Ready to Lose Weight This Memorial Day?

Alex Brecher

Memorial Day traditionally includes parades and food. At your picnic, you may come face to face with thousands of calories. Tempting as they may be, you know they will destroy your diet if you give in. Your best bet to resist temptation while celebrating Memorial Day is to be prepared with your own great-tasting recipes that fit into your meal plan.

On the Grill

What do you think of when you think of a barbecue with hot dogs, ribs, sausage, and burgers? We think of calories, carbs, fat, and even nitrates in the processed meats. You can do better! For example, you can make Quick Chicken Kebabs wth peppers and mushrooms in minutes. Each recipe makes enough for 1 person, so just multiply the recipe by the number of people it needs to serve. Tender Flank Steak is an option for the health conscious beef lover.

You are in luck if you cannot imagine Memorial Day without fried chicken. Skip the traditional fare with its hundreds of calories along with trans fats and a serving of refined carbs from the breading. Instead, try your luck with Mock Fried Chicken with only 1 gram of carbs per serving.

Sides to Spur Weight Loss

Sides can sneakily turn a decent meal into a diet disaster. At a picnic, prepared salads such as egg salad, coleslaw, and overdressed salad can add up fast. Instead, try easy substitutes that are high-protein and low-calorie. Low-Fat Egg Salad and Sweet and Sour Slaw can be flavorful crowd-pleasers. For your light green salad, whip up some Tangy Tomato Salad dressing which has no guilt.

Wash It Down

Down a couple of cold beers, and you’re looking at hundreds of extra calories, loads of carbs, and a good chance of letting down your guard and eating way too much. What about soda? Not a great idea, unless you are looking for a sugar high followed by a crash and some more sugar cravings. Even diet soda can lead to more sugar cravings.

Instead, wow your friends and family with spectacular low-calorie, low-sugar refreshing beverages. Sip on a high-protein, low-carb Peachy Smoothie made with yogurt and fresh peaches, or make a Vanilla Lemonade. Any of our iced tea drinks can also do the trick.

Finish It Off

Ice cream bars and frosted cupcakes are going to set you back by hundreds of calories and enough sugar for a week. Look out, weight loss surgery patients, because these dangerous desserts can even cause dumping syndrome! That doesn’t mean you need to skip the sweet finish.

If you’re missing the cupcakes, just make your own high-protein, irresistible Peanut Butter frosted Cupcakes. Otherwise, orangey banana berry Frozen Fruit Dream might do the trick, since it’s cold, sweet, and nutritious. For a grown-up finish to your day, you can always opt for a Raspberry Slush spiked with just a tad of rum.

With a little planning on Memorial Day, this unofficial start to summer can mean a new start or rejuvenation of your weight loss program. Enjoy these ideas and remind yourself how good losing weight can taste!

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