Sporting events generally aren’t places where you count on finding healthy snacks readily available. Lucas Oil Stadium does have some “real food” (I don’t know if healthy really applies) beyond nachos and hot dogs, so I was hopeful for real options when the Super Bowl came to Indianapolis. While there was not much variety within the Super Bowl Village itself, you will not have to wander far to find something that feels more like a meal than a snack.

The Super Bowl Village, stretching from the Indiana Convention Center to the Bankers Life Fieldhouse (formerly the Conseco Fieldhouse) has plenty of concession stands offering chicken tenders, steak burgers, hot dogs, french fries, soft pretzels, Sweeties gourmet treats, Frito Lay chips, candy, hot cider, coffee, hot chocolate, cappuccino, Gatorade, water, and Pepsi products.

Inside the Indiana Convention Center, which houses the NFL Experience, additional options include Lipton tea, fruit juice, popcorn, whole fresh fruit, Lay’s Potato Chips, Snickers, M&M’s, yogurt, turkey caesar sandwiches, Italian grinder sandwiches, roast beef sandwiches, grilled veggie sandwiches, chicken caesar salad, tossed garden salad. burgers, BBQ pork sandwiches, and tenderloin sandwiches.

Deeper in the NFL Experience, near the memorabilia show and autograph stage, Pepsi Max and Doritos each has an exhibit with free samples, contests, and games. Considering the long lines seen in the NFL Play 60 Game Zone, attendees could have very positive feelings about these exhibits.

Luckily, not far from there in the maze of the NFL Experience, the “Sandwich Zone” offers carved turkey and carved beef for sandwiches with several topping options. They also have candy, soda, water, Gatorade, and Lipton Tea.

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Fuel Up to Play 60 is back. (Yay!)

Most well known for the catchy, rhyming commercial showcasing NFL players, the fantastic program to help children learn to eat healthy has returned for the new school year. The commercials, starring NFL players such as Washington Redskins’ Chris Horton, hope to use their popularity to drive home to kids the message that good foods and good play go hand in hand.

Created  by the trusted National Dairy Council and the NFL, working in conjunction with the USDA, this multi-faceted program covers all aspects of child nutrition and health. It has improved this year by adding a local, state and national student ambassador program.

Getting kids to eat healthy foods and exercise for the recommended 60 minutes every day has proven to be a tall task for many families. By adding support from well known and respected NFL players, it’s hoped that kids will establish life long healthy habits and stem the rise of childhood obesity. Parents and teachers who wonder how to get started with this task can find some great resources on the Fuel Up to Play 60 website, which features video clips, recipes, and exercise hints.

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It’s not just adults who are making efforts to be healthy in the new year. Schools and kids all across the country are also eating and moving their way to a healthier 2011.

The Fuel Up to Play 60 is a nationwide program that has been encouraging kids and classrooms to healthy up their lives through an interactive challenge and contest for the past two years. Now, Fuel Up to Play 60 just announced that it’s accepting applications for 2011.

For those of you who don’t know what the program is all about, Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program. Launched by National Dairy Council and the National Football League in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Multiple health and nutrition organizations and several major corporations are also supporting the program.
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My Colts may be out of the playoffs, but I will still be logging several hours in front of the television, watching other NFL athletes. (Go Bears!) The serious athletes who are finished for the season are probably already thinking about off-season workouts. Rest is important in growth (and to recover from injuries), but too much rest brings atrophy. A strong off season workout program can prepare a player to prevent unneeded stress and strain when other heavyweights are aiming to slam into you. The athleticism, strength, and endurance of professional football players is impressive to me, and I think we can learn from their training how to reach our own personal potential.

Dwight Freeney works out with tractor tires and chains. If you are living on a farm, you may be able to emulate his workout, although probably not his skill on the football field. Those of us in less rural areas may have difficulty finding the space to workout with tractor tires. Even those confined to a studio apartment have room to add chains to a home workout. While good resistance bands may be difficult to come by, especially in less urban areas, chains can be found easily in rural areas or any where with a Lowes, Home Depot, or Menards.

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! While you’ve probably already read about Diets in Review’s 3rd annual Blogs Against Breast Cancer campaign, we wanted to give you a few more fun products to sport and show your support for finding a cure for breast cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, and the number one cause of cancer death in Hispanic women. It is also the second most common cause of cancer death in white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native women. With an estimated 1 in 8 women in the United States at risk for developing invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime, it’s safe to say that most of us have had someone in our lives, our ourselves, affected by breast cancer.
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