Tips for Belt Loop Maintenance During Hunting Season, Football Games, and Business Dinners

By Yvette Quantz

This month I am going to highlight some tips and tricks for the guy who is trying to maintain his waistline...but does not want to eat like a chick. I know some of you may be laughing right now, but seriously there are a few tricks that can pull you through the next two months without going up a notch on your belt loop. The best part is, no one even needs to know you are reading this—it’s our little secret! For you ladies, please still read on and pass this along to the man in your life.

Your How To Plan:
At the Camp:
I talked with a few hunters, including a friend who is a Professional Trainer and my husband and I asked— “What do you eat at the hunting or fishing camp?” Of course I received the same response, first a little laughter then “Certainly not healthy! We eat eggs, biscuits, bacon, gravy, it’s all about the gravy! Oh, and night time we may fry what we kill or make a stew and of course there is the alcohol, lots of it!”

Here are 3 simple tips to slash hundreds of calories during your next hunting trip.

1. Be a wise guy at the breakfast table. Make an egg sandwich with toast and 2 eggs instead of the bacon, egg, and biscuit platter. This can easily slash 300—500 calories.
2. Water down your scotch—or whatever you beverage of choice. Instead of drinking your beverage straight up or mixing with sugar loaded soda, use water instead. This will not only help prevent a big hangover, but it will also save you from consuming too many empty calories.
3. Stick with grilled game. Most game is actually low in fat and high in protein, therefore just by making a decision to grill your game instead of frying or stewing your meat you can save tons of extra calories and fat.

During the Dinner Meeting:
This is always a popular topic among business professionals. How do you dine out while still managing your weight? Here are three simple tips that can help save thousands of calories over the course of a few meals.

1. Avoid going to the table starving, which means no meal or snack skipping. When you arrive at the dinner table starving, your will power goes out the door which can easily result in you over indulging in some not so good for you foods.
2. Politely say “no thank you” to the free stuff. If it is free at your dinner table then it is probably no good for your waistline. If you are not careful you can easily consume an extra 300—500 calories just while waiting for your actual meal to arrive.
3. Be cautious of the before dinner salad. While I cannot argue with the benefits of eating some roughage before a meal to ward off hunger, the truth is that those fancy before dinner salads can be loaded with extra calories. The dressing, cheese, bacon bits, nuts and dried fruit can really add up. If you are wanting a before meal appetizer consider ordering a shrimp cocktail or a plain salad without fancy toppings.

At the Game:

1. Eat before you go. Before heading out the door eat a sustaining mini meal. This little technique will help ward off hunger and prevent you from diving into the basket of chips and dips.
2. Drink some water. Staying hydrated is essential for so many reasons. Bring a water bottle with you and take a few slugs in between your favorite beverage of choice. When ordering a beverage from the concession stand - think H20.
3. When all else fails order a meal that will cut of hunger rather than just snacking to "buy" time. A standard stadium hot dog with no fancy toppings will run you about 300 - 400 calories. Please know, I am not endorsing hot dogs, or saying they are the new health food, I am just suggesting that sometimes it may be better for your waistline to order something that will satisfy you instead of snacking. Buttered popcorn, nachos, and even peanuts (which the portion size can really add up) can easily amount to an additional 500 - 1200 calories to your day. Also, when we just order a "snack" it is part of our human nature will forget the snack and feel we need to eat a "meal".

Yvette Quantz is a well respected Lifestyle and Sports Nutritionist based in Lafayette, Louisiana. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association, Louisiana Dietetic Association, Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionist, Nutrition Entrepreneurs, Nutrition and Complimentary Care, and a Certified Eating Coach. You can visit her website at: http://www.foodtherapyonline.com/