The spread at Super Bowl Sunday doesn't have to spell diet disaster. With a few smart switches, you can enjoy a few treats without your scale scoring any points.
I understand from my sports-minded friends that Super Bowl Sunday is all about wings. At 45 calories and 2.4 grams of fat each, just six wings from Dominos Pizza add up to a total of 270 calories and 12 grams fat. (My friend James says a dozen is the typical minimum consumed -- you do the math.) Pigskin or not, if you're watching your weight while you're watching the game, drop those wings until pigs fly.
Diet Touchdown: Tyson Grilled Chicken Strips with Frank's RedHot Hot Wing Sauce
Instead of winging it, stick toothpicks in a 3-ounce serving of chicken strips and dip them in a dollop of hot sauce. You'll enjoy a similar flavor for 125 calories and 3.5 grams of fat, a savings of 145 calories and 8.5 grams of fat. (Tip: If you really want a chicken fix, an Original Recipe drumstick from Kentucky Fried Chicken has 140 calories.)
Word has it pizza is also a perennial pigskin favorite. And my sources say the more meat, the better. But just one slice of this jumbo-sized, meat-laden pizza packs in 370 calories and a whopping 20 grams of fat. (Play a game of touch football after a couple slices of that sucker!)
Diet Touchdown: Pizza Hut Large Fit'N Delicious Lower Fat Pizza with tomato, mushrooms and jalapeno peppers
At 140 calories and four grams of fat a slice, you could eat three slices for around the same calories as one slice of that previously-mentioned meat monster. But since the veggies will make this one more filling, it will be easier to stop at just two. If you order pizza at another chain, go meatless, and ask for less cheese and lots of veggies.
What could be easier than picking up a sandwich on the way home to watch the game? Easy, yes. Diet-friendly, no. A typical submarine sandwich from a delicatessen or your grocery store's deli provides about 19 grams of fat and just under 500 calories.
Diet Touchdown: Subway Sandwiches 6-inch Turkey Breast and Ham
Hit your local Subway instead of the supermarket and this six-inch sandwich will serve up nearly half the calories (290) and less than a third of the fat, at five grams per sandwich.
As the name implies, if you are a chips and dip fan, this is a mighty tasty selection. But it packs a heck of a waistline wallop -- just two tablespoons adds 60 calories and five grams of fat to those chips you know you probably shouldn't be eating in the first place.
Diet Touchdown: Fat-Free Sour Cream and Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix
Add just a sprinkle or two of ranch dip mix to two tablespoons of fat-free sour cream for a still-tasty (but admittedly, not very creamy) dip. (Tip: If you like a thicker consistency, consider using reduced-fat sour cream. It will still save you about 20 calories a serving.) For non-fat varieties, you'll only take in about 25 calories per two-tablespoon serving.
Greasy... crunchy... potato-y! What could be better than mowing through a big bowl of chips as your team scores its first touchdown? Munch your way through two ounces (about 44) chips and you've tackled about 300 calories and 20 grams of fat in one sitting.
Diet Touchdown: Rold Gold Classic Pretzel Sticks
You still have to have something salty and crunchy, right? The same serving size of pretzels will save you 200 calories. Better still: They're fat-free.
One can or bottle of the typical regular beer has about 117 calories. Guzzle down a six pack and, well, it ain't pretty: That is 702 calories, the equivalent of about four 3-ounce T-bone steaks.
Diet Touchdown: Light Beer
If the Bowl just isn't the Bowl without your beverage of choice, at least switch to light beer. It'll only save you about 20 calories a serving. But if you're still considering a six-serving session, it will save you a grand total of 120 calories. But remember, at 99 calories a serving, you'll still be downing just under 600 calories after the switch. (Tip: Say no to the buzz and yes to diet soda and save hundreds of calories.)
If game weekend brings a few extra pounds, then make Monday a super Monday by signing up for Healthy Monday, a free newsletter than will help you make smarter choices and create better health habits.
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