A report read by CNN’s Erin Burnett (Out Front 1/30/12) states that, as a nation, we will consume:
- 4,000 tons of popcorn
- 14,500 tons of chips
- 1 billion chicken wings
- 50 million cases of beer (not counting what gets sold in bars)
We’ll eat an estimated 30 million lbs. of snack food, all in all. That’s a normal week’s worth. In our rough math (emphasis in rough, people) it’s enough to fill the football field 8 yards (24 feet) high. Zowie!
Oh, and CNN punctuated with this fact: Antacid use goes up 20% the day after the Super Bowl.
Worse yet, productivity experts say post-game antics look as such:
- 1.5 million will call in sick
- 4.4 million will come in late
Countless others will drift through the day somewhat bleary-eyed. What are we to do?
To keep you thinking healthy and still able to have fun on Super Bowl Sunday, here are some thoughts:
- Veggie platters and whole grain chips or crackers are always welcome! If you’re headed to a party, bring your own to share. If you’re hosting, high fiber grains, low-fat dips, and baked chicken wings all help ease the damage. Google “healthy super bowl recipes” and you’ll be all set.
- Drink water for every beer you down, if you partake, and maybe limit how much you purchase to thwart temptation. Once two or three have been swigged, your brain has a much harder time saying no to the next one or four. We eat and drink with our eyes not our stomachs.
- Which brings us another tip… Keep the booze and snacks in a different room so people have to make an effort to go get it. Every little bit helps.
- A pledge to forgo peer pressure would be nice too. Make sure your family and friends agree that fun can be had by all regardless of food or drink intake. You traditional Mamas out there now hear this: please refrain from the “eat, eat!” remarks. And you rugged dudes or dudettes? None of this, “Oh have one more, it’s only half-time!”
- Finally, a good distraction from the gluttony might be to have a competition or two. Vote for the funniest ad. Count the number of times an athlete takes a knee. Count the number of handmade signs in the stadium. Do an iSpy-type list of items fans are wearing. And so on.
Remember that it’s just a game and letting loose is really okay – to a point. What’s not okay is when doing so a) becomes common practice, and/or b) puts others at risk.
Bottom line… Keep the sports in the evening and let’s take care of each other and our health goals. A little divergence is fine and special occasions require a joyful expression of who we are. Keep it safe and supportive.
Go Team!
You in Your Workplace
Today’s section on this is bigger than usual – for the subject requires it…
Go with the flow, we say. This is a bit of a, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” prospect, but don’t give into rewarding all out debauchery. Instead, leverage the situation to everyone’s advantage.
1) Think safety first. Don’t engage employees in widget making or key roles if you know they’re compromised from the night before. It also has to be okay for them to say they’ve mistakenly overindulged. No one really plans to do so. If it’s not okay to speak up, people will mask their shortcomings and put you all at risk. Renowned business guru, Tom Peters, who wrote “In Search of Excellence,” reminds us to be 100% against “zero defects.” If people are always afraid of punishment for their mistakes, they will never be able to innovate.
2) Beyond safety , plan a day of work that is out of the ordinary, that doesn’t require deep thinking or precise motor skills. Use their talents in new ways. This is also a great time to plan a charity event, a 5k or health fair. Get as many people involved in the event planning as possible. If they know others are counting on them they’ll be more careful the night before.
3) Think of using the “athlete” metaphor and them being at the top of their game. Host a wellness day that inspires them the way athletes can. Maybe have a mock Olympics with goofy exercise stations and competition. Offer exercise classes they can try out, and maybe a little massage. If they know the day is coming, again, they may be less likely to overdo it the night before.
Bottom Line… Don’t give them the day off. Prove to them that being healthy and reasonable is worthwhile. Maybe they can’t help being tired from staying up past 10 pm. But they can help being useless. Your culture can set a friendly tone that makes them want to chose “responsible” above all else.
See you on the PATH Ahead!