Here are 10 tips to keep in mind to make for healthy Stampede!
10. You’re not a chuckwagon horse so there’s no need to eat like one. Try to be mindful of your portions, especially when there’s an abundance of free food at pancake breakfasts and BBQs. Choose foods that are unique to Stampede. Why binge on things you can get any other time? Make those calories count!
9. The next on our list might actually turn your stomach, but we can’t ignore the fact that Stampede is the unofficial season of sexually transmitted infections. Getting whisked away by a cowboy or cowgirl can be fun, but to ensure this, safe sex is a must. Calgary Coalition on HIV/AIDS (CCHA) & the Calgary Sexual Health Centre will be handing out “love kits”. Click on, “Condom on Your Cowboy” campaign for more information.
8. If you’re planning a night out (and inevitably there will be many of these during Stampede), leave the car keys at home. Take a cab or the LRT instead. You could designate a driver, but who really wants to be DD during Stampede anyways? It’s better to play it safe and plan another way home.
7. Schedule down-time. Just because the Stampede goes for 10 days straight doesn’t mean you have to participate in every minute of it. You will be more likely to enjoy yourself if you pick and choose the events you really want to go to, rather than trying to fit in absolutely everything.
6. Slap on the sunscreen. Black asphalt and blaring UV rays are a recipe for redness, and later skin cancer. It may be Stampede but you don’t need a farmer’s tan in order to fit in with the festivities.
5. Don’t forget to stay active. Sure you can stop in at the gym before work, but there are other options too. How about some line dancing or two-stepping? Put your cowboy boots on and have some fun!
4. Woo! Take it easy there cowboy! Alternate alcoholic beverages with pop, or better yet, water. That way you can keep the festivities going late into the night. Alcohol changes our brain’s chemistry so at first it may feel positive, but the more drinks you have, the more potential there is for negative effects.
3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! There is not a lot of shade at the Stampede Grounds so pack some water bottles to help you quench your thirst. The last thing you want is to dehydrate yourself and not be able to enjoy all that the Stampede has to offer.
2. Chat with as many new people as possible at Stampede events. Not only is it a great networking opportunity, it limits the possibility of over-eating. After all, it’s hard to shove another one of those pulled pork sliders in your mouth when you’re chatting it up with someone!
1. Have fun! Stampede only comes along once a year so it’s ok to enjoy yourself. Just because you have a few too many mini donuts at the grounds doesn’t mean you’ve fallen off the bandwagon. Remember, everything in moderation, even moderation sometimes! Stay safe and enjoy the spirit of the city!
