Alright, let’s face it.
July 4th is this week, and chances are – you’re going to pig out. Now before you think this is a post about depriving yourself of delicious treats… Think again. Instead, we’re just going to help you get through the holidays CORE1 style 😉
It’s easy to get off track in summer. You might not have practice or camps to go to. Your training and fitness might be squarely in your hands.
That means it’s more important than ever to make good food and exercise choices. Unfortunately, summer is the WORST time for both! It’s so easy to just lay by the pool, soaking in the rays, eating hotdogs and burgers all day long, ice creams, etc.
Have fun this summer. Eat your fair share of junk food. But don’t forget your athletic goals. To help you make it through the season without getting too off track…
… Follow these tips to still enjoy delicious BBQ, desserts and more – but without totally killing your training.
1. Fill your plate up with protein and greens FIRST.
Try to take up as much space as you can with protein and veggies / salad. The more room you take up with healthy stuff, the less room you’ll have for the unhealthy stuff.
You can also do a “2-dish” dinner. For your first dish, eat a big plate of veggies and protein. Then, give yourself a bit of time to digest. Once you digest, put some of the delicious unhealthy stuff on a small plate.
With your appetite curbed, you’ll eat way less of the bad stuff.
2. Eat protein before anything else.
Protein, like meat, chicken, etc., is chewy. The texture forces you to chomp down on it a while before swallowing. Chewing activates hormones that trigger the “full” feeling you get. Protein also digests slowly.
So by eating your meat first, you’ll curb your fiery appetite – letting you be a lot more rational and level-headed about eating the unhealthy stuff.
3. Drink a ton of water before your meals.
Water takes up a lot of room in the ole stomach. If you have a few glasses before you start eating, you’ll have less room for junk.
4. Bring your own dish.
There’s a chance that no one in your family is going to bring a healthy dish to this year’s cookout. So bring your own.
Make an awesome grilled chicken salad with vinaigrette dressing. Bring lean ground beef and sweet potatoes. Just throw together something that’s super tasty, and super healthy.
Then, at dinner, fill your plate up mostly with what you brought. That way, you know you’re getting some decent nutrients with your meal.
5. DON’T starve yourself!
Maybe every year your grandma makes her world-famous casserole. And grandma wants you to be HUNGRY when you show up for dinner.
Well, you can still eat some of her amazing cooking, but DON’T show up starving!
Extreme hunger = the key to bad food choices.
Instead, eat regular meals throughout the day. Show up hungry, but not starving.
6. Pass on the sugary drinks
Sugar is a gateway food. It just leads to eating more sugar and unhealthy foods.
It spikes your blood sugar, giving you that “rush”. But when your blood sugar spikes, your body flips out and releases insulin to bring it back down. Unfortunately, your body over-compensates, and the sugar high quickly turns into a total energy drain. The “crash”.
So you crave more sugar to get the blood sugar back up. And the cycle repeats.
The #1 food that people consume lots of without even realizing it – that sends you into this vicious cycle – is drinks. Juices with added sugar. Sodas. Etc.
Try just sticking with water. If you have a sweet tooth, have all-natural juice with no added sugar. If you have a sugary drink, fill the glass with a LOT of ice. And afterward, drink water to help your body balance out.
Stick with these tips, and you should do just fine.
And if you lose control and pig out here and there – don’t go too hard on yourself 😉
Just come on by Core1. We’ll help you work it off 😉
Till next time!
Jim Wnek & The Core1 Crew