Superbowl Feast

February 4, 2018 – 

I for one do not want to look like an NFL lineman, and therefore should not eat like one.  With a ‘size matters’ job like a professional football player, bigger might just be better.  Many of these men have topped the scale over 400 pounds and they happen to be very active and have strong bodies too!  The heaviest player in NFL history was Aaron Gibson who weighed in at 410 lbs. and played offensive lineman for a few different teams (like the Dallas Cowboys).  Interestingly, he weighed 440 lbs. in high school.

There is no question that over time players in the NFL have gotten a lot bigger in size.  In fact, according to a Scripps Howard study, the average weight in the NFL has grown 10% per year since 1985.  We are as a species bigger in statue than our forefathers, if you think I am kidding … visit the Alamo in San Antonio.  It did not shrink … we got bigger.

Another important fact about these huge athletes …they are not skinny fat, they are muscle!  Anybody reading this for the most part is not even close to as strong as these guys, and I would bet good money that even the fattest of them could out run you too.  Massive, active, athletic, and not at all concerned about “the dreaded belly.”

IF your goal is to just get big and fat … well you can start off by eating without your mind.  Mindless feeding will certainly help you reach that goal.  Below is a snippet from a National Academy of Sports Medicine journal;

Research also tells us that we are mindless (lack conscious awareness) with about 100 – 300 calories of nibbles and bites throughout the day and only become mindful (conscious) when surpluses or deficits reach 500 – 1,000 calories (5, 11). For example, if you overdid it today with an extra meal or 1,000 additional calories, you would consciously think about it, or do something about it, today or tomorrow. However, 100 – 300 calories of mindless nibbles each day generally fail to trigger conscious awareness to give us concern. But we should be concerned, because that 100 – 300 kcal daily amounts to 101⁄2 – 31 lbs. (4.8 – 14 Kg) in a year! Mindless nibbles may negate all weight loss exercise efforts, or on the bright side, offer an alternative or additional strategy to target weight loss. Be mindful rather than mindless regarding your food.

Nobody reading this article should be eating nearly as many calories as an NFL lineman, be mindful about your intake.  My suggestions when it comes to the upcoming Superbowl Feast, is to monitor your servings and serving size.  Living in Texas I know first hand (as I enjoy eating out) that we do have a “portion distortion” issue.   Maybe measure your chips into single servings and eat only that.  Perhaps use saucer plates rather than the very popular platter for dinner.  And by the way, beer also happens to have calories … yes, they snuck them into that treat too.

Don’t eat like a football player unless you work out like one!

In good health,

Bob

“I’ve been training all football season to eat at a Superbowl Party level.”   – Don Madden