Zippy Mama at the State Fair

Today, my husband and I had a great time taking our two oldest children to the Ohio State Fair. While there are all kinds of games, rides and animals to enjoy at this event, unfortunately one of the biggest parts of going to the state fair is "fair food": funnel cakes, elephant ears, corn dogs, handcut potato chips, lemon shake-ups, and all manner of deep-fried junk food: oreos, candy bars, cheesecake - basically anything you can imagine.

How does a person maintain a healthy diet in the face of all this temptation? Must one abstain completely and avoid the state fair or similar events altogether? I don't think so. Here are a few helpful tips that will allow you to enjoy a fair, indulge a little and not fall completely off the wagon.

• Eat something before you go. This advice is an oldie but goodie. Just like you shouldn't grocery shop on an empty stomach, the same rule applies here. You will be much less likely to overeat if you are not starving while walking past the cream puffs and bratwurst.
• Pack some healthy snacks. If you are planning to be at the state fair for most of the day (more than a couple of hours), throw some munchies into your bag to ward off the worst of your hunger. A few carrot sticks or some nuts are easy to pack and may stop you from buying an extra bag of cotton candy.
• Decide before you go. I am not suggesting that you deny yourself completely from all fair goodies, but as in everything, moderation is key. Before you go to the fair, choose the one treat that you most enjoy to indulge in. That way, you can look forward to indulging in your favorite ice cream rather than grazing on whatever you happen to see or walk by.
• Share and limit portions. Another easy way to limit your consumption of high fat fair foods is to share your indulgence with a friend. You can also limit your portion size by not finishing the entire serving. Just because they give you three scoops when you order a single doesn't mean you have to eat them all.
  
• Forgive yourself and move on. If you do find that you have over-indulged in unhealthy goodies, don't beat yourself up. Acknowledge your bad choices, and resolve to do better in the future. Amp up your workouts, and keep aiming to make the most healthy choices that you can every day.

Mantra: I live my life with balance and moderation. I enjoy each and every day.

Today's workout
12 min. easy run warm-up
60 min. Total Conditioning group exercise class