It’s the week of 4th of July which means family, sun, lots of grilling & treats! I’m here to remind you it’s okay to indulge and NOT feel guilty. In fact, you shouldn’t feel guilty, ever! Eating intuitively is something I’m still learning but over the past year I’ve made a promise to myself to focus on being healthy and losing weight in a sustainable way without giving up foods that I throughly enjoy. Below is a quote that goes back a long time for me. To me, it’s not worth it to weigh 5% less if 95% of the time I have to miss out on these kinds of celebrations. Moments like a big family July 4th get together or birthdays, bridal parties, a co-workers promotion happy hours, etc… This may not resonate with you but it feels fitting to me so I figured why not include it. 
Here are my top 5 ways to enjoy all those delicious eats this 4th of July without guilt.
- Skip something you don’t enjoy as much & replace it with something you love
- We all have plates jam packed with food {burgers, chips, cookies, veggies & dip}. But how often do we put something on our plate because of convenience instead of actually listening to our body {we can ask ourselves: do we really want that?}. I’m challenging you to only put what you want on your plate. Sounds simple, right? IT IS! Here’s an example: If you’re having burgers – do you really want the bun? I personally don’t really LOVE burger buns but I eat them anyway. I do; however, love chips. Any kind of chip! So instead of having the bun + chips – maybe opt out of eating a bun in exchange for something you desire more {chips!!}. I usually take a hearty hand-full {or two} of chips when they’re out. Maybe you love burger buns and are meh about chips. – simple! Just skip the chips. Another idea is to forget about the burger and grab a grilled chicken breast! Chicken breasts are considered a lean protein which have many benefits. One benefit to grilled chicken is that it keeps that “full” feeling last resulting in feeling satisfied a little bit longer.
- Drink water & stay hydrated throughout the day
- Let me repeat, drink.your.water! As many of you know, I’m a big advocate of staying hydrated throughout the day, regardless if it’s a Holiday and the 4th is no exception. It’s usually hot, beverages are flowing and there is so.much.food! In my book, many great memories happen around the dinner table {or grill in this case} and during Holidays! That doesn’t mean everything you know goes out the window and you resume a “last supper” mentality. Try as best you can to continue your daily habits {which I hope includes 80oz of water per day}. <3
- Eat your vegetables
- If your family is anything like my family there is usually a veggie dip around. Normally it’s a homemade spinach dip {my MIL makes which tastes oh so yummy}, or a dill dip….but without a doubt there will be a veggie dip. Do yourself a favor and before you dive in and put 1/4 cup of dip on your plate – just eat a few veggies without the dip. By no means am I saying to forego the dip but if you’re going to eat a handful of carrots, celery, broccoli and cucumbers maybe just eat a few of those without the dip! Your body will thank you for the nourishment!
- Balanced boozin
- I share this NOT to make anyone feel as though they should count calories or carbs {BUT} that doesn’t mean we should live life in complete oblivion. IMO, it’s helpful to know calories and carbs {or fats, proteins, sugars} in what you eat and drink for many reasons. The reason I find it helpful is so I can make a wiser choice, usually resulting in a this or that mentality. Many of us tend to overindulge in carbs {myself included} so that’s why I’m using them in my example. {Please note: these are approximate calories and carbs}
I’m going to use the bun example here as well! For simplicity reasons we will say the bun has 25g of carbs. That is ABOUT 2 beers from my chart above or 5 glasses of prosecco. I’m not saying guzzle down 5 glasses of prosecco & then some. I’m saying, having the knowledge on each food you put in your body will help you eat {or drink} intuitively – so you can enjoy what you really want while staying mindful.
- I share this NOT to make anyone feel as though they should count calories or carbs {BUT} that doesn’t mean we should live life in complete oblivion. IMO, it’s helpful to know calories and carbs {or fats, proteins, sugars} in what you eat and drink for many reasons. The reason I find it helpful is so I can make a wiser choice, usually resulting in a this or that mentality. Many of us tend to overindulge in carbs {myself included} so that’s why I’m using them in my example. {Please note: these are approximate calories and carbs}
- RELAX
- It’s family time & it’s summer. You don’t have to be perfect, I certainly am not. I try to make choice each day that serve my body. Some days I succeed with flying colors and other days I’m knee deep in a sour patch kid bag {balance, right?}. You will remember the laughter and joy the day brings 6 months from now. You will have forgotten about those extra servings of chips {or treats}. So if any of my tips stick with you, I hope it’s this one. One day isn’t going to make or break you & remember – life isn’t worth missing out on just to weigh 5% less.
Wishing you all a happy & safe 4th!
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