A Cookout Doesn’t Have To Be A Calorie Blowout

The featured photo of the article.

The summer season is upon us and that means a summer full of cookouts celebrating everything from Memorial Day to Fourth of July, graduations, birthdays and family reunions. And, with all these cookouts come a lot of high-calorie and high-fat foods and drinks like chips, beer, soda and desserts.

As I find I’m still trying to shed both holiday and ‘owning my own business’ weight, my goal this summer is to try to demonstrate some discipline. Instead of grabbing soda, my plan is to ask for water or bring my own reusable vessel. Portion control is another obvious goal and as a guest I plan to bring my own low calorie/low fat recipe offering a healthy choice for myself as well as others.

Guiding Stars Expert Chef Erin Dow recently had a great blog post about Greek Yogurt. I have started using it in some of my own recipes lately and I find it to be a great alternative to higher fat ingredients like butter. For example, this summer I plan to try this low fat potato salad recipe:

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Fitness: Getting Back Into the Exercise Groove

I don’t know about you, but the holidays were killer for me in terms of my fitness level. I started out keeping with my regular exercise routine while having a cookie here and there. Gradually, the holiday treats took over and the refined sugars made me lethargic and not wanting to exercise. Now that the holiday and Super Bowl treats are gone, it is time for me to get back into the groove by exercising daily and eating right. It all seems so logical so why is it easier said than done?

Well, it could be because it is the dead of winter in New England and the sub-degree temperatures make me want to hide under my comforter. However, I have to remember the pros; being able to fit into my clothes and staying healthy for my little ones, my husband and most importantly myself.

I’ve always followed Lance Armstrong on Twitter where he tweets about his daily training and personal insights. Seeing his tweets pop up in my stream keeps me motivated. After all, here is a man who was at death’s door with cancer, and then went on to win seven Tour De Frances and run the New York City marathon. I think I should be able to ride my spin bike for at least an hour while watching a movie…

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