I Love College, and I Love Drinking….
I love waking up on Saturday mornings. Knowing that I can enjoy the entire day, that there will be no class tomorrow, but mostly that it is GAME DAY, a day that I am sure thousands of college students can relate to.
What exactly is game day? It seems to take on different meaning to every single person. Maybe it’s an excuse to act crazy and start drinking during the wee morning hours. Maybe it’s the excitement of not knowing what will happen or how the day will turn out. For me, game day means one thing and one thing only….TAILGATING.
Tailgating is the ultimate excuse to drink beer, socialize, and eat every deliciously unhealthy, greasy food under the sun. Despite the fun associated with these activities, tailgating directly contributes to the so-called “freshman fifteen”, or average weight gained during college. In honor of this football season, I thought I would give a few suggestions on how to keep the calories light and still fully enjoy the tailgate:
Plan your drinks out ahead of time. I am not going to suggest that you should not drink at tailgates. After all, you are only in college once and this is probably the only time in your life that you will be able to get away with the many ridiculous things that occur at tailgates. However, do plan your drinks ahead of time. Although no alcoholic beverage is actually healthy, some options are much better then others. If given the option, always drink vodka before beer. An average shot of vodka contains 56 calories, whereas an average beer contains 150 calories. There are many available mixers that are light in calories.
My personal favorite game day drink is crystal light pink lemonade and vodka. If you are a tequila fan, another option is Freshie’s light margarita mix. With only 5 calories per serving, when added with tequila, this combination makes a great game day skinny margarita. Although planning ahead does involve purchasing your own alcohol, in the end it will be worth it. By bringing your own beverages, you will not be forced to drink beer when it is the only available drink at the tailgate. If you are a true beer lover and feel that it is necessary part of game day, then I would suggest purchasing a case of bud select 55 or Beck’s Premier Light. These new beers only contain 55-64 calories each, which is actually less then a shot of vodka.
Always make sure that you eat breakfast or lunch at home before leaving for the game. By eating at home, you will be able to control what your meal is like. If you wait to the game to eat, it is likely that your only food options will be hamburgers, wings, hot dogs, and French fries. Also, by eating before you leave you will not be as hungry when you get to the game and you will be less likely to give into your cravings. It is important to recognize that alcohol decreased your self-control. Thus, if you are drunk at a tailgate, you are more likely to indulge in all the food options then if you were sober. Try to think of a pregame strategy as to how you are going to restrain yourself once drunk from eating everything in sight. One option is to bring a snack in your bag. A healthy protein bar is always a good and filling snack, as it is small to pack and easy to eat. This way, when you feel that you must eat something you can reach for your bar instead of chips.
But what if you forgot to pack a snack and you are stuck inside the game, starving, and must purchase food from one of the vendors? Some options are definitely worse then others. Avoid French fries, chicken fingers, cheese burgers and nachos at all cost. Try to find a turkey sandwich and choose the whole wheat or multigrain bread options. Popcorn is also one of the better options for something to munch on, even though they are doused in butter.
I know these suggestions are much easier said then done. Just trying a few can be a foot in the right direction. Who knows, maybe by the end of the season you will have mastered “healthifying” your tailgates. As always, GO CANES!!! <3 Kyle
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