Is football making you fat?

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Nov 14th 2007 9:04AM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Men's Health

Football is a sport that can burn a ton of calories. But guess what? That's only if you play it. If your idea of participating in a football game is wolfing down some beer and hot dogs while you cheer on your favourite team, chances are this 'sport' is making you fat.

Still, taking in a football game wouldn't be the same without the junk food. Here are some tips:

Compensate. If you know you're going to be indulging, get up early and head to the gym for a couple of hours before kick-off.
Remember, moderation is the key. A few cheesy nachos isn't so bad, but a few dozen will pack a calorie wallop.
Pick your battles. If the Pats are your favourite team, don't go crazy when it's the Seahawks vs. the Steelers. Save your partying for the Pats games.
Host the guys (or girls) at your house. When the game's on your home turf, you can make sure the snacks are healthy, or at least healthier.
Play it. Instead of always watching it from the couch, why not organize a game of pick-up in your backyard before or after the game?

How do you celebrate football season without ruining your diet?

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Comments (22)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Jon Boy 11-14-2007 @ 11:31AM

i workout 4 days a week, but come sunday all I am lifting is the remote.... Go Eagles!!

my blog: http://curiousread.com

nikkicookers 11-14-2007 @ 11:33AM

Great article! My brother plays Madden allllll dayyy longggg. He used to play football back in high school, but it's not the same when you're watching and playing video games of it.

Nikki
nikkicookers@aol.com
http://www.fitconnect.com

Trevor from VA 11-14-2007 @ 11:33AM

When I'm watching football on Sunday, I do lots of heavy lifting, all day, first 12 oz. at a time, and then every time I visit the bathroom. Go Dallas, Super Bowl bound

Vishaal 11-14-2007 @ 11:32AM

I celebrate football by NOT watching it....I hate it, lol.

J.B. 11-14-2007 @ 8:13PM

Yes sorry to say that a lot of Jocks and Football watchers
are fat belly , unkept men in sweat pants. Theymust be wolfing down the junk.
I am always surprised and snicker when women worry about there looks while men look like slobs and still get the girl.

J.B. 11-14-2007 @ 8:17PM

Oh that one makes me laugh.
men with fat bellies and sweatpans are usualy football watchers on Sundays. They must be wolfing down the Junk to look like this. I just got back from some friends house and was exposed to a whole tribe of belchers and junkfood eaters. It was a non stop eating binge and I could not wait to get the hell out of there.
The truth hurts but thats what it is.

mrbudlightguy 11-14-2007 @ 8:40PM

dude the eagles suck! cowboys all the way!!!! SuperBowl here we come

sdshell140 11-14-2007 @ 9:53PM

Isn't favourite spelled favorite? Sorry, the teacher in me cannot let something like that go without correction. Any way, my kids and I do pick up games (football or basketball) during halftime. It's great fun and helps burn those extra calories we may have eaten.

Terri 11-14-2007 @ 9:53PM

Actually, "favorite" can be spelled "favourite." It's even in the dictionary.

Don't care much for NFL... I'm all about college football.

Martha Edwards 11-14-2007 @ 10:00PM

SDShell140:
You're right but I'm Canadian so I spell everything an extra u.

Psychoticnewbie 11-14-2007 @ 10:36PM

when you're watching football and as a Niners fan, and your team is stinking up the place, well..ya gotta do something..LOL (I don't drink)

bill 11-14-2007 @ 10:46PM

I was watching a game the other day(Iam over 450 lbs.)when the team i love scored a homerun!!In honor and in celibration,I orderd a giant pizza with extra cheese(the best)and topped it with pepperoni and lot's of sausage,washed it down with a six pack farted and took a nap.Thats living baby!!...Cheers All....Marvin

Juliana 11-15-2007 @ 11:09AM

I'm a big Pats fan, and every week my friends and I get together and have a party. We're all big into eating healthy and exercising (with splurges here and there) and we'll often play a pick up game of f-ball, or take a walk (to the ice cream parlor) before or after the game. Usually one of us cooks a healthy meal for during the game, so we're filled up and happy, but still staying healthy.

Tina 11-15-2007 @ 11:09AM

Well I know one thing. The lack of football makes one fat too. More like pregnant. My daughter is the result of the football strike in 82.

Stylish Swimgirl 11-15-2007 @ 11:09AM

I love football, and the Steelers are my team.
Put on a black shirt (their color) and watch their magic.
If you don't understand the game, there is no way you can probably enjoy it.

A lot of women don't understand the game, and aren't into sports anyway. I am lucky I do understand it and I love sports and am very athletic.

Football is magic, and we hardly ever have any snacks, more like I am making a nutritious, but delicious dinner during the game, and running around doing stuff.

I admit it is hard for me to sit and watch the game, so I have a smaller TV on a shelf in the kitchen.

Football isn't making me fat, I'm in good shape.
It might be putting a paunch on my husband, though ;)
I don't mind, he's hot stuff.

Football is a great sport and the Pittsburgh Steelers are a great team. Go Heinz Ward, Go, Roethisberger,
GO STEELERS. *yeah*

Ruhn 11-18-2007 @ 7:54AM

Watching games, or anything else, will not make you fat, unless that's all you ever do. People who get fat from inactivity are simply lazy. If they didn't watch games, they'd find some other sit down "activity" that would do the same thing to them. Dumb article.