July 4th and other summertime celebrations are meant to be celebrated and enjoyed, but you don’t have to sacrifice your health or beach body every time you attend a BBQ or picnic this summer.

Use these helpful tips from our Registered Dietitian to keep your health and body in check during your summer time celebrations.

1. Use small plates

Studies have clearly shown that by eating off of smaller plates you are likely to consume up to 50% less calories than you would consume by eating off of a larger size plate. Try borrowing a plate from the kids table or the dessert tray to slash your calorie intake in half.

2. Eat the healthy options first

Fill up on fruit salads or veggies tray options before heading over to the grill for a hamburger or hotdog. Fruits and vegetables have lots of fiber, which is a nutrient that keeps you feeling full longer and more satisfied. After you get your dose of fruits and vegetables, choose a lean protein such as grilled chicken or tuna salad to reduce your intake of saturated fat, because ladies, we all know, saturated fat is not our friend!

3. Skip the refined carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates are the worst things you can eat because they offer little satisfaction and loads of calories. BBQs are filled with wonderful food, so do yourself a favor and save your calories for the really good stuff.

Not saying that you have to eat your burger without a bun, but pass on the pointless chips and other snacks that lure you when you’re not thinking.

4. Watch your toppings!

Skip toppings like cheese, mayonnaise and bacon on your favorite grilled options and choose healthier toppers such as Dijon mustard, avocado or sliced tomatoes and lettuce.

5. Bring a healthy version of your favorite July 4th dessert

Everyone loves brownies or strawberry short cake to end their July 4th meal, but why not be the friend that brings a crowd pleasing dessert that doesn’t hurt the waistline? Try our registered dietitian, Theresa Shank, favorite July 4th dessert recipe for a healthy ending to your celebration.

This flag cake recipe has less saturated fat and calories than regular versions. Theresa enjoys this recipe because it replaces some of the butter with healthy oil and uses reduced fat cream cheese and Greek yogurt to replace full fat cream cheese for the delicious frosting. Enjoy! Recipe is from www.Eatingwell.com

Flag Cake Recipe

Makes: 20 servings

Serving Size: 20 servings

Active Time: 1 1/4 hours

Total Time: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature (see Tips)
• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (see Tips) or all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Zest and juice from 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

FROSTING & DECORATION

• 12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 3 tablespoons low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 2 cups strawberries, sliced

PREPARATION

1. To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper; coat the paper and sides of the pan with cooking spray.
2. Beat granulated sugar, oil and butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated.
3. Whisk whole-wheat (or all-purpose) flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Combine buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons vanilla and almond extract in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beating just until incorporated after each addition, scraping down the sides as necessary. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 28 to 34 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out onto the rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. To prepare frosting: Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth.
6. To decorate: Invert the cake onto a platter. Spread the frosting over the top and sides. Mark 3 horizontal lines for the white “stripes” and a rectangle in the upper lefthand corner for the “blue rectangle.” Gently pat berries with a paper towel to dry. Make 3 “stripes” of raspberries on the marked lines. Place half of the blueberries in the “blue rectangle,” leaving space between each berry. Sift the remaining 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar over the raspberries and blueberries to make them the white “stripes” and “stars.” Fill the rest of the “blue rectangle” with the remaining blueberries. Place strawberries between the rows of raspberries as the red “stripes.”

Soy seems to be a hot topic lately. The pending question seems to be whether or not we all should consume it or not. Certain authorities are recommending to avoid it altogether while others are stating it is a safe food for a healthy diet. Here are the facts.

Soy is a big business in our country and can actually be found in most processed foods.  Marketing claims discuss the health benefits of soy even though research is conflicting. Asian’s eat soy as a condiment rather than a staple food, something marketers fail to mention. It also is being used in various and questionable forms today. Questionable forms include soy oil, soy lecithin, soy flour, soy concentrate, hydrolyzed soy protein, and soy isolates. Soy oil has become a base for many vegetable oils. Soy lecithin is the waste product left over when the soybean is processed and is used as an emulsifier. Soy flour appears in baked and packaged goods. According to one article, soy protein isolate has been invented for use in cardboard and is found today in many processed foods (http://www.alternet.org/story/56087/the_dark_side_of_soy). Soy also is a food most likely to cause an allergic reaction (in addition to wheat, corn, eggs, milk, nuts, and shellfish). It is hard to digest for many people and it contains phytates that could reduce mineral absorption.

In addition, soy is said to interfere with hormones in the body because of their phytoestrogens (“phyto” means plant). Phytoestrogens act similarly to hormones and can cause an endocrine imbalance. They bind to hormone receptors and interfere with the production of hormones as well. Timing and exposure of phytoestrogens in important. Times to be cautious of your intake of soy include during pregnancy, infancy, puberty, reproductive years and around menopause because of your fluctuating hormone levels.

Soymilk and soy infant formula is very questionable. Soymilk contains hard to absorb supplemental calcium and it contains vitamin D2 (we need D3). To make this even more confusing, research on soy is conflicting. There is research that shows soy can have a therapeutic effect.

The bottom line is soy is safe in it’s whole-food form: edamame, miso, tempeh, and natto as these have less processing. Tofu has slightly more processing than the aforementioned but is still considered safe in moderate amounts. You should check the ingredient labels for all soy foods, especially veggie burgers, soy nuts, soy snacks, soy shakes, and soymilk. Soy in moderate quantities (a few times per week) can be beneficial and healthful. However, always opt for higher quality, whole and organic soy. Genetically modified soy is controversial as well and has higher levels of pesticides. Excessive soy consumption causes question and you shouldn’t eat soy more than 3 times per week.

The arrival of spring is certainly a reminder that you have one more season to clean up your diet before summertime arrives! Maybe you let your healthy diet habits hibernate over the long drawn out winter we just had but this month it’s time to spring clean your diet and life style to get back on track! Instead of trying a new fad diet, detox or meal replacement regimen, try these 10 tips to make sure you are bikini ready and feeling healthy by summer.

1. Drink at least 48 ounces of water a day:It is important to stay hydrated throughout the day for various reasons. Staying hydrated not only helps with your alertness, controlling appetite, and improving physical activity, but it also keeps everyday symptoms like fatigue, headaches and dry skin at bay.
2. Incorporate a color into every meal: Eating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables has been linked to improved health, and for good reason. Veggies and fruits (both fresh and frozen) are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber (a satiating nutrient) and antioxidants. In addition to bursting with healthy nutrients, fruits and vegetables are low in calories, which make both a great choice for the waistline.
3. Avoid processed carbohydrates: Consuming processed carbohydrates such as white flours in breads, pastas, cookies, cakes etc can contribute to weight gain due to the effects that they have on blood sugar levels. Try to only consume whole wheat/ whole grain products when eating carbohydrate sources other than fruits. Examples of whole wheat/whole grains sources include breads made with 100% whole wheat flour, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, popcorn (unsalted and non-buttered), oatmeal, quinoa, millet, barely, couscous, whole wheat pitas and tortillas. When choosing whole grain wraps, crackers or breads, aim to find bread that lists the first ingredient as 100% whole wheat flour and contains at least 3 grams of fiber.
4. Eat vegetarian once a week for all three meals: Cutting down on your animal consumption helps to slash saturated fat and cholesterol intake in the diet which can help reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity while trimming your waistline of fat and calories. Some delicious vegetarian protein options include tofu, seitan, brown rice with beans and tempeh. My personal favorite vegetarian protein dish is Whole Foods “General Tso Chicken”, which is made with seitan. I promise you will not regret trying it!
5. Add a source of protein to your snacks: To truly satisfy your hunger in between meals, add some protein options into the mix. Opt for a non fat plain Greek yogurt, string cheese, almonds, cottage cheese , hummus or nut butter along side of a piece of fruit or serving of raw vegetables.
6. Incorporate yogurt into your routine: Yogurt is a wonderful source of protein, calcium and gut friendly bacteria that helps keep your GI system healthy by alleviating constipation and diarrhea. Try non fat plain regular or greek yogurt and add your own fruit for a sweet touch
7. Aim for 3 servings of whole grains per day:Eating whole instead of refined grains substantially lowers total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels. Not only are whole grains beneficial to the heart but they will keep your hunger at bay between meals. Try having oatmeal for breakfast, add quinoa to your salad at lunch and incorporate couscous into your evening meal to reap all the benefits that whole grains offer to your diet.
8. MOVE MORE: Even though this is not a diet tip, it’s a statement to live by when trying to lose weight. By moving more you will burn more calories and build muscle. Aim to incorporate at least 10,000 (about 5 miles) steps per day which is equivalent to moderate exercise. If you are really trying to lose weight, I recommend that you engage in atleast 250 minutes of exercise per week.