I was sitting here thinking about how excited I was to have a day off on Memorial Day and immediately started thinking about cooking out on the grill and how summer is nearly on us. If you are like myself and most other “good ol” boys grilling out is like a religion. Just because someone calls it a Barbeque doesn’t mean you have to be eating a”rack of ribs”, there are ways to keep your health goals on track, no matter if its Summer time or not.

Summer time is when we all wear a little less clothes and tend to have more barbeques, which is not a very good combination. Weight gain is creeping just around the corner just waiting for the chance to make those jeans a little tighter and those swim suits slightly uncomfortable. I wanted to give ya’ll some advice that I think will help not only this Memorial Day weekend but throughout the entire summer.

What to eat and not eat to hold that Barbeque Weight Gain at bay:

  • Start with a salad and that does not mean potato salad either. At every barbeque someone brings a salad so load up on this and “just say no” to the dressings. Ranch is a place where cowboys live… Not something you should cover your salad in.
  • Don’t snack on the big bowl items, avoid the open containers of chips and dips because they are nothing but dead calories and you probably do it out of habit more than anything.
  • Eat plenty of vegetables like corn on the cob, another “good ol” boy tradition at barbeques.
  • If there aren’t any good healthy meat options, try eating a hamburger without the bun.
  • When it comes to desert try bringing a watermelon or fruit bowl to share. Avoid the pies and cakes at all costs.
  • When you are consuming an adult beverage, I believe the key here is to “limit the damage“. Set yourself a one or two drink maximum and stick to your guns. None of those fruity drinks with umbrellas either. Try a glass of white wine or a beer. A little word to the wise: If it comes with ice, you might want to avoid it and avoid the weight gain that accompanies those icy cold drinks. Ice = Calories

I love a good old fashioned barbeque as much as the next person, but if you want to avoid the summer weight gain, that is so common, try out a few of these tips this weekend and for all those barbeque or pool parties you attend. Come fall you are either going to have the “pain of discipline or the pain of regret“. The difference is (as stated by the late Jim Rohn) the pain of discipline weighs ounces while the pain of regret weighs tons.

Enjoy some relaxation with friends and family, but don’t blow all your hard work and de-rail your progress towards a healthy lifestyle. It just isn’t worth it in the end.

Have a plan and then implement that plan, friends are the worst about tempting you to “have fun” with them but stick to your plan and you will be the healthier happier person.

Everyone be safe and enjoy the holiday.

 

Your Coach

Jeremy

 

P.S.

Don’t forget there are no classes (Kettlebell, Boot Camp or Fit Camps) on Memorial Day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do some active stuff at home. Go for a bike ride, walk around the neighborhood anything to keep yourself moving.

 

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