Super Bowl Sunday is quickly approaching, giving millions of college students a reason to wrap everything in bacon in celebration of other people’s athletic accomplishments. According to CNBC’s Darren Rovell, this “American holiday” is the second-biggest day for food consumption other than Thanksgiving nationwide. On average, each American participating in this food phenomenon will consume at least 1,200 calories, totaling an estimate of more than 30 million pounds of snacking throughout the day.
College students can always use a study break especially if food and a good game is in order, but now thanks to senior dietetics major Jessica Heimrich, college students can celebrate the day eating healthy snacks without missing out on the fun.
Heimrich said she enjoys studying dietetics because she wants to help people adopt healthy lifestyle changes.
“It is easy to ‘go with the flow’ on days like these,” Heimrich said. “Holidays and special events, like the Super Bowl, can be used as excuses for unhealthy food choices.”
Here are a few helpful tips for the health-conscious college student.
Try not to drink your calories — stick with water, unsweetened tea, diet soda or calorie-free juice, such as Crystal Light.
Listen to your body. When you’re full, stop eating. Finish your snacking with a large glass of water.
If you are tempted to snack often, avoid “grazing.” Make one plate and eat only what you put on it. A bite here and there can really add up.
Move. Play a game of flag football during halftime, when we are most likely to stand around and eat more before the game starts again. Dance to the halftime performance. Take a short walk. Throw a Frisbee. Play charades. Do something to get out of your seat.
Before the game, drink at least two large glasses of water and have a healthy meal that consists of fruits, vegetables and lean protein. This will help to fill you up before the game even begins and cause you to consume fewer snacks, which are likely to be high in calories and fat.
Choose a small snack plate and fill it with color. Go for snacks that incorporate fruits and vegetables, like salsa or salad.
Avoid white foods — cheeses, chips, bread, etc. This will save a great deal of calories.
