Healthy Summer Cookout Tips: Surviving The Summer BBQ

You’ve received an invitation for a holiday Cook-Out but you’re trying to eat better so you can lose a few pounds or at least keep your blood sugar levels in check and your cholesterol down. What do you do? Do you politely reply no and stay at home eating your garden salad? No! Stop and think of the primary reason for the invitation. A summer Cook-Out is an excuse for people to get together and socialize. Granted, there may be lots of “dead foods” available with no nutrients and foods with lots of fat: chips, soda, hamburgers, sausages, dips, cheese, ice cream, cake. But with a little forethought and planning, you can attend every Cook-Out you’re invited to and still manage to eat healthy and stay on track. That way you will have fulfilled the main goal of the event which was “socialization” without compromising your effort to eat healthy.

Here are a few tips to help you survive the summer season:

Be Honest With Yourself & Evaluate Your Level Of Commitment

How committed are you to improving your health over the long term? If you need to make changes what is your level of readiness to change. Decide where you are on a scale of 1 to 10. A 1 means: “I’m not ready and I have no desire to change” and a 10 means “I’m ready to change and I want to treat my body as if it’s the only one I have and I want to treat it right!” If you are between a 1 and a 5, read no further. Perhaps later your level of readiness will change. Then you can come back and read these tips. But if you are in the 6-10 range then read on. Hopefully these tips will help you move toward your goals.

Switch Your Focus

Remember, you are attending a social event to socialize, not to eat foods that you will use as an excuse for being unable to lose weight or lower your levels. Be successful at socializing and let the eating be a complement to your social activity.

Eat Before You Go

If you feel you have no will power and haven’t convinced yourself that eating healthy at a Cook-Out is possible, then eat before you go. Fill up on healthy fiber foods like a big salad or a Hi Protein Hi Fiber Shake before you leave the house. You’ll be full when you arrive and won’t be tempted to fall into the Queso Dip or Fried Buffalo wings.

Bring A Healthy Dish You Can Eat

Most get-togethers welcome dishes from the guests. Be the first to sign up and bring something you are able to eat so you’ll be sure to have something you can enjoy should the choices be limited.

Nurse Your Drink Of Choice

Try some of these for drink choices:

• Sparkling water
• Red Wine Cooler with 1/2 wine 1/2 sparkling water
• Water with lemon. This is great between drinks as well. It detoxifies the liver and helps curb the appetite.
• Avoid all sodas, regular or diet. These are phosphates that leach the calcium from your bones and soften them and your calcium as well as your bones are too precious to lose so easily. In addition, these sweet-tasting drinks trigger your hunger switch and keep you craving carbs that spike your blood glucose levels.

Graze From The veggie Tray

Most Cook-Outs have veggie trays so check that out and if there is hummus, bean dip or salsa, all the better! Indulge! Other munchies to look for are olives, artichokes, and nuts but limit these to no more then 10 or so. Nuts, especially almonds, in moderation, are great to curb the appetite.

Start With Salad

I’m not talking about the potato or macaroni salad but the green salad. Start there, heavy on the greens, and add other healthy items if available: 3 bean salad, garbanzo beans, seeds or nuts and top it off with a piece of fish or chicken from the grill. This, by itself will make a complete meal.

Move To The Less Offensive Food Choices

Great choices to look for from the grill are: seafood, fish, chicken, lean beef, pork, and grilled vegetables. That includes Corn on the Cob but limit corn to 1 ear and in season there really is no need for butter or salt.

Eat Fruit For Desert

A beautiful medley of berries is a great ending to a summer Cook-Out. This is also a great dish to contribute to the event. It’s easy to put together and can be eaten without added sugar. But if you want to add a little sweetness, try sprinkling cinnamon and drizzle with a little maple syrup. Top with walnuts and you have a healthy and delicious desert.

If berries aren’t your thing and you just can’t stay away from Aunt Millie’s carrot cake then share a piece or just eat a forkful. Many times just a taste is all you need to get your fix.

Take Part In Activities

Get up and move. If you are outside, go for a walk or a swim. Go paddle a canoe or a kayak. Play croquet or horseshoes. If there are children around, engage them in a game of toss. They will love you for it. On the day of the event, take the time to exercise before heading out. That will set your metabolism in motion and it will serve you better when you need it later on in the day.

Enjoy!

Summer is a wonderful time to meet new people and strengthen existing relationships and Cook-Outs can contribute positively to your lifestyle. Use them with that in mind and learn how to be pro-active in taking charge of your own health. The 2 are not mutually exclusive. With a little effort you can accomplish a lot. The question is, are you willing?