Image reprinted with permission from TheScrumptiousPumpkin.com and www.healthyaperture.com.
Our clients always ask us what to do at the backyard and holiday BBQs to enjoy the delicious food but to avoid feeling regretful and bloated afterwards. And who can blame them? No one wants to feel remorseful with a tight pants after innocently enjoying a barbeque with friends or family.
Fantastic news, you don’t have to!
Use our secrets to The Skinny (and Delicious) Barbeque:
Psst… looking for a few great drinks to save calories and flush bloat? Please feel free to search this site! And here are a couple to try:
Cucumber Blueberry Water Flush
Lemon Ginger Detox drink
Vitamin C Infused “Detox” Water
Pineapple Lemon-Ginger “Detox” Drink
1. The Secret To The Skinny Barbeque doesn’t just start at the barbeque, it starts the day of the BBQ at breakfast. Be sure to have a healthy, high fiber and protein combination.
This will help you to give you the energy that you deserve to start your day and it will fill you up and prevent you from arriving at the BBQ feeling ravenous, so you’ll be able to be more rationale.
- We go for either oatmeal and scrambled eggs (skip the butter or oil on the eggs or in the pan. It will add loads of calories that you’d appreciate more at the BBQ!)
- or nonfat Greek yogurt with berries (make into a parfait) and sprinkle with raw oats
- Or a serving of this Blueberry Banana Smoothie with a hard-boiled egg.
2. Arrive at the BBQ with a gift of vegetable crudite for your host. Your host love you for it–AND it will play a big role in your Skinny Barbeque.
You can fill your plate with lots of the low calorie veggies and you’ll have less room for high-calorie food. You’ll fill up with nutrients but hardly any calories!
So be sure to include plenty of your favorite veggies on the platter.
- We bring trays of our favorites cut up into strips: red and green bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, celery, broccoli florets, cauliflower, mushrooms, snow peas, string beans, cherry tomatoes, bok choy, radishes, red cabbage, yellow squash, jicama and fennel, just to name a few. 🙂
- When everyone else is snacking just to eat, or because the food is in front of them, you can snack on the veggies.
- Use salsa or a nonfat yogurt based dip if you want to keep the calories low. No creamy dressings or dips–this will defeat the purpose of the veggies by adding TONS of calories.
3. After you’ve filled up on your veggies, you won’t feel as hungry and be as tempted by all of the other party foods. You’ll feel rational and be able to try this:
- At the meal: fill half your plate with veggies (yes, more veggies, again!)
Now you’ll have the remaining half of the plate for your BBQ favorites.
- Choose your favorite protein item at the grill–chicken breast, shrimp, salmon or tuna (or other fish) or veggie burgers are your best options. If you want a burger, try to make it plain (no cheese, which is loaded with calories) and top it with ketchup or mustard rather than mayo.
- Now you have 1/4 of our plate for your other BBQ favorite, choose that, have ONE helping and ENJOY!
REMEMBER, one of the most delicious and waist-line friendly desserts at the BBQ is grilled fruit. The grilling caramelizes the natural sugars and makes them sweeter, mmm. Happy Grilling–go get ‘er! 😉
What is your Secret To Skinny at the Barbeque? Do you have any favorite splurges at the BBQ?
(Pssst… looking for more healthy recipes? Please feel free to search our site! And here are a few to try: