It’s summer and many of you will be barbecuing, drinking beers and partying. But when it comes to snacks during these summer events, the usual foods are not the healthiest. The last thing you want to do is lose the summer bod you’ve worked so hard for just because party snacks usually consist of potato chips, dip, cookies, etc. So instead of snacking throughout the day on a bag of chips or taking part in the hot dog eating contest (no one needs all those nitrates, trust me), here’s a few tips to keep your waistline slim.
1) Moderation is key. To say that you cannot have anything bad during these celebrations is unlikely. The whole “quitting cold turkey” only works for some people. Instead of a plate full of chips, a burger and a few brownies, trade out some of that and lessen your quantities. So only one handful of chips, half a burger and one brownie.
2) Bring substitutes: though it takes a little bit of prep work, it is entirely worth it. Pack something easy, like a banana and an apple. Or if you have a salad recipe that you enjoy, taking a tupperware of that is an easy fix instead of gorging on things you know you’ll regret later. The in between of these two is stopping by a Trader Joe’s, Sprouts or Whole Foods and get little travel packs of food they have. It can range from a bag of dark chocolate covered cranberries to pre-packaged edamame.
3) Lastly, (and this is a big one during the holidays) – Don’t overload on your alcohol consumption. You’d be surprised how many calories are in the sugary drinks we love. So as to not be boring and cut alcohol completely (which we understand is difficult), we like to do “this, not that.” Essentially, instead of having a mai tai, which is full of sugar and calories, drink a gin and tonic with a squirt of lime for added flavor. Unfortunately, we’re aware that the less sugary drinks are not quite as tasty, but when you wake up the next morning you’ll thank us. Sugary drinks have a habit of resulting in particularly painful hangovers.
Next time you know you’re going to be attending a party, try your best to plan ahead and create a little snack to take with you, or if there’s no time, simply make better and more portion-controlled choices. Cheers to a happy, fun and fit summer!