Making Your Party Just as "Super"

Its Super Bowl time.

That means the three F’s: football, fun, and food.

The first two are no brainers, but that last F (food), needs to be given more thought if your party is to be just as super as the game. Folks tend to get carried away when watching the big game and not pay attention to what they’re eating. It’s easy to consume thousands of calories and hundreds of fat grams without even noticing.

Eating out of excitement, happiness, because your team is losing, because your team just scored…it’s all a part of Super Bowl Sunday. And let’s be honest…this is probably the one day of the year when NO calories get burned. So, before you dive head first into platter of hot wings, let’s make sure that we stay on course with our fitness goals.

• Make your own pizza. Buy frozen pizza dough. Top it with fresh tomatoes, low-fat cheese, garlic, and veggies. This way, you avoid the saturated fat that Dominoes, Pizza Hut and Papa John’s are famous for.


• Create your own shrimp cocktail. Boil some raw shrimp in a can of beer spiked with a teaspoon of pickling sauce. Chill it, and serve with cocktail sauce or salsa. Peeling the shrimp will slow down your food consumption.


• No brownies or cake. Replace them with fruit trays or make your own low fat, no sugar versions.


• Try to stay away from cream-based dips. Instead, make a fruit salsa or even a fruit salad. Instead of potato chips and other fried snacks, go for pita chips or the baked potato chips.


• If you must have chicken wings, don’t go for the buffalo style. And most definitely steer clear of those that are fried. Instead, opt to bake your wings. You can marinate them with your own sauce and season to taste.


• Sub sandwiches? Avoid processed meats, cheeses, and unnecessary fats. Order a platter of turkey, ham, and lean roast beef from a deli. Throw in some low-fat cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and even pickles. Add low fat tortillas or wheat bread. Serve with mustard and ketchup. No mayonnaise. I repeat, no mayo.

Remember, your Super Bowl party should be THE #1 event of the year….sports AND health-wise.