UNDATED -- The last thing most of us want to do this summer is gain weight. Unfortunately, some of your favorite summer foods can also be the worst for your waistline. We uncovered the top summer diet disasters you need to watch out for.
There's nothing quite like a backyard summer barbeque with burgers, brats and all the trimmings.
"Lots of dips for the vegetables and chips so I'm sure there are a lot of hidden dangers," said Jenny Albers of Springboro.
Registered Dietician Kim Oswalt says an average plate of cookout grub typically has more than double the amount of calories of a standard dinner.
"It can add up really quickly. It can be 1,000 calories just on that one plate. Depending on how big the burger is, you can sometimes rack up 500 calories in a burger, once you load it with the cheese and the mayo, and if there's bacon on it, too," Oswalt said.
But don't worry, you don't have to kill your cookout plans just to maintain your waistline. Try a grilled turkey or veggie burger, and stay far away from huge steaks. A T-bone can weigh in at 1,500 calories and 124 grams of fat.
Hamburger buns are also diet disasters. Instead, try putting your burger between some romaine lettuce or portebella mushroom caps.
"When I grill out, I like to do kababs. I'm not a huge veggie eater, but I like to do the peppers, yellow, orange and red," said Albers.
"We pretty much eat healthy. We love seafood and vegetables," agreed Julio Juncon of Dayton.
Veggies are key, just don't douse them in dressing. And when grabbing one of those handy pre-packaged salads, keep a close eye on the ingredient list.
"Sometimes you just have to watch out for the higher fat toppings, croutons, cheese," Oswalt said.
If you need to satisfy that sweet tooth, make sure your dessert is under 150 calories. That makes fruit bars a great choice. If you're a chocolate fiend, go with a fudge pop, it's only 40 calories.
And don't forget the drinks. Sweet tea and lemonade, both summertime favorites, can also be massive diet pitfalls. A single glass can contain more calories than regular soda.
"This one is really going to surprise you. A frozen pina colada has almost 600 calories. That's about as much as a six pack of light beer. Ditch those choices and instead make your own with a little pineapple juice, rum, coconut milk and a frozen banana.
However, probably one of the most shocking summer calorie bombs we discovered is sushi. Many rolls are loaded with creamy sauces, fried ingredients, cream cheese and refined white rice. You might as well eat a Quarter-Pounder With Cheese. It actually does have fewer calories. Here's the best swap. Trade in white rice for brown, or ditch it altogether for sashimi. Add edamame and a seaweed salad, for a Japanese meal that's less than 350 calories.
There's nothing quite like a backyard summer barbeque with burgers, brats and all the trimmings.
"Lots of dips for the vegetables and chips so I'm sure there are a lot of hidden dangers," said Jenny Albers of Springboro.
Registered Dietician Kim Oswalt says an average plate of cookout grub typically has more than double the amount of calories of a standard dinner.
"It can add up really quickly. It can be 1,000 calories just on that one plate. Depending on how big the burger is, you can sometimes rack up 500 calories in a burger, once you load it with the cheese and the mayo, and if there's bacon on it, too," Oswalt said.
But don't worry, you don't have to kill your cookout plans just to maintain your waistline. Try a grilled turkey or veggie burger, and stay far away from huge steaks. A T-bone can weigh in at 1,500 calories and 124 grams of fat.
Hamburger buns are also diet disasters. Instead, try putting your burger between some romaine lettuce or portebella mushroom caps.
"When I grill out, I like to do kababs. I'm not a huge veggie eater, but I like to do the peppers, yellow, orange and red," said Albers.
"We pretty much eat healthy. We love seafood and vegetables," agreed Julio Juncon of Dayton.
Veggies are key, just don't douse them in dressing. And when grabbing one of those handy pre-packaged salads, keep a close eye on the ingredient list.
"Sometimes you just have to watch out for the higher fat toppings, croutons, cheese," Oswalt said.
If you need to satisfy that sweet tooth, make sure your dessert is under 150 calories. That makes fruit bars a great choice. If you're a chocolate fiend, go with a fudge pop, it's only 40 calories.
And don't forget the drinks. Sweet tea and lemonade, both summertime favorites, can also be massive diet pitfalls. A single glass can contain more calories than regular soda.
"This one is really going to surprise you. A frozen pina colada has almost 600 calories. That's about as much as a six pack of light beer. Ditch those choices and instead make your own with a little pineapple juice, rum, coconut milk and a frozen banana.
However, probably one of the most shocking summer calorie bombs we discovered is sushi. Many rolls are loaded with creamy sauces, fried ingredients, cream cheese and refined white rice. You might as well eat a Quarter-Pounder With Cheese. It actually does have fewer calories. Here's the best swap. Trade in white rice for brown, or ditch it altogether for sashimi. Add edamame and a seaweed salad, for a Japanese meal that's less than 350 calories.