“Hamburgers are being slapped on the grill, beers everywhere are being cracked open and bag after bag of potato chips are being consumed. Yes, football/tailgating season is among us. The new semester started my new diet and what better way to ruin it than by getting involved in the intense football fever that is taking place.”
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Hamburgers are being slapped on the grill, beers everywhere are being cracked open and bag after bag of potato chips are being consumed. Yes, football/tailgating season is among us. The new semester started my new diet and what better way to ruin it than by getting involved in the intense football fever that is taking place.
Between our new InfoCision Stadium and the Browns Stadium in Cleveland, tailgating parties and parking lots are being taken over by fans and their fatty tailgating foods and drinks. But, fear not, while thinking about all the ways I could destroy my diet this upcoming weekend, I sought out information on how to still have fun tailgating while keeping it healthy at the same time.
Beer is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of football tailgating. Luckily, many different brewing companies have come out with calorie and carbohydrate conscious selections.
The best picks in this category are: Miller Genuine Draft (MGD) 64 with its calorie content in its name, Michelob Ultra with only 95 calories and 2.6 grams of carbohydrates and finally Amstel Light, which has 95 calories a bottle.
So go out and indulge in a couple of beers, but keep in mind that just because these beers have less calories it doesn’t mean you can go out and binge drink and maintain the healthy tailgater status.
Food is what is just as prevalent as beer in the world of tailgating. Cheeseburgers with pepper jack cheese are my kryptonite when it comes to dieting.
Replacing beef with bison is something that can cut back heavily on calories while maintaining the flavor.
Bison is healthier for you than even chicken with only 2.42 fat grams and 143 calories per bison burger. Use half of a wheat bun with the burger and you’ve got yourself a great sandwich. Chips and chip dip are loaded with calories and fat grams galore. A great substitute for them is veggies, or whole-wheat crackers, with hummus.
Hummus, depending on what type you buy, can serve as a very healthy dip with a low calorie count.
The last healthy food item that I will recommend is chili, the great food item that will keep you warm during a chilly Monday Night football game.
Chili is loaded with a healthy serving of beans. A small order of chili from Wendy’s is only 200 calories with six grams of carbohydrates.
Overall, all of these things can be eaten in moderation without ruining a summer, or weeklong, diet. But, if you happen to slip up and eat that beef cheeseburger with extra cheese, or that entire bag of bar-b-que potato chips in one sitting, then, lucky for you, the recreation center is conveniently located seconds from the field.
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