Summer Eating the Smart Way

Holistic pharmacist says it is possible to enjoy your favorite summer goodies without the weight gain or guilt.

Outdoor eating is one of the summer's greatest experiences. Delicious burgers, hot dogs, grilled steaks, potato salad, baked beans, homemade ice cream - it's all enough to make you want to over-indulge then relax on a hammock and soak up the sunshine. But who wants to deal with the bloat and weight gain that will surely follow? Suddenly summer may seem like a mine field of guilty pleasures.

"Relax!" says Holistic Pharmacist and Author Sherry Torkos. "There are smart ways to enjoy the temptations of the season. With a little planning, you can avoid adding on the pounds without having to deny yourself."

Torkos' tips for smart summer eating include:

• Enjoy a wide variety of different foods, including those you may only be able to get during the summer, but be aware of portion size. "Overeating and consuming more than your body needs can lead to weight gain. Take very small portions of high-fat, processed or sugary foods, and fill your plate with complex carbohydrates, whole grains, fresh fruits or vegetables. Then walk away from the grill and find another distraction before you're tempted to go back for seconds."
• Take advantage of the season's fresh fruits. "Peaches, plums, berries, grapes and pears are a great way to satisfy a sweet craving, plus fruits are low in the glycemic index making them better choices for hunger control and weight management."
• Use smart dietary supplementation to help maintain your ideal weight. "When you know you're going to want to indulge in that yummy macaroni salad or your favorite baked beans, consider taking a supplement that contains Phase 2, a kidney bean extract that can help reduce the digestion of starches and assist in weight control. There's also some research that shows the ingredients in green tea may help promote weight loss by burning more calories and curbing appetite."
• Alternate your alcohol consumption with a refreshing non-alcoholic alternative such as Gatorade or water to prevent dehydration. "Alcohol is loaded with empty calories, so limit your intake to no more than two glasses per day (wine is best because of the antioxidants and lower calorie count)."

Summer may be filled with foods you can't live without, but Torkos also recommends that you pick one or two and find more healthy alternatives. "Cutting some of the simple sugars and processed foods from your diet is probably one of the easiest changes you can make in the summertime because there is such an abundance of fresh produce."

By following these simple steps, and making some common sense choices, Torkos says that you can indulge in your favorite summer fare without adding extra inches to your waistline. With a summer eating game plan, this may even be the year that you enjoy every picnic and barbeque, and be a few pounds lighter by the time fall arrives.

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