Navigating the Memorial Day Cookout

Memorial Day weekend is here. Along with the countless family members and friends that you'll run into, you'll be faced with numerous opportunities to stray from your diet plan. The biggest obstacle? The Memorial Day cookout. The sun will be shining, the drinks will be flowing, and the food will be grilling. If you're not careful, you could easily ingest enough fat and calories for multiple days. However, it's still very possible to eat a decent meal at one of these functions. Use these tips as general guidelines and you'll be able to enjoy your BBQ without overdoing it.

Choose This..	Not This...
Hamburger w/ tomato, onions, and mustard (356 calories, 20 g fat, 23 g protein, 21 g carbs)	Cheeseburger w/ ketchup and Dijonnaise mustard (582 calories, 40 g fat, 29 g protein, 26 g carbs)
Potato Chips (1 oz) (150 calories, 10 g fat, 2 g protein, 15 g carbs)	Potato Salad (1/2 cup) (340 calories, 22 g fat, 4 g protein, 32 g carbs)
Fruit Salad (1 cup) (180 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g protein, 46 g carbs)	Ice Cream (1 cup) (320 calories, 16 g fat, 6 g protein, 40 g carbs)
Iced Tea, sugar-free (12 oz) (2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g protein, 0 g carbs)	Soda (12 oz) (145 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g protein, 41 g carbs)
Light Beer (12 oz) (110 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g protein, 7 g carbs)	Non-Light Beer (12 oz) (158 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g protein, 14 g carbs)

The Bigger Picture: This line of thinking can be applied to everyday life to help you make healthier selections at the restaurant, the grocery store, work parties, or anywhere else. When hunger strikes it can be hard to think with your mind instead of your stomach and make the right decision. Just be sure to remind yourself to slow down and take a sec before you eat. In the end, you'll be glad you did.