Summer is here. The grills are fired, the beer chilled, and the snacks are flying. How can you keep yourself balanced during your summer parties and feel satiated without overindulging?
Summer BBQs and potlucks are a great time to be with friends, family and to enjoy the glorious outdoors. It is also a time where people feel challenged about how to eat in balance when faced with so many tempting options. Discover these 5 tips to create balance in your summer so that you can enjoy social gatherings without overindulging.
1. Become the Veggie Queen/King
When attending a BBQ or potluck, always opt to bring a healthy dish. This doesn’t mean boring or plain tasting, it just means something nutritious that didn’t come pre-packaged. For instance, a crunchy cabbage salad, fruit salad or any of these healthy recipes. This way you always have a healthy and yummy option to enjoy and share with others. Help spread the goodness of vegetables!
2. On your plate before in your mouth
Ditch the mindless, pre-meal chip-snacking. Wait until you can grab a plate and see exactly what you are enjoying. Heighten your level of consciousness and notice the choices you are making. This doesn’t mean chips and dessert can’t be on your plate, it just means you can place your food on your plate before you place it in your mouth. Notice how you eat less and feel more satisfied because you are actually paying attention to what you consume.
3. Fill your plate once
Create a balanced plate the first time around filled with protein, veggies and healthy carbohydrates. If you go back for seconds, make it a round of veggies to fill you up with more nutrient-rich foods rather than empty, processed foods.
4. Hydrate with lemon.
Make sure you are drinking lots of water to combat any salty foods that are enticing the snack attacks. Lemon not only has Vitamin C, but it helps to balance your body’s pH while keeping your taste buds occupied and happy.
5. Skip eating dessert if you are drinking it.
Sugary alcoholic beverages can spike your blood sugar and throw you off balance. If you choose to enjoy a mixed drink, think about passing on the ice cream. Your body doesn’t need to overload on both fronts, yet you don’t want to feel the tension of restricting yourself. Choose which one you want to appreciate, and then savor each bite/sip.