourself to a single serving of each.  Check packaging for a serving size or use the chart below.
   • Another good trick is to eat 50% of what you normally would.  For example, if you would normally eat 4 slices of pizza, stop yourself a 2 slices or if you eat a large bowl of chili with corn bread, serve yourself a smaller bowl and cut the corn bread in half.

Following these tips may not save you total calories, but at least the calories you ingest will be healthier and serve your body better than traditional, less healthy options loaded with refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, and alcohol.

Check back on Thursday for some delicious Superbowl recipes to help you stay on track to a healthier lifestyle!