How to Eat Healthy on 4th of July

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Summer is here and 4th of July is just around the corner! If you’ve been working out, you may be ready to unveil those delicious abs you’ve been working so hard for all year. Let’s not turn your sexy 6 pack into a keg by bingeing unnecessarily on Miller Lite, enriched white hamburger buns and MSG-laden Doritos all day, whaddya say?

You may have already chucked 4th of July up to being a “cheat day”, but let me tell you, you can have just as much fun eating and celebrating as you would have, without feeling crappy and bloated the next day. With that, here’s some tips to keep you on the up and up whether you’re hosting or going to a 4th of July party this year.

1. Fill-up on healthy food before you leave the house or guests arrive.

This means ample amounts of fat and protein, say in the form of a big salad with avocado, olive oil, some protein and a couple hard-boiled eggs or a veggie and meat stir-fry cooked in copious amounts of butter or coconut oil. By satiating yourself pre-party, you are going to crave much less crap (at least early in the day) than if you show up on an empty stomach, trust me.

2. Choose your alcohol with care.

Before you down that 6 pack of beer or bottle of wine, consider what that will do not only to your blood sugar, but all of the empty calories that come with it. Instead, I like to make-ahead a drink that has either vodka, tequila or gin, 3 part soda water, 1 part juice, some lemon or lime and a squeeze of liquid stevia. You can skip the juice and stevia all together, but I really like having something that feels decadent and refreshing, which those additions definitely offer.

Here’s a couple combos I love:

Watermelon Lime Spritzer:

1 part tequila or gin

3 parts club soda/mineral water

1 part watermelon juice

1/2 part lime

Liquid stevia to taste

Hibiscus Cooler:

1 part vodka

3 parts club soda/mineral water

1 part Hibiscus Punch (you can get this at health food store)

1/2 part lemon

Liquid stevia to taste

Make a couple large pitchers for a party or 1 at a time. Serve over ice with an herb or citrus garnish. If you wanna get extra fancy, you can muddle some fresh fruit with basil or mint into the bottom of the glasses.

3. Plan a BBQ feast using lots of veggies, good-quality protein and healthy fat!

Whether you’re throwing the party or coming as a guest, make sure you have some mouth-watering treats to get you through the day in style. While your friends are getting uber-bloated on been and refined bread, you will feel great with lots of energy to play around and spend quality time with the people you love.

Here’s a recipe I love from my cookbook Paleogasm that is sure to be a hit:

Lamb Burgers with Greek Salad & Coconut Tzatziki

Serves 4

Burgers:

1 ½-2 pounds ground organic lamb (or combo of lamb and beef, if desired)

salt and pepper to taste

Season meat with salt and pepper and form into ⅓ pound patties about 1-inch thick. Preheat grill or heavy frying pan on medium heat. Heat well and cook on each side 6-9 minutes.

Greek Salad:

½ pound ripe tomatoes, any variety

2 stalks celery

2 avocados, ripe but firm

2 red bell peppers

1 cup pickled onions

1 large English cucumber, seeds removed

½ cup flat-leafed parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Cut all veggies into about 1-inch chunks, but it doesn’t need to be perfect. Remove seeds from tomatoes (unless using baby tomatoes) and cucumber. Add herbs, lemon, oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Coconut Tzatziki:

16 ounces plain coconut yogurt

1 cup seedless or de-seeded cucumber, chopped small

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped small

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

Combine all ingredients and allow flavors to marry 30 minutes before serving.

Looking for a couple more recipe ideas?

Tony Federico, author of “Paleo Grilling” joined me for Episode 10 of Camille’s Paleo Kitchen this season. The recipes we whipped up included Bacon Jalapeno Wrapped Shrimp, “Veggie” Burgers with a Grilled Romaine & Avocado Salad and a Key Lime Parfait for dessert.

Watch “Paleo Grilling” and get recipes here.

Looking for even MORE ideas? Get the first chapter of my cookbook, Paleogasm, free here. It includes ideas for making every meal of the day more paleo-gasmic, and it will surely get your creative juices flowing for whatever 4th of July festivities are in the works.

The moral of the story: have a fun and delicious holiday weekend AND keep the hot bod you’ve been working on so beautifully. No need for a morning-after food coma 🙂