Tricks to Staying Healthy at Your Next Summer BBQ
By Debrah Pierce
Fab Fit – It’s a lifestyle!
With summer upon us, what better excuse to dust off the barbeque and enjoy some time outside in the fresh air with family and friends. If your first thoughts are high-calorie, high-fat sausages, burgers and high-sugar margaritas, don’t fret! There are some tricks to enjoy the summer barbeque season without sabotaging your diet and health goals.
No, you don’t have to be the “weird one” refusing to eat or “on a diet”. The way you eat doesn’t have to be a big deal for you or anyone else at the party. At the same time, you certainly don’t have to eat junk in order to fit in with everyone else.The key is having options available for you and for all that want to partake, and just having a good time.
Here are some simple items you can take when invited or hosting your next barbeque:
For starters, make sure you take veggies for either an appetizer or for the grill. I love taking snap peas, peppers and celery to dip in hummus. You get that chip and dip crunch without all the fat and calories. As for the main meal, perhaps some veggies like zucchini, asparagus, or a mix of veggies, fruit and lean meats for a healthy kabob. I love grilling zucchini, pineapple, peppers and chicken. Another option is to take a large healthy salad. You can enjoy your salad with whatever meat the host is grilling. Even a burger…no bun or course!
With the main dishes handled, let’s move onto dessert. I’m sure there will be plenty of cupcakes, pie and tons of cookies. If you can resist your sweets craving, than by all means do so. But you can still stay healthy while having dessert. Try sticking with fresh fruit if that is an option. I love to take a melody of berries and light whipped cream. Place the mixed fruit in a cup with a splash of light whipped cream on top as a guilt-free treat that takes care of that sweet tooth.
No barbeque is complete without and nice cold drink. Stay away from high sugar/high calories sodas and opt for some flavored water. I love mixing sliced cucumbers with mint leaves to my water as well raspberries and lemon for a sweeter taste. You can make infused water the night before in a large pitcher and take for all to enjoy! How about a cocktail? Most people tend to drink a lot of their calories and don’t even realize it. So here are some traditional barbeque cocktailsthat should be avoided, and some alternatives to enjoy in order to keep you on track:
HIGH CALORIE COCKTAILS:
10 oz. Margarita – 550 Calories
9 oz. Mai Tai – 620 Calories
12 oz. Piña Colada – 586 Calories
6 oz. Mud Slide – 556
10 oz. Long Island Ice Tea – 543 Calories
LIGHTER COCKTAIL OPTIONS:
6 oz. Vodka and Soda – 65 Calories (1 oz. Vodka, 5 oz. Soda Water)
7.5 oz. Gin & Diet Tonic – 115 Calories (1.5 oz. Gin, 6 oz. Diet Tonic)
12 oz. Michelob Ultra Light Beer – 95 Calories
4 oz. Cabernet Sauvignon – 90 Calories
4 oz. Chardonnay – 90 Calories
4 oz. Dry Champagne – 105 Calories
You worked hard all winter to be ready for pool season! Practice awareness and use these simple tricks to keep your waistline and health on track. Let’s keep those summer bodies all summer long! Enjoy!
