What Do I Eat on Super Bowl Sunday?
It seems that everywhere we look, we are bombarded with images of fast food and ultra-processed foods!! This will be especially apparent when watching the commercials on Sunday during the Super Bowl!
Then on the other hand, everywhere we look in our diet crazed society, we are also constantly reminded about calories and carbs, and numbers on a scale.
How do we find a balance between prioritizing our health and just enjoying our life?
Or more specifically for this weekend, is it still possible to enjoy the festivities of the Super Bowl and still feel good about our health and our choices?
YES, it is possible! Contrary to what we are often told, prioritizing our health and enjoying our life do not need to be mutually exclusive. Rather, with the right mindset and plan, it is possible to live our best life-- and to feel healthy and happy, without ever feeling deprived.
So going back to this weekend... here are a few of my thoughts about how I would approach days like Super Bowl Sunday.
-
When you are faced with a situation where there are lots of foods that are not on your plan, focus on CROWDING OUT rather than DEPRIVATION. Deprivation is not sustainable.
Make a healthier alternative that you can enjoy, so that you eat less of the other stuff. Make a vegetable platter with hummus, some buffalo cauliflower bites (recipe coming on social media soon), some homemade salsa verde or some guacamole. All of these options are nutritious and easy and sound amazing too!
(I have learned that to me, the appeal of buffalo wings is actually just the sauce! My homemade buffalo cauliflower bites are so tasty-- it is easy to eat the entire tray in one sitting. You have been warned!)
Keep an eye out for some Super Bowl snack ideas and recipes on my Instagram and Facebook this week! If you are eating more guacamole and salsa than chips, I would call that a win!
https://www.instagram.com/head_heart_handsmd/
https://www.facebook.com/headhearthandsmd
-
Focus on your LIFESTYLE, not on DIETING. And in your life, there will sometimes be situations where sticking exactly to your eating plan will not be possible. And this is ok.
Ideally, the goal is to create a lifestyle where you eat foods that you feel good about MOST of the time. That way, if there are holidays, celebrations, vacations, Super Bowl Sundays, etc where you may want to deviate from your plan a bit, you don’t have to feel guilty or stressed. The idea is to be able to enjoy your life, without guilt, while also supporting your health.
With this approach, you will also likely find yourself craving the healthier choices more often, and the unhealthier options may likely become much less appealing.
-
Remember that everything is connected, and that one good choice often leads to other good choices. Here are some examples:
When we are hydrated, we are less likely to confuse thirst with hunger, and we are less likely to eat when we aren’t hungry. So drinking water can help us make better food choices.
When we are well rested, we have more control over our cravings and hunger. So getting enough sleep can help us eat less and eat healthier.
When we are feeling more relaxed and more joyful, we are less likely to seek comfort from our food, and we will be less likely to engage in emotional eating.
When we are exercising, we are more likely to crave healthier foods. So getting out and exercising this week can help you make healthier food choices.
I hope you have a wonderful week and enjoy the Super Bowl this weekend!
Rooting for you always!
Ritu
Learn more about how Head Heart Hands can help you Lose Weight, Prevent/Reverse disease, and Improve Your Quality of Life!
Achieve permanent weight loss and add healthier and happier years to your life.
