Do you feel guilt or shame after events or when you eat food at gatherings?
Do you place different foods on a pedestal, naming them as good or bad?
Do you want to have a guilt free Super Bowl party?
Then this guide is for you!Â
INTRODUCTION
When the Super Bowl approaches the feelings of anticipation, excitement, gatherings, and tailgating parties stream through our mind. A great deal of us look forward to more than just the game, we look forward to the food, seeing friends, sharing beverages, and that overall team like atmosphere. However, sometimes we have the Karen’s of the world at those parties who like to drag diet culture in and rain on our parade of fun and festivities. You may hear snide comments like are you going to eat all of that, the diet starts tomorrow, I ate enough for the whole week… the list goes on. Fortunately, there is a way to avoid all of that BS and allow yourself to remain fully immersed in the festivities instead of the Debbie downers stuck in their diet. Below I have 15 tips to help you prepare, survive, and ENJOY Super Bowl 2024!
Tip #1: Set yourself up for success and wear clothing that is comfortable
Comfortable clothing instead of spandex tight jeans allows the body room to move as it fluctuates when we eat and when it digests food. This simple step helps to avoid poor body image and negative self talk.
Tip #2: Set Boundaries and remember you can leave any conversation (Diet or otherwise) that you do not want to be apart of
It is almost inevitable that someone is going to make a comment that stems from diet culture or their own demented relationship with food, movement and their body. Statements such as the diet starts tomorrow, I’ve eaten enough for a week, I’m being so bad, etc can result in those comments leading to feelings of shame, guilt, frustration, anxiety, bullying, relapse, and so much more. So how do you handle it? Well you have multiple options, fortunately. One option is two simply state your trying to listen to your body and get curious around the why’s of what it tells you. Another option is to change the subject to something else. Simply making that subject change can give them the hint you aren’t comfortable with that subject topic. One tactic that keeps you safe is simply leaving the conversation and walking away. This keeps your boundaries up for what you are comfortable being around. These are just a few of many that can help give you cushion when those diet and negative body image subjects rise to the surface.
Tip #3: Give yourself permission to eat as much or as little as YOU want!
Tip #4: Remember you can have these foods at anytime of the year, they don’t have to be a one and done!
Tip #5: It’s ok to throw away food if you get full, it is not being WASTEFUL!
If you’ve ever been called wasteful or been told to clean your plate then this tip is for YOU! These statements listed above while not ill intentioned, can lead to a disconnect with our fullness and hunger cues. This can lead to under and over eating, two things we often want to avoid due to discomfort! But you comfort and honoring your body should not come at the cost of eating a few more bites to reduce waste. Your body and the signals it tells you MATTERS!
Tip #6: It is ok to eat foods that are not nutrient dense, they still provide nutrition and give your body nourishment and energy!
Tip #7 Stay hydrated throughout the party to help you remain in connection with your body and to help your food digest.
Tip #8: You DO NOT have to earn or burn off your food
Tip #9: It's OK to overeat (eat past fullness).
Tip #10: Remember guilt is not an ingredient in a recipe, external factors add that… you are allowed to cross it off the ingredient list for yourself.
Tip #11: You can always save the leftovers, take home a doggie bag, get the recipe, or freeze any excess you do not want.
Tip #12: Check in with your body before, during, and after the festivities.
Tip #13: Do not restrict food in the lead up to the festivities, this will often lead to overeating and guilt.
Tip #14: You do not have to eat any food you do not want to… don’t let someone bully you about your food decisions.
Tip #15: This is 1 meal out of a minimum of 1,097 in a year
THE BOTTOM LINE
The bottom line is to avoid placing food on a pedestal. When we treat food as good or bad that’s when a disordered relationship between food, movement, and our body begins to develop. By avoiding morality surrounding food you are able to listen to your hunger cues more easily, avoid overeating since the food isn’t restricted, and we are able to avoid the guilt aspect as well. Food and beverages are apart of the game, but the social connection that is created during the festivities is what memories are built upon. Keep perspective of what you value and what will pass (like discomfort surrounding food rules). Remember, 1 meal out of 1,097… trust your body it knows what to do. It's one night out of 365 days.