Super Bowl Sunday - aka Diet Killer

Greetings Friends!

Whelp - we've survived the holidays (with some extra padding for hibernation) and made our New Year's resolutions. Only to be foiled immediately by 2 holidays:

Holiday #1: Super Bowl Sunday (aka Diet Killer)
Holiday #2: Valentines Day

I'm going to focus on Super Bowl Sunday, simply because it's this weekend.

Let's face it, there are quite a few of us that really only watch the game for the commercials and anymore you can find them online prior to the game. Here's my favorite part of the Super Bowl. The party. Yup. A time to get together with friends and family where chips and dip are center stage and tail gate food is in high supply. You graze for 6 hours on all the delicious appetizers and maybe even fill a plate for a meal - even though you're not hungry - and probably down a few adult beverages throughout the course of the evening.

The typical Super Bowl viewer ingests a veritable cornucopia of hip hating foods and averages more than their daily allowance of calories while sitting in front of the tube. Some sites estimate the average person's Super Bowl calorie intake is 3,000 calories. That's just while they are in front of the tube! Forget about all the food prior to the kick off! Ey Carumba!

What can we do about it? Just give in? Part of me says, "it's only one day, enjoy it." But the other, more stubborn part of me says, "you've worked too hard to let this day set you back." I need to find a way to navigate the Super Bowl Party and come out a winner, regardless of the outcome of the game.

OH... It's JAMBALAYA!!!!

I've decided to flip flop my fasting day from Sunday to Monday. That way, I can stay on track with my plan. Okay, now that I've taken care of that, what is my plan of attack for the party. Let's face it, I have strong will power, but I can't resist hours of delectable snacks, desserts and beverages. Not on Super Bowl Sunday! Even more tempting - the host family is making Jambalaya! He promises that it will be healthy, but c'mon... it's JAMBALAYA!!! I can't say no. I mean, I could - but why would I want to?! (If I can steal his recipe, I will share it with all of you!)

So, I'm going to do my best to make good choices on Sunday and employ these tricks I found on HubPages:

1. Know what you're getting into. Sure you think you have will power of steel. But once your surrounded by all those delectable snacks and desserts, your steel like will power may end up being more like will power of Jell-O. Plan your day and be smart about it. 
2. It's like the grocery store - don't go hungry. You'll snatch up huge piles of nutritionally bankrupt foods in an effort to quell those hunger pangs. Before you know it, you've over done it, and you're miserable.
3. Don't drink your calories. If you choose to partake in a tasty adult beverage, go ahead - but in moderation. Not only are those grown up only drinks loaded with calories, they also loosen your resolve and decision making power. Next thing you know, you're passed out in a pile of Cheetos and M&M's. No one wants that. 
4. Fill up on the good stuff.  Follow the same rules you do on your dinner plate. Fill up on the crunchy veggies, and baked pretzels or yummy Pop Chips. If you sneak a brownie in there, you're fine. If you load the plate with brownies and add a carrot stick, well, that's not going to get you to your whole life.
5. After you've enjoyed a couple of the yummy snacks (according to your plan), pop some gum in your mouth. Not only does it give your mouth something to do, the clean fresh feeling will deter you from going back for more snacks.
6. Pick a perch... away from your major temptations. If you can't resist chips & dip, don't park in front of them. I have to do this with the bread on the table at restaurants, too. Otherwise, I've eaten my daily limit before my salad arrives. 
7. It's a party - mingle! Get up and talk to the folks in the next room, join the group playing darts in the basement, offer to take plates/dishes to the sink. Not only are the super helpful/thoughtful guest, you're staying active, and keeping the pigs in a blanket out of your chops.
8. Pick your poison. Peruse the offerings and choose a treat (or treats) that you just can't live without. Go ahead and indulge. But don't OVER indulge. Remember your plan - but don't feel deprived. 
9. Check the menu. Just like when you're going out with the gals (or guys), you check the menu to see what you like and what you might splurge on. If there isn't anything on the menu that fits in your plan, make it at home and bring it to share! Here's the treat that I'm bringing to the party this Sunday. 
10. Remember my 80/80 rule. A splurge doesn't mean failure. We're human and brownies are delicious. The second 80 in that rule means if you can stay clean and focused 80% of the time, you'll still be ahead of the curve. Give yourself the 20%. But get back on that wagon. You're on your way to the most awesome version of yourself, brownies not-withstanding. 

I plan to enjoy the gathering with friends (the host is my trainer, so I suspect there will be some healthy and yummy options available), and pretend to be interested in the game (I'm the one who's in it for the commercials). At the end of the day, it's about enjoying your life and the people in it. I'm not going to let food make or break me.

Give some of these tips a try - and sure, your team might lose, but your clean eating plan doesn't have to.

Until next time...

<3 Jen