Living a fit and healthy lifestyle does not mean missing out on the moments that are most important to you… Like football season! Though it comes around every year, it does not seem to come often enough. With these tailgate tips, you can have the best of both worlds: maintaining your fitness progress and having a great game day with friends.
Eat Breakfast
Stick with your custom MACROs outlined by our certified nutritionist and eat breakfast before you head out for a day of tailgating. While skipping breakfast may seem like a great way to curb the calories, it can actually do more harm than good, especially on a long day outside. Eating breakfast will not only help you avoid overeating while you man the grill, but it can also help fill you up and prevent you from drinking empty calories due to hunger.
Stay Hydrated
It is easy to get caught up in the day’s activities and forget about drinking water. No, beer and soda do not count as substitutes! One way to remember to drink water throughout the day is by setting a reminder on your phone once an hour. Or, commit to drinking one bottle of water with every meal and in between each beer.
Bring Your Own… Food!
While a tailgate maybe a BYOB event, it can also be a BYOF event: Bring Your Own Food. You can stick to eating clean, whole foods by bringing something from home to toss on the grill. Or, consider making a healthy dish for everyone to enjoy! When snacking, choose nutritious foods like vegetables or nuts rather than mindlessly snacking on fatty foods like potato chips all day.
Workout Before You Go
Start your day off on the right foot and get in the mindset of maintaining your healthy habits by getting a workout in before you go tailgate. Whether you come in for your usual CrossFit class or change it up with a quick at home workout before you go, exercising before you head to tailgate is the best way to feel great all day long!
Set Expectations
The night before you tailgate, consider what your expectations for yourself are. Will you splurge for the day or are you trying to stick closely with your usual nutrition goals? There is no right answer, only the right answer for you and your goals! Remember that having fun is an important component of training and allowing yourself to let loose from time to time is important to staying on track in the long-term. Think about your expectations for the day — what you will eat, how much you will drink — and stick with them the next day!
Move
Ideally, you already got in your workout at CrossFit Gardendale before heading out to tailgate, but instead of grabbing a chair the entire day, make it your goal to keep moving. Whether it is playing outdoor games with friends or handling the food prep and grilling, staying on your feet and active throughout the day will help make your tailgate healthy and fun!