picnic possibilities

Summer time is HERE!! YESSSSS!!! And with summer comes a lot of opportunities for picnics and cookouts :) so I thought I'd share some of my strategies of how to choose healthier foods to serve or eat while having a good time. 

First, you never go to a picnic or cookout without taking something to contribute and you can definitely control what food you take. Pick a dish with LOTS of fresh fruits and/or vegetables! Nutritional value of the food you take should be EXCELLENT! 

From there, you're looking at picking the healthiest options from what everyone else brings. The trouble many people face when they're loading up their plate it that they just can't decide on what food to eat because they want it all. Before you start loading your plate, take a look at ALL the food that's offered and pick your favorites only. Next, make sure the size of your plate is reasonable. Drink plenty of WATER (instead of other sugary drinks) and make sure your plate has at least 1 cup of vegetables on it. Be careful not to eat too much dip and higher calorie processed snacks while you're there as well. And of course, leave room for dessert. But again,  have one serving of dessert. Whether this means 1 kind of dessert in a good portion or a few different desserts in smaller portions is up to you. 

 A picnic is a great opportunity to get in some exercise too! Take a football, equipment to play kickball or wiffle ball, go for a hike. Do something to get in some extra exercise to burn off those excess calories. 

Need more strategies? Just email me at healthcoach@befitforpurpose and ask! Happy picnicking! 
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