If you’re eating healthier to meet your weight and wellness goals, an invite to a watch party can serve up a variety of emotions. Just the thought of attending a food-focused celebration that could wreck your calorie count or protein goals is reason enough not to go for some.
“We live in a food-centric culture,” said Gillian Hutchison, MAT, RN, CCRN, bariatric nurse coordinator at Baptist Health. “It can be challenging to socialize and maintain healthy eating habits without feeling either left out or discouraged.”
But before you make up excuses as to why you can’t watch the game surrounded by friends, family and snacks, Hutchison, along with Mitchell Kirby, RDN, LD, a bariatric dietitian, provide a few game day tips and recipes to keep you in the zone.
Pre-Game Tips:
- Eat a snack or meal that fits your nutritional needs before you go.
- Bring a healthy dish or snacks that you can enjoy and share with others.
- Plate your food into appropriate portions and walk away. Don’t hang out around the spread and graze.
- Prioritize protein, veggies and fruit. Foods higher in fat and calories should be the smallest portioned items on your plate.
- Drink water or diet drinks, not high-calorie drinks like soda or alcoholic beverages.
- Strive for progress, not perfection. Don’t get discouraged by small setbacks.
- Have a plan for your next meal to get yourself back on track.
“It is important to not let a single day or evening of not following your plan turn into a month of not following your plan,” said Kirby. “Do not feel guilty or try to over-correct the next day or week, because this can result in a cycle of over restriction and over consumption. Pick up where you left off.”
Below are three healthy, delicious protein-focused recipes to take to your next party so that you can be satisfied and reach your wellness goals.
Recipes to Try and Take:
Greek Yogurt Buffalo Chicken Dip
(serves 6)
Ingredients:
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp Ranch seasoning
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce hot wing sauce (or to taste)
Instructions:
Remove all the white meat from the rotisserie chicken, be sure to remove the skin as well. Shred with two forks or a hand mixer. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. For extra spice, add more buffalo sauce. Store in the fridge for at least one hour to allow all the flavors to form together. Serve with veggies like celery, carrots, mini sweet peppers or protein chips.
Nutrition:
Calories: 141l
Carbohydrates: 8g
Protein: 17g
Fat: 4g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 52mg
Sodium: 722mg
Potassium: 34mg
Sugar: 5g
Calcium: 1mg
12 Flavors of Perfect Deviled Eggs
(serves 6-8)
Ingredients for Classic Deviled Eggs:
- 6 hard boiled or steamed eggs
- 2–3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1–2 tsp dill pickle juice, lemon juice or vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Slice each egg in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. Place all yolks in a medium-sized bowl. Add 2 tbsp mayonnaise, mustard, 1 tsp. pickle juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the egg yolks. Mash with a fork (or beat with a hand mixer) until completely smooth, adding additional mayo or pickle juice as needed to make the consistency creamy. Scoop the deviled yolk mixture back into the egg white halves using a spoon. Alternatively, you can scoop the mixture into a plastic sandwich bag and snip off the corner to create a “piping bag.”
Flavor Variations:
Dill Pickle: Use pickle juice as directed, and add 1-2 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle, and a pinch of dried or fresh dill to your yolk mixture.
Peppered Bacon: Add 1 tbsp fresh herbs (cilantro, dill, basil, or parsley) to your yolk mixture and swap 1/4 tsp steak seasoning for the pepper. Top with crispy, crumbled bacon, additional fresh herbs, and halved baby tomatoes.
Smoked Paprika: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro (optional) and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika to the yolk mixture. Top with additional smoked paprika, as desired.
Lemon Chive: Use lemon juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 tbsp fresh minced chives and an extra pinch of pepper to the yolk mixture. Top with a tiny bit of lemon zest, more pepper and a pinch of fresh chives.
Curry: Use lemon or lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1/4-1/2 tsp yellow curry powder to your yolk mixture. Top with minced cilantro or additional curry powder, as desired.
Sriracha Lime: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add a few drops of sriracha to the yolk mixture. Top with a tiny bit of lime zest and additional sriracha, as desired.
Chipotle: Use lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Add 1-2 tsp adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers (start small if you don’t want it hot). Alternatively, you can use 1/4-1/2 tsp dried chipotle chili powder. Top with cilantro and additional chipotle powder/sauce as desired.
Avocado: Omit the mustard. Use 2 tsp lemon or lime juice in place of the pickle juice. Use 2-4 tbsp fresh avocado in place of the mayo. Add fresh cilantro as desired. (You can also use prepared guacamole instead of avocado!)
Salt & Vinegar: Use vinegar in place of the pickle juice, and add an extra 1 tsp to the mixture. Top with coarse sea salt (like Maldon salt).
Salsa Verde: Omit mustard and pickle juice. Add 1-2 tbsp salsa verde to the yolk mixture along with the mayo and salt. Add fresh cilantro, if desired. Top with cilantro and more salsa, as desired.
Buffalo: Omit the mustard. Add 1-2 tsp Frank’s Red Hot (or other favorite hot sauce) to the yolk mixture along with the mayo, pickle juice and salt. Top with fresh chives or dill, as desired.
Everything Bagel Seasoning: Follow classic deviled egg directions and top with a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning right before serving.
Nutrition:
Total Fat: 4.4g
Saturated Fat: 1.1g
Cholesterol: 94.2mg
Sodium: 151.8mg
Total Carbohydrate: 0.4g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1g
Sugars: 0.3g
Protein: 3.2g
Vitamin C: 0.1mg
Calcium: 13.7mg
Magnesium: 3.1mg
Potassium: 35mg
Protein Brownies
(Serves 9)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup protein powder
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or butter
- 2 eggs or 2 flax eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar or granulated erythritol
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (low sugar or sugar free)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan, or line it with parchment. Stir all ingredients well. Spread into the pan, using a second sheet of parchment if needed to press down evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, then let cool. They continue to firm up as they cool and firm up even more if you loosely cover and refrigerate overnight.
Nutrition:
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Sodium: 61mg
Total Carbohydrate: 4g
Dietary Fiber: 2.7g
Total Sugars: 0.4g
Protein: 12.6g
Vitamin: D 7mcg
Calcium: 74mg
Iron: 1mg
Potassium: 128mg
Net Carbs: 1.3g
If you’re struggling to reach your weight loss goals, Baptist Health can help. We offer surgical and non-surgical options to help you live your best life. Click hear to learn more about our weight and nutrition services.