Blog Post: 8 Healthy BBQ Tips to Stay on Track

During the summer barbecues are a part of the American culture, especially during Holiday weekends such as Labor Day! Unfortunately, what comes along with these barbecues is a lot of bad eating and heavy drinking. Here are 8 healthy tips to keep you on track to a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Tip #1:
Workout on the day of your barbecues. Try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio in before the event. This will boost your metabolism for the day and burn some extra calories.

Healthy Tip #2:
Avoid eating meat. I know this one will be hard for most but by avoiding meat you will decrease your unhealthy fat in take by a LOT. Great substitutes are portobello mushrooms in your burger instead of a beef patty or use a garden veggie patty (look at the ingredients on these).

Healthy Tip #3:
Use whole wheat buns and load your mushroom burger with veggies such as tomatoes, lettuce and any veggie you like.

Healthy Tip #4:
Avoid using a ton of condiments.

Healthy Tip #5:
Skip the heavy sides. By heavy, I mean the potato, macaroni salads, baked beans, guacamole and sour cream. Instead fill your plate with fruits, veggies and green salad. Use salsa instead of guacamole.

Healthy Tip #6:
For snacking foods, instead of regular chips, get baked chips or pita chips. An even better choice is trail mix and nuts.

Healthy Tip #7:
Try to avoid dessert altogether if you can; however, I know this can be hard after all it is a party! So if you are feeling you need a little treat, keep it small don't over do it; moderation is the key. If you plan ahead, make or buy a healthy dessert option. You can also opt for a nice fruit dessert, this would be your best option.

Healthy Tip #8:
Obviously the healthy option is to not drink alcohol at all, but again this is a party and we need to be realistic. Stick to low sugar drinks and low calorie light beers. Drink plenty of water before, during and after the party. This will help with your hang overs as well as keep your system hydrated and able to flush out toxins.

We hope everyone enjoys their Holiday weekend, stay safe and be healthy!

Jessica Unbewust
co-owner
ferrum fitness