What does “Without padding one’s end zone” mean?

Question

In the following sentence of Eat, Drink and Be Healthy in New York Times (Feb.1) contributed by columnist Jennifer LaRue Huget, I found the following sentence:

You can work up Super Bowl Sunday without padding your own end zone.

I think the phrase is a pun associated with the football game. As a perfect illiterate on American sports (not only sports but everything), I'm not able to figure out what do something without padding one's end zone means. Can anybody explain it to me?

Like other food-centered celebrations, Super Bowl gatherings can be both fun and fraught with apprehension for those concerned about their waistlines. Nobody wants to sit on the sidelines, skipping the traditional snacks. But who wants to deal with postgame regrets? You can work football-fan food into your Super Bowl Sunday "without padding your own end zone." As your coach, I've scouted some game-day favorites:

Answer 1

Oishi-san, "your end zone" here refers to your average Super Bowl watcher's "end" area, which is to say your derriere, or your buttocks, or (in Japanese) o-shiri (お尻).

Snacking while watching the game is an American pastime, and as we all know, snacking puts on pounds. Often where you want them least. Like in your end zone.

Note: "End zone" is a pun, because the object of American football is to have one of your team carry the ball across the opponent's goal line into their end zone.

Answer 2

This article refes to how to avoid putting on weight specifically in the 'butt' area. Padding is one of those English words with several meanings, but all refer to putting something on, filling something in. And padding has the connotation of something soft, which people often become when they put on the pounds. With regard to weight, we sometimes say;

He's got some padding on him. (Or), She's well-padded.