How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Memorial Day
From light eating to the No. 1 beach danger, here are tips to making your Memorial Day healthy and safe.
By Heather Hatfield
Reviewed By Michael Smith
After months of patiently waiting, it's finally here: the sizzling hot days of summer. With summer serving as the unofficial start to the celebrated season of sun, you want to make sure it's as healthy and safe for you and your family as possible.
From traffic safety to diet reminders, here are tips experts gave WebMD that will have you starting your summer off on the right flip-flop.
The Season of BBQs
Summer is synonymous with barbecues: hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, and ice cream. But does the start of summer mean the end of your healthy diet and bathing-suit ready figure? It doesn't have to, an expert from the American Dietetic Association tells WebMD, and she recommends you start by taking advantage of the healthy foods that are in season.
"Enjoy plenty of fruits and veggies, which are fresh and delicious and starting to be more abundant by summer weekend," says Lola O'Rourke, a registered dietitian in Seattle. "If you're grilling, cook a veggie kabob as part of the meal."
Then, the trick is to eat the veggie kabob first, so you take the hunger-edge off before digging into the more diet-dangerous foods, such as burgers and chips.
"When it comes to burgers, they can be enjoyed, but keep portion size moderate," says O'Rourke, who is a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "Similarly with chips, watch portion size and choose baked chips if you can."
And when you do indulge in that burger, balance it out with some exercise.
Hitting the Road
With millions of people starting the summer season by taking a road trip, the AAA recommends keeping these travel tips in mind:
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