Avoiding parking-lot pitfalls: Tips to satisfy your waistline on game days

It's easy to pack on the pounds during football season especially if you are a devoted fan! College student and contributing writer Brianna Crosby shares how she survives a typically tailgate outing on game day. 

Brianna Crosby 

If any of you go to a school where home football games are the best days of the fall season, then you’ll appreciate this article. If any of you have ever tailgated, keep reading for ways to avoid dietary pitfalls. And if you have never tailgated before, you should really start.

Tailgates are one of my favorite things to be apart of before a game. They’re a great way to get everyone pumped & ready to cheer on their favorite team. However, if I ate what was around me every weekend before a game here at Clemson, I would have gained some serious weight.

Tailgates usually include hotdogs, hamburgers, chips, a massive amount of dips and- of course, multiple cases of beer. If you’re down south like I am, it also usually includes barbecue like pulled pork and delicious soft white-rolls that you seem to keep going back to. Hungry yet?

Brianna Crosby

There are many different actions you can take to cut some calories out of your tailgate. It may not taste as good, and it will be challenging, but you’re waistline will thank you.

For starters, steer clear of anything in creamy dip form. These are usually filled with cream cheese or mayonnaise and loaded with extra fat and empty calories. If you like dips, bring some guacamole and salsa to satisfy your craving. Guacamole’s base is avocado, which is also creamy but it contains monounsaturated fats of oleic and linoleic, which are known as the ‘good fats’. Consuming these will promote the health of your heart.

One awesome tip is to cut out the bun of a hotdog or hamburger. Opt for using lettuce as a substitute for the bun, saving yourself about 120 calories. Vegetables are an unusual food in which you can eat a ton of them and still feel good about yourself. Prepare a dish of cut up veggies with a low-cal dipping sauce like ranch made with greek yogurt. I promise you it’s actually really good.

This past weekend my friend, Danielle and I were drinking the beverage ‘sparkling ICE’ at our tailgate (image above) . It’s refreshing and calorie-free!  If water is a no-go at your tailgate, bring these tasty beverages for a mix in the routine. They’re lightly carbonated, better for you than soda and contains less sugar than sweet tea or lemonade.

With these tips you’re more then ready to take on the next tailgate, the healthy way!

Guest Blogger: Brianna Crosby

Hi guys! My name is Brianna Crosby I’m extremely passionate about nutrition and wellness and I love helping others succeed in terms of health. I’m a Food Science major at Clemson University and I’ll be graduating May 2015!  My goal is to become a Registered Dietitian in order to impact overall health through nutrition. Ideally the purpose is to assist others to achieve their goals to live a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Nadia 

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