Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest non holiday, holiday we have. It's a major driver of sales in the grocery and beverage industries. So why do we all eat so much? More importantly why do we eat so much of the things we know we shouldn't? Well partly because it's a social event, so it's fun to share food and drink with friends, but mostly because our minds aren't on what or how much we're eating. The food we're eating isn't of any substance so we don't even notice how much we've consumed, and of course, we're watching the game!

Here are a few fun facts for you:

- Americans will consume 1.3 million chicken wings on Sunday.

- We spend $50 million on chips and food but, we spend $ 237 million on soda 

- Pizza is the number one food sold and consumed. Pizza Hut sells more pizza on Superbowl Sunday than any other day of the year.

So, besides being astounding, why do we care about these facts? We care because just a month after we've made our New Year's resolution to be healthy, we stuff our faces full of everything that we shouldn't be eating. The average American consumes 3,000 additional calories on Superbowl Sunday. Yes, you read that right, additional. That means outside of your normal meals. Most adults should not consume more than 2,000 calories in a day much less closer to 5,000. Now you're thinking, but you always say "one day doesn't ruin everything". True I do. I will say that one day, meaning that you have an extra treat or two, maybe you don't count your Macros that day, that sort of thing, won't ruin everything. But if you consume an additional 3,000 calories, that's almost two days worth of extra food. That's going to take a whole lot of work to burn off! Especially since you can't burn calorie for calorie of what you consume. Unfortunately our body doesn't work like a bank. The calories we consume are stored differently depending on where they come from. This 3,000 calories that you may consume on Sunday, is coming from mostly carbohydrates, bad fat, sodium, low fiber and very little actual nutrients. 

 So now that you're all bummed out and depressed and not looking forward to your Superbowl party, let me help you feel a little bit better. You don't have to skip out on all the good stuff. Pick and choose wisely. If you have the option of veggies and dip or chips and dip, choose the veggies. Stick with the items that more closely resemble your meal foods; meat, cheese, fruits, veggies, even a little wienie or two. Stay away from the soda, punch, chips, popcorn, cookies, and the chicken wings! A plate of nachos contains around 1,400 calories. A dozen chicken wings with blue-cheese dip adds another 1,000. A 180-pound man would have to jog 18 miles in three hours to burn off all those calories. 

Other ways to succeed include, eat before you go. Drink a glass of water in between each other beverage. Water fills you up, keeps your system moving and re-hydrates you after the alcohol or caffeine dehydrate you. Use a little plate, try a bite of anything and don't go back over and over. Load up on the veggies! You literally can't eat too many. Go easy on the dip, but feel free to indulge. I have a no double dip rule, even on my own plate. That forces me to eat more veggie, less dip. Sit down and eat away from the game. If you're focused on eating you'll eat much less, plus your friends don't really want you walking around their house munching away.

HAVE A COOKIE! Yes, have a cookie....A cookie, not a handful of cookies. Allow yourself a treat, enjoy it and you'll feel much better about the other healthy choices you made that day. It's important to live life, to have fun and to share good times with your friends. There's nothing wrong with a bite or two today, as long as you get back on the wagon tomorrow. You'll feel like crap tomorrow anyway, and it'll serve as a reminder as to why you've given up eating that stuff on a regular basis. 

Have a safe, fun time and go.....(not the Patriots 😜)!