Score a touchdown with your health this football season

Website design By BotEap.comAdmit it, as soon as football season rolls around, you start craving chicken wings, fries, and beer. However, what you are consuming while participating in soccer activities can create many penalties to your health. You can even bear to gain a significant amount of weight during football season. By my rough calculations, football accounts for approximately 550 hours or more, including playoffs, within the respective seventeen-week seasons for both college football and the NFL. Those hours cover Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. If you’re like an avid soccer fan, then you probably plan your times around these days so you can catch most of the games.

Website design By BotEap.comMany times you find yourself in a bar enjoying the games while consuming beer and greasy food. Otherwise, you’re on your couch, probably also drinking beer while eating chips or some other unhealthy snack. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to see the game in person at a stadium, which is famous for greasy food and beer consumption. Soccer games are so distracting that they can create a pattern of mindless eating and drinking, reducing your ability to make healthy food choices.

Website design By BotEap.comIncessant mindless eating for an extended period of time can affect your health. Think about how you normally feel during football season. Just a few weeks later, people are already reporting symptoms of bloating, decreased energy, and a general feeling of ill health. It goes without saying that soccer activities combined with poor nutritional intake for so many hours will not only increase your waistline, but may also worsen your health at the end of the season.

Website design By BotEap.comIf soccer activities are unavoidable, then it’s important to consider the environments you’ll be in and plan ahead, or find some ways to create a sense of balance to maintain overall well-being and a healthy weight. Here are some tips on how to keep this balance.

Website design By BotEap.comBreakfast: Eat a healthy breakfast, consisting of whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruit, and protein. Eating a healthy breakfast is a good start to the day, one that encourages good food choices early in the day. Eating breakfast will also help you avoid going into a state of starvation that could cause you to overeat whatever is in front of you upon arrival at an event.

Website design By BotEap.comPre-game: win with your own home tailgate party loaded with lots of fruits and vegetables; Fiber-filled foods that will keep you full longer. This way, when you get to the bar or game, all the healthy food you ate at home could curb your temptation to indulge in unhealthy offerings.

Website design By BotEap.comMenu Planning: If you’re planning to hit a sports bar, or are actually attending a game, do some research on the menu earlier in the week. This way when you arrive at the place you will have an idea of ​​some healthier options to choose from.

Website design By BotEap.comWater: Drink water at least half an hour before the game starts. Our brains are not very good at differentiating hunger from the sensation of thirst. Therefore, sometimes when we think we are hungry, sometimes we are actually just thirsty. By drinking water, you can curb your hunger for a while so you’re less likely to reach for greasy snacks. If you plan to drink alcohol, be sure to drink an eight-ounce glass of water for every alcoholic drink. This will help you reduce the amount of alcohol, as well as the number of calories you might consume. Drink responsibly and make sure you have a designated driver.

Website design By BotEap.comExercise: Find time to exercise for at least thirty minutes before game time on specific football game days to balance calories in and calories out.

Website design By BotEap.comGo for healthier options: Opt for a salad, or instead of the Buffalo chicken wings, eat the celery that comes with the wings. If you feel the urge to indulge in wings, cut back on your portion. For example, if you normally eat ten wings at one sitting, try eating just five. Also, slowing down your eating can help you reduce your intake of fatty, calorie-dense foods; take smaller dicks and chew longer.

Website design By BotEap.comHost the party: If you’re hosting game day, offer plenty of vegetable dishes. Make your own health dip with low-fat ingredients. Choose snack options that are nutrient-dense rather than calorie-dense.

Website design By BotEap.comAlcohol: Drink in moderation and choose light beer. Don’t drink and drive and always have a designated driver with you.

Website design By BotEap.comYou don’t have to let football season take a wrecking ball to your health. Challenge yourself to follow some of the suggestions listed. By keeping your food choices in mind and planning ahead, you’ll find that your path through football season is paved with healthier choices, while maintaining balance.