High-Fat Foods to Avoid

It is summer and time for vacations to every part of the globe.  Well while you are visiting these places you will probably be doing a lot of eating out.  And, of course, you will be doing a lot of grilling also.  So, do you know what foods to watch out for?  Here are a few that are considered the most fattening foods people can eat (especially in the summer).

There will definitely be a lot of grilling going on during the summer.  Just be aware of those waistline ex-panders such as high fat meats.  Did you know that a grilled 20 ounce T-bone steak can have a whopping 1,540 calories and 124 grams of fat.  Wow, even a cheeseburger does not have that since they weigh in at 750 calories and 45 grams of fat.

Ballgames and food go hand in hand.  However, so do hot dogs and calories and fat.  A single hot dog, not including the bun, can have 280 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 1,250 mg of sodium.  Just one sausage or kielbasa can go 330 calories, 24 grams of fat, and 1,590 mg of sodium.  This is for just six ounces of sausage.

Oh the yummy mayonnaise based salads such as potato salad and macaroni salad, they are so wonderful in the summer with those hamburgers and hot dogs.  But they sure do not look good around your waist once the summer is over.  Potato salad can have 180 calories, 12 grams of fat, and that is for one half cup portion.  Cole slaw can have 150 calories, and 8 grams of fat again for one half cup portion.

Ah those wonderful cooling fruity alcohol drinks such as daiquiris and pina coladas are so delicious on a hot day and while chilling by the pool.  Yet, once the pool is closed and the days are cool, those fun drinks are still right there with you on waist, hips, thighs, et cetera.  Pina Coladas can have anywhere from 245 to 490 calories while daiquiris can have 300 to 800 calories.  Even a Long Island iced tea can have 520 calories.

Now one must stay hydrated with beverages other than alcoholic kinds.  But if you are drinking those nice cool drinks with sugar in them, you are packing on the pounds without even knowing it.  Just 12 ounces of sweetened soda, sports drinks, and even iced tea with sugar can have up to 150 calories.  Now multiply that by ever how many of those drinks you drink in one day.  Now pick yourself up off the floor after you read that number of calories you are taking in.

So now you are asking yourself what to do to keep this from happening to you.  It is very simple.  When grilling, use only lean and smaller portions of meat.  If you must go for sausages and kielbasas go for the fat free or low fat.  Just remember though that these things are so high in sodium it almost makes up for the lost fat.  Also, if you read the packages you may find that the low fat and fat free sausages are higher in calories than the regular.  So beware if you must have sausages.

The salads are very simple.  Use fat free or low fat mayonnaise or even plain yogurt.  Or you can make your own mayonnaise.  Just blend 2 medium eggs, about ½ tablespoon of vinegar, and enough oil to make it good and smooth (drizzle the oil in while the blender is going).  Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.  Make sure to spice the salads up also.  Add a little vinegar to your potato salad.  Add pimentos to your macaroni salad.  Add some onions and green peppers to your cole slaw.

Now what to do to those cooling drinks.  One thing is skip the alcohol all together.  When mixing fruit drinks mix them in with fruit juice and Splenda or other sweetner.  Drink diet sodas if you must drink sodas at all.  And make sure to sweeten tea and “ade” drinks with either Splenda or your choice of other sweetener.  Or better yet, sweeten your tea with honey. 

So remember, it is so easy to add up numerous amounts of calories during the summer.  Then it is extremely hard to work them off.  Therefore, try to avoid the high fat, high calorie, high sodium foods in the first place.

Have a good summer.