Holidays come and go, but your healthy eating habits most certainly should not. No, I’m not saying you should pass up the all American blueberry pie or the creamy potato salad. But skimping down on your portion sizes of all your favorite July 4th dishes will prevent you from feeling the pains of overeating and drastically cut your caloric intake. There are always leftovers so you can be rest assured that you will get to enjoy these foods for a couple more days this week.
Portion Control: So many foods, so little stomach space! Serve yourself the smallest possible spoonful of each dish – a golf ball to a tennis ball size. It may sound small, but just wait until you have everything on that plate of yours.
Go Easy on the Starches: potato salads, baked beans, corn, bread and pasta salads. Along with desserts, an excess of these foods will cause your blood sugar to sky rocket.
Fill Up on Fiber: Eat more leafy salads and fresh fruits. The summer season brings delicious, juicy produce so don’t pass these up! Not only are these foods chock-full of nutrients, they will keep your waistline in check.
Move Around: Throw around a football or baseball. Play some beach volleyball. Or have a game of soccer. Have fun with some kind of activity to get that food digesting!
Choose a Healthier Hot Dog: Hot dogs are basically a hunk of sodium and several processed meats mashed together. A high consumption of these types of meats (sandwich meats, cold cuts, sausage, etc) is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and cancer. If you’re going to eat hot dogs, choose poultry dogs or – dare I say it – veggie dogs. Choose a whole wheat bun and stick to one dog. What’s healthier than a hot dog? A small (3 0z) grilled chicken breast. Whichever meat you do choose, try to make it a sustainably raised one.
Choose Your Alcohol Wisely: Many cocktails sweetened with juices and sugary mixes can add over 100 and up to 200 calories per drink. Most regular beers will have about 140 calories while light beers contain anywhere from 70-110 calories. White and red wines also contain 70-100 calories and champagne has around 80 calories per glass. Regardless of your choice, a moderate consumption (up to 1 drink a day for women, and 2 for men) of alcohol is healthier for the mind and body.
But most of all, have a wonderful time with friends and family today.
