Low Calorie Football Snacks

Whether you're sitting inside a stadium at a live football game or plopped in front of the TV cheering on your favorite team, you're bound to have high calorie food surrounding you. Yes, fall football can be especially hard on dieters. If you're at a live game, you have to watch people in the stand munching on corndogs, chips, and other junk food. On the other hand, if you're at home in front of your TV set, whether alone or with a group of friends, fattening food always seems to be part of the event.

How can you enjoy football but not blow your diet? Just make better food selections and you'll feel better even if your favorite team lost the game. You can get over a football loss much easier than gaining back those pounds just because it's football season. Here are a few wise food choices...

Instead of corndogs-----Choose low fat or fat free hot dogs wrapped around whole wheat or low calorie bread. I know that football concession stands aren't going to offer low fat food choices. That's why you should pack a lunch when you go to the game. Of course, at home, it's much easier. You just need to prepare more before the game or other fall events that could get you into trouble.

Instead of a bag of fatty chips-----Choose one of the many prepackaged "100 Calorie" snacks. They range from crackers and chips, to cookies such as oreos and chocolate chip varieties. I can deal with a small bag----It's far less fattening and not overwhelming. However, when I'm faced with a regular bag that disappears in less than 20 minutes, I usually have no will power. And, it's good to know just how many calories you've consumed.

Instead of fattening dips----Make your own low calorie/low fat dips. There are several low fat, as well as fat free dips, sold in grocery stores and at Wal-Mart. Or, just use a fat free salad dressing. Salsa is one of my favorite dips---Besides being tasty, it's also low calorie. And, of course, substitute chips (unless they're the 100 calorie prepackaged ones) for veggies such as cut-up broccoli, carrots, celery sticks, and cauliflower. If you still can't tolerate celery, then stuff it a tablespoon of low fat peanut butter or low fat pimento cheese. Just remember to use moderation as you can be tempted to pig out on too much cheese. Limit yourself to only an ounce of pimento cheese and you'll be fine.

Instead of hot wings---Broil some chicken drumsticks or other chicken parts. Then remove the skin after they're cooked, as well as add a low-calorie sauce such as salsa.

Instead of ordering pizza---Make your own pizza. You can easily spoon some low-fat pizza sauce on whole wheat pita bread. Top it with shredded low fat cheese and be sure to sprinkle lots of veggies such as cut-up green peppers and mushrooms. The more veggies you use, the more you won't be tempted to fill up on just cheese and bread. Even the rest of your friends order regular pizza from Dominos, you can still be safe with your low-calorie pizza.

Follow these low-cal food alternatives on the weekend you won't be as depressed on Monday morning when you step on the scales. Maybe you don't have any control over whether your favorite team wins, but you can control what goes into your mouth.