Balance of Food

Could be chocolate, French fries, or crème brulee. But the "blank" also represents emotional factors and issues. One of mine comes through around this time of year: sports.

Whether it was last night's NCAA final or Opening Day of the baseball season, sports and non-healthy food go together well. Add in the start of the Stanley Cup Finals, and you have the recipe for a few pounds.

Now I didn't go to either Opening Day or the NCAA final, but the temptation isn't limited to being at the event. This goes back to childhood. Sports was an excuse to eat, to snack, to stock up on unhealthy snacks, to take corn chips and a "cheese" product and make nachos.

Even if you weren't a sports fan, you could always stock up on chips and soft drinks around major sporting events, since the prices would be more tempting.

The food had to be crunchy or sports-related (hamburgers, hot dogs). It had to be sweet or salty with plenty to drink.

As for going to the ballpark, sneaking food is a solid way to go to cut down on the temptations. You don't have to bring in celery sticks – you can go for air-popped popcorn or apple slices. You could have a healthy snack and eat perhaps a hot dog instead of a hot dog AND nachos.

But that isn't always practical. If I go to a night game, dinner time is right around the time where I am getting to the game. And this is after a stressful day of work. The game is supposed to reduce my stress, which lends itself to eating more junk food.

Or if you have been good lately, the ballpark is a great chance to let loose. And in the reality of life, even if we haven't been good, we still feel the need to let loose and eat the tempting ballpark fare.

This article has some suggestions on what to do. But when you are there, temptations become bolder.

There are some ballparks, especially Chicago's South Side ballpark, where somehow they pipe in the smells, as if the temptation of being at the ballpark wasn't enough. You were tempted by the sirens of smells: hot dogs, nachos, chorizos.

I have come a long way from the days of truly eating in association with baseball. When I was 17, we traveled 2 hours in the pouring rain to get to a Cubs-Mets doubleheader. We had to wait for a few hours to get into the ballpark. My breakfast that day was a box of chocolate covered donuts and a Big Gulp from the 7-11 near Wrigley Field. Yes, I still remember that detail to this day. Lunch was something either at 7-11 or more food in the ballpark. Dinner was likely on the way back, not so healthy either.

Now, I have to search out somewhat viable choices when traveling to the game. Last year, I smuggled peanut butter and natural fruit spread sandwiches to an early season game. I have had the turkey sandwich instead of hot dogs. I have found a great taco salad with actual dark green lettuce in Milwaukee's Miller Park.

I still have nachos and hot dogs sometimes. I'm only human after all. But I don't drink Big Gulps anymore. I limit what I take in, even if it isn't always healthy. Being aware is a lot of what goes into the battle to do better. So eat sensibly and play ball.

# posted by ChadR @ 4/08/2008 07:10:00 AM