Diet Detective’s “Big Game” Eating Extravaganza with Exercise Equivalents 2012

by Charles Platkin, PhD

In order to give you some perspective, what follows are some of your favorite Big Game foods and the cost to burn them off. Yes, you can enjoy this one day; however, the concept helps to illustrate the cost of various foods in a language you can understand. So read on to make sure your choices are splurge worthy.

BLIMPE’S SUPER STACKED BLIMPIE BEST = 313 MINUTES OF CHANTING, POINTING AND WAVING A FOAM-HAND NUMBER ONE

This calorically laden sub includes slow-cured ham, salami, cappacola, prosciuttini and provolone.

Fit Tip: Go for low-fat cheese and skip the mayo. If you’re buying at Blimpe try the Deli Trio Sub, a low-cal combination of ham, oven-roasted turkey and roast beef at 330 calories for a 6-inch sub.

THREE FRIED MAC AND CHEESE BALLS = RUNNING 249 FOOTBALL FIELDS

Yes, 249 football fields at 100 yards each; you would have to run each football field at an average speed of 5 mph (the average walking pace is approximately 3 mph), so you’re not going too fast. At more than 500 calories per ball, made with peanut oil, egg, cheese, butter, flour, macaroni and milk (and more), what do you expect?

Fit Tip: Try baking, adding veggies and using whole-wheat pasta and low-fat cheese.

THREE PIGS IN BLANKETS = PLAYING CATCH WITH A FOOTBALL FOR 68 MINUTES (NONSTOP)

Hot dogs wrapped in a crescent or biscuit dough add up: Each one of those you pop in your mouth is 66 calories.

Fit Tip: Low calorie franks (fat free), with low fat crescent dough.

SIX BOTTLES OF BUDWEISER BEER = DOING “THE WAVE” 4,280 TIMES

Beer and football just go together, but keep in mind, each beer is 145 calories.

Fit Tip: Planning on having a few bottles? Try Beck’s Premier Light at only 64 calories per 12-ounce bottle, or MGD Light, 64 calories, Michelob Ultra 95, Natural Light 95, or you can go real low with Budweiser Select 55. Best bet is to try sampling a few very light beers before the game to see which ones you prefer.

ONE DEVILED EGG = 12 MINUTES OF CHEERLEADING

Ever try doing one of those cheerleading routines? I didn’t think so. Deviled eggs are made with mayo; (in case you weren’t sure, mayo is very high in calories).

Fit Tip: You can use low-fat mayo, or how about just hard-boiled eggs with hot sauce?

ONE SLICE OF HOOSIER SUGAR CREAM PIE = 58 MINUTES OF CLIMBING THE STADIUM STAIRS

It’s been said that this is the unofficial state pie of Indianapolis (where the Super Bowl is being held this year). The name says it all — “sugar cream pie” — it’s made with sugar, flour, whipping cream, milk, butter, in a pie shell.

Fit Tip: Go to eatingwell.com or cookinglight.com and put healthy cream pie in the search box.

ONE KFC EXTRA CRISPY CHICKEN BREAST AND ONE EXTRA CRISPY DRUMSTICK = 203 TOUCHDOWN DANCES IN THE END ZONE

That’s a lot of dancing!! Deep-fried chicken is very high in calories, especially the extra crispy kind.

Fit Tip: Bake skinless chicken, use whole-grain bread crumbs.

THREE SLICES OF PIZZA HUT MEAT LOVER’S PIZZA = 1,229 MINUTES OF TEBOWING

That’s more than 20 hours of continuous praying to burn off those calories. Each slice is loaded with high-calorie meats, including pepperoni, ham, beef, bacon and sausage.

Fit Tip: Try cheeseless pizza with plenty of veggies — broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms or even artichoke hearts — on top. Or go for thin-crust pizza with vegetable toppings instead of meat and extra cheese such as the 12″ Fit ‘n Delicious Pizza with green pepper, red onion and diced red tomato at 150 calories per slice. Also, avoid personal pan and stuffed-crust pizzas: The thick, oily crust equals added fat and calories.

APPLEBEE’S CHILI CHEESE NACHOS = 159 MINUTES OF PLAYING PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

That’s nonstop time. Nachos are just like beer and the Big Game mdash; they go hand-in-hand.

Fit Tip: Make your own nachos with low-fat cheese and black beans. Use salsa and make your own whole-wheat pita chips and you’ll be even better off.

TEN LAY’S CLASSIC POTATO CHIPS WITH KRAFT FRENCH ONION DIP = 134 MINUTES DANCING TO MADONNA DURING THE HALFTIME SHOW

Dancing is actually great exercise (if you don’t get nauseous from all the food you’ve eaten already). Each chip is 10.5 calories, and every dip of dip is 60 calories.

Fit Tip: Try Popchips, and make your dip with low-fat mayo or non-fat yogurt.

FIVE TOSTITOS RESTAURANT-STYLE TORTILLA CHIPS WITH 7-LAYER DIP = 110 MINUTES CLEANING THE STADIUM AFTER THE GAME

20 calories for each chip (yes 20!!) and 1 tablespoon of the seven-layer dip are approximately 70 calories (varies from 40 to 80 calories).

Fit Tip: The answer is salsa — it’s very low in calories. And pick baked, low-calorie chips at about 120 calories per ounce. If you’re eating the chips, have one at a time, and don’t put out huge bowls of them. Make sure you have to get up each time you want more than six chips.

ONE PIZZA HUT CRISPY BONE-IN WING BUFFALO BURNIN HOT WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING = FACE PAINTING 8 WILD FANS

You ever see some of the fans who get their faces painted? Traditional wings are deep fried, not to mention the super high-calorie dressing — ranch or blue cheese.

Fit Tip: You can easily make the wings yourself. Remove the skin (it saves lots of calories), soak them in hot sauce or roll them in egg whites, dip them in bread crumbs and bake them in the oven. Skip the blue cheese dressing, which has about 305 calories in 4 tablespoons. Dip them in hot sauce instead.

ONE BACON CHEDDAR JALAPENO POPPER = 60 MINUTES PERFORMING IN A MARCHING BAND

These poppers are made with cream cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese — each one will cost you a bit of marching.

Fit Tip: Use turkey bacon, low-fat cream cheese and cheddar cheese, bake don’t fry.

TWO HANDFULS OF CHEX MIX = 30 MINUTES JUMPING UP AND DOWN AFTER YOUR TEAM SCORES

At 280 calories the mix is still high in calories in spite of it being lower in fat than chips.

Fit Tip: Don’t eat them by the handful, or skip and go for some low-cal microwave popcorn, or better yet, make air-popped and use a margarine spray.

JUST ONE PEANUT = COACHING FOOTBALL FOR A LITTLE OVER A MINUTE

One peanut has about 5.5 calories. A handful, or about 1ounce (30 peanuts), is 166 calories.

Fit Tip: Nuts are healthy, but they’re very high in calories. Don’t keep a huge bowl in front of you. And try to eat one at a time; don’t shove a handful at a time in your mouth.

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