It’s Tailgate Time…While You Lose Weight

Whether you are a die-hard football fan or you love watching the baseball playoffs, there are a lot of chances for watching sports – and eating. When you head outside to tailgate on campus or on your front lawn, or you host a sports-watching party right in your living room, you are opening yourself up to all kinds of eating opportunities.

The good news is that each opportunity to eat is also an opportunity to make a choice that will help you lose weight. The better news is that it is not so hard. The best news is that The BariatricPal Store is here to help! Find tips and products to help you flourish right here, right now. 

“Hearty” Can Mean “Healthy”

Traditional tailgating food can be pretty hearty, and not in a heart-healthy way. You can cope by swapping recipes to keep great flavors while improving the nutrition. Here are some easy swaps.

• Chili: use lean ground turkey and beans instead of fatty ground beef, or just choose BariatricPal Turkey or Vegetable Chili which is ready in minutes.
• Cold cut platter: skip fatty pepperoni and salami, and instead choose leaner cuts such as all-natural turkey breast and low-fat cheese. Serve it with fresh fruit and veggies, too.
• Fried chicken: bake it with a coating of high-protein Parisien Rusk Bread instead of breadcrumbs.
• Sub sandwiches: use lettuce wraps instead of bread, and skip spreads such as mayo and butter.
• Taco dip and chips: use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, low-fat instead of full-fat cheese, and non-fat instead of regular refried beans.

Crunch Your Way to a Home Run

Crunching may be part of the game, but weight gain doesn’t have to be. Regular potato and tortilla chips are laden with carbs and fat, but you can get a low-cal crunch along with a good dose of protein by choosing BariatricPal Chips in the flavors you love, such as sour cream and onion or barbeque.

You are in luck if you cannot imagine a baseball game without caramel coated popcorn and peanuts. While the regular version may have 23 grams of sugar per cup with only 2 grams of protein, each entire packet of BariatricPal Peanut Caramel Protein Puffs has less than one-third the amount of sugar, plus 15 grams of protein.

Ballpark food does not just have a “what” problem. There’s a “how much” problem, too! When you choose BariatricPal brand snacks, you not only get the protein you need without the extra carbs. You also get portion control, since most come in individually wrapped, single-serving packets.

Some Half-Time Protein, Anyone?

Food may be served during the half-time show or seventh-inning stretch, or there may be some sort of celebratory snack for a home run or touchdown. But you don’t have to indulge – except in the healthy fare. Choose hard-boiled eggs and Meat Snacks instead of cocktail weiners and sausages. When it’s time for something sweet, skip the sugary cupcakes and cookies, and go for Protein Cookies.

Can the Beer

Beer may seem indispensable to a good sports-watching party, but it has a steep price. Each 12-ounce bottle has 100 calories, all from carbs and alcohol with no protein. Worse, alcohl can make you let down your inhibitions as it relaxes you, so you are less likely to resist the fatty, sugary fare that is sure to be staring you in the face at the event.

If you’ve had weight loss surgery, you probably are not allowed to drink fluids while you eat solid foods – and that makes alcohol even more dangerous since you would be drinking on an empty stomach.

Down a moderate couple of bottles each game, and you may be a few pounds heavier by the time new World Champion in baseball is crowned. Plain water may not do it for you, but there are other ways to refresh yourself without breaking the calorie bank.

For example, check out our easy Beverage Recipes for great flavor combos with extra protein and less sugar. Apple Pie Shake combines some favorite fall flavors, while a Chocolate Cola Float is a perfect way to celebrate your team’s victory.

Any party can be challenging when you are losing weight, but you always have a choice. Give yourself a chance by planning ahead so you can be sure there are plenty of great-tasting, high-protein choices. By game time, your only concern will be rooting for your team!