Calorie Culprit: Summer BBQ’s

 4th Of July, BBQ, Beans, beer, calories, cheeseburger, food, food mistakes, Grilling, healthy snacks, Holidays, limiting calories, Mindful eating, portion sizes, portions, potatoes, Potluck, relationship with food, salads, Summer, veggies  14 Responses »
Jul 162012
 

How many of you guys have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of summer? The arrival of longer days, sunshine, camping with friends, running races and of course BBQ’s. BBQ’s are a staple of the summertime.

I used to be stressed about potlucks and BBQ’s. It was a “bad” place for me to go while I was trying to lose my weight, and even after I lost the weight. It was a minefield of temptations. The urge to binge eat was very strong because I wanted to eat everything there. Maybe not in huge quantities, but I wanted to try everything.

And once I was there, it was hard to resist. I am most definitely a grazer, the type to mindlessly eat simply because I was standing next to the table of goodies. I also had certain trigger foods that I had a hard time resisting: chips and dip are a big one. Cookies, brownies, cake is another one.

With the arrival of summer (well, for most people in the country–not so consistently in Oregon yet), I started thinking about potlucks and BBQ’s. I wondered what the average calorie count was for a BBQ excursion?

Calorie Culprit: Summer BBQ’s

Baked Beans

1 serving of baked beans is about 150 calories. That is, if we only have one serving. Considering that portions are often skewed in social settings, I’d say the typical serving would be more like 200 calories.

Potato Salad

I’ve never been a huge fan of potato salad, or really any salads that are mayo-based. But I know that potato salad is a favorite for a lot of people. 1 cup of potato salad is around 350 calories.

Pasta Salad

Mmmm pasta salad! Now you’re talking. Maybe I’m a carb-junkie but pasta is definitely something I enjoy. How many calories are in a serving? 360.

Corn on the Cob

Of course it’s with butter, too. I’d calculate one ear of corn on the cob with butter about 100 calories. That’s a generous number (it’s probably closer to 75) but I like a lot of butter on my corn.

Cheeseburger

The calorie count for this one is a total guess because there are a lot of variables. Is it a lower calorie bun or one that’s 250 calories? Is the patty 4 ounces or more? What are your toppings? Is there a lot of cheese on it? My estimate for the point of this post is 600 calories.

Hot Dogs

Hot dog with a bun and toppings (shredded cheese, relish, ketchup, mustard, onions, etc) is around 300 calories.

Chips and Dip

This doesn’t have to be a calorie-bomb. Chips and salsa are an okay choice because salsa is only around 5-10 calories. The danger zone is when the dips are creamy. If it’s a sour cream, cottage cheese or cream cheese base the calories are going to skyrocket. Let’s say one serving of chips and a high calorie dip (15 chips or so) is around 300 calories.

Tasty Beverages

Those liquid calories really add up fast. Juice, punch, soda, wine and beer…lots of options at a potluck. And in a social setting it’s easy to over-indulge. Let’s say an average beer is around 150 calories (or more if you like those IPA’s like me) and you have three at the party, you’re looking at 450 calories.


Sweet Desserts

The things I see the most at BBQ’s are chocolate chip cookies or brownies. Depending on the size, a chocolate chip cookie could run between 100-200 calories each. Brownies are higher at 250 calories.

What’s the math? If I ate all of the above items, I’m looking at 2910 calories for one meal. That’s a lot! Even if I chose a cheeseburger over the hot dog, that’s still 2600 calories.

Should I Just Stay Home?

Heck no! Go to the BBQ! Enjoy yourself, have fun with your friends–just make better choices. Never fear, I have tips! This is what *I* do when I go to a BBQ.

It’s usually a potluck so I try and bring something healthy. At the very least, I know I’ll have MY dish to eat. I’ll bring fresh fruit, or a veggie tray, or a really big salad with a ton of veggies. Having my own vegetable garden makes a salad an easy choice. Another idea: bring some fresh veggies to grill. I like grilling up zucchini or asparagus. Add a little salt, pepper and fresh parmesan and you have a delicious side dish.

So what happens if it’s not a potluck and your choices are whatever your host prepares? That’s okay too. This is where my motto of “everything in moderation” kicks in. What I usually do is I have a little bit of everything I want. I’ll choose EITHER a hot dog or hamburger, but not both. I’ll serve up one spoonful of the potato salad, pasta salad, baked beans have one dessert. Having a taste of everything satisfies my craving and I don’t feel like I’m depriving myself of things, but I don’t totally blow my calories for the day.

And the alcohol? I pace myself. I start with a zero calorie drink (water, maybe a diet soda) and then limit my beers to 2. Maybe 3. It depends. But I can’t remember the last time I drank more than 3 beers. Who needs those extra calories?

What’s the math? If I just have a taste of most of the above things, and choose EITHER a cheeseburger or a hot dog, I’m looking at a calorie count of around 800 calories. That’s a huge difference from 2700!

QUESTION: What is your biggest struggle with BBQ’s and potlucks? What are your tips for saving calories at one?

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Devilishly Difficult

 4th Of July, BBQ, beer, body aches, bratwursts, calories, Dinner, fitness, food, Food update, Friends, hiking, Holiday Foods, Holidays, Oregon Hikes, portion sizes, portions, sore muscles, Subway, Summer, sunny day  16 Responses »
Jul 062012
 

I almost called this post “Quivering Quads” because my legs felt like Jell-o after our 4th of July hike! Michael and I ate a normal breakfast, picked up a foot long sandwich to share from Subway, and hit the road. Our destination was The Gorge. Remember a few months ago we attempted Devil’s Rest and turned around? Well we were determined to do it this time.

The place was packed with fair-weather hikers out enjoying their sunny holiday. The weather was beautiful! Sunny, not a cloud in the sky and about 70 degrees. Michael and I blazed a trail up Wahkeena Falls. I was telling him about the awful news stories I’ve read lately about hikers falling and dying on Eagle Creek. Michael said that it was most likely inexperienced hikers doing dumb things (which we see SO much on our hikes). My argument was that Eagle Creek is a treacherous, dangerous hike and they need to install railings at the worst parts of the trail.

At exactly that moment we were having a conversation about the dangers of hiking, a guy in front of me on the trail stopped, tried to turn around and lost his balance. He was starting to fall off the side of the trail when I instinctively grabbed his arm and pulled him back up to the trail. It was total reflex (thank you weight lifting for giving me the upper body strength to grab a guy 3x bigger than me!!) and after the fact I realized it was probably dumb of me to grab him–he could have pulled me down with him!

He was fine and Michael and I continued on past the waterfalls and the throngs of day hikers. We set a really good pace up the trail. There were a lot of beautiful wild flowers along the trail. This one in particular was gorgeous and I was told by another hiker it’s Columbine.

The washed out part of the trail that we were on last time was still washed out but had been trampled on enough to make it a bit easier to traverse. It was still uncomfortable grasping onto the side of loose, wet soil on the hillside to get passed it.

We got to that fork in the road where you can take the Vista Point Trail, Devil’s Rest or Larch Mountain and we sat for lunch. I devoured my half of the Subway sandwich, famished after hiking for nearly 2 hours. We shared a Gatorade and then headed up Devil’s Rest.

I saw a lot of people attempting Devil’s Rest this time. I kid you not, most of the trail is straight up. I did not get a picture that does the elevation justice. Trust me. It was brutal.

And I kept thinking….How the HELL did I do this hike 25 pounds heavier??!?! It’s a strenuous part of the hike that will make your hamstrings, calves and quads scream for mercy. We stopped to rest at some of the scenic lookout points.

I believe that is Mount Adams in the distance, across the Columbia River in Washington. We were THAT high up on the hike! There were views of the Gorge, the trees below and blue, blue sky. It was worth the knee-creaking it took to get up there.

It got to the point where it was feeling like it was the Never-Ending-Hike. We were both getting tired but at least we’d finally done Devil’s Rest together! We turned around for the brutally difficult downhill climb. I was worried about my knees. They were starting to ache a bit and all I wanted was to be back to the car.

Michael and I tromped down the trail and then he turned to me and said, “Did we go this way? I don’t even remember this part of the trail because it was so long ago.” Truth! It was becoming all a blur.

We finally made it down to the trailhead. We were both tired, sweaty and my thighs were jiggling like Jell-o. Ouch ouch ouch. It turned out to be the longest hike we’ve ever done at over 9 miles!!! Holy cow. It was a “dog bone loop” (we learned that term the hard way) with an elevation climb of 2300 feet.

Good for Kids: Iffy. There are a few parts of the trail that are dangerous but for the most part it’s ok for kids.
Good for Dogs: Probably ok. Leash recommended because there are a lot of dogs there.
Cost: Zero. Parking lot fills up fast, get there early.
Activity Level: Strenuous
Scenery: Spectacular.
Verdict: Fantastic hike but you will be sore the next day!

Hike Stats:
Time: 3:48
Calories Burned:  1440
Mileage: 3 miles to Larch Trail, then 1.6 to Devil’s Rest – total 9.2 

We got home and got ready for dinner. The neighborhood was having a BBQ (and our neighbors may have had Washington  fireworks…ahem…) so I made up a bunch of kale chips with kale from the garden, Michael cracked some beers and we joined the neighborhood party!

I made good food choices. We had brats and the kale chips and I had a taste of all the other foods at the BBQ (fruit, pasta salad, potato salad, fruit salad). It was such a fun night! I really like our neighborhood and the neighbors are super fun to hang out with. I wish we did more block parties than just once a year on the 4th. I might have to suggest it. :)

Quick question: do you guys prefer the smaller photos or the larger photos?

QUESTION: Longest hike you’ve ever been on? How was your holiday?

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