I always think it a bad idea. It should not be the reason.
I exercise so I can eat—a lot.
Ouch. As a cyclist, doctor and worshiper of common sense, this idea pains me. Notwithstanding the beauty of cycling and running well, such a plan has to be unhealthy.
Though I admit to not having researched the topic, nor do I claim any special expertise in nutrition science, it just seems nuts to think that exercise nullifies over-eating, or say, mal-eating
But today is special. Whether we like it or not, it seems Super Bowl Sunday has become a second Thanksgiving: with the parties, the pizza, beer, chips and whatever else, but surely not arugula and quinoa. People over-indulge in spades today.
Was this why there were so many runners and cyclists braving a bone-chilling north wind, a soul-breaking grayness and risky wet roads this morning? The scene in my city was remarkable. (Consider that KY is one of the nation’s least healthy.) Our bike racing e-group boasted three different rides today—none of them easy spins. The attendance at the afternoon club ride belied the cold weather. Runners clogged the park roads. One would have thought it a warm spring Saturday.
That’s the thing that gnaws at me about healthy behavior. Let’s say it wasn’t just chance that all these people were exercising this much today. Let’s hypothesize that they were super-exercising because of the impending calorie onslaught that comes with Super Bowl parties.
Is this a good thing? Should exercise be used solely to create a neutral calorie intake to burn ratio? Can hours on the road nullify pizza or high carbohydrate fluids? Or does it matter in the end, because life is too short not to eat pizza and drink fun stuff?
On the other hand, are the super exerciser on this Super Bowl Sunday on to something? Meaning, in living a life in equilibrium with food abundance, will extreme calorie-burning measures be needed? Call it a new paradigm. Or, can it be taught to push oneself away from the table hungry? Or maybe most will adopt a moderate intake and moderate exercise plan? Hmm.
These are questions of health that I wonder about, while all that pizza digests.
JMM
2 replies on “Questions on “Super Bowl” Nutrition”
Perhaps they are assuaging their guilt more than their calorie intake. Indulge on holidays and special days, but don’t over-indulge and eat healthy the rest of the time. One slice of pizza only ever killed the person who choked on it.
Yeah, well, I had to laugh in spite of myself.
For us folks subject to afib, it went something like this:
Beer – no thanks. Can’t have the alcohol or carbs, you know.
Cola – no thanks. Can’t have the caffeine and the high fructose corn syrup.
Coffee – no thanks. Caffeine, you know, and the acidity just doesn’t mix well with the Pradaxa.
Chips- no thanks. Carbs, fat, calories and salt.
Pizza – nope. Fat, salt, carbs and especially cheese.
Salsa? Chili? – With my Pradaxa stomach you’ve got to be kidding.
Rum and Coke – (see above)
Wings? How were they cooked? Oh, too bad.
B&J ice cream – oh, come now. You’ve absolutely got to be kidding me.
So there I sat with my raw carrot sticks and my herbal tea, screaming “Go Steelers!”.
Guess they were all laughing at me because of my tea. . . . . . . . . .