Study says Mariners fans eat healthier the day after a win
Oct 7, 2022, 6:05 AM | Updated: Oct 10, 2024, 1:28 pm
(call me hangry/Unsplash)
(call me hangry/Unsplash)
Everyone who’s ever invited a pint of ice cream into bed after a stressful work day or breakup knows the ins and outs of emotional eating. But a study done at a French business school looked specifically at American football fans’ emotional eating habits.
If their team won, the average sports fan actually ate healthier than normal the day after the win, decreasing their caloric intake by 5 to 10 percent. But if their team lost, the average die-hard fan eats 16% more fat and 10% more calories the day after the loss.
“I never considered myself an emotional person,” said Spokane paramedic Nick Kobylensky. “Then you asked a question [on Facebook] about how sports affects that, and I had to sit there and think about it. I really would change the way I ate. When the Mariners were doing well, I was happier so I was actually paying attention to what I was eating. I’ll even anticipate, ahead of the game, and get stuff ready so I can eat healthier while I’m listening or watching the game. But there were lots of times when I was so frustrated by the way things were going, that I was like, ‘Forget it! I don’t care. I’m just going to eat, I can’t deal with it.’ ”
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Kobylensky grew up in Seattle.
“I’ve been a Mariners fan my entire life,” said Kobylensky. “The Mariners are a part of my identity.”
A few years ago, Kobylensky realized he’d gained a lot of weight, and through discipline and a program where he learned healthy habits, he lost 100 pounds. For the first time, he became aware of how a Mariners game affected the way he ate.
“Buffalo wings were a big one,” Kobylensky said. “Alcohol for sure, pizza and salty snacks. Once I realized how emotionally I was eating, it’s easier to say, ‘Okay, I know it’s frustrating, but I can stick with the plan.”
If the Mariners don’t win this weekend’s playoff games, it won’t be good for fans’ waistlines, but oh-so-good for local pizza business.
Listen to Rachel Belle’s James Beard Award nominated podcast, “Your Last Meal.” Follow @yourlastmealpodcast on Instagram!
