As fall approaches, we’re all starting to feel that familiar pull of wanting to sleep in longer and eat heavier foods. The challenge is that if you give in to this feeling, you will lose all the progress on your health that you’ve made through the earlier months of the year.
Trust us–we know that fall comfort food tastes amazing and the couch feels too comfortable to want to leave. That feeling of “ahhh” as you lay down to watch your favorite TV show has the power to keep you focused on doing nothing, but you have to resist it!
Today our Omaha health fitness experts at Omaha Barbell will explain how you can still meet your health goals while still having fun at your fall football parties this year!
Check In With Your Goals
We’re not saying you can’t take time to yourself and relax. Instead we’re saying to take a moment and ask yourself what your true Omaha health fitness goals are. Set an achievable game plan to accomplish those goals and do it.
During football season, holiday parties and fun-filled game nights with your friends can all add up in your calorie intake. Make a commitment before going to any party on what you are allowed to eat to stay on track. Remember, you are in control of what goes into your mouth.
At OBGYM, our Omaha gym team recommend that you eat prior to arriving. Keep a protein or some healthy items near you, just in case that strong craving comes on. Most importantly, keep yourself hydrated. As we’ve said before, if you’re not used to knowing your body’s signals you could think you’re hungry when your body actually only needs some hydration.
Prepare for Failure
Many believe in the quote “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” While we believe aspects of this quote we’d like to take it a step further. Even if you have a plan, you need to prepare for failure. What this means is that you will be approached with temptations of yummy, fattening foods that will have your mouth watering at the delicious aroma.
The key is to know that your body will react and tell you that you HAVE to have a bite of that unhealthy goodness or you’ll die. Some are lucky enough to not experience cravings, but others will feel a gravity pull to put the food in their mouths.
Tips on How to Survive Football Party Food
If you’ve not completed your life style change mentally, you may not have the strong will to say no to unhealthy foods. Knowing this and understanding that you might show weakness when those “habit” foods (such as cheese dip, pizza, chili, etc.) show themselves, you can prepare yourself by creating support group.
For example, say you’re headed to a party with a friend who knows and understands your goals. In this case, you should let them know that you might not be able to say “no.” Ask them to remind you of why you started. Or, as mentioned above, ensure that you eat prior to arriving to a party. If your stomach is full, even with the delicious aroma, you’ll find that the craving will not be as harsh as on an empty stomach (this is the reason they tell you to never shop on an empty stomach).
The other option is to use this as your cheat meal. Remember, this only applies if your current Omaha health fitness food plan has a cheat meal in it. Also, we want to offer a friendly reminder that a cheat meal does not mean that you can eat anything and everything in sight. You need to still make wise decisions so your progress doesn’t go stagnant. In the end, you will more than likely feel satisfied with a few bites.
Feel Good About Your Omaha Health Fitness!
We hope these tips provided by our Omaha gym team have helped you make healthy decisions while watching your favorite team win this season. Be sure to get out of the house and stay active during the fall. If you’re looking to a gym to call “home,” drop by Omaha Barbell. We’d love to give you a tour and show you why we’re the #1 Omaha gym!
