by Dezi Abeyta, RD | SMRTFT Nutrition Writer
Summer's in full swing, and so is the temptation to ditch your dietary rhythm for beer, brisket, and "vibes." But what if I told you that you can show up strong for your fitness and your social life? The goal isn't to avoid the plate. Instead, own the choices.
Go to the cookout. Hit the pool party. Post up next to the grill. Just know how to move through those moments like the high performer you are. Here are three rules (Ok, they’re barely rules) to give your cookout day the hint of structure it needs
Choose an anchor meal
Decide ahead of time whether lunch or dinner is your "big" plate. If you know dinner's gonna be heavy, keep lunch light earlier. If lunch is loaded, balance it out later. This will keep your calories controlled throughout the day.
Frame your plate like a training session
Much like a workout, open with your fundamental big lift. Start with protein: grilled fish or chicken, burgers, steak, pulled pork, or whatever's on the menu. Then stack on fiber-rich carbs (such as corn, rice, and beans) and finally add color with greens, fruit, slaw, or grilled vegetables. That's your fuel.
Take a lap before you load up
Strategize first. Don't let impulse take the lead and strategy show up second. The plate writes itself if you slow down and choose what you want.
Your Big Play: Smart Swaps Without Sadness
This isn't about punishing yourself with dry chicken and a sad salad. It's about using volume and variety to your advantage. High-volume foods like watermelon, cucumbers, grilled vegetables, slaw, and fruit salads pack a ton of water and fiber, which helps you feel full without the caloric overload.
The science backs it. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming water-rich foods, such as chicken and rice soup, resulted in 30% fewer calories being consumed at the next meal compared to consuming the same food in solid form with a glass of water. It wasn't about eating less; it was about eating smarter.
So if you're filling your plate, stack it with foods that hydrate, satisfy, and give you more to chew on. You'll feel fuller, eat slower, and still enjoy the cookout without the food coma.
Summer Isn't a Test, It's Practice
You didn't build strength by being perfect. You built it by showing up, adjusting, and repeating. That's what holidays are. Not tests. Practice.
So this week, whether you're posted up at the grill, hopping between barbecues, or just trying not to overthink every plate, know this: you're not failing. You're learning how to win in real-time.
And real-time? It's where performance matters most.