5 Diet Tips for Summer Barbeques

   When I think of summer I think of family Barbeques- great for spending time with the family, but not great for my thighs. When I go to one of these family functions I always use these 5 tips. They are perfect for staying on or getting on track with a healthy diet.

1) Bring your own salmon to the party. It only takes minutes to grill and taste great. Fish contain Omega-3s which, unlike red meat (burgers), do not convert to fat. Don’t like fish? Grilled chicken is delicious and is a healthy alternative to red meat.

2) The thing that always breaks me at barbeques is the abundance of junk food surrounding me. Something you can do to prevent snaking on unhealthy foods is bringing your own healthy snacks. Instead of calling the host and asking what you can bring call and tell them that you will be bringing a vegetable medley or a fruit salad.

3) Drinking alcohol is a huge part of gaining weight, especially in the summer. Light beer contains 100+ calories per 12 ounces, one cup of champagne contains 200 calories, wine is 100+ calories per cup, and 80 proof distilled spirits contain 96+ calories per 1.5 oz. Instead of taking in all of these empty calories try drinking club soda or seltzer (0 calories) with lemon/lime. Also, remember that water is always the best option.

4) Moderation. I know you have heard it a million times before, but moderation really is key. The secret to being healthy and trim is following the food pyramid- it even allots some space for eating poorly (the very top). I know that it is nearly impossible to follow the serving guidelines all of the time, so the next best thing you can do is cut what you would have eaten in half. Serve yourself half of what you would have eaten or literally cut it in half and save the other half for different meal (or you could even put it back).

5) A great thing that you can do to curb your appetite at a summer party is by eating small low calorie/fat foods before you go. This will keep you from snacking on unhealthy foods before your entrée is served.

Family BBQ

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