Balancing Fitness and Fun During the Super Bowl

You have been planning your social gathering for weeks, and the day of the big game is virtually here. You additionally made a promise to yourself and your buddies that it was going to be the year that you finally made good on your New Years resolution to get in shape. You have been hitting it hard with your personal trainer, and your diet and exercise program has been paying off, but now you have a dilemma: How do you throw a great party without breaking your resolution?

The answer, of course, is proper planning. Just like with all other components of your diet and exercise program, your Super Bowl party, or any other significant social event, is no different. Proper planning will ensure that you have a fantastic party as well as keep to your fitness plan.

The largest consideration for any Super Bowl party is the menu. Typical items you will see served at most parties are pizza, wings, chips, cheese and crackers, cookies, cake, brownies, candy, and all other types of sugary and fat-filled foods. These are not the types of foods you typically see on a recommended food list for most diet plans! As you make your grocery list, be sure to add healthy options for you and other friends that might also be watching their figure. Some easy recommendations would be fruit and vegetable trays, whole-grain crackers, almonds, edamame in-the-pod, lean meat deli slices, and pretzels. You can even offer some low-calorie desserts such as sugar-free pudding, jello, frozen yogurt, or popsicles.

Another factor to bear in mind is the drinks menu. Most Super Bowl parties feature a lot of alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Make sure you have plenty of water available to keep your friends hydrated and to have a healthy option to alcohol.

Lastly, try to build some physical activity into your party. If possible, keep the food and beverages in a different part of the house from the TV. Better yet, plan to enjoy the game upstairs and keep the food in the dining room downstairs. You and your guests will get a great workout with each trip to the beverage counter, or you can offer to make the trip downstairs yourself to refill everyones plates and glasses. Imagine the calories you will burn with each trip up and down the stairs!

Just because you are on a diet does not mean you cant have fun, and your Super Bowl party should not create any unwanted stress. With proper planning and discipline, you can throw a great party while staying on course to hit your fitness goals. And in case you find it difficult to restrain yourself, advise your personal trainer in advance that you may need an added session or two next week!