When it comes to food, self-control has never been a strong suit and there are times when I eat to excess. I was doing well for a while, then barbecue season started and, well, I've been letting myself slide - a lot. But I'm determined to stick to my wellness goals and conquer my opponent. This won't be an easy feat though - the want to try everything and snack continuously at parties can be overwhelming. So I got in contact with registered dietitian Lauren Tribe to get expert advice on how to kick the habit of immediate gratification to the curb. Here are her top five tips on conquering food cravings at a bbq:
1. Go in with a game plan: Tribe recommends surveying the food table before packing your plate. It's important to know what's available and consciously decide what you will fill your plate with before you do it. If there are 10 dishes on the table, make it a goal to only try five of those dishes. She says to fill half your plate with vegetables, and the other half with mostly protein (which will keep you full longer), and to limit the starch.
2. Wear tight clothes: It's no coincidence that you can eat more
wearing jogging pants than if you were wearing your tightest pair of
jeans. As your belly expands, you feel less comfortable in tight
clothing (also known as that extra effort that's required to suck in my
gut!). So if you wear tight clothes, you'll feel uncomfortable sooner
and will stick to controlling your food portions.
3. Drink water throughout the day: You've probably heard this one before. But actually doing it is a whole other story. Not only is it an important practice to stay hydrated throughout the day, but it's a great weight loss tool as well. Tribe says that water is filling so it will keep you feeling full longer. Try keeping a glass of water within reach and take sips regularly.
4. Realize your triggers: She says to ask yourself, "Am I feeling hungry?" People sometimes mistake cravings for hunger. Food aromas and seeing all the delicious-looking dishes can trigger a craving. So you have to pay attention to your body and ask yourself is it really hunger that you're feeling.
5. Wait a few minutes or walk away: Tribe says that cravings come in waves, so try to push yourself to wait a few extra minutes. If you feel the desire to eat that piece of cake the host just brought out, wait a while and the craving may go away. Or she suggests changing your environment by going into the house, steering your body away from the food table, or redirecting your conversation. These methods will help distract you to get over the craving.
And if you're hosting your own barbecue party, here are five healthy burger recipes to try!
Bison-cherry burger
Dried cherries add disease-fighting antioxidants and a burst of flavour to the iron-rich, low-cholesterol bison meat in this burger.
Quinoa-veggie burger
This low-calorie, low-fat vegetarian burger is an excellent source of vitamin A and it's also gluten-free.
Triple-threat superfood burger
Lean ground turkey makes this a high-flavour, lower-cal burger. The kale, walnuts, flax and sweet potatoes are all superfoods, providing a potent combo of vitamins A, C and K.
Chickpea-falafel burger
Lentils, chickpeas and oats make this virtually fat-free burger exceptionally rich in fibre. It's also a great source of iron, folate and immune-boosting zinc.
Salmon and avocado omega burger
The combination of salmon ground flaxseeds and avocado delivers a double omega punch (high in both omega-3 and omega-6) to our lowest-carb option.
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