It houses circus freaks, temptation and the Fayette County Fair

Tonight marks the start of the Fayette County Fair. Of course, I always end up singing the Clarks and I can't get the lyrics from Cigarette out of my head. (The song is on itunes and amazon if you need a reminder)  While totally not the intention of the song, just the proximity of temptation and Fayette County Fair made me  think about all of the food temptations and what I could write about when I remembered a fun article that I wrote for the Herald Standard newspaper a few years ago.  I decided to post it. I'll share more thoughts on eating at the fair throughout the week.

It’s time for funnel cakes, fried dough, fried vegetables, candied apples, huge lemonades hot sausages, and everything on a stick! The Fayette County Fair offers many tempting treats for fairgoers.  These tempting treats, however, can quickly sabotage anyone’s efforts to eat healthy or keep off extra pounds. If you are at the fair, it is okay to indulge on one of these treats or maybe even two. Just don’t overdo it.  Believe it or not, there are ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle and still enjoy what the fair has to offer.

While many foods at the fair are high in fat and calories, the good news is that you can burn off the calories by walking through the fairgrounds.  Even a slow stroll through the exhibits for an hour can burn around 260 calories or enough to burn off a candied apple.  For those of you that are ambitious, walk through the fair grounds for 3 hours without stopping. You will burn off the calories in the irresistible funnel cake. Remember, those three hours will only burn off the calories from the funnel cake, not the drinks and other foods too. Another way to burn off some of the calories you consume at the fair is attending one of the shows in the indoor area or fiddler’s building. Don’t sit in your seat. Instead, dance for an hour to burn another 300 calories or more.

Another option might be to share your favorite treats with a friends and family. Sharing is a great way to limit portion sizes and help cut back on fat, calories and added sugars. If you want to try to find a healthy option at the fair, it is possible. Be sure to visit the churches and services clubs when making your food choices. Some of these popular fair vendors offer fruit cups, vegetables, and even sugar free desserts. Be on the look out for added fats, however. While some vegetables may be healthy, when they are fried, they are also high in fat an calories. Also be sure to drink water. It can be hot at the fair and the sodas and lemonades can add sugar and calories quickly.

If you forgo eating healthy or trying to burn calories at the fair, there are other ways to learn about living a healthy lifestyle throughout the fairgrounds. Look for exhibits on diabetes.  Have your blood pressure checked. There are even healthy cooking demonstrations almost everyday at the fair in the 4-H youth building that include family and kid friendly recipes. Other features in the youth building include health demonstrations that range from ethnic dances to ATV safety.  You can even learn gardening tips for growing fresh vegetables and bring the fair’s agricultural message to your own backyard. While you may not be healthy at the fair, you can learn tips that you can use to keep you healthy until next year.