When most people try to lose weight, they watch one number: the scale. But not all weight loss is...
Weight Loss on the Barbie
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: May 23, 2012
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Winter seems to get all of the credit for our weight loss wallows, but summertime can be just as rough on the waist line. As the summer heat approaches, the air fills with the sweet scent of burgers on the grill and there you are, cooling off with yet another cup of that overly sweet lemonade. If you are not careful, it can be easy to lose sight of your weight loss goals amidst the barbeque buffet line. You can keep up the weight loss in Phoenix and Scottsdale by incorporating a few healthy changes into your barbeque plans.
Think of a barbeque like any other type of dinner party. When you go to someone’s home for dinner you don’t set up camp in the kitchen and munch on the leftovers all evening, so why do that at a barbeque? The outside environment can shake up your perception of a traditional meal as the line between snacking and feasting can often blur.
Step Away From the Food and Enjoy the Great Outdoors
You can still smell the woodchips and charcoal when you aren’t standing right next to the grill. So many of us associate the fine smell of an old-fashioned barbeque with great summer memories and easily become lost in a youthful splendor—one that often involves chips and dip on auto-repeat.
Before and after you eat, get out on the grass and play a bit. You don’t need to run in circles to burn calories—you can get the entire party involved in a game of football or soccer, or bust out the Frisbee for a quick came of catch. Even if you aren’t breaking a sweat you are still moving around, and the farther you are from the food table the less calories you are likely to consume.
When it does come times to eat, you can set yourself up for success ahead of time by bringing along a healthy dish that meets your weight loss guidelines. Skip the cobbler and offer a plate of fruit salad or baked vegetables. Healthy, light snacks like these are always delicious in the heat so don’t be surprised when other guests are filling up their plates with your healthy dish, too.
One of the hardest aspects of eating healthily at a barbeque is not overdoing it on the sides. Portion sizes are hard to measure as you are chatting with family members and trying not to hurt anyone’s feelings by accidently forgetting to taste a dish.
Keep these measuring tips in mind to keep your portion sizes under control:
- Clench your fist. The average woman’s fist is about the size of one cup of food. Your side dish consumption should fit into this serving size, so limit your potato salad, pasta salad and coleslaw to one cumulative fist-sized serving.
- Use your cell-phone. While the size of some smart phones are making an upwards trend, a lot of current phones are about the size of a deck of cards. This is a good visual source to measure out three ounces of meat. You can use this as you are picking out a piece of chicken, steak or fish.
- Give a thumbs-up. When you are adding salad dressing or condiments to your plate try to limit the portion to one tablespoon, which will take up about as much room as the size of your thumb from the tip to the first joint. If you find a low-fat salad dressing like oil & vinegar you can probably handle two thumbs, but don’t overdo it.
Getting through the summer with your weight loss goals intact is possible if you take the time to plan ahead of time and hold yourself accountable during all of your scrumptious summer get-togethers.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
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Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
