Football season is finally here! Don’t let the weekly games put a
halt to summer weight loss and fitness goals. There are many ways to
still have fun tailgating while also being calorie conscious. Check out
these eight tailgating tips for those watching their weight.
1. BYOF: Bring your own food. The more prepared you
are for the Pats, the better. Patriots tailgating typically includes
cheeseburgers on the grill, sausages, nachos, cookies and other snacks.
Bring flavorful yet easy-to-pack options like fruit salad, baked chips
with light dip, marinated chicken to throw on the grill and light side
dishes like cucumber tomato salad.
2. Eat the right stuff: Fill up on protein, veggies and fruit instead of eating the empty, calorie-laden snacks that are out on the table.
3. BYOB: This is an obvious one. By bringing your
own booze, you can save tons of calories. Skip pre-made pitchers of
sangria and margaritas or full-calorie beers by having options of your
own. If you have ice and plenty of Bud Light, Skinny Girl Margaritas,
pitchers of wine spritzers or whatever your go-to drink is, you won’t be
missing out on any of the fun.
4. Go light on the drinks: There will be plenty of
time during the game for watching Brady strut his stuff while sipping a
brew. So what is the big rush to chug down high-calorie cocktails before
the game even starts? Alternate water with alcoholic drinks and you can
still catch a buzz while staying healthy and hydrated.
5. Walk around: Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place
are packed with things to do and places to shop before or after the
game. Burn off some of the football food and drinks with at least a half
hour to an hour of walking around. Check out other tailgating parties
or venture out to buy some new Patriots gear in the area stores. You
could even do a loop during halftime at the game to see all aspects of
the stadium.
6. Get moving: Besides walking, why not bring a
football to toss, a frisbee to throw or a soccer ball to kick and burn
even more calories while hanging out pre and post game? Playing games
and sports will keep you occupied from consuming too much food and
drinks before the game even starts and will kill time when traffic is
crazy getting out of the parking lots post game.
7. Save points: If participating in a program like
Weight Watchers, plan ahead. Even if you are not in such a program, try
to go light on the eating and drinking for the week. Weight Watchers,
for instance, gives members a weekly allowance of additional points to
play around with for special events like football games. This is the
perfect time to use some of those bonus points to enjoy great food
during Patriots season.
8. The morning matters: You may go nuts
over-thinking how to burn calories and prevent yourself from taking in
too much food and drinks while tailgating. The solution to this headache
is to wake up early, have a healthy, light breakfast and get a workout
in before tailgating even begins. Then, continue on with your healthy
lifestyle the next day.
