July 4th is obviously a time of fun—getting together with friends and family, grilling out, celebrating our freedom! Fun is still possible without sacrificing your waistline and health! Here are some tips to help you succeed:
- Hang out away from the food. Women are notorious for chatting in the kitchen even when all the cooking is done. Grab your drink and cruise to a different area to talk. You’ll be amazed at how many unneeded calories you will forfeit.
- Beware of HFCS! Most bbq sauces and hotdog or hamburger buns found in your everyday grocer will contain high fructose corn syrup, which is a well-known ingredient for being the culprit of many diseases. Instead READ THE LABEL before you buy. Make sure you can easily read the ingredients on the back of the package. That way you know you’re ingesting real food and not something your body can’t even digest.
- Drink wisely. Fun drinks are part of the action at any party and can be healthy too! Try La Croix or Dasani Sparkling Water. (La Croix Coconut with Fresh Lime is one of our favorites.) These drinks are calorie free and fill the void nicely when trying to substitute a soda drink.
- Time your alcohol intake perfectly. Once alcohol hits your body’s system, it turns away from burning calories from food and focuses directly on burning the alcohol. Basically, the alcohol takes center stage and the food is ignored. That leaves you with a lot of unused calories—not good! My recommendation is to eat your meal and wait 20 to 30 minutes before getting that glass of wine or beer. That way your body will have had time to digest your food for a while without being interrupted.
- Strategize with veggies. When picking up your plate, first, fill it halfway with veggies (salad, grilled vegetables, items from a veggie tray, etc.). Secondly, head on over to the protein. That way you’re putting your priorities first and will have better portion control when making your way on down the line near the other “carbs”.
- Stand, stroll or dance. Sitting is the new smoking, right? So, get off that sofa and take a stroll with your friend while you chat. Also, have some music playing in the background instead of having the television on. This simple adjustment caters more to a standing environment than sitting and will have you burning more calories as the night goes on!
- Check Pinterest! Pinterest has some great healthy menu items for July 4th—especially some creative desserts. You can find some posted on our Body Basics Pinterest page as well. Check it out!
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! ENJOY YOUR TIME!