Health

Dos And Don’ts of Eating Healthily At A BBQ

30th June 2017

By Harriet Mallinson | Published on June 30, 2017


Barbeques are a positive minefield when it comes to wanting to stay healthy. Sausages, bread rolls, your friend’s homemade brownies – they’re everywhere, begging you to break your diet and dig in.

To follow a clean eating diet, you need to avoid processed and fast foods and instead choose fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and fish – but it can be mighty hard when temptation calls.

Summer is a particularly tricky time to fight this as we attempt to balance having fun and going out with staying trim. With weekends filled with afternoon drinking sessions, BBQs and bottomless brunches it’s easy to end up eating too much processed food, sugar and booze.

Strength & Conditioning Coach, Sam Yassin, from transformational fitness plan, Back2Fitness has come up with some easy to follow dos and don’ts that make eating clean easy this BBQ season.

 

Rules to Remember

 

Dos

DO: Rethink every day staples. Ingredients such as carrots can take on a whole new flavor when grilled on a BBQ and a simple salad can be revamped with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.

DO: Ditch the beer. Most alcoholic drinks are high in empty calories and can often leave you feeling bloated. Switch to spirits such as vodka or gin and pair with slimline tonic for a refreshing summer tipple. Adding a wedge of lime or slice of cucumber will add a fresh vibe.

DO: Avoid processed meats. While sausages and burgers are BBQ staples, processed food is a big no-no when it comes to clean eating.

DO: Up your cruciferous veg intake. Perfect for side dishes, adding flavour or grilling on the BBQ, cruciferous veg such as kale, cabbage, broccoli, bok choy and radish, is high in fibre and vitamin C, making them a must-have addition to any clean eater’s diet.

 

Don’ts

DON’T: Load up on bread. Instead of carbs, let lean meat or fish and plenty of salad fill you up.

DON’T: Overdo the condiments and sides. When it comes to a BBQ it is often the side dishes and extras that really make it great. However, be aware that condiments and sides such as potato salad are often packed with hidden sugars and fat. If you must indulge, seek out low fat alternatives or make your own from fresh ingredients.

 

– READ MORE: 4 BBQ Foods You Probably Never Thought Of Trying –