Wings, nachos and beer are football party favorites. But, the typical Super Bowl spread can leave you with a food and alcohol hangover. If you’d rather not start your work week feeling like you can’t lift your body out of bed, try these ideas straight from my healthy & tasty playbook:
1) Eat Today – never skimp on food because you have a party later in the day. You’ll be starving by the time you hit the Super Bowl spread and you’ll already have that mindset that you dieted today so you can eat whatever you want tonight – a great strategy for a Super Bowl sized binge.
2) Hydrate Responsibly: use a Spacer – if you drink, alternate each alcoholic beverage you consume with a water or hydrating beverage spacer. If you aren’t likely to gulp down plain water try a bottled beverage that tastes great. And if you are at someone else’s party, bring a stash for everyone.
3) Eat some Meat – chicken, crawfish, lean red meat etc. are all great sources of protein and protein is more filling than carbohydrate or fat. So dig in, but leave the full-fat Bubba burgers for a guy who looks like a Bubba.
4) Substitute Potato Skins for Nachos – a serving of supreme nachos will load more than 700 calories and a day’s worth of sodium on your waistline. Opt for plain nachos or make potato skins instead. Easy to make and waistline friendly.
5) Go Nuts – plain, roasted or salted nuts are a great snack. All nuts contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, an array of nutrients and antioxidants and studies show they satiate your appetite. Choose nuts you have to crack open – it takes more work and time to eat.
6) Make Guacamole – this is my new favorite party dish. It takes no time to make and is 100% healthy (yet the other guests will have no clue that it’s actually good for them). The staple of guac is the avocado and avocados are chock-full of antioxidants, vitamins and heart healthy fats. Here’s the easy recipe I made on NBC in Atlanta, GA.