WASHINGTON – If you haven’t blown your New Year’s diet resolution yet, Super Bowl Sunday can be a real obstacle: Super Bowl parties – get-togethers with food and drink aplenty.
“The football players on the field are probably not going to eat as many calories on Super Bowl Sunday as the viewers will,” says sports nutritionist Beth Misner.
She has some tips on how you can avoid over-indulging:
- Be the one who eats off the vegetable tray that everyone else ignores. Then you can let yourself have a chicken wing and a brownie.
- Want a crunchy snack that won’t grow your waistline? Misner has one word: Almonds.
“Bring some almonds with you – even flavored almonds are all right – and you can have those at that fourth-quarter moment when you’re tempted to go for the brownies or the cookies.
“I would eat a whole bag of almonds before I would (dig) into those chips.”
- Alcohol is very caloric, so bring a water bottle or Thermos. And Misner adds that it’s critical to have your supply with you when you get there.
“Preparation is important. Then, when you’re offered that second or third beer or mixed drink, you can say, ‘Thanks; I’ve got my water.'”
Simple as that, right? Yeah, right. If (when) you do eat and drink too much, Misner has a three-day routine to bring your body back:
- For three mornings, start off with hot water and lemon: “That helps your gall bladder and liver.”
- Three days of plant protein, such as soybeans, lentils and avocados in place of animal protein such as meat. “It’s only three days. You can do it.”
- Follow the 5/10 rule: “By 10 a.m. each day, eat five different-colored vegetables and do 10 minutes of exercise.”
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