June 22, 2016

Healthy Summer Indulgence Ideas

Healthy Summer Indulgence Ideas

This past weekend was full of food: hamburgers on grill Friday, catered food at the zoo and a barbecue at our friends' house Saturday, another cookout on Sunday for Father's Day... so much food!

This is exactly why summer is so hard for me. I have no problem with the holiday season in November and December, but when it comes to food and drinks all summer, I have this summer attitude that gets me in trouble. It's not even that the summer foods are irresistible (well, except ice cream--I could live off of that!) but more of the idea of summer foods.


(This photo was taken at a beer festival in Portland with Brian and Becky in August 2015)

Fruity drinks, cooking on the grill, going out for ice cream on a hot day, getting fried foods at the fair (Lord, help me, come August!)... it all has this sort of romantic ideation around it for summer.

And it's all in my head! I know this. I could see it coming. I planned for it. It hits me EVERY SINGLE YEAR. And I still fell for it, hahaha. My weight this morning was 133--I have officially gotten back up to my goal weight, which is pretty scary, considering we are only two days into summer!

BUT. I really hate it when people complain about things and/or make excuses and then don't do anything to fix them. So, I refuse to do that. I'm trying not to panic, but it's hard not to when getting on the scale and seeing that I have exactly ZERO wiggle room for summer. Especially since Jerry and I are going to Cadillac this weekend.

So, my plan is this: Cut back on my calories to around 1,800 or less for six days this week, and then have just one high calorie day, which I'll cap at about 3,500. These numbers aren't set in stone--I do much better when I don't have an "official" calorie goal--but just something to aim for. I'd really like to get my weight back down to 128, so that I have 5 pounds of wiggle room through the summer.

There is no reason to live by my "summer attitude" regarding food each day, all summer long--that's how I always end up gaining 20 pounds. I'm going to Virginia Beach at the end of the summer, and I really want to be at or under my goal weight for that.

I'm not going to try and plan out more than just this week right now. I want to stay focused on the present, and not panic. I'm afraid that panicking would cause me to overcompensate and cut back too drastically (to, say, 1500 calories a day) and then I'd feel really hungry and deprived, and binge. So, I'm going to cut back sensibly and see what happens. I know (logically) that as long as I don't go overboard several days in a week that I won't continue to gain. I'm going to look at today's weigh-in as a wake-up call ;)

This weekend will be challenging, because I no longer have any wiggle room from my goal weight. Jerry and I are driving up to Cadillac, Michigan for the Lake Cadillac Team Marathon+. We plan to run the 10K on Saturday. Last time we were there, we only stayed one night; but this time, we're staying Friday and Saturday nights.

I already looked up restaurants on Yelp, so I know where we'll be eating. Today, I'm going to come up with a plan of what I'll order so that I can track my calories ahead of time. We're going to see if we can somehow fit both of our bikes in the back of the Jeep--it would be awesome if we could bring our bikes with us! We could ride everywhere we want to go, and the loop around Lake Cadillac is super nice. We do plan to be pretty active, even if we don't have our bikes, so getting in exercise isn't a problem.

I also started to think about what I could do to keep that romantic ideation of summer, only in a healthier way:

  Instead of sipping fruity drinks, shandy, or margaritas on the deck in the evenings, I could make a pitcher of flavored David's Iced Tea (still summery, but no calories).

  When cooking on the grill, we could make turkey sausage or chicken kabobs with lots of peppers, onions, and mushrooms instead of cooking hamburgers and hot dogs. 

  I ADORE corn on the cob cooked on the grill. I can experiment with different seasonings.

  When going to a barbecue with friends or family, I could make a fruit salad instead of homemade coleslaw (which is my go-to). 

  Instead of getting flurries at the ice cream shop, we can grill some pineapple at home and top it with a small scoop of ice cream--again, very summery, but a fraction of the calories. OR, if I really want to go get ice cream, I can't forget about my beloved cones from McDonald's! A vanilla cone is only 170 calories; and they have dipped ones during the summer that are only 270 calories. I like these just as much as an 800-calorie flurry.



I like this idea of substitutions, because then I can still feel like I'm indulging in summer, but I won't gain 20 pounds doing it! ;) Anyone else have ideas like this that scream summer but aren't too high in calories? Please share!


42 comments:

  1. I love tossing fruit into a pitcher of water to add flavor and have a summery feel without adding calories. And if you freeze some of the fruit it acts as ice cubes! Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cucumber, mint, lemon, lime, orange are all favorites that I toss in water. Not at the same time, but various combinations. Cucumber mint and cucumber lime are good. Orange strawberry is delicious. Light, summery, healthy :)

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    1. Ooooh, cucumber and mint sounds delicious! I'm going to try that :)

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  2. My new favorite thing this summer is banana ice cream! I put 1 frozen banana in bit sized pieces in a food processor with about a half cup of almond milk. I flavor mine with vanilla extract and PB2. The next time I make it, I want to add pieces of the cookie dough quest protein bar to it too for an extra treat.

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    1. I really should try doing the pureed frozen bananas again--I need to stop thinking of it as an ice cream substitute, and just look at it as an entirely different snack. When I think of it as ice cream, I don't like it, because it tastes nothing like ice cream! ;) But as a healthy snack, it's pretty good!

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  3. I struggle with staying on track during the summer! I like frozen bananas as treat, also fat free cool whip mixed with chocolate pb2 (it reminds me of a peanut butter cup)! Have you tried Halo top ice cream? It's really yummy and it only has 240 calories for the whole pint and they have several different flavors.

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    1. I LOVE Halo Top! I actually have five pints of it in my freezer right now, hahaha. My local store just started carrying it, and they have my favorite flavor--Birthday Cake! Halo Top is definitely my favorite substitute for "real" ice cream. Much better than Arctic Zero.

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  4. Blend frozen fruit, maybe with an itsy bit of syrup or sugar to get an instant sorbet. Add 100 grams of frozen fruit to 150-180 grams of low cal yoghurt with about 7 grams of syrup or sugar of choise and instant froyo.

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    1. serves two btw

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    2. This is something I always say I'm going to try, and I always forget about it! Sam's Club sells big bags of different frozen fruits, so next time I go, I'll buy some. I bet mango would be great!

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  5. Grilled pineapple sounds phantastic! How do you do it? Do you just toss them on the grill or do you have to wrap them in foil first or something?

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    1. You can just slice it up and toss it on the grill as-is. It's delicious when it gets a little caramelized with grill marks :) (Just be careful when you bite into it, because it gets SUPER hot--you have to let it cool off before eating).

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  6. I agree....I use to think summer was easier to eat healthy because you are more busy and just more active (compared to MN winters) but things have changed. I guess I am enjoying one too many beers with the BBQ.s. Or I am enjoying one too many patio happy hours with friends ~ which includes more beers and food ;-)

    Plus, with age comes new pains, new responsibilities with the kiddos and new fat deposits in spots fat never deposited before. hahah!

    Things are changing ~ that's for sure....Now I just have to help my mindset change too.

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    1. Patio happy hours are the BEST! And get me into so much trouble, haha ;)

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  7. I think also part of why summer is hard is because it just gives off a no rules, freedom to do anything kind of vibe! Probably because we all mentally associate it with summer vacation from when we were kids in school. lol I don't have any cool summer indulgence ideas, but love yours! :)

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    1. Yes, that's a great point! It does feel like there is more freedom. Almost like a long vacation.

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  8. I think that sounds like a terrific plan! I am also trying to focus more on still allowing myself to indulge without feeling restricted (restriction is a sure-fire binge trigger for me). I've recently learned that I can actually eat the same meal several times before I'm bored, so I've been focusing on planned/prepped meals for the week each Sunday and then allowing myself a little more wiggle room on the weekends. Nothing outlandish, something like the beloved McDonald's ice cream cone. ;)
    My husband and I also started the summer with a no-restaurant challenge (today is day 23!) and it's REALLY helped! We do make exceptions for things like the ice cream cone, or the occasional drink at a coffee shop - just no real food.
    Good luck with your plan - I think it will be super successful! (PS - Please be sure to share some of those grilled corn on the cob recipes!)

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    1. A no-restaurant challenge is a great idea! We've done that before, and it's really difficult, but worth it. Great job with your indulgences! Being too restrictive always screws me up, so indulgences (planned) are totally necessary for me.

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    2. Thanks! I actually learned that rule from you. ;)
      Only making changes to my life that I was willing to stick with forever has certainly been the key!

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  9. Does your McD's have dipped cones this summer? I love them and I haven't seen them advertised locally. I have been craving one. The DQ dipped cones aren't the same.

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    1. Yes, and I LOVE their dipped cones! McDonald's dipped cones really are the best--the chocolate has more flavor than, say, DQ, which just tastes like wax. I think McD's ice cream is better, too!

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    2. I agree with all of the above! :) I just haven't seen them at my McD's. I guess I need to ask them. In previous years they advertised them.

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  10. I do the DavidsTea iced tea thing as well. So many flavours. They even have a cocktail collection this year and the raspberry mojito flavour is so good (they may be sold out right now). I bought their iced tea press so I can even vary the flavours throughout the day.

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  11. A few other things that really help me during the summer are Diet Root Beers in the bottle. I normally try not to drink soda, but I love having the diet root beer that is in a normal beer bottle. It gives me the impression of having an indulgent beer at the end of the day sitting outside but with zero calories. It is a great mental swap/trick. I also love 15 calorie sugar free popsicles. Grilled corn on the cob, veggies, sweet potatoes on the grill, chicken sausage, etc. are all awesome ideas!

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    1. I love root beer floats in the summer, with diet A&W and 1/2 c lowfat vanilla frozen yogurt :-) mmmmmmm

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  12. AnonymousJune 23, 2016

    I was just talking to a friend the other day abou this exact same thing! In theory summer should be easier, I'm off work as a teacher I have more time and it is nice out. I think you are right though we are off our regular schedules, there are special activities galore and the ice cream gets me every time! I'm trying to experiment with some of the frozen banana ice creams I've seen on Pinterest. Also my favorite new drink is brewing some iced tea and adding an orange or lemon slice or two. Tastes just as good as the fancy ones you can buy. Have fun in Cadillac! We are hoping to make it up north this summer- maybe Mackinac Island. We are in the same stage of maitainence, I'm trying to stay 5 pounds under for that same wiggle room you talked about! Sounds like you have a great plan.

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  13. I am addicted to the frozen fruit bars from Aldi (are you near an Aldi!?!) 80-90 calories for a giant bar and it kills my "I need to eat a giant ice cream sundae" feeling. Otherwise, I love making up big pitchers of crystal light in all flavors and throwing fresh fruit in it or flavored sparkling water with frozen fruit.

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  14. Isn't it amazing how fast one can gain 20 lbs.!? Or in my case, 53 lbs.! YIKES! We did have chicken kabobs the other night, I soaked the chicken in buttermilk (a trick I learned from either Pioneer Woman or Trisha Yearwood on the Cooking Channel?) and the chicken was super tender, I alternated the chunks of chicken with red & green peppers and onion from our garden! SO DELICIOUS! then I saw a recipe on FB for marinating the chicken chunks in a teriyaki sauce, and alternating it on the skewers with pineapple. That looked super good. Might try that next time.

    My weight keeps climbing every day this week. SO FRUSTRATING! The only thing that keeps me motivated is when I logged in my weight yesterday on your spreadsheet and noted that it's been a slow loss week after week since Feb. Thanks for that! I've been staying under my 30 WW points every single day, so I have no idea what is causing the recent gain. I was thinking when you got closer to your goal weight, which I realize is much lower than my 150 lbs., that you had to drop down in WW points. I'm only doing the on-line version of WW, so there's nobody to tell me that I should drop back to only 25 (or whatever) points. What do you think? My lowest weight this week is 164.2 (today I'm up to 168!), and my goal is fairly close. I'd do anything to get there, but like you I don't want to risk depriving myself drastically, cause that would most likely cause a binge.
    Have fun in Cadillac. I drive a (very old) Cadillac. It was the car of my dreams, so we got one when I first hit goal 6 years ago. At least it's paid for now.

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  15. "BUT. I really hate it when people complain about things and/or make excuses and then don't do anything to fix them."

    Yep, totally. I have been in a rut for MONTHS now and whining a lot (inwardly, mostly, and on my blog, LOL). This week, I am taking some real action with the help and encouragement of my partner and really want to kick-start things again. I still have so much I want to do! So this post really resonated with me. For summer yummies, WATERMELON and lots of it. :) I'm a big corn on the cob fan, too. How about homemade frozen treats where you totally control the ingredients? I've been seeing recipes for those sorts of things all over lately. http://notafraidofstripes.blogspot.com/

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  16. The hardest for me is when the margaritas come out :) I allow myself to have 1 then I switch to my special drink. I blend up fruity flavored iced tea, coconut water, and ice. Not quite as good as a margarita but it has the same feel and keeps you hydrated in the hot sun. Sometimes I get really fancy and throw in some fruit too.

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  17. For a drink option i mix 1 part 100% cranberry juice (no sugar added) with 4 parts water or iced tea or green iced tea. Ocean Spray has different flavor cranberry juices too like Cran Raspberry or Pomegranate. I even got my husband into it and he's weaned off diet sodas now. Oh and check out La Croix sparkling water (Walmart and Aldis usually sell them). Cherry Lime is amazing!

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    1. Oh and I haven't done it yet, but for those of us who love wine, fill a champagne glass half with wine, half with sparkling water and add some crushed watermelon to it, or raspberries or whatever

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  18. LOVE the David's Tea idea! I always make sure to grill some veggie kabobs as well as meat on the BBQ, and they are great for left overs as well. Or if the guys really want burgers, you can always "beef" yours up with veggies and wrap with lettuce - OR make homemade burgers with loads of veggies in them.

    I haven't read through all the comments, so not sure if this was mentioned, but you can always do some fun homemade frozen drinks, like wine slushies, or frozen lemonade - feels like summer, but can last much longer than a normal drink, and possibly a fraction of the calories, depending on how it's made. I found a bunch of ideas on Pinterest :) Just a thought ;)

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    1. I made wine slushies for a party a few weeks ago and they were a big hit. Just wine and frozen fruit. And you're right, they did last longer than just a glass of wine.

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  19. We just came back from a cruise and something I really love are chilled fruit soups. They serve them as appetizers, but I like to make them for dessert. Google "chilled fruit soup" and you'll get over 1 million results! Most are under 200 calories. You can experiment with whatever fruit you love or have on hand. We really like strawberry and peach.

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  20. Pineapple on the grill is Ah - Mazing! Put some cool whip on top, maybe? Also, every time you mention VA Beach, I'm simultaneously excited for you, but sad because I live in Norfolk, VA (right next door), and I'm out of town and will miss potentially meeting you! (I'll be visiting my in-laws then on Lake Erie, ironically.) You've been non-stop inspiration to me! I'm sure you can do great this summer!

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  21. Summer is my hardest time of the year for weight loss/maintenance. I had been on such a roll at the beginning of the year, losing 10 lbs of the 30 I had put on in the last couple of years. Now, I've gained a few of those back and I'm having trouble putting on the brakes. I totally agree that it's a summer "fun" mindset that gets me into trouble. I really need to come up with a list of fun substitutes too. I do not want to head into fall with those 10lbs back on.

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  22. Are you a mushroom eater? I love a portobello mushroom "burger" on a thin bun - it saves about 200 calories over a beef burger. I also use a portobello instead of corned beef in a Reuben sandwich, it's surprisingly good!

    I am fortunate to have kicked my ice cream habit years ago, but summertime = beer on the patio for me. It's so hard to fight that "Hey! Why not?" feeling, until I step on the scale the next weigh-in :-( I like the idea of fruited water, maybe with sparkling water to give that fizzy feeling that you get with a beer. I think I'll give that a try. Good luck!

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  23. Halo Top has some low calorie Ice creams that are delicious!

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  24. I like the outshine frozen fruit bars - the lime ones are like a margarita popsicle! True Lime also makes a black cherry limeade packet that you add to water, and it's only 10 calories. I've never seen the dipped cones at our Mcdonald's but I'll have to ask! Have a fun weekend with your hubby!

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  25. Do you have a blender at home? I am wondering how it would be to take some cold David's iced tea and blend it with frozen fruit. Might be a nice margarita substitute! Iced tea and strawberry? Maybe peach? Depends on your taste. My husband and I have been making protein smoothies to take to work, and we get the bags of frozen fruit from Costco. I just realized the other day that we could try freezing grapes to throw in the smoothies!

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  26. You can eat watermelon basically forever for a very modest number of calories, and it's the quintessential summer food. When an ice cream craving hits, I love Yasso frozen yogurt pops (around 100 calories each, with some protein) and Chloe frozen fruit pops (60 calories, with real fruit).

    My husband and I sometimes have cantaloupe and sliced prosciutto as a special summer appetizer. The salty, fatty meat tastes so decadent with the sweet fruit - and since the meat is thinly sliced and the fruit is fruit, the calorie total is very reasonable.

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  27. I'm just getting caught up with your blog posts. Summer is definitely the most difficult for me as well. I love your substitution ideas.

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