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5 Essential Tips for Eating Healthy at Summer Barbecues

It's barbecue season and Americans will once again face the temptations of the backyard grill. This is where we can all pack on the pounds if we aren’t careful.  Mayonnaise-laden salads, fat-filled hot dogs, and calorie-packed drinks can destroy your diet in minutes flat!  But, thankfully, help is here!  Stacy Adams, an experienced and certified nutritionist with Fitness Together in the Washington DC area, offers her top tips for healthy eating at summer barbecues.

Strategy #1: If you’re going to drink, choose light beer. This cuts your calories in half! And no, it doesn’t mean you can have more than usual!

Strategy #2:  Stay away from processed foods. Yes, that means chicken over hot dogs. And if you go back for seconds, choose protein (meats) over a plate of fattening potato salad slathered in mayo. 

Strategy #3: Instead of ice cream, cakes and pies, choose fruit. What’s to lose? The sun is still shining, you’re hanging out with friends, and life is good. No whining allowed!

Strategy #4: Stand, don’t sit- even when you’re eating! Sitting down to eat will encourage you to heap a plate with food. Standing keeps portions smaller and manageable.

Strategy #5: Never go to a party hungry or thirsty. Eat an apple on the way there and drink a bottle of water. You’ll be amazed at how you can focus on friends, conversation, and a good time, rather than on the food.

The leader in personal training, Fitness Together is a national franchise founded in 1996 that now has 500 locations worldwide. Fitness Together is different from all other gyms by offering one-on-one personal fitness training. Whether you are looking to lose weight, tone and tighten muscles or simply work toward better health, Fitness Together pairs you with a personal trainer in a private setting equipped with a workout plan tailored just for you. In addition to your personal fitness training regimen, Fitness Together offers nutritional guidance and a cardiovascular routine to help you attain your wellness goals. For more information, visit www.FTCustomFitness.com.