Healthy Barbecue Tips and Working Out in The Rain

In this episode of the Outside Health and Fitness podcast we're looking at 5 tips to make your summer BBQs healthier than ever before! Then from the “Will it Ever Stop Raining” department we’ll take a look at some reasons why it’s fun too workout in the rain and we’ll wrap the show up with a fitness challenge to keep motivated and focused this week.

[spp-player]

[adrotate banner="13"][adrotate banner="12"]

[wptab name='Healthy BBQ Tips']

Healthy BBQ

[caption id="attachment_4169" align="alignleft" width="300"] Image courtesy of Brian Holm / FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/caption]

BBQs are a summertime staple....Burgers, Dogs and fun and not that there’s anything wrong with traditional BBQs but if you’re on a diet, watching your carbs or working to stay healthy BBQ season can be tricky to navigate....but it doesn't have to be.

Here are five tips for having a Healthy BBQ this summer:

Sauce

BBQ sauce can really make the meal and you need something to keep moist on the grille. The problem is that a lot of the BBQ sauces on the market are pretty high in calories and carbs...and I’m sure the vast majority if high fructose corn syrup....but don’t get me started on that!

Low Carb BBQ Sauce

I found an interesting low carb BBQ sauce over at sparkpeople.

• 1 c Tomato Sauce


• 3 T Worcestershire Sauce


• 1 T Cider Vinegar


• 6 packets Splenda


• 1 T Chili Powder


• 2 t Tabasco Sauce


• 2 t Garlic Powder


• 1 t pepper


• 1 t liquid smoke

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 8


• Amount Per Serving


• Calories: 47.6


• Total Fat: 0.3 g


• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg


• Sodium: 270.7 mg


• Total Carbs: 6.0 g


• Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g


• Protein: 0.8 g

Try a Dry Rub

Here are some ideas I found over at 3 Fat Chicks

Lose the high-carbohydrate sauces; add the flavor using a dry rub. A dry rub is a great way to make your grilled food delicious without all of those carbs.

Smear a mixture of tomato powder, garlic powder, salt, basil, paprika and cayenne pepper into chicken and grill, for a Mediterranean twist.

Try mixing spices you don’t usually think of:

• rosemary and nutmeg for lamb


• mace, turmeric, cinnamon and paprika for a Moroccan-style chicken grill

Beer Can Chicken

Here’s an idea from delish.com for a healthy Beer BBQ Chicken

A word of caution Maine has a 6 chicken limit ...over that and you shouldn’t be operating heavy machinery. You probably want to check in with your local government too.

Here's a spin on the roast-a-chicken-on-top-of-a-can-of-beer technique that's popular with barbecue aficionados. To simplify things, pour some beer inside a chicken as it cooks. The beer keeps the meat juicy and by adding a smoky-flavored spice rub both under and over the skin it will have extra flavor. Barbecuing poultry with the skin on helps keep the meat moist but to keep calories and fat in check, be sure to remove the skin before serving.

Ditch the Buns

Did you know that hamburger buns can pack as many as 30g of carbs? Yup....and while I love a good burger I’d like to find an alternative to the traditional bun.

Here are a couple of ideas:

1. Surround your burger with lettuce. It’s healthy, easy to hold on to and tastes great!


2. Try Arnold's Select Sandwich Thins. They are another great choice and at just 100 calories each they are a healthy alternative to traditional hamburger buns.

Try Turkey Burgers

Turkey burgers are a healthy alternative to traditional beef and when sauced on the grill....it can be tough to tell the difference. Turkey burgers are lower in fat and calories.

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, a 100g serving, roughly 3.5oz of 85 percent lean ground turkey, contains 180 calories, much lower than the 215 calories in a 3.5 oz serving of 85 percent lean ground beef.

Take advantage of the nice weather while it’s here and have some friends over for a healthy BBQ. Do you have some tips or recipes for healthy BBQS? Please leave a comment below or drop me an email at steve@outsidehealthandfitness.com and I’ll share them!

[/wptab][wptab name='Exercise in the Rain']

Exercise in the Rain

[caption id="attachment_4187" align="alignleft" width="300"] Image courtesy of Lisa McDonald/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/caption]

Will it ever stop raining? It’s official June of 2013 was the 5th wet-est on record for Maine. It seems like there hasn’t been a day in several weeks where we haven’t had rain. So I started thinking about outdoor fitness option for bad weather and why it might be an advantage to workout in the rain.

So here are ten advantages to running, swimming, biking or walking in the rain:

1. It’s not crowded


2. You move a little faster to stay warm or.....you enjoy it more because you stay cool


3. You don’t even notice you’re sweating


4. You don’t cheat and stop as often


5. The warm, after workout shower feels even better!


6. People think you’re insane


7. It keeps your bike and shoes clean


8. It’s softer than hail!


9. It’s refreshing!


10. It makes you appreciate a sunny day even more than you do now!

If you get a chance to run, bike, swim, hike or walk in the rain take it and see for yourself why there are advantages. Do you like working out in the rain? Is there a reason for doing it that I left out here? Let me know and leave a comment below or visit outsidehealthandfitness.com/feedback to send a voicemail right from your computer.

[/wptab]

[wptab name='Fitness Challenge']

Weekly Fitness Challenge

This week’s fitness challenge is to perform 50 crunches a day for seven days.

[caption id="attachment_1638" align="alignleft" width="300"] mage courtesy of photostock/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net[/caption]

Your core is important for almost every outdoor sport there is and a strong core starts with crunches.

To perform a crunch:

• lay on your back with your feet flat on the floor


• put your hand behind your head for support and raise your shoulders off the floor while looking at the sky.


• Use your ab muscles to lift and be careful not to pull your head forward or put too much stress on your neck.

If you can't do 50 at a time try 25 in the morning and 25 at night. Or if you’re new to crunches see if you can do 10 a day for 7 days.

Whatever your current level of fitness I hope you take the challenge and get in some good crunches this week.

[/wptab]

[end_wptabset]

[adrotate banner="20"]

Image Credits:

• Special thanks to Frank J. (Frank John) Aleksandrowicz, 1921-, Photographer (NARA record: 8452210) for use of the image "COOKOUT AT HUNTINGTON BEACH ON LAKE ERIE" used as the featured image on this post.

[adrotate banner="7"]