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The Fourth of July marks another of the many installments of barbecues you’ll probably be attending this summer. Maybe you’ve just started making progress on your summer body, are ready to show it off in some daisy dukes and a crop top, and now all you have to do is get through the minefield that is that barbecue spread. Between the coolers full of beer, the pitchers of sugary sangria, the many bowls of chips and dips (I mean really, how many do we need?!), the burgers, the hotdogs, and those trays of brownies and cookies, there’s a lot to unpack. Hmmm. That’s not quite conducive to keeping your abs looking taught in that crop top. You can already feel yourself needing to unbutton a button in your shorts in preparation for the incoming bloat. It’s okay. There are ways around this. You just have to know which barbecue foods will leave you feeling bloated, and which ones will leave you feeling nice and light.
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Avoid: all the buns
Between the bratwurst, traditional hotdogs, beef burgers, and chicken breasts, there are a lot of things you want to put between two buns, slathered with barbecue sauce and mayonnaise. The grilled meats are actually excellent sources of protein, but if you make a burger or sandwich out of each serving, you’re just adding tons of empty calories in those all-white buns (that turn directly into sugar).
