How to Snack Your Way Through Super Bowl Sunday

It’s that time of year again – Super Bowl XLVII is about to commence.  Whether it’s for the football, commercials, or halftime show, on February 3rd, 2013, many of us will be gathering with family and friends to watch this annual event.  Along with the football and camaraderie, however, comes a lot of mindless eating.  Snacks and drinks generally abound at these Super Bowl parties and given the length of the game, much damage can be done to one’s diet by the end of the night.  But good news – it is possible to enjoy yourself at these parties and not overdo the snacking!  Below is a list of tips to help you “survive” Super Bowl Sunday without leaving you feeling guilty the next day.

1.  Don’t arrive hungry.  Many individuals have the misconception that they can skip meals during the day to save calories for some nighttime munching.  This is a big mistake!  Arriving to a party hungry makes you more likely to overeat while you are there.  Try having a small snack, such as a handful of almonds or a slice of whole grain toast with some peanut butter, before leaving for the party. 

2.  Contribute to the party.  If you’re headed to a friend’s house, ask to bring a dish to the party.  This is a great opportunity for you to bring something healthy that everyone can enjoy.  Ideas include fresh vegetables and hummus, fresh fruit and light yogurt, turkey lettuce wraps, or chilled shrimp.

3.  Survey the spread.  When you first arrive at the party, inspect the foods that are being served.  Plan ahead for the food items you will choose to eat.  Stay away from mayo-laden appetizers and fried foods, as these are often high in calories and fat, and make sure to load up on vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables.

4.  Watch the portion size.  Before piling your plate with food, try to find a small appetizer plate to use.  This will reduce the amount of food you can put on your plate and will likely reduce the amount of food you consume.  If only large plates are available, try filling up half the plate.  After finishing your plate, wait about thirty minutes before returning for more.  Use this time to decide if you truly are hungry for more and if you are, grab more fruits and vegetables.

5.  Step away from the table.  Once you’ve dipped your food, move away from the serving area.  By remaining near the food, you become more likely to return for seconds or thirds.  If you step away from the serving table, you can remove the immediate temptation to return for more.

Most importantly, enjoy your time with family and friends.  Try to be mindful of what you are eating, but don’t waste the evening stressing about food.  By using these tips, you will be better prepared to snack your way through Super Bowl Sunday!

 

Submitted by:

Chrystal Haire, UTK Dietetic Intern

How are your resolutions going?

With the New Year, resolutions to eat better and exercise more have likely been made by many. However, creating broad goals such as these make it easy to falter. Fortunately, it is possible to gain healthier eating habits and engage in more physical activity if small changes are implemented one at a time. It is easy and understandable to become overwhelmed with change, especially when it pertains to one’s diet and overall lifestyle. In this post, simple and manageable ways to incorporate healthy changes into one’s life will be provided and briefly discussed.

Source

Many people have heard the phrase, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, but what does it really mean? Breakfast is literally breaking the fast. When one wakes up from a night of sleep, the body requires fuel, i.e. food, to replenish nutrients that were metabolized to maintain the body’s primary functions. If one does not eat anything within a couple of hours of waking, then the body is forced to resort to other stores and parts of the body to obtain fuel. For this reason, it is very important to eat a healthy breakfast in order to set one up for a day of balanced eating. Try to include a whole grain, a protein such as nuts, nut butter, or an egg, and a source of nonfat or low fat dairy to achieve a well-balanced breakfast. For those individuals who do not regularly consume breakfast, this could be set as the first small change.
 

In the office environment, it is easy to snack too much on the candy that may be in the office or the sweets that are left in the break room. Another small change that can be set is to limit the intake of these foods. For some individuals, it may be unreasonable to completely give them up, and this is certainly understandable. Instead, it may be more realistic to set a limit of only enjoying these foods once or twice a week.

 

With hectic work schedules and other life demands, it can be difficult to incorporate physical activity. Thankfully, there are ways to increase one’s physical activity by doing things such as parking farther away from the store, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and going on a walk during part of one’s lunch break. One could resolve to integrate these changes one at a time rather than all at once. Again, once an individual feels comfortable with the change, (s)he could then focus on the next small change.

 

Hopefully, this post has made the resolutions to exercise more and eat better less intimidating and much more achievable. Remember that one is not a failure if (s)he slips up in some way. Just take it as a learning experience and press onward. Not one person is perfect, and perfection should not be the desired outcome. Feel a sense of pride every time a small change is achieved. Know that every small change adds up and the ultimate prize is a healthier body!

Submitted by:

UTK Dietetic Intern

Happy New Year from Eat Right Knox!