So, you want holiday fun for the Fourth of July, but you are afraid you will gain weight? You can enjoy your food and it will be great, just make some alterations!

Here are 3 great ideas for Independence Day Skinny Food!

1. Barbeque any low-fat meat, even beef. Go ahead, have a hot dog. However, if you want to not gain weight, keep it to a minimum. Only one meat item, or half of two. You can put a little BBQ sauce on it, a little ketchup, but those items have sugar/carbs, so watch the amount. Mustard is better. Do not wrap it in a bun, wrap it protein style in a lettuce wrap or just eat it plain, with a knife and fork. You will not be hungry, because you are a smart eater and will fill up with veggies and salad. You can even put a burger on a salad…I have done that. It is delish!

2. Veggies and salad. Grill the veggies for flavor. Wrap them In tinfoil, spray with olive oil and put them on the grill for a few minutes. They get toasted and tasty. Eat maximum a couple of cups of lettuce and some veggies in it. No croutons, no bread.

3. Dessert! Don’t eat cake or cookies. Have berries in whipped cream and low-carb Greek yogurt. Delish. Or if you must, low carb ice cream like Smart Carb.

Motivation

Please remember that you want to be thin and if you decide to cheat, then it will set back your goal. There are ways to enjoy your food that is skinny-good-for-you food and you can still enjoy yourself. This isn’t a diet, it is a lifestyle. Learn to compromise and toss away your past poor preconceived notions and patterns about food and holiday food, which only led to you getting fat in the first place.

If you want a cocktail, stick to one only, with vodka and tonic. Those drinks are the lowest in carbs, but remember that alcohol takes a lot out of your body. Your body is so busy metabolizing the liquor, it does not burn your fat. So, essentially, if you drink and eat the wrong things, not only will you not lose weight or maintain weight, but you are more likely to gain weight. And why? For Independence Day? It isn’t supposed to be about food. It is supposed to be about getting together with friends and family and celebrating your freedom. Are you really enjoying freedom trapped in a body that you are unhappy being in? I can tell you that the best feeling of freedom was when I hit my weight goal. It was awesome. You can do it too.